The VideoLAN Project released version 2 of their popular media player, VLC,  couple of days ago. And for most operating systems, the updated version is already available. The Ubuntu Store, however, is yet to feature the updated package. If you can’t wait for VLC to be updated, you can get the latest version easily by following the below steps.

First, open the terminal by summoning Unity dash. You can do that by clicking on the Ubuntu icon on the top-left corner of your screen. For the keyboard inclined, pressing Super(aka the Windows key) should summon Unity dash.

Now, type in Terminal and click on the Terminal to launch it

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:videolan/stable-daily

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install vlc

The first command creates an apt repo pointing to VLC’s stable builds. The second commands instructs apt-get to fetch the latest set of packages. The last command will install VLC. If all goes well, you should be seeing VLC under Media Apps in Unity.

Do drop a comment if you need some help in installing VLC in Ubuntu.

Earlier today, we reported that Firefox 4 has just been released. Why do you need instructions to install the newest Firefox in Ubuntu? If you go into your Ubuntu Software Center, you’ll see that you more than likely have Firefox 3.6 installed, and it’s “up to date”. Naturally, they don’t add programs to the Software Center as soon as they are released. That would be foolish if there was something wrong with the new version. I don’t blame them for waiting at least a few days for the adventure seekers to provide some feedback.

There are three ways that I know of to add the newest Firefox to Ubuntu.

Method 1: Download Bzipped Package

You can go to the Firefox download page, download the TAR.BZ2 package and manually install it. The advantage of that method is that you won’t lose the current version 3.6 of Firefox. However, you’ll have to unpack the BZ2 file to a folder somewhere, locate the “firefox” executable file, then double click to launch it. If you’d like to, you can also create your own launcher link on the desktop or add it to a panel.

Method 2: Command Line Install

You can add the Firefox “Stable” repository and install the latest version from the command line in a terminal window. That’s actually the easiest method for most linux users. Here are the three simple commands you need to enter into the terminal.

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get upgrade

Method 3: Software Center Install

Open your “Ubuntu Software Center” and click “Edit” > “Software Sources” then click the Other Software’ tab. Add the PPA as shown below. When you exit the “Software Sources” applet, your Software Center will reload the repositories and it may even automatically find the updated Firefox for you.

ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable

That’s all there is to it. Below you’ll find a quick movie showing some of the new features.  I hope you enjoy the new Firefox as much as the millions of users who downloaded it today.

Tata Indicom has changed the face of wireless broadband in India. With its comparatively cheap unlimited offer, it is currently the best buy.

Tata Indicom offers unlimited surfing + download at Rs.800 per month. The offer is valid for Tata Photon Whiz. Although it operates at a compromised speed, it provides the advantage of unlimited surfing.

Tata Indicom Whiz has a dialer for Windows. However, many complain that there is no Tata Indicom dialer for Linux.

Well, there is no dialer because Linux has a dialer of its own which does the job. Follow these steps to setup your Photon Whiz with the “wvdial” dialer.

1. Install “wvdial” if you do not have it already. To install wvdial, use the command:

   sudo apt-get install wvdial

2. Next, plug in your Tata Indicom USB Modem.
3. Now, create a dialer for your modem with the command:

   sudo wvdialconf /etc/wvdial.conf

   This creates the appropriate dialer configuration for your modem. Remember to keep the modem plugged in while running this command.

4. Edit the wvdial.conf file by issuing

   sudo vi /etc/wvdial.conf

5. Your wvdial.conf file opens on issuing the above command. It should look like this :

   [Dialer Defaults]
   Init1 = ATZ
   Init2 = ATQ0 V1 E1 S0=0 &C1 &D2 +FCLASS=0
   Init3 = AT+CRM=1
   Stupid Mode = 1
   Modem Type = Analog Modem
   Phone = 0
   ISDN = 0
   Password = <password>
   New PPPD = <username>
   Username = internet
   Modem = /dev/ttyUSB0
   Baud = 9600

6. Now you have to edit the file.  Put “internet” in place of <username> and <password>. Do not change any other auto-generated entry. Place the appropriate phone number in place of 0. It is #777 for Tata Indocom.

That should complete setting up your dialer. Now, to dial a connection, simply execute

sudo wvdial

in a terminal window. Enjoy.

