Setting up Ubuntu from scratch
This is mostly to help me remember what I like to do when setting up Ubuntu on a new computer, but maybe other folks will find it useful too. I’ll probably update it over time.
- Update Ubuntu
sudo apt-get update sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
- Install frequently-used software
sudo apt-get install vim hugin bitpim audacity wine flashplugin-nonfree msttcorefonts ubuntu-restricted-extras lame vorbis-tools
- Remove software I don’t want
sudo apt-get remove f-spot
- Make sure SSH connections stay open
- Enable the TrackPoint (ThinkPad specific)
- Configure Firefox
- Allow backspace to go back in history
Goto about:config in the location bar and setbrowser.backspace_action= 0 - Allow smaller tabs (more tabs at once)
Goto about:config in the location bar and setbrowser.tabs.tabMinWidth= 15 - Move navigation buttons, location bar, and search box onto the menu bar (aka minimalist Firefox) and hide navigation and bookmarks toolbars
- Under Edit > Preferences, turn off download manager, turn off password manager, always show tab bar
- Install plugins
- Allow backspace to go back in history
- Install EditPlus in Wine
- Keyboard remapping
Goto System > Preferences > Keyboard > Layouts > Layout Options > Ctrl Key Positions and select “Make CapsLock an additional Ctrl” and then Alt/Win key behavior and select “Control is mapped to the Win-keys” - Turn off the PC speaker beep/bell
sudo rmmod pcspkr sudo vi /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist
Then at the bottom add:
blacklist pcspkr
- Set up “LAMP” for local web development (optional)
Also check out: Adventures in Linux with Ubuntu and the Ubuntu Guide. Everything else is just apt-get install and a lifetime of learning.
Heh, I did this myself this week.
The minimalist toolbar is brilliant, and Last Tab seems really nice. (Firefox comes one step closer to a full operating system.) Thanks.
You’re using vi and you have CapsLock as a Ctrl instead of Escape? xkeycaps for the win.