Ubuntu:Feisty -

How to improve sub-pixel font rendering for Feisty

This will dramatically improve the appearance of fonts with respect to the default Ubuntu install. The patched libraries are built against Freetype 2.3.x (not currently in feisty) and include David Turner's sub-pixel rendering patches.

• For i386 add the following to /etc/apt/sources.list

deb http://www.telemail.fi/mlind/ubuntu feisty fonts
deb-src http://www.telemail.fi/mlind/ubuntu feisty fonts

• For AMD64/EMT add the following to /etc/apt/sources.list

deb http://raof.dyndns.org/falcon feisty experimental
deb-src http://raof.dyndns.org/falcon feisty experimental

• Packages you're about to upgrade are libfreetype6, libcairo2 and libxft2

sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude install libfreetype6 libcairo2 libxft2

• After the install, you may want reconfigure font settings. The following settings work well: Native, Automatic, No bitmapped fonts.

sudo dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig-config
sudo dpkg-reconfigure fontconfig

• If you get errors about missing gpg key

gpg --keyserver subkeys.pgp.net --recv-keys 937215FF
gpg --export --armor 937215FF | sudo apt-key add -

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How to change computer Domain/Workgroup

• Read #General Notes
• Read #How to install Samba Server for files/folders sharing service

sudo cp /etc/samba/smb.conf /etc/samba/smb.conf_backup
sudo gedit /etc/samba/smb.conf

• Find this line

...
  workgroup = MSHOME
...

• Replace with the following line

  workgroup = new_domain_or_workgroup

• Save the edited file

sudo testparm
sudo /etc/init.d/samba restart

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How to mount network folders on boot-up, and allow all users to read/write

• Read #General Notes
• Read #How to install Samba Server for files/folders sharing service

e.g. Assumed that network connections have been configured properly

Network computer's IP: 192.168.0.2

Network computer's Username: myusername

Network computer's Password: mypassword

Shared folder's name: linux

Local mount folder: /media/sharename

sudo mkdir /media/sharename
gksudo gedit /root/.smbcredentials

• Insert the following lines into the new file

username=myusername
password=mypassword

• Save the edited file

sudo chmod 700 /root/.smbcredentials
sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab_backup
gksudo gedit /etc/fstab

• Append the following line at the end of file

//192.168.0.2/linux    /media/sharename smbfs  credentials=/root/.smbcredentials,dmask=777,fmask=777  0    0

• Save the edited file
• Read #How to remount /etc/fstab without rebooting

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How to mount Windows partitions (NTFS) on boot-up, and allow all users to read only

• Read #General Notes
• Read #How to list partition tables

e.g. Assumed that /dev/hda1 is the location of Windows partition (NTFS)

Local mount folder: /media/windows

sudo mkdir /media/windows
sudo cp /etc/fstab /etc/fstab_backup
gksudo gedit /etc/fstab

• Append the following line at the end of file

/dev/hda1    /media/windows ntfs  nls=utf8,umask=0222 0    0

• Save the edited file
• Read #How to remount /etc/fstab without rebooting

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How to mount Windows partitions (NTFS) on boot-up, and allow users read and write access

Warning: The software you will use is still in Beta. You should not enable it on production machines

• Read #General Notes

• Enable universe. Read #How to apt-get the easy way (Synaptic)

• Applications -> Add/Remove -> search for 'NTFS', you should find NTFS Configuration Tool, install it.

• Applications -> System Tools -> NTFS Configuration Tool -> Enable Write Support (depending on your device internal/external)

• Further troubleshooting is listed at this comprehensive howto thread.

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How to set up (automatic) background/wallpaper-changer application for GNOME

• You must have Python installed (python package in Synaptic Package Manager, or from the command line):

sudo apt-get install python

• Method 1 uses a simple Python script named change-wallpaper.py:

• Download and rename the python script change-background-py and make it executable:

wget http://oracle.bridgewayconsulting.com.au/~davyd/misc/change-background-py.html
mv change-background-py.html change-background.py
chmod +x change-background.py

• Create a folder for your wallpapers and make a link (in your home directory) to it named .backgrounds:

mkdir ~/wallpapers
gksudo ln -s ~wallpapers ~/.backgrounds

or make a link (in your home directory) named .backgrounds to your /usr/share/backgrounds folder:

gksudo ln -s /usr/share/backgrounds ~/.backgrounds

• Create a menu entry for wallpaperchanger:

Right Click on Applications-> Edit Menus -> File -> Accessories -> New item
Name: Wallpaper changer
Command: ~/change-background.py (or python ~/change-background.py)

• Change desktop background every time you reboot your computer:

System -> Preferences -> Session -> Startup Programs
Add: ~/change-backgrounds.py  (or python ~/change-backgrounds.py)

• To change the desktop background every X minute of the hour:

crontab -e

In the opened file enter:

X * * * * * python ~/change-backgrounds.py 

1 as X would mean: every hour:01. For every minute, just use * as X.

To exit: press ctrl+x, y

• Method 2 uses a more complex Python script named wallpaperchanger.py:

• To install the script into a different location than your home directory, replace "~" with your path

cd ~
wget http://members.chello.at/horst.jens/files/wallpaperchanger.py
chmod +x wallpaperchanger.py
~/wallpaperchanger.py
gedit ~/.wallpaperchanger/wallpaperchangerconfig.py

• Edit all the lines not beginning with an "#":

gksudo gedit wallpaperchangerconfig.py

• Create a menu entry for wallpaperchanger:

Right Click on Applications-> Edit Menus -> File -> Accessories -> New item
Name: wallpaperchanger
Command: ~/wallpaperchanger.py

• Change desktop background every time you reboot your computer:

System -> Preferences -> Session -> Startup Programs
Add: ~/wallpaperchanger.py

• To change the desktop background every X minute of the hour:

crontab -e

In the opened file enter:

X * * * * * python ~/wallpaperchanger.py 

1 as X would mean: every hour:01. For every minute, just use * as X.

To exit: press ctrl+x, y

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How to set default Terminal App window size

The size for a gnome terminal session can be passed through the geometry parameter, specifying columns and rows like 80x40. The default geometry is 80x25.

• First way is to add the following parameter to gnome-terminal launcher:

--geometry 100x40

• Other way is to change this parameter globaly for all gnome-terminal launcher's. Go to /usr/share/applications/gnome-terminal.desktop and edit the EXEC line like this:

Exec=gnome-terminal --geometry=120x30

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How to make Ubuntu look like Mac OS X

• Detailed instruction can be found here.

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