[ In case it still does not work, add the lines:

Init3 = AT+CRM=1

and

Stupid Mode = 1

Stupid mode allows the connection to dial through a firewall and Init3 = AT+CRM=1 prevents frequent disconnections.
Thanks to Prashanth for pointing this out in a comment to this post. ]

The Gnome 3 desktop for Linux is planned to be released in early 2010. But you can experience it in Ubuntu Karmic Koala through Gnome 3 Shell. We will show, how you can try out all the features of Gnome 3 thorugh Gnome 3 Shell.

Here is a screenshot of Gnome 3 shell:

Step by step instructions:

1. Open a Terminal and run this command to install the Gnome Shell:

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell

2. After the installation is complete, you can start it by running the following command in the Terminal:

gnome-shell --replace

3. If your graphics is rendered by the Intel GPU and you are getting a blank screen after running the previous command, you can fix it by running this command in the Terminal:

export GNOME_SHELL_DISABLE_TFP=1

Note: Gnome Shell is still in the development stage and there is always a possibility that if may break some parts of your Ubuntu installation. We do not take any responsibility for that, and request you to try it on your own risk.

[Image Credit]

Here are quick answers to some of the most frequently asked questions (FAQ’s) , by new users , for Karmic Koala:

How should I download Ubuntu Karmic Koala ?

You can download Karmic Koala using torrents to keep the strain minimal on Ubuntu servers. Users also have an option to download files from their ftp servers. You can also upgrade to Karmic Koala from previous installations of Ubuntu. Read a guide on How you can upgrade to Karmic Koala.

Are there any customized Ubuntu distributions for my netbook ?

You can install   Ubuntu netbook remix edition , but now you can also try out Kubuntu netbook edition .

Does Karmic Koala have any issues with Audio Support ?

Most users using Karmic Koala do not have any problems with the sound. However you can tweak ALSA-mixer a bit , if you are facing problems with the sound.

How can I install or uninstall new software in Karmic Koala ?

The Add/Remove programs option in Karmic Koala has been replaced with new the Ubuntu software center. You will need to use the new software center to install new programs or uninstall the existing ones.

Does Ubuntu Software Center sell proprietary software ?

Currently Ubuntu software center only provides users with an option to install free and Open Source Software (OSS). However , there are plans to allow commercial developers an opportunity to sell their software through the software center by next year.

Why is Pidgin missing from Karmic Koala ?

Pidgin IM has been replaced by a new instant messenger called Empathy. You can always install Pidgin from the software center , however , Empathy has some advantages over Pidgin , which include::

• Ability to perform audio and video chats.
• Ability to share your desktop with others.

Are there new improvements for visual appearance in Karmic Koala ?

Yes , there are softer icons , and a new orange wallpaper.

Can Amarok play CD’s now ?

Until previous version of Ubuntu (Jaunty Jackalope) , Amarok had problems in playing audio cd. But in Karmic Koala the problem is fixed , and Amarok can audio cd.

Does Intel Graphics card work properly in Karmic Koala ?

Yes it has improved a lot from previous versions of Ubuntu Linux , and users of Intel graphics cards can instantaneously resume their PC from suspend mode , which was a big problem in previous versions

I upgraded from Jaunty Jackalope to Karmic Koala, and sound is not working in my PC. What should i do ?

Goto Terminal and run this command:
uname -r

If it displays “2.6.31-14-generic” then you have successfully upgraded to Karmic Koala.
If it still displays “2.6.28-16-generic” , you’re not running Karmic’s kernel.

Some people are also having trouble with GRUB not showing new kernel of Karmic Koala in boot menu.
To fix this problem,goto terminal and   run this command:
sudo update-grub

and then reboot.

[ via :  http://ubuntulinuxtipstricks.blogspot.com/2009/10/karmic-faq.html ]

Did you screw up your Ubuntu install? No need to download all the packages or get our your Ubuntu CD for a new installation. A single command can help you reinstall Ubuntu and reinstall all the packages from core and reconfigure them.

To reinstall or restore Ubuntu to a factory install from the command line, run the following command:

   1: sudo dpkg-reconfigure -phigh -a

To run minor restores and dependency issues, you can run the command:

   1: sudo apt-get install -f

Don’t forget to backup your data before you run any of the commands.

Reinstall Ubuntu automatically [via Kabatology]

Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic Koala is out. The installation has improved, boot time has improved and overall performance and experience has been revamped.

Karmic-koala

The next thing would be to try out some tweaks or install some missing applications and support. You can try these out:

Add more software:

Add more software and packages to your package manager and Software Center by using a modified sources list. This gives us options to install unsupported applications, media codecs and applications from third party vendors, applications like Opera and Vuze. For a guide on installing more software in Karmic Koala, visit this post on adding more software sources.

Themes:

Although the default Ubuntu theme shipped with the Karmic build is excellent, it is a bit dark and does not go with icons of many applications. In such a situation, you can use this theme for a blue look or this theme for a green look. As obvious, these themes have a focus on the color scheme.

Add handy applications:

Next, you can add some handy applications like Launchy,  KeePassX, Ksplice, SubDownloader.

Nautilus Scripts:

Add nautilus scripts to your installation to get a powerful right click context menu. You can also install the NScript nautilus script package. Visit here and here for nautilus scripts.

You can get more tweaks and customizations at this Ultimate Tweak List.

Ubuntu is really the best Linux distro. It is said to be the best thing that happened to Linux. Now, the most frightening thing that occurs to people with the mention of Linux is the absolute lack of any software. Many people consider Linux to be a DIY Operating System.

Ubuntu Rocks

Ubuntu, has change all that and here is a quick checklist of softwares which will make you stick to your Ubuntu installation for longer than your last Linux installation.

System Tweaks:

Limit CPU usage of individual processes and not just the complete system

RamDisk For faster  read/write, and data processing

Font smoothing in Ubuntu

Change MAC address

Boot recovery tool

Install fonts on Linux

Customize Ubuntu Startup

Web Browsing:

Opera 10 with Turbo Mode, for Linux

Photos, Video and Music Management and editing:

DigiKam, Photo manager for KDE

Play Youtube in MPlayer

Screencast creation tool

Utilities:

Open source Keystroke launcher Launchy

Create Custom Linux Distro

Manage and check your boot performance

Manage Fonts with ease on Ubuntu

A Partition manager and editor, much better than any windows software

Customizations:

Ubuntu theme pack : Green Theme

This is only a list to get you through using Ubuntu for the first time or in a totally different way. Share your tips and tricks with me to get them featured in the next edition of this list.

The root or super user is the most powerful user in a Linux operating system, it has power to cripple you system to a piece of crap if it lands in the wrong hands. Root user is also synonymous with the Windows Administrator for Windows based system.

In the past we have seen many system administrators turn off direct root user access on a system because of the power it has, in this post we will show you, how that can be done.

Here is a simple and useful tip to disable root user access in Ubuntu. Before we do that you will need to setup another user that will have root capabilities, so that you can easily perform tasks that require you to have root permissions.

To setup a new user, login as the root user and issue the following command;

   1: adduser --ingroup groupname username

The adduser command will create a new user and the ingroup directive tells the command to create a user in a particular group. You will need to replace the groupname with the group you want the user to be in (by default use users), and username with the name for your new user.

Once you have created the new user you will need to grant it root privileges, to do that you will need to open the sudoers file by issuing the visudo command. Add the new user you created by adding this line to the sudo file.

Tip: Sudo in Linux also means super user do.

   1: username ALL=(ALL) ALL

Replace the username with the user you created earlier. Once you have done that open a new terminal window and login with the new user, once you have logged in issue the command sudo su, this will allow you to sudo into the system as a super user. You will be prompted for a password, enter the same password you use for the user you logged in with, once everything goes fine you will become a root user.

Related: Quickly Login as a Different User in Linux in the Same Terminal Window.

Important Note: If you are not able to sudo su into the system, please follow the earlier steps to modify the user to become a super user. Unless you are sure you are able to sudo su into the system, DO NOT follow the steps below, you could practically screw up your system.

Once you are sure that you can access the system as root, you can now safely disable direct root login access to your system by following the steps below.

While you are logged in as root, open the file /etc/ssh/sshd_config using your favorite editor, we use nano on Ubuntu, you could use any other editor you like.

In the open file, search for the text PermitRootLogin, you should see yesas the value, change it to noand save the file. Once you have done that issue the command;

   1: /etc/init.d/ssh reload

This should reload the SSH configuration for your system, now before you close the root session, open a new terminal to confirm that root access has been disabled.

Note: You will still be able to login as root once you ssh into the system using a different user. To login in as root simply issue the command su and enter your root password.

Related: Quickly Login as a Different User in Linux in the Same Terminal Window.

Hope this tip helps you make your system more secure, do let us know your views on it.