These are a few tweaks that I like to perform on new Kubuntu installs. These all work just fine for the new 12.10 release. I got the original guide from heloudons.org
First, apply recent updates:
$ sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y upgrade
And:
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
And:
$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Install restricted packages “kubuntu-restricted-addons” and “kubuntu-restricted-extras”.
kubuntu-restricted-addons includes GStreamer, GStreamer plugins and libdvdread4 (library for reading DVD’s) kubuntu-restricted-extras includes the Adobe Flash plugin, ffmpeg, lame (MP3 encoding library), and Microsoft TrueType fonts.
kubuntu-restricted-addons includes GStreamer, GStreamer plugins and libdvdread4 (library for reading DVD’s) kubuntu-restricted-extras includes the Adobe Flash plugin, ffmpeg, lame (MP3 encoding library), and Microsoft TrueType fonts.
$ sudo apt-get -y install kubuntu-restricted-addons kubuntu-restricted-extras
Enable DVD playback.
$ sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
$ sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh
Install some multi-media apps VLC, WinFF, K9Copy and Devede:
$ sudo apt-get -y install vlc vlc-plugin* winff k9copy devede
$ sudo apt-get -y install vlc vlc-plugin* winff k9copy devede
My workstation sometimes serves files over the LAN so additional Samba/CIFS utilities are helpful
$ sudo apt-get install samba samba-tools cifs-utils fuse-utils fusesmb
$ sudo apt-get install samba samba-tools cifs-utils fuse-utils fusesmb
Install other favorite utilities
$ sudo apt-get install p7zip hplip-gui pyrenamer gimp gcolor2 agave filezilla putty tomboy kompozer
$ sudo apt-get install p7zip hplip-gui pyrenamer gimp gcolor2 agave filezilla putty tomboy kompozer
Install utilities needed for compiling apps and plasmoids.
$ sudo apt-get install cmake build-essential debhelper fakeroot checkinstall kdelibs5-dev kdebase-workspace-dev
$ sudo apt-get install cmake build-essential debhelper fakeroot checkinstall kdelibs5-dev kdebase-workspace-dev
There are no Kubuntu/KDE Screen Savers installed by default. To install:
$ sudo apt-get install kscreensaver
$ sudo apt-get install kscreensaver
Optional: Improve appearance of default KDE fonts:
Fix: Go to: System Settings | Application Appearance | Font Settings
Use Ubuntu fonts, and increase all font sizes by “1″. The default
“General” font size in “Ubuntu 9″ which is too small for my
taste. Change to “Ubuntu 10″.
Force KDE to Anti-alias fonts properly:
Use anti-aliasing: “Enabled”
Under “Configure” –> Use sub-pixel rendering (RGB), and Hinting style: Slight
Force fonts DPI: 96 DPI
Fix: Go to: System Settings | Application Appearance | Font Settings
Use Ubuntu fonts, and increase all font sizes by “1″. The default
“General” font size in “Ubuntu 9″ which is too small for my
taste. Change to “Ubuntu 10″.
Force KDE to Anti-alias fonts properly:
Use anti-aliasing: “Enabled”
Under “Configure” –> Use sub-pixel rendering (RGB), and Hinting style: Slight
Force fonts DPI: 96 DPI
Fix Mouse Wheel Scroll behavior –> Mouse wheel scrools through Desktops
By default, when the cursor is on the desktop, mouse wheel scrolling cycles/switches through the Desktops. I’ve found this “feature” amazingly irritating and I wish that this was disabled by default.
To deactivate this behavior: With the cursor on the Desktop, right-click, select Desktop Settings | Mouse Actions
Remove scroll button behavior (middle selection).
By default, when the cursor is on the desktop, mouse wheel scrolling cycles/switches through the Desktops. I’ve found this “feature” amazingly irritating and I wish that this was disabled by default.
To deactivate this behavior: With the cursor on the Desktop, right-click, select Desktop Settings | Mouse Actions
Remove scroll button behavior (middle selection).
Install a Chromium as a second browser. Along with Firefox, I like to keep second browser handy.
$ sudo apt-get -y install chromium-browser chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra
$ sudo apt-get -y install chromium-browser chromium-codecs-ffmpeg-extra
Install Dropbox on KDE (without Gnome)
Dropbox is my favorite ‘it just works’ file syncing service and it works great under Gnome. However the Gnome/Nautilus dependency is problematic when it comes to getting Dropbox to work properly under KDE/Dolphin. If you’re a KDE convert (like me) you can get Dropbox to work without the Gnome baggage:
Dropbox is my favorite ‘it just works’ file syncing service and it works great under Gnome. However the Gnome/Nautilus dependency is problematic when it comes to getting Dropbox to work properly under KDE/Dolphin. If you’re a KDE convert (like me) you can get Dropbox to work without the Gnome baggage:
1.Download the Dropbox Linux client from:
http://www.getdropbox.com/download?plat=lnx.x86 (x86_64 for 64 bit)
2.Extract the contents and you should get a .dropbox-dist folder out of the archive. Move the folder to $HOME (your home folder)
3.Run ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd.
http://www.getdropbox.com/download?plat=lnx.x86 (x86_64 for 64 bit)
2.Extract the contents and you should get a .dropbox-dist folder out of the archive. Move the folder to $HOME (your home folder)
3.Run ~/.dropbox-dist/dropboxd.
Note: This installs the Dropbox daemon but there is no real Dropbox + Dolphin integration (yet). As a work-around use Kfilebox, which is a KDE/Dolphin front-end to Dropbox. As of December 2011, the newest version is “kfilebox-0.4.8″
Website: http://kdropbox.deuteros.es/
Website: http://kdropbox.deuteros.es/
VOIP: Install Skype
The Linux version of Skype from the Skype website works great.
Go to:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/linux/
and download the .deb version and install.
$ sudo dpkg -i skype-ubuntu_2.2.0.35-1_i386.deb
The Linux version of Skype from the Skype website works great.
Go to:
http://www.skype.com/intl/en-us/get-skype/on-your-computer/linux/
and download the .deb version and install.
$ sudo dpkg -i skype-ubuntu_2.2.0.35-1_i386.deb
Note: I had to go into the System Settings | Multimedia | Phonon to adjust the microphone settings on my workstation. But after… It works great.
No thumbnails for avi files in Dolphin. Install ffmpegthumbs
$ sudo apt-get install ffmpegthumbs
$ sudo apt-get install ffmpegthumbs
To adjust Desktop Folder so that thumbnail images are generated for avi
files: Unlock widgets
Edit Folder View Settings | Display
Check “Previews”
Go to: “More Preview Options…”
Scroll down to the bottom –> Check “Video Files (ffmpegthumbs)”
files: Unlock widgets
Edit Folder View Settings | Display
Check “Previews”
Go to: “More Preview Options…”
Scroll down to the bottom –> Check “Video Files (ffmpegthumbs)”
