Ubuntu Hacks

The Ubuntu distribution simplifies Linux by providing a sensible collection of applications, an easy-to-use package manager, and lots of fine-tuning, which make it possibly the best Linux for desktops and laptops. Readers of both "Linux Journal and "TUX Magazine confirmed this by voting Ubuntu as the best Linux distribution in each publication's 2005 Readers Choice Awards. None of that simplification, however, makes Ubuntu any less fun if you're a hacker or a power user. Like all books in the "Hacks" series, "Ubuntu Hacks includes 100 quick tips and tricks for all users of all technical levels. Beginners will appreciate the installation advice and tips on getting the most out of the free applications packaged with Ubuntu, while intermediate and advanced readers will learn the ins-and-outs of power management, wireless roaming, 3D video acceleration, server configuration, and much more.

Jonathan Oxer is the founder and technical director of Internet Vision Technologies in Australia, as well as the past president of Linux Australia, the national organization for Linux users, developers, and vendors.

Kyle Rankin is a system administrator who enjoys troubleshooting, problem solving, and system recovery. He is also the author of Knoppix Hacks, Knoppix Pocket Reference, Linux Multimedia Hacks, and Ubuntu Hacks for O'Reilly Media. He has been using Linux in many different forms since 1998, and has used live CDs to demo Linux and troubleshoot machines -- from DemoLinux to the LinuxCare bootable toolbox to Knoppix.

Bill Childers is Director of Enterprise Systems for Quinstreet, Inc. He's been working with Linux and Unix since before it was cool, and previously worked for Sun Microsystems and Set Engineering.

Credits

ix

Preface

xiii

Chapter 1. Getting Started

1

(57)

1. Test-Drive Ubuntu

1

(4)

2. Get Help

5

(2)

3. Make Live CD Data Persistent

7

(3)

4. Customize the Ubuntu Live CD

10

(5)

5. Install Ubuntu

15

(7)

6. Dual-Boot Ubuntu and Windows

22

(4)

7. Move Your Windows Data to Ubuntu

26

(6)

8. Install Ubuntu on a Mac

32

(2)

9. Set Up Your Printer

34

(5)

10. Install Ubuntu on an External Drive

39

(4)

11. Install from a Network Boot Server

43

(3)

12. Submit a Bug Report

46

(3)

13. Use the Command Line

49

(3)

14. Get Productive with Applications

52

(6)

Chapter 2. The Linux Desktop

58

(55)

15. Get Under the Hood of the GNOME Desktop

58

(4)

16. Tweak the KDE Desktop

62

(5)

17. Switch to a Lighter Window Manager

67

(6)

18. Install Java

73

(3)

19. Search Your Computer

76

(2)

20. Access Remote Filesystems

78

(4)

21. Tweak Your Desktop Like a Pro

82

(4)

22. Sync Your Palm PDA

86

(5)

23. Sync Your Pocket PC

91

(8)

24. Customize the Right-Click Contextual Menu

99

(2)

25. Download and Share Files with the Best P2P Software

101

(6)

26. Make Your Own PDFs

107

(3)

27. Blog with Ubuntu

110

(3)

Chapter 3. Multimedia

113

(34)

28. Install Multimedia Plug-ins

113

(2)

29. Watch Videos

115

(4)

30. Play DVDs

119

(2)

31. Buy Songs at the iTunes Music Store

121

(2)

32. Get a Grip on CD Ripping

123

(5)

33. Burn CDs and DVDs

128

(2)

34. Automate Audio CD Burning

130

(3)

35. Rip and Encode DVDs

133

(4)

36. Create a Video DVD

137

(5)

37. Connect to a Digital Camera

142

(5)

Chapter 4. Mobile Ubuntu

147

(29)

38. Put Your Laptop to Sleep

147

(4)

39. Hibernate Your Laptop

151

(2)

40. Prolong Your Battery Life

153

(1)

41. Get Proprietary Wireless Cards Working

154

(4)

42. Roam Wirelessly

158

(3)

43. Make Laptop Settings Roam with Your Network

161

(6)

44. Make Bluetooth Connections

167

(5)

45. Expand Your Laptop

172

(1)

46. Hotswap Your Laptop's Optical Drive

173

(3)

Chapter 5. X11

176

(30)

47. Configure Multibutton Mice

176

(2)

48. Enable Your Multimedia Keyboard

178

(6)

49. Configure a Touchpad

184

(4)

50. Connect Multiple Displays

188

(7)

51. Change the Ubuntu Splash Screen

195

(1)

52. Enable 3-D Video Acceleration

196

(4)

53. Make Your Fonts Pretty

200

(6)

Chapter 6. Package Management

206

(43)

54. Manage Packages from the Command Line

206

(4)

55. Manage Packages with Synaptic

210

(5)

56. Manage Packages with Adept

215

(4)

57. Install and Remove Standalone .deb Files

219

(3)

58. Search for Packages from the Command Line

222

(2)

59. Install Software from Source

224

(3)

60. Modify the List of Package Repositories

227

(4)

61. Cache Packages Locally with Apt-cacher

231

(4)

62. Create an Ubuntu Package

235

(3)

63. Compile a Source Package

238

(2)

64. Convert Non-Ubuntu Packages

240

(2)

65. Create Your Own Package Repository

242

(3)

66. Convert Debian to Ubuntu

245

(4)

Chapter 7. Security

249

(35)

67. Limit Permissions with sudo

249

(3)

68. Manage Security Updates

252

(3)

69. Protect Your Network with a Firewall

255

(10)

70. Use an Encrypted Filesystem to Protect Your Data

265

(6)

71. Encrypt Your Email and Important Files

271

(5)

72. Surf the Web Anonymously

276

(4)

73. Keep Windows Malware off Your System

280

(4)

Chapter 8. Administration

284

(57)

74. Edit Configuration Files

284

(4)

75. Manage Users and Groups

288

(3)

76. Mount Any Filesystem

291

(3)

77. Control Startup Services

294

(5)

78. Build Kernels the Ubuntu Way

299

(5)

79. Back Up Your System

304

(7)

80. Clone an Installation

311

(2)

81. Rescue an Unbootable System

313

(5)

82. Check the Captain's Log

318

(3)

83. Mount Removable Devices with Persistent Names

321

(5)

84. Mount Remote Directories Securely and Easily

326

(4)

85. Make Videos of Your Tech-Support Questions

330

(3)

86. Synchronize Files Across Machines

333

(8)

Chapter 9. Virtualization and Emulation

341

(45)

87. Run Windows Applications

341

(9)

88. Play Windows Games

350

(9)

89. Run Ubuntu Inside Windows

359

(7)

90. Use Xen to Host Virtual Machines

366

(5)

91. Create an Ubuntu/Xen Virtual Machine

371

(6)

92. Split Your Machine's Personality

377

(9)

Chapter 10. Small Office/Home Office Server

386

(29)

93. Install and Configure an Ubuntu Server

386

(2)

94. Build a File Server

388

(6)

95, Administer Your Server Remotely

394

(4)

96. Build a Web Server

398

(2)

97. Build an Email Server

400

(3)

98. Build a Caching Proxy Server

403

(3)

99. Build a DHCP Server

406

(3)

100. Build a Domain Name Server

409

(6)

Index

415

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Summary

Author Biography

Table of Contents

Supplemental Materials