Install Firefox 4 on Ubuntu

Firefox 4 is finally here guys! And yeah it literally romped home with the more downloads award, Internet Explorer 9 was boasting of few weeks back. With around 6 million downloads on the day of release, this is one big leap forward for the Firefox brand.

Unfortunately as you know, Ubuntu approves Firefox after quite some time adding its own bells and jingles. However the Firefox 4 without the Ubuntu add-ons works just as well. I would highly recommend going for it. From personal experience, I havent faced any issue with the release as yet.

Screenshot:

How to Install:


Go to the Terminal (Accessories > Terminal) and type in the following:

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

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install firefox-4.0

If you're having trouble using the Terminal, you can use the following method:

Go to Ubuntu Software Center, go to Edit and select Software Sources. In the Other Software tab add the following line:

ppa:mozillateam/firefox-stable

Then add it and then search for Firefox in the Ubuntu software center to install (no need to search and install if you already have any version Firefox already installed)

Thats about it!

(If you're having trouble with adding repositories please check out this earlier post: http://explore-ubuntu.blogspot.com/2010/04/adding-repositories.html)

FocusWriter

Remember the much loved text editor WriteMonkey? Well if you've grown tired of running it using Wine, here's a Linux version which is more or less similar to WriteMonkey.

Its called FocusWriter and its got the same distraction free screen as WriteMonkey. The same typewriter sounds and the same flawless architecture.

Here's a screenshot:

How to install:

First you need to add the official repository. To do that add the following line to the Software Sources (if you need help adding repositories please check out this page: http://explore-ubuntu.blogspot.com/2010/04/adding-repositories.html)

ppa:gottcode/gcppa

Finally go to the Terminal and type the following:

sudo apt-get install focuswriter

Thats all. It should be available from the Office menu of the Ubuntu menu bar.

Install Sun Java for Ubuntu

Ubuntu 10.04, by default, installs the open source version of Java OpenJDK. However many users would want to switch to the standard version of Java from Sun. So, these are the following steps to install Sun Java for Ubuntu:

Go to System>Administration>Software Sources and add the following repository:

deb http://archive.canonical.com/ lucid partner

(If you're unsure about how to add repositories, take a look here for a detailed explanation with screenshots: http://explore-ubuntu.blogspot.com/2010/04/adding-repositories.html)

Finally go to Accessories>Terminal and type the following:

sudo apt-get update

And the following to finish the installation:

sudo apt-get install sun-java6-jre sun-java6-plugin sun-java6-fonts

Histwi

Okay I agree the name does seem odd. But the application isnt.

Histwi is a twitter management application allowing you to:

• Download and save all your Tweets to Database.
• View and export all saved tweets to html or txt file.
• Compare your Following to Followers.
• Follow/Unfollow any your friends.
• Tracking new followers and unfollowers.
• Advanced Twitter Search.
• Managing multiple Twitter account

How to install:

Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic) and later:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nikolay-blohin/histwi

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install histwi

For older version Ubuntu your can make it manually by copying the lines below and adding them to your system's software sources:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/nikolay-blohin/histwi/ubuntu karmic main

Thats it!

Source: http://originalcoding.com/histwi/ (Launchpad Link: https://launchpad.net/histwi/)

Flush Torrent Client

Thanks to OMG Ubuntu's article on Flush, I gave the torrent client a try.

Flush is a decent torrent client built in the likes of Deluge, and is very user friendly. It will remind Windows users of uTorrent, however the similarity with Deluge is far more evident. Its built for GNOME and runs pretty smoothly.



How to install:

Go to System > Administration > Software Sources > Other Software and Add the following line (repository):

ppa:konishchevdmitry/flush

Now go to the terminal (Accessories > Terminal) and type the following:

sudo apt-get update

Next type the following:

sudo apt-get install flush

Now you will have Flush torrent client installed under the Internet menu.

Creating Image Slideshow

Sometimes we have loads of images which we want to convert to videos with background music and stuff. Create an image slideshow that is. Ubuntu offers quite a few programs in its default repositories itself for this sort of projects. However there is one which I particularly like.

Its called imagination (what an appropriate name!). Its a very user friendly piece of software which will help you create those all important slideshows. It has loads of settings which you can tweak or leave as is, which works just as well. The output formats are .VOB, .OGV, .FLV and .3GP. For any help you can consult the Help file which is quite extensive and is actually helpful.

