Opera Browser for Linux

If you arent averse to using closed source softwares on Ubuntu, this is something to try out. Opera for Linux has taken gigantic steps since it was first launched and as of now it really is one of the better browsers out there.

Opera browsers arent open-source although they are free for downloads. Its the interface of the browser which has won it many fans over the years. The speed dial, Opera Turbo, Widgets etc. are all part of browser history now. The Linux version of it, although with a few modifications is more or less similar to its Windows counterpart. The installation is easy and hassle free and hence in my opinion, worth a try.

How to Install:

Go to the Download page and download the installation file. I would suggest using the Debian Package for easy installation.

After the download (in case of the Debian Package), its a matter of double clicking on the file and installing it.

Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat alpha 2 released

Ubuntu 10.10 has been making all the right noises recently and they have launched their latest alpha offering of the 10.10 version.

Its still in alpha 2, so dont expect things to work out of the box and dont expect it to be overly stable. Its currently for testing purposes only so just be careful.

Regular users stick to the latest stable version, i.e. Ubuntu 10.04

Here's the download link: http://www.cdimage.ubuntu.com/releases/10.10/alpha-2

To see what changes have been made, including now archived changes check out this link: https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/maverick-changes

Programming in Ubuntu

(Regular users can skip this)

I'm sure there are many developers here, wanting to create or develop Ubuntu applications. I'm also pretty sure that many of them want to create apps for other platforms as well.

Fortunately there are solutions for both. I will list here names of few IDEs that are available for both C++ and Java. And fortunately you can set them up and running in no time absolutely.

For C++, the preferred application is Code::Blocks. I have found this extremely user friendly and efficient. For Java, there are many good options. Most would say Eclipse as their preferred IDE, but I find Netbeans much easier to use. Both of them are available in the Ubuntu Software Center. There's of course a command line version, its called Pico. Its very easy to use and most of all will come in handy for people who are comfortable using the command line. Also note that the Ubuntu repositories may not have all the latest versions of these IDEs, so here are the links to their respective websites, in case you need to check out the latest version:

Netbeans, Code::Blocks, Eclipse

Good to be back

Sorry guys for the delay in posting stuff here. I have been quite busy lately, I do have a life beyond the web as you understand. :) Thanks for sticking with me.

So, just wanted to discuss a few things I figured out. Recently I got myself a new N97 Mini. Its not an iPhone competitor so dont think along those lines. But fortunately I got it working fine with Ubuntu 10.04. Sure, the Ovi Suite doesnt work, even with Wine and I am having to resort to downloading stuff from the Ovi Store mobile app. But thats a sacrifice I'm willing to make.

In the meantime, a lot has happened in the Ubuntu sphere and I will be posting them here and discussing them to the best of my abilities.

Thanks for reading guys. Really appreciate all the support.

(Just a note, there is a Facebook page of Explore Ubuntu. You can also access Explore Ubuntu on Twitter and Identi.ca and stay up to date with everything Ubuntu.)

Join .vob files

Joining .vob files is as easy as typing a single command. This is how you do it:

Say you have 2 files, file1.vob and file2.vob. To join these two files and create a new file, say file3.vob, you need to type the following in the Terminal:

cat file1.vob file2.vob > file3.vob

And thats pretty much it. Mind you this process can take some time depending upon the size of your files but usually it shouldnt take more than 10 mins for standard DVDs.