What To Do After A Fresh Ubuntu 10.10 Install? Run These Commands!

Important: before running the commands below, you need to enable the restricted, multiverse and partner repositories. To do this, open the Ubuntu Software Center, select Edit > Software Sources, and on the first tab (Ubuntu Software), check all the repositories. Then switch to the second tab (Other Software) and check the "Canonical Partners" repository.


1. Install Adobe Flash, Java, fonts, codecs and other restricted stuff (I don't use "ubuntu-restricted-extras" because it also installs some stuff I really don't need while it doesn't install a lot of the applications that I do need):

sudo apt-get install gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg gstreamer0.10-pitfdll gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse gstreamer0.10-plugins-base gstreamer0.10-plugins-good libdvdnav4 libdvdread4 libmp4v2-0 libxine1-ffmpeg ffmpeg flashplugin-nonfree sun-java6-fonts rar unrar p7zip-full p7zip-rar unace unp zip unzip ttf-mscorefonts-installer ttf-liberation mencoder mplayer sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-jre
2. Medibuntu is not ready for Maverick yet, but you can still play encrypted DVDs. Simply run the following command:

sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh

3. If you occasionally build applications from source or make your own deb files, here are some basic packages you should install:

sudo apt-get install build-essential automake make checkinstall dpatch patchutils autotools-dev debhelper quilt fakeroot xutils lintian cmake dh-make libtool autoconf git git-core subversion bzr

4. The following applications should really be default in Ubuntu but anyway, install VLC, OpenShot, GIMP (removed from the default installation a few releases back), gThumb, Pidgin, Skype, Adobe Air, Wine (ok, these last 2 shouldn't be in a default install), aptitude (removed from the default installation starting with Maverick) and Chromium using the following command:

sudo apt-get install vlc mozilla-plugin-vlc openshot gimp gthumb pidgin skype adobeair wine aptitude chromium-browser

Disclaimer / notes: This is just the basic stuff to install after a fresh Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat installation and it includes a lot of non-free / restricted applications as well as some very popular non-default applications. If you'd find some applications which you've never heard of, it wouldn't be a "what to do immediately after installing ubuntu" post anymore but a regular post about new applications with a catchy title.

'My Weather Indicator': A New Ubuntu Weather Appindicator

The new indicator-datetime (clock indicator) which was released in Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Edition (and will also be default in 11.04 Desktop edition too) doesn't provide any weather info like the old Gnome Clock applet.







To add the PPA and install My Weather Indicator in Ubuntu Lucid, Maverick or Natty, use the following commands

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lorenzo-carbonell/atareao
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install my-weather-indicator                                                                                                                                              
Once installed, run it by going to Accessories > My Weather Indicator.

install Conky Colors Ubuntu 10.10


Conky is a free, light-weight system monitor for X, that displays any information on your desktop. You've seen it in many screenshots under various forms; take a look at these screenshots if you don't know what Conky is.


A while back we told you about a really easy way to configure Conky using a GUI called ConkyWizard - which is very nice, but it doesn't come with plugins and too many options. Conky Colors on the other hand doesn't come with a GUI but is just as easy to set up (from the command line) and it comes with A LOT of options and scripts (from Gmail to Rhythmbox, weather and more) so you can create an amazing looking Conky in a matter of seconds (don't let our long guide fool you - you just have to install a few packages and run Conky Colors)You can view a list of options supported by Conky Colors, here.


How to set up and use Conky Colors in Ubuntu
1)
For Ubuntu 10.04 or older only: Add the Conky PPA

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:norsetto/ppa
sudo apt-get update


For any Ubuntu Version

sudo apt-get install conky-all
2. Install other required packages
You'll also need the following packages:

sudo apt-get install python-statgrab ttf-droid curl
Optional: if you want Conky to display your CPU / motherboard temperatures and hard disk, also install lm-sensors and hddtemp:

sudo apt-get install lm-sensors hddtemp

Now you need to configure lm-sensors. Run this in a terminal:

sudo sensors-detect

Then enter "y" for everything and run this to start the sensors:

sudo /etc/init.d/module-init-tools start

For hddtemp to work in Ubuntu 10.04, you need to run this command:

sudo chmod u+s /usr/sbin/hddtemp

And then reboot.


3. Download Conky Colors

4. Configure Conky Colors
a) Extract the downloaded archive (from step 3), use a terminal to navigate to the folder where you extracted it and run:

make

b) Now to see all the available options, use the following command:

./conky-colors --help

Then to set up everything, simply run "./conky-colors" followed by the options you want. Here is an example:

./conky-colors --lang=english --theme=ambiance --cpu=2 --cputemp --swap --updates --hdtemp1=sda --proc=3 --clock=modern --nvidia --calendar --m --network --rhythmbox=case --ubuntu


I used the command above to get Conky the way it looks in the screenshot in the beginning of the post.
There are many options available such as themes, Gmail, Rhythmbox (or other music players) plugins, network info, hard drive temperatures, available / used disk space, display images, weather, todo lists, battery status and lots more - like I said, to see them all, use "./conky-colors --help".
c) Once you are done, run the following command:

make install
d) Try it out. Run conky by pressing Alt + F2 and then type "conky" or type "conky" into a terminal. To close conky, if you run it from a terminal press Ctrl + C or type "killall conky".
4. Put Conky in your Startup applications

To run Conky when your computer starts, go to System > Preferences > Startup Applications, add a new startup application and under "Name" enter "conky" and under command, enter "~/.conkycolors/bin/conkyStart"

3 Beautiful Conky Configurations


1. Conky Meet Faenza

Conky meet faenza



2. Conky Launchpad

Conky Launchpad


3. Conky Ken

Conky ken


The first 2 Conky setups above are very easy to configure - just install conky, then copy the extracted files (look for hidden files and folders too) into your folder and that's it. Conky Ken takes a bit longer to set up but it's not all that difficult, however I couldn't get the weather to work (it might have something to do with might location though). For each of the 3 Conky setups above, download the archive and see the README for exact installation instructions.


And speaking of Conky - Conky Colors, an utility to easily set up amazing custom Conky configuration has just been updated (by the way, I was using Conky Colors in the Compiz 0.9.2 screenshot). Download the latest Conky Colors | How to set up Conky Colors Cairo mode (rings).

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