To install Imagination, go to the Ubuntu Software Center and search for 'Imagination' (obviously!) and Install. Its that simple.

Here's a screenshot of Imagination:



The slideshow creation process is as simple as Add Images and Create Slideshow. You can obviously add music etc. But for that to happen (to add MP3 support etc.) there is one package you need to install. Its called: libsox-fmt-all

So go to the terminal and type :

sudo apt-get install libsox-fmt-all

Thereafter its pretty simple.

Rename Them All

Rename Them All is a batch renamer, in lay man's terms that means it allows you to rename the file names of multiple files at once. The app was part of The Grand App Writing Challenge.

Although I dont usually try beta/untested softwares, I couldnt resist giving this app a try. After all, it does promise to make life really really easy. Imagine having the pleasure of renaming hundreds of files at one go with the click of a button!

Given below is a screenshot of the app where I am renaming files named 1, 2, 3, 4... to Pic1, Pic2, Pic3, Pic4...



How to Install for Ubuntu 9.10 (Recommended)


Go to the Terminal (Accessories > Terminal) and type the following:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:loneowais/ppa

Next update your repositories by typing the following in the Terminal:

sudo apt-get update

Now install the software by typing the following in the Terminal:

sudo apt-get install renamethemall

Installing the app by this method allows you to constantly stay updated to the latest version of the app.

Alternate method of installation: (Not Recommended)

You can download the .deb file from the launchpad page here. Direct link to the .deb file is here.

Thereafter just double click on the file and install the software. Do note that although this method of installation is easier, it wont allow you to stay up to date with latest versions of the software which might include bug fixes, added features etc.

Shutter - Screenshot Tool

The default Ubuntu screenshot software isnt really something spectacular. Also, it really doesnt have many options. For example, if you want the screenshot of just a window and not of the entire desktop, you'd be pretty much stuck if you were using the default screenshot app, as you would have to use some image editing software like GIMP to modify the screenshot to suit your needs.

No more... Say hello to Shutter! The perfect screenshot tool. Lets you take screenshots of windows, notifications (and even panels!). Has loads of options and is really useful.

This is how you install it:

Go to Ubuntu Software Center from your GNOME menu and search for 'Shutter', follow the links and install it! Like so:



Alternate method for users who prefer to use the terminal:

Type the following in the terminal:

sudo apt-get install shutter

And after the installation, you'll find Shutter installed in the 'Accessories' section of the GNOME menu.

Screenshots taken by Shutter can be found here.

Thats it! :)

Install restricted extras for Ubuntu

These packages will add MP3, Quicktime, Windows Media, Flash support, and a whole lot of codec support which virtually will result in you being able to play almost anything under the sun! :)

So, this is how you install the pack (you can use any one):

1. Terminal method

Open the terminal and type the following:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

2. Synaptic method

Open the Synaptic package manager (Ubuntu Main Menu > System > Administration > Synaptic package manager) and search with the following words: "ubuntu-restricted-extras". Install the package which appears in the search result with the same name. After installation the package should look like the pic below.

Mind you, there are legal restrictions for these packages in some countries. (Go through this link for more on Ubuntu Licensing : Licensing)

Comix

We all have that little child in us dont we? Anyway, the thing is I was searching for a good software for Ubuntu which could help me read comics. Most of the comic books available are in the .pdf format which means one has to use Adobe Reader to read. Now that isnt exactly an ideal proposition to be frank, not because Adobe Reader is not an open source software (oh well maybe that is a reason) but because Adobe Reader is kinda boring! No cool tweaks, no ease of use (I'll explain it later) etc etc. So I was kind of frustrated with it and wanted a dedicated comic book reader. The search wasnt easy. I had to climb to the highest of peaks and to the deepest of canyons to find....Comix!

Undoubtedly this is the most popular and the best comic reader available on Ubuntu. It has some really cool options like the fit width view, manga view and double page view as well as enhancement options which lets you have total control over the brightness, contrast, colour tone etc. And its super fast. It has this cool feature called bookmark which is pretty much what it sounds. And best of all, its open source! Wanna try it out?

Installation instructions

There are loads of download instructions given on the official page, but here's the easiest way of installing it. Its available in the software repositories in Ubuntu, so all you need to do is type the following after launching the terminal:

$ sudo apt-get install comix

and it! You'll find it in the Graphics section of the Ubuntu applications menu.

Comix home page

Screenshots of Comix