Flock web browser

okay, I keep hearing about this browser and finally decided to install it. Here's how I did it (found the instructions on the Ubuntu Geek blog):

First you need to edit the /etc/apt/sources.list file

sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list

add the following lines

deb http://www.salatti.net/repo/ hardy-salatti main contrib non-free
deb-src http://www.salatti.net/repo/ hardy-salatti main contrib non-free

save and exit the file.

Update the sourcelist using the following command

sudo apt-get update

And install Flock using the following command

sudo apt-get install flock

Just testing...

Alrighty, sorry for the false alarm folks. I know everyone out there could care less what new toy I'm playing with on my computer...but I've found a neat little blogging program which enables me to blog without opening my browser...and this is my test!

So if you're reading this...yes, I am a nerd, but a pretty darn good one!

changing your login manager

okay, if you're running Ubuntu and decide to install Kubuntu, during the installation of the latter, you are asked if you would like to keep GDM as the login manager, or if you want to change it to KDM (you get the question again if you install KDE 4). I opted to keep GDM because I was unfamiliar with the KDM login manager. Later, though, like a the good nerd I am, I got curious and wanted to try out the KDM login manager. I started a thread with the question, and here's how I ended up getting it done:

Use this command in the terminal:
sudo nano /etc/X11/default-display-manager

then what pops up in terminal will be an interesting screen with a cursor after a line which reads like this:
/usr/sbin/gdm

change the line to read as this:
/usr/bin/kdm
(note that the line originally reads with the middle field saying "sbin" and it changes to "bin", as well as changing the last field from "gdm" to "kdm")

Then hit Crtl+o to save it and then hit 'enter' when it asks if you want to. And then use Ctrl+x to exit.

The guy who gave me most of this information on the thread mentioned some different ways to get kdm themes, but I couldn't get the display manager installed, so I didn't try them.

Installing KDE 4.0 in Kubuntu and Ubuntu

yeah, I actually did this a month or so ago. I started on my laptop with Ubuntu Fiesty 7.10 and then reinstalled everything to get Gutsy Gibbon 8.04. To get KDE 4.0 I first installed the Kubuntu Desktop using this command in terminal:

sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

then, after booting into Kubuntu and trying it for a few weeks, I installed KDE 4.0 (or Kubuntu's version of that) by using the Adept Manager (Kubuntu's version of Gnome's (ubuntu's) Synaptic Package Manager) and doing a search for kde4.

First, though, you have to add this line to your sources list:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/kubuntu-members-kde4/ubuntu hardy main

(don't forget to reload your sources afterwards!)

I actually installed several packages which came up, but all you need is one, which you can install through the terminal with this command:

sudo apt-get install kde4-core

best linux games

found an interesting article online about what they thought were the best free linux games. Good idea to check some of these out, methinks.

true streaming video in firefox 3.0 Beta

okay, I figured it out in this thread from Ubuntu Forums. I used these commands to purge the old plugins:

sudo apt-get remove kaffeine-mozilla mozilla-helix-player mozilla-mplayer mozilla-plugin-vlc totem-mozilla xine-plugin

and then these to install the new mplayer gecko plugin:

sudo apt-get install gnome-mplayer gecko-mediaplayer

and I went back to Apple's trailer site and could watch trailers!

note, if you have problems, check the thread mentioned at the top for troubleshooting.

plugins for opera

I've been trying to get media plugins to work in Opera (since Firefox 3.0 Beta is freezing up my computer when I try to play trailers on Apple's website). In fiddling around, it seems that Opera is referencing my Mozilla directory to use the plugins I have there. I used Synaptic to install "mplayerplug-in" so I could use mplayer to play videos online.

it does play the videos...but I only get sound and a black popup window which opens up and blocks part of my screen. irritating, to say the least.

oh well, I'm gonna keep fiddling with this...let you know what works out in the end...