[PCWorld]

Post your comments for Ubuntu Linux: The Easy Installation Guide here

[taustin1382]

".TAR.GZ for Linux in the 'Select version to download' drop-down list, and click Agree and install now. Click OK in the next dialog box to open the archive file with Ubuntu's Archive Manager. Click Extract in the Archive Manager, and then click Extract again to extract the installer to a folder to your home directory. Choose Places, Home Folder, and open the newly extracted folder (on our system, it was inconveniently named 'installflashplayer9linux'). Double-click flashplayer-installer, and select Run in Terminal to launch the command-line installer. Switch to the Terminal window that opens, and press Enter to confirm the installation. At this point the installer will tell you to exit any browsers that you are running. Close your browser, return to Terminal, press Enter again, and press Y to confirm the installation. It's just that difficult. "
why not just go to synaptic as described in a previous step and search for "flashplugin-nonfree" and put a check next to Macromedia Flash? and press ok.... it installs the same flash player from adobe......

[number6]

Great article! I bookmarked it and am going to use it when I get around to using Linux again. I wish this article had been around when I was having difficulty before.
Message was edited by: number6

[robertstrohmeyer]

@taustin1382

That's a great suggestion. I honestly don't know why we didn't just suggest that the first time around. (Or at least the Synaptic install, anyway.) I've updated the copy to recommend the simpler method.

[taustin1382]

I just tried the add remove programs option and it still prompts for 2 more packages when you go to any where that prompts (not youtube) the synaptic method worked first try.
Glad I could help. :D

[taustin1382]

just one more thing. there is now a .deb file you can download instead of the tar.gz file.

the .deb can be found here ~ http://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/

download, double click, enter root password and you are all set.... no need to mess with the tar file.... thats way to complicated for someone just getting started and will turn them off to linux very quickly.

[perspectoff]

There are two guides that are extremely comprehensive and orientated towards the new user as well as the advanced user, both personal and corporate:
Kubuntu Guide ( http://kubuntuguide.org )
and
Ubuntu Guide
(http://ubuntuguide.org )
There are many more tips on these guides, which are very comprehensive, and answers to a very important question: now that I've installed Kubuntu (or Ubuntu), what can I do with it?

[dragon69]

nope you are all wrong the easiest way to install ubuntu (if you have a working windows system) is using the wubi installer and in that way if you do not want it or like it you can just go to the add and remove program to uninstall it

after all the word easy is in the title

gl and tc

chuck
Message was edited by: dragon69

[SilverWave]

Just install the "ubuntu-restricted-extras" meta-package and you get 95% of everything you need in one go.
Please update your story with this information ASAP
----------------------------------------------------
ubuntu-restricted-extras
Commonly used restricted packages
----------------------------------------------------
This package depends on some commonly used packages in the Ubuntu multiverse repository.
Installing this package will pull in support for MP3 playback and decoding, support for various other audio formats (gstreamer plugins), Microsoft fonts,
Java runtime environment, Flash plugin, LAME (to create compressed audio files), and DVD playback.
Please note that this does not install libdvdcss2, and will not let you play encrypted DVDs. For more information, see https://help.ubuntu....ts/PlayingDVDs.
Please also note that packages from multiverse are restricted by copyright or legal issues in some countries. See http://www.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/licensing
for more information.
Canonical does not provide updates for ubuntu-restricted-extras. Some updates may be provided by the Ubuntu community.
----------------------------------------------------
Any remaining issues can be sorted by going here:
https://help.ubuntu....unity/Medibuntu

[taustin1382]

in the same sense the easiest way to install and manage Xp is in a virtual machine with virtual box.... this way you can create a snapshot to revert to if (when) it breaks and you can uninstall it by deleting the VM.

[cdotrun]

Just checked out Ubuntu 8.10 recently as a "gOS Pro" alternative. I think Scott and Robert you should include info about the Restricted drivers (e.g. WiFi cards) and info how to make shortcut on a Dock bar that restarts into Windows (vice versa). Also, how to do things as root by default without 'sudo -i'.

[GraysonPeddie]

Not meant to defend Windows Vista Aero Glass, but I don't consider the glass to be that much of an eye-candy. I prefer the look of Aero Glass and how it functions and not some kind of a wobbly window flying around the screen. I could turn Ubuntu desktop theme into Windows Vista-like, but Compiz Fusion + Emerald is not as good as Vista Aero Glass, IMO. Emerald is great under Ubuntu, but if I were a application developer, how would I extend a glass from the window frame to the client? I could do that under Windows using the Windows API suitable for Vista, just like the one in Windows Media Player. Again, I still don't consider them eye-candy, as some users prefer a nice and clean look and feel while not impairing functionality and productivity. As long as I can stay productive without too much eye candy (no wobbly windows :) ), that's all it matters to me. :)

I'd like to end my comment saying that I don't want to continue with the debate with Compiz Fusion. Saying that Compiz Fusion puts Vista Aero Glass to shame just kind of brings a debate to this thread, IMO.

[VHMP01]

What about runnig Ubunto 8.1 (with all its bells and whistles) under Vista in Virtual PC 2007... I have a Virtual PC for Ubuntu 7.1, but it was a big dig, and some not so easy (newcomers type)commands for the screen and mouse, to get it running. Has this change for Ubuntu 8.1? Does it run smoothly under Virtual PC 2007?

[Rene]

I have been using personal computers since 1980, invariably with MS products. Thanks for Scott and Robert's excellent article I'm enjoing and appreciating Linux for the first time. Also, its a beautiful long weekend project. Thanks again to both of you and of course, to PC World Magazine.
René Gastelumendi

[EliR67]

Thank you, thank you, thank you. I have been trying, unsuccessfully, for over a year and a hlf to install Ubuntu on my Dell laptop. I never could get ndiswrapper to properly detect and install the driver for the wireless LAN card. But this time it went smoothly. Goodbye Windows!!

[robertstrohmeyer]

@VHMP01
Yes, Ubuntu 8.10 runs well under Virtual PC 2007. In my experience, it shouldn't require any text commands to get basic functionality going. Also, there have been dramatic improvements to the display settings tools in the past year or so.
Thanks again to all who've chimed in with comments and suggestions. We will continue to develop this guide over time and your feedback has been quite valuable.

[VHMP01]

Thanks for the tip Robert, I'll try 8.1 under Virtual PC and get rid of the previous one. I will look up for any tips to get it better; do you know of any guidelines already posted? Or even (the lazy way out) the Virtual PC clean files (it's license free) already uploaded somewhere?

Another task that I would get into is to get it simulating ‘Leopard' (on another copy of VPC). I've seen Ubuntu 8.1 doing this already at Youtube, and it looks pretty much the same (Mac4Lin). Although this would be just to show off really.




Anyway, thanks again for the tip!
Message was edited by: AuroraDizon added youtube coding it is {youtube }MgikW6KiD4I{ youtube} for future refrence without the spaces.

[chriswadams]

Great article, except for one thing:
<< If Ubuntu doesn't recognize your wireless network adapter, you can use an ingenious piece of software called ndiswrapper to replicate in Linux the Windows networking interface that the Windows wireless drivers expect to see, thus allowing them to run natively in Linux.
To install ndiswrapper, first launch Synaptic Package Manager by clicking System, Administration, Synaptic Package Manager.>>
How am I supposed to launch Synaptic if Ubuntu doesn't recognize my wireless card? I have a netbook, and that is the only way it can get on the net. Is there another way to get ndiswrapper or otherwise move the driver?
Thanks,
Chris A.

[robertstrohmeyer]

Hi Chris.

If your wireless card isn't working, you'll need to connect via Ethernet to download the updates and grab the ndiswrapper package. Most netbooks do have Ethernet ports, so you should be OK.



Cheers,

Robert

[cool815]

I just installed Ubuntu. Its working perfectly. Thanks for the great guide PCWorld. Make sure you update after you install.