The Perfect Desktop - Linux Mint 3.1 "Celena" FE
Version 1.0 Author: Oliver Meyer
This document describes how to set up a Linux Mint 3.1 "full edition" desktop. The result is a fast, secure and extendable system that provides all you need for daily work and entertainment. Linux Mint 3.1 builds upon Ubuntu Feisty and is compatible to its repositories - about 22.000 packages are available.
This howto is a practical guide without any warranty - it doesn't cover the theoretical backgrounds. There are many ways to set up such a system - this is the way I chose.
1 Installation
1.1 Get Linux Mint "Celena" 3.1 FE
The cd-image is available at http://linuxmint.com/download.html .
1.2 Live
Start/restart your computer and insert the live-cd - be sure that your bios is configured to boot from your cd/dvd drive first. If there are no special reasons to do something else, select "Start Linux Mint" in the first window to boot the live-cd.
The live-cd is starting up.
A few moments later you'll see the desktop.
1.3 Start The Installation
Double-click on the "Install"-button on the desktop. The install wizard appears. Choose your preferred language and proceed.
Select the timezone nearest to your location and proceed.
Choose your keyboard layout and proceed.
Select how you want to partition the disk and proceed.
If you chose the manual partition in the window before, you'll see this window. Here you can create, modify or delete partitions and mount points.
Here you can import accounts, including their documents and settings, from other operating systems.
Enter the required data for your first account and the name for your computer into the corresponding fields.
This window contains the summary of your choices. If you want to change the device for the boot loader installation click on "Advanced" and change it to your needs. Click on "Install" when you agree to your choices.
The system is beeing installed.
Remove the installation media after the installation finished and restart your computer.
1.4 First Start
If there are no special reasons to do something else, hit enter (or simply wait a few seconds) to boot the default kernel.
Your system is starting up.
The login-screen appears. Log in with the username and password that you chose in the install wizard.
Cause this is the first start, an assistant will ask you a few questions in order to configure your system.
Here you can activate the root-account if you want - it's not recommended, but it's up to you.
In this window you have to choose the handling of NTFS-partitions. I recommend to use the fstab, because it's more flexible and fast enough. Don't forget to run the NFTS configuration tool (available in the applications menu in the bottom left corner) after the installation to enable the systemwide NFTS-support and/or mount NTFS-partitions on your hard disk (permanent).
If you want to see humorous quotes every time you open a terminal, mark the checkbox. (You don't really want this...)
The summary. Click on "Apply" if you agree to your choices.
Here you can see if all went ok - close this window by clicking the corresponding button.
Welcome to your desktop.
2 Clean It
2.1 Remove Software
Before you are going to update the system for the first time you should check if there is software installed that you don't need, or rather that you want to replace with another software. The goal should be a clean system with only the programs installed that you really need.
Which programs you should deinstall or replace with others is up to you - you'll find a summary of already installed software at step 3 and a little assortment of additional software (including replacements for already installed software) at step 5.
You can simply deinstall software with the Synaptic Package Manager - have a look at step 4.1. Afterwards it's time for the first update - have a look at step 4.3.
2.2 Disable Services
Some services are enabled by default on your System - maybe some of them are needless (depending on your hardware and your needs). The deactivation of needless services will save system resources, so it's worth to take a look on the service settings.
The settings for services are available via the gnome menu in the bottom left corner.
When you click on the button a popup will be shown that is asking for your password.
After you entered your password the window with the service settings appears.
Some services that you should check: Bluetooth device management (bluetooth) - disable this service if there is no bluetooth device attached in your system or if you don't want to use it.
Printer service (hplip) - disable this service if there is no Hewlett Packard device (printer, scanner, fax or all-in-one) attached in your system.
Speech synthesis support (festival) - disable this service if you don't want to convert contents of a text file into voice.
You can disable services simply by unmarking the corresponding checkboxes.
2.3 Reduce Power Consumption
With Powertop, a tool from Intel for Intel Platforms, you are able to find what software is using the most power on your system. Especial notebook users will benefit from reduced power consumption - there will be more time left on battery power.
First we have to install powertop. Open http://www.getdeb.net/download.php?release=1357&fpos=0 within firefox and install powertop with the GDebi Package Manager.
Afterwards you can run powertop within a terminal. It's recommended to run it as the root-user, otherwise can't use all the features of this tool. Run powertop with root privileges: sudo powertop
Powertop will permanent collect data from the system. In intervals it shows you what is using the most power and at the same time how you can optimize your system. In certain cases powertop is able to optimize the system itself if you hit the key that is shown. See the picture below (taken on Fedora 7 running on an ASUS G1S) for example.
It's not improbable to save a few watts.
3 By Default Installed Software
3.1 Multimedia
• Amarok (audio player) • Mplayer (video player) • Totem (video player) • Win32 codec binaries (codecs)
3.2 Internet
• Firefox (web browser) • Pidgin (internet messenger) • Thunderbird (mail) • Xchat (IRC chat) • Sun's Java JRE • Adobe's flash player
3.3 Graphics
• GIMP (image editor) • OpenOffice.org Drawing (drawing)
3.4 Office
• OpenOffice.org (office suite) • Sunbird Calendar (calendar)
3.5 System
• Compiz & Beryl (desktop effects) • ntfs3g (read/write support for NTFS) • Envy (Nvidia & ATI driver support)
4 The Synaptic Package Manager
The Synaptic Package Manager is an easy to use program to install and deinstall software from the available repositorys - or just to check which programs are installed. There are about 22.000 Packages available in the repositorys that are added by default in Linux Mint 3.1.
The Synaptic Package Manager is accessible via the gnome menu in the bottom left corner.
When you click on the button a popup will be shown that is asking for your password.
After you entered your password the Synaptic Package Manager appears.
4.1 Deinstall Packages
To deinstall one or more packages switch to the status view and mark "Installed". Now you'll see all packages that are installed on your system - you can browse them or search one or more packages with the search function. Within you can enter a package name or search term.
If you found a package that you want do deinstall, click on the green checkbox and select "Mark for Removal" or "Mark for Complete Removal" from the context menu. The difference between the both options for deinstall is, that a complete removal will also delete the configuration files while the normal removal won't delete them. This can be useful if you want to keep your configurations for a package (You can install it again later and don't need to configure it a second time).
Afterwards the package is marked with a red cross.
To take the changes affect click on "Apply" in the upper menu bar and afterwards commit the summary.
Now the deinstallation begins.
4.2 Install Packages
To install one or more packages switch to the status view and mark "Not installed". Now you'll see all packages that are not installed on your system - you can browse them or search one or more packages with the search function. Within you can enter a package name or search term.
If you found a package that you want to install, click on the white checkbox and select "Mark for Installation" from the context menu.
The packages you want to install will occasionally have dependences - then a window will pop up and you have to commit the marking of the additional needed packages.
Afterwars the package and its dependences are marked with a yellow arrow. Dependences are marked green as well.
To take the changes affect click on "Apply" in the upper menu bar and afterwards commit the summary.
The packages are being downloaded...
...and afterwards installed.
4.3 Update The System
To update your system, switch to the status view, mark "Installed" and click on "Mark All Upgrades" in the upper menu bar.
Sometimes some packages can't be authenticated - commit this warning, click on "Mark".
As you see, all packages that will be updated are marked yellow.
To take the changes affect click on "Apply" in the upper menu bar and afterwards commit the summary.
The updates are being downloaded... (this will take a while if you update your system for the first time)
...and afterwards installed. (this will take a while if you update your system for the first time)
5 Additional Software
I present you a little assortment of additional software to make the agony of choice easier for you. I don't recommend to install all this software - there is no point in installing three audio-players etc... Don't forget to deinstall an already installed software if you are going to install a replacement.
How to install or deinstall software is explained at step 4.
5.1 Recommended Software
5.1.1 Microsoft's TrueType Core Fonts
Some fonts, including Arial, Times New Roman and Verdana for example.
If you want to use these fonts, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• msttcorefonts
5.1.2 Adobe Reader
Homepage: http://www.adobe.com/products/reader/
With the Adobe Reader you can open PDF-documents.
If you want to use the Adobe Reader, install the following packages with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• acroread • mozilla-acroread
5.2 Replacements
5.2.1 Evolution (Replacement for Thunderbird)
Homepage: http://www.gnome.org/projects/evolution/
Full featured email-client - provides integrated mail, addressbook and calendaring functionality.
If you want to use Evolution, deinstall Thunderbird and afterwards install the following packages with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• evolution • evolution-plugins • nautilus-sendto
5.2.2 Azureus (Replacement for bittorrent)
Homepage: http://azureus.sourceforge.net/
Azureus is an easy to use bittorrent-client with a great many features.
If you want to use Azureus, deinstall bittorrent and afterwards install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• azureus
5.2.3 Audacious (Replacement for Amarok)
Homepage: http://audacious-media-player.org/
Audacious is a lean audio-player.
If you want to use Audacious, deinstall Amarok and afterwards install the following packages with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• audacious • audacious-plugins • audacious-plugins-extra • audacious-crossfade
Note: The theme on the screenshot is "almond dark blue".
5.3 Optional
5.3.1 FireFTP
Homepage: http://fireftp.mozdev.org/
FireFTP is an extension for Firefox. It provides an easy to use, full featured ftp client. It can be startet without firefox from the gnome applications menu.
If you want to use FireFTP, open Firefox.
Click on "Tools" -> "Add-ons" in the upper menu:
Click on "Get Extensions" in the "Add-ons"-window:
Enter "FireFTP" in the search box and click on "Search":
Click on "FireFTP":
Click on "Install Now":
Accept the installation:
After the installation is finished restart Firefox. FireFTP is available in the upper menu.
To start FireFTP without Firefox from the gnome applications menu create a new launcher and add the command: firefox -chrome chrome://fireftp/content/.
5.3.2 K3B
Homepage: http://www.k3b.org/
K3B is a burning suite with a lot of features.
If you want to use K3B, install the following packages with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• k3b • libk3b2-mp3 • normalize-audio • transcode • sox • vcdimager
5.3.3 Digikam
Homepage: http://www.digikam.org/ Digikam is a photo management software.
If you want to use Digikam, install the following packages with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• digikam • digikamimageplugins • kipi-plugins
Note: The theme on the screenshot is "dark"
5.3.4 Streamtuner
Homepage: http://www.nongnu.org/streamtuner/
Streamtuner is a stream directory browser. With Streamtuner you can listen to SHOUTcast-streams etc.
If you want to use Streamtuner, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• streamtuner
5.3.5 k9copy
Homepage: http://k9copy.sourceforge.net/
K9copy is a DVD backup tool, which is able to shrink the content of a DVD9 to fit on a DVD5.
If you want to use k9copy, install the following packages with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• k9copy • mencoder
5.3.6 Skype
Homepage: http://www.skype.com/
Skype is a software for internet telephony, instant messaging etc.
If you want to use Skype, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• skype
5.3.7 Realplayer
Homepage: http://de.real.com/player/
Realplayer is a player for RealMedia content.
If you want to use Realplayer, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• realplay
5.3.8 Audacity
Homepage: http://audacity.sourceforge.net/
Audacity is a software to edit audio files.
If you want to use Audacity, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• audacity
5.3.9 Gtkpod
Homepage: http://www.gtkpod.org/ With gtkpod you can manage your iPod. Many iPods are supported, including iPod mini, iPod Photo, iPod Shuffle, iPod nano, and iPod Video.
If you want to use gtkpod, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager:
• gtkpod
5.3.10 Wine
Homepage: http://www.winehq.org/
Taken from the Wine Homepage: "Wine is an Open Source implementation of the Windows API on top of X, OpenGL, and Unix".
With wine you can run a lot of windows software on linux. A list of software that is known to work on wine can be found at http://appdb.winehq.org/ .
If you want to use wine, install the following package:
• wine
5.3.11 Cedega
Homepage: http://www.cedega.com/
Cedega is the further stage of WineX with focus on Windows games. Many games are supported - a list of supported games (with screenshots) can be found at http://games.cedega.com/gamesdb/ and http://cedegawiki.sweetleafstudios.com/wiki/Main_Page . Cedega is not free. Have a look at the Homepage for details and pricing.
Note: The screenshots above were