Hitting a wall...

Went home somewhat dejected tonight after failing to install samba in my minimal install.
Perhaps the clue lies somewhere with a missing package - nautilus-share ?

from an ubuntu forum post.

OR probably this package: system-config-samba
from this post.

need to check my packages tomorrow or Friday -
1) to create a package list file
"dpkg --get-selections > installed-software"

How to rebuild your packages from a previous install? Got this from the forum, too.

better to check this out, too. ubuntu forum post on low memory systems.

the Actual minimal install

1. Install the minimal CD, using default settings - post #1
2. Install the prescribed packages:

sudo apt-get -y install gnome-core gdm network-manager-gnome fast-user-switch-applet \
human-theme x11-xserver-utils tangerine-icon-theme gnome-themes-ubuntu ubuntu-artwork \
jockey-gtk gnome-screensaver gnome-utils

then restart.

3. Enable the Network manager - post #65
"... remove (or comment) the options below "primary network interface" in /etc/network/interfaces"; you must get the ethernet card's MAC address via ifconfig -a in a terminal window.

then restart again.

4. Packages installed:
- epiphany-browser (via Synaptic)
- hplip (HP printer drivers) : got this from the HP HPLIP link, downloaded and used the installer

The hplip installer also detected and auto-installed missing packages, notably build-essential.

Minimal Install of Ubuntu 9.04

going into a deeper relationship with Ubuntu... since last week, I had tried different distros (e.g. Arch Linux, Mepis) in the office, looking for a leaner linux. To the credit of Ubuntu, it was the only one, in my opinion, that didn't require too much struggle from my newbie perspective.

the minimal CD of Ubuntu vs. Arch Linux - the former wins... for now.

these are my notes for a minimal installation - a good application can be for old desktops with low (e.g. 256mb) memory that you can use as a print server.

links:

1. ubuntu forum how-to by TheShiv
2. minimal cd for Ubuntu - Jaunty, Intrepid, etc.

TheShiv also posted a very comprehensive write-up how to create your own local repositories at post # 43 and installing Skype at post #53.

Another contributor for the same thread provided a link how to install the lightweight windows manager FluxBox for the minimal install at post # 23.

Installing VLC and learning about PPA along the way

Missing my favorite media player, I google'd and found out that there is a VLC for Ubuntu.

The catch is this: it isn't a default package available out-of-the-box in Jaunty.

So here are the steps, basically:

1. Add the VLC packages in Ubuntu's software sources


2. Tell Ubuntu to authenticate the VLC's PPA


3. Update Synaptic and install VLC

These are the packages to install:

• 
  

  vlc

  
  


• 
  

  vlc-plugin-esd

  
  


• 
  

  mozilla-plugin-vlc

  
  

My references:

• VLC packages and PPA


• How-to reference

Ubuntu 9.04 in my dual-boot - 1, and IPMsg :-)

Yesterday I took a bigger step. I installed Ubuntu in another partition in my office laptop, not merely as a virtual guest.

So far, so good.

After doing the initial, fresh-install updates (via Update Manager):

1. Installed gnome IPMSG, our inter-office internal messaging client. This was a pleasant experience :) - thanks to blogger necramirez for this excellent reference.

Links for the how-to, I found here (http://blog.necramirez.info/2008/07/installing-gnome2-ipmessenger.html). This worked for me without problems.
You have to install the dependencies first, as follows:

• libxml-parser-perl
• libgnomeui-dev
• libpanel-applet2-dev
• gettext
• intltool

After that, get the gnome IPMSG here (http://www.ipmsg.org/index.html.en).
The link I followed is the one under Unix, titled GNOME2 IP Messenger by T.Kato (2008/10/27).
It might have a newer version by the time you visit the site.

I followed the instructions how to unpack/make/run and soon after I got IPmsg working smoothly.

2. Now, my adventure continues. I'm planning to install NetBeans. First off, install the Java packages.

My reference is in the Ubuntu forums, on the thread titled "Ubuntu Desktop Computing Made Easy (Ubuntu 9.04)" - thanks to contributor TrakerJon
Here's the piece on java:
Install the latest Sun Java JRE
sudo apt-get install gsfonts-x11 java-common odbcinst1debian1 sun-java6-bin sun-java6-fonts sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin unixodbc

Installed firewall in my jaunty

This is the link I used to make firestarter run everytime I log in my Ubuntu 9.04 (jaunty jackalope)

The configuration:
1. Laptop with the ff. connections:

• ppp0 - huawei e160 usb modem of Sun Cellular,
• eth1 - laptop's built-in wifi
• shared internet connection, dhcp server (c/o Firestarter)
  

2. Windows laptop, also on wifi, able to access the Internet via laptop1

The problem: kept running into Firestarter error message - cannot start firewall - when I turn on DHCP for eth1

The solution:

• Manual IP address/subnet assigned to laptop1's eth1
• Reinstalled the dhcp3-server package (in synaptic package manager)

Using Sun Cellular USB modem Huawei e160 with Ubuntu 9.04

Previous blog post below NOT NEEDED for Ubuntu 9.04 - as most of what I needed to work already did work without additional packages needing to be installed :-)

Here are some notes to this experiment.

Running Ubuntu 9.04 (32-bit) as a virtual guest (using virtualbox 2.2.4).

References:
1. Review-Ninja's blog
2. Saliya's blog

Download sites for packages needed:
1. usb_modeswitch
2. wvdialer (thanks to GeorgeVita)

Notes:
1. No need to download or install the libusb, as it is available in the CD installer of Ubuntu 9.04