Ubuntu 10 (Lucid Lynx) Linux Post-Install Set Up Tips

1) don’t use 64-bit unless you have more than 3.5 GB of RAM installed. more trouble than it’s
worth.

2) to change minimize, maximize, close window buttons from left side to right side of top of window:

run gconf-editor and go to /apps/metacity/general/button_layout
change from “close,minimize:” to “menu:minimize,maximize,close”

3) get the win key working:

run gconf-editor and go to /apps/metacity/global_keybindings

change any of these values to “Super_L” to have the win key open that application

e.g. run_command_terminal = Super_L to have the win key open a new terminal window

or panel_main_menu = Super_L to have a similar function to windows by opening the gnome application menu

4) This is general firefox on linux tweak. To set the backspace key to go back a page in history, open a new tab, type “about:config” in the address bar, dismiss the warning and type “backspace” into the filter bar. double click the browser.backspace_action entry and set the value to “0” (zero). As far as I remember “2” is to scroll one screen up in the current page.
This probably makes sense when used in conjunction with the space bar to scroll down one screen in a page.

[EDIT] On that note i thought it might be good if the space bar did go forward in history one page. There are no settings in firefox/mozilla for this, so i delved into the world of greasemonkey to make this possible.

Here’s my first greasemonkey script!

It adds an event listener for keydown (key events are not available by default in greasemonkey),
checks for space bar press (it assumes the code for space bar is 32),
goes forward 1 page in history,
& suppresses the default behaviour for space bar (i copied that bit, don’t really know what it does)

here’s de code:

// ==UserScript==
// @name Space Forward
// @namespace http://mcmonkeys1rants.blogspot.com
// @description Makes space bar go forward in history and not scroll down
// @include *
// ==/UserScript==

function KeyCheck(e)
{
if(e.keyCode==32){
history.go(1);
if(!document.commandDispatcher.focusedElement)
e.preventDefault();
}
}

window.addEventListener('keydown', KeyCheck, false);

pretty basic, but it works!

5) Get rid of F10 menu accelerator, (“ALT+F” works fine, and “F10” interferes with midnight commander quit key):
run gconf-editor and remove “F10″ from /desktop/gnome/interface/menu_accel (i.e. set=””)

6) Set up SMB N/W share mounts:
make sure smbfs & smbclient are installed.
add this horrible line to /etc/fstab (all in one single line)
//192.168.1.13/public /media/public cifs user=netusername%netpassword,directio,soft,noexec,nosuid,nodev,rw,uid=1000,gid=1000,file_mode=0664,dir_mode=0755 0 0
-subbing in your network login for “netusername” & “netuserpassword”, and your own network locations and local mount points.
i wrote that some time ago, most of the option are not required, i was trying to stop the local PC from hanging when my NAS went down.
don’t for get to “sudo mkdir /media/public” or whatever you’ll name them.

[EDIT/EDIT]
OK I’LL PROBLY TURN THIS INTO A WHOLE NEW PAGE SOMEWHERE FOR MY OWN REFERENCE MORE THAN ANYTHING. I’ve gone thru this process so many times when installing new OSes that i should probly keep a record rather that rediscovering de same ould carp (esp. linux).

right, i’ve been busy, must say i’m lovin de look n feel of ubuntu 10, and so many previously annoying linux things are seemless now (e.g. wireless networking, and ACPI -yes! that used to be a problem! anyone remember havin t write/download specifics for their broken BIOSes?? twas hell i tell thee, but auto shutting down before ur laptop’s battery emptied was a must! i digress, n fuck all ppl would get this. i.e. praise be linux kernel 2.6 and the copping on of Dell and the like).

all what follows is pretty personal to my own system.

gonna need an autostart file -right it appears that system/preferences/sessions no longer exists, now it’s the more intuitive system/preferences/Start Up Programs, duh! i had to google that, stuck in me ould ways. tsk.

have a few config files i reuse: .conkyrc, .fehrc, .fehbg, .bashrc, .vimrc
install the relevant apps: vim, conky, feh.
will post config files when i set up a new space for this, good to have somewhere, maybe someone else can benefit as i’ve carried these for years n spent a lot of time on them.
java is an annoyance on ubuntu, they insist on openjdk/icetea/gcj and there all still shit slow and have incompatibilities with java proper. PAIN! as i do program in java, and java apps? well, they are slow enough as it is -raw C/ASM baybee!! fuck de rest. n fk u java queers, real men use C/C++/
have a new step by step for keeping java up to date manually -post that also on new “space”.
that’s all i’ll post now. DEFO GET BACK THIS!