Installin ubuntu

[Chillhouse]

so it's finaly come to this. after years and years of almost trashing my computer because windows is so fucking frustrating, it's finaly died for good. windows didn't crash, but something sure happened to it and now it's all screwed up in ways that I can't even explain to you.

partly because i'm sick of windows, and partly because i don't have a clue on how to reinstall it, i'm moving on up in the world.

My friend gave me a CD of this thing called ubuntu. he said it's a lot better operating system than windows, so I'm giving it a go. Even as we speak I'm using it as a live session user, but I havn't installed it yet. now, because I'm computarted, I have a few questions to those of you who've used ubuntu:

- I have a lot of microsoft word documents on windows. If I save them to a flashdrive and then import them into ubuntu, will they be compatible with ubuntu's word processor?

- Does iTunes work on ubuntu? If not, how can I get music onto my iPod from ubuntu?

- The package says "By default, installing Ubuntu will erase all existing software and data from your computer. If this is not what you want, you can install Ubuntu alongside your existing operating system instead." Which option is better? Windows is all fucked up, but not so much that it isn't usable. Should I keep it just in case?

- I created a movie using windows movie maker. If I bring that over to ubuntu (with the flash drive) is there something I can play it on? Edit it on? ect?

 

[Rheeer]

While I don't know anything about ubuntu, I can tell you this is what works for me: I keep my recovery disc handy, and about once every year or two when it starts running slow, I yank the stuff I absolutely need from the hard drive onto my external drive, and do a clean install of Windows that erases everything but the necessary information.

My computer's been running like a charm ever since. Maybe a year or two down the road I'll need to do it again. Who knows.

 

[Hex]

[font="Calibri,Arial"]

- I have a lot of microsoft word documents on windows. If I save them to a flashdrive and then import them into ubuntu, will they be compatible with ubuntu's word processor?

Yes, provided it's up to date (I don't know how old a version of ubuntu is on the disc your friend gave you.), if it's not, and they are from office 2007, you will need to download an update first.

- Does iTunes work on ubuntu? If not, how can I get music onto my iPod from ubuntu?

No iTunes, but unless your using the iPod Touch/iPhone, you can get other programs to sync your iPod.

- The package says "By default, installing Ubuntu will erase all existing software and data from your computer. If this is not what you want, you can install Ubuntu alongside your existing operating system instead." Which option is better? Windows is all fucked up, but not so much that it isn't usable. Should I keep it just in case?

Provided you have the Windows disc, and nothing important saved on your computer, it'll be easier to just totally delete it.

- I created a movie using windows movie maker. If I bring that over to ubuntu (with the flash drive) is there something I can play it on? Edit it on? ect?

I've never used Windows Movie Maker, so someone who's used it could answer better. It all depends if it uses a standard video format.

Just one warning: Gaming on Linux isn't the same as Windows. It's much more complicated to install games.

EDIT: Woo! post #500. I can't believe I missed it when I was looking forward to it.[/font]

 

[Chillhouse]

Thanks dreamaker. I don't care about games because I don't game, so that's cool.

One more question to whoever wants to answer: Can I install Msn on Ubuntu?

 

[mm3]

- I have a lot of microsoft word documents on windows. If I save them to a flashdrive and then import them into ubuntu, will they be compatible with ubuntu's word processor?

OpenOffice (Ubuntu's suite) has compatibility with Office documents, yes.

- Does iTunes work on ubuntu? If not, how can I get music onto my iPod from ubuntu?

No, iTunes does not. I use gtkpod and/or Banshee if I need to, those are good iPod-compatible apps.

- The package says "By default, installing Ubuntu will erase all existing software and data from your computer. If this is not what you want, you can install Ubuntu alongside your existing operating system instead." Which option is better? Windows is all fucked up, but not so much that it isn't usable. Should I keep it just in case?

Toss it, not worth the hassle.

- I created a movie using windows movie maker. If I bring that over to ubuntu (with the flash drive) is there something I can play it on? Edit it on? ect?

Probably, yes. I stress probably because there's a lot of "restricted codecs" that you can install for the compatibilities, but I've never looked into WMM.

Can I install Msn on Ubuntu?

Ubuntu comes with Pidgin, the universal chat client which is a multi-protocol IM client. I use it, and it works with MSN/AIM/Yahoo and tons of others, so yes.

 

[dcviper]

You can't install MSN, but you can connect to the MSN Network using Pidgin. Click Application -> Internet -> Pidgin. Its easy!

Personally, I'd get everything you need off the windows partition and then slick the entire drive. Then you have a nice clean install. Also, if you don't already have 9.04 (Jaunty Jackalope) then you might want to download a copy of it.

 

[Chillhouse]

Okay, for some reason when I bought my computer it didn't come with any windows cds.


..... but what the hell! Imma toss the sucker anyways! windows vista has caused me nothing but grief!
I'm off to get a flashdrive tonight, and then the replacement will begin...

EDIT: I'm just moving my files over onto the flashdrive now. I'll see you all after the operation and tell you how it went.

See you on the other side...

 

[baby_mike]

You can install MSN on ubuntu if you use wine for linux. But sometimes wine can be a headache. But it works I use it for my linux

 

[Chillhouse]

Well, the operation was a huge sucess. boy, the grass certainly is greener over here.

 

[kapi]

You can install MSN on ubuntu if you use wine for linux. But sometimes wine can be a headache. But it works I use it for my linux

I wouldnt recommend that. Avoid wine and use native apps if possible. I'd really regard it as a last fallback. Pidgin handles it just fine.

btw.:If you want a different look there are many alternatives available. Some of good quality wourld be:
Shiki Colors or Ubuntu Dust maybe its even inside the repos by now.

 

[Chillhouse]

i screwed something up within my first hour of using ubuntu, and then wrestled with it for a day and a half before reinstalling. that fixed everything. then i went on a skinning and effects binge for a litlle while. the end result?

normal desktop.

... or is it?

and showing off some 3d windows. lets see you do THAT, vista!

 

[thewiseguy7]

i screwed something up within my first hour of using ubuntu, and then wrestled with it for a day and a half before reinstalling. that fixed everything. then i went on a skinning and effects binge for a litlle while. the end result?

normal desktop.

... or is it?

and showing off some 3d windows. lets see you do THAT, vista!

Can i get the name, or link to that theme, id hate to be a copy cat, but i love it.

 

[Chillhouse]

Slickness Black GNOME-Look.org

very nice theme, but i think i'll end up going with a lighter one soon.

 

[thewiseguy7]

Slickness Black GNOME-Look.org

very nice theme, but i think i'll end up going with a lighter one soon.

Ok, cool, but how did you get the bottom panel to look like a mac?

 

[Chillhouse]

Ok, cool, but how did you get the bottom panel to look like a mac?

You have to have compiz fusion installed. it comes standard with many recent releases of ubuntu. then you have to install avant window navigator, and that's it.

 

[thewiseguy7]

You have to have compiz fusion installed. it comes standard with many recent releases of ubuntu. then you have to install avant window navigator, and that's it.

DANG! for being new to Linux, you sure have picked up the basics quick!

 

[PuddleFopsKit]

Chillhouse: that dark theme is no good with Firefox. Go with the regular one, that's what I use. Works much better.

 

[DotDotDot]

I recently made the switch to Ubuntu (although unintentionally) on my netbook. I have it running on an SD card and have completely removed the internal hard drive from the laptop!

I threw it on there for fun and ... well .... since it did everything I needed it to I have been using it for almost a month now. About the only thing it doesn't do is games but eh haven't felt like playing a game lately.

 

[baby_mike]

how would I get to this file in Ubuntu.

/usr/lib/gtk-2.0/2.*.*/engines

I need help installing ubuntulooks



edit: Never mind found it in the package manger


edit:

Chillhouse: how did you get the 3d-desktop

 

[Chillhouse]

edit:

Chillhouse: how did you get the 3d-desktop

Compiz Fusion, my friend, compiz fusion. comes standard with all the recent releases of ubuntu. Go to Aplications -> Add/Remove and search for it to see if you have it.

Then install CompizConfig Settings Manager. From there go to System -> CompizConfig Settings Manager (or: Advanced Desktop funtions, for some reason it's different for me). Under Desktop, enable Desktop Cube, and enable Rotate Cube, and also enable Cube Deformation.

Then go to General Options -> Desktop Size, and increase the Horizontal Virtual Size to 4 (just a fancy way of saying that you are giving yourself 4 workspaces, and thus 4 sides to your cube. You can use this setting to change the shape of your cube to an octagon/triangle/ect).

it sounds confusing, but just pm me if you have any questions.