Ubuntu 9.10 noobie

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Kaos36

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Topic # 52711 6-Dec-2009 21:56

I love this OS!

I installed Ubuntu as a dual boot setup along with Windows XP. I love the interface layout I can see where MS got some of their ideas from with Win 7 taskbar and Ubuntu are very simular ;). I find with Linux (tried Redhat 7 many years ago only cause it was on work machine) you have more freedom where everything is there its no hiding the settings away from the user and no more paranoia WGA bs checking or "critical update required for an exploit in IE 7" crappy updates etc., I haven't even bothered to install an antivirus or enable a firewall but probably will do that later on just as a caution.

Read up of problems with Ubuntu users setting the internet up during first install and thought i might have issues but on first log in I was connected to the net. Great OS so far very happy with it.

Anyways just a bit of help needed:

1) How do i install stuff? lol
I downloaded Deepspace Theme for Gnome and i have unzipped the files to a folder where the files end with tar.gz. The readme is no good as its either in French or spanish.

http://www.gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Deepspace?content=97420

Do i have to open up a command window and type a command or something?

Most software Ive downloaded for Ubuntu it was straight forward installing. Its just the one's where I have to do it manually I need help to know how to do this.

2) Whats the name of the program that enables to play some windows games? (reason why i left XP on for the gaming side) I was wondering if i could try and see if its possible to run WoW in Ubuntu, using the right software I think its called Wine? Othewise any other game i can try and play in ubuntu will do.

3) Ubuntu updated the video card drivers to 185. The card can't seem to run OpenGL i get this error:

No Python OpenGL support
No Python GTKGLExt support

Is this something to do with my card limits nVidia - (GF 7800GTX 256RAM) or is it Ubuntu.

If i can get Ubuntu to run how i want that meets my needs I will get rid of the XP partition. Otherwise XP will only stay on for gaming.

Worst Response To A Crisis:
From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

8d52797c436

264 posts

Ultimate Geek
Inactive user

Reply # 279889 7-Dec-2009 09:01

First of all, welcome to the group of happy Ubuntu users! haha. I'll do my best to answer your questions.

1) How do i install stuff? lol
I downloaded Deepspace Theme for Gnome and i have unzipped the files to a folder where the files end with tar.gz. The readme is no good as its either in French or spanish.

For this I would say the best thing to do would be to use Google Translate to translate the install instructions into english. It may not be perfect but I couldnt find anything else on how to install themes without using apt (the repository that contains a lot of software that is supported by the Ubuntu team).

2) Whats the name of the program that enables to play some windows games? (reason why i left XP on for the gaming side) I was wondering if i could try and see if its possible to run WoW in Ubuntu, using the right software I think its called Wine? Othewise any other game i can try and play in ubuntu will do.

Yes it is possible to play WoW under Ubuntu, and yes, Wine is the program that lets you do this. I will warn you though, it can still be a bit buggy and will never be quite as good as running it under Windows (well, maybe not true, but it definately hasnt been in my case). Personally I wouldnt recommend getting rid of Windows completely if there are specific games you want to play. Granted for most Windows programs there is an equivalent that runs on Ubuntu, but give WoW a go and see what you think. I would probably wait a few months at least before removing Windows completely. Here's a nice install guide.

3) Ubuntu updated the video card drivers to 185. The card can't seem to run OpenGL i get this error:

No Python OpenGL support
No Python GTKGLExt support

Forums post here that explains how to fix this issue.

Good luck, and if you have any other questions, feel free to ask.

Kaos36

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 280062 7-Dec-2009 17:45

Thanks very much for the help/tips I will check them out. Last night i spent till the wee hours downloading the free software that was available in ubuntu software manager - 100's to choose from. Good stuff!

Worst Response To A Crisis:
From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"

wazzageek

Go Hawks!
759 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 24

Trusted

Subscriber

Reply # 280288 8-Dec-2009 09:43

Warning! This is completely from memory - but should be close to reality...

When installing themes in Ubuntu (which uses Gnome as the desktop manager - some other distributions will use the KDE) use the appearance manager, that should be in the menu, probably under System?

You shouldn't need to do anything with the tar.gz file you downloaded, open appearance manager, point the file dialog box to where you downloaded the file (or drag and drop the file into the dialog box) and that should do everything else for you.

In terms of abandoning windows completely and using wine, wine is an API layer that has been written without access to the windows internals - so unfortunately it will always be playing catch up with windows. This also means that some games may rely on system calls that may not have been completely switched over to into Wine.

The short of what I'm trying to say is that the games will generally run better in Windows than on a layer such as Wine.

Cheers!

pdc

22 posts

Geek

Reply # 282916 15-Dec-2009 20:58

be careful where you collect files from:
there are trusted Ubuntu repositories;

and less reputable sites:

eg http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/Malicious-Screensaver-Malware-on-Gnome-Look.org

your mummy would have given you similar advice

ald

141 posts

Master Geek
+1 received by user: 2

Trusted

SimWorks

Reply # 283055 16-Dec-2009 10:34

I've an XP/Ubuntu set up for a couple of years and have absolutely no complaints. XP for the office, Ubuntu for home.

Wine is great but as Ryan mentioned it isn't as good as actual Windows at running Windows software. Its helped a lot by using some of the actual Windows libraries though.

Just a warning about installing applications. I've gone full circle on installing apps, now if it ain't available through Synaptic I don't install it. Installing things outside Synaptic in the past caused me no end of problems as when you install something outside of Synaptic various dependencies are inevitably updated elsewhere in the system. Synaptic then doesn't seem to know that they have been updated ... No reason at all though not to add additional repositories into Synaptic however and pretty much all software that I want is either available from the standard repositories or a project specific repository.

Best regards,
Aaron Davidson.

SimWorks International Limited

www.simworks.com - New Zealands leading developer of mobile applications

Kaos36

709 posts

Ultimate Geek

Reply # 288105 8-Jan-2010 12:55

Ive started reading a few ebooks on linux some are like those for dummies versions some are more tech sided.

Worst Response To A Crisis:
From a readers' Q and A column in TV GUIDE: "If we get involved in a nuclear war, would the electromagnetic pulses from exploding bombs damage my videotapes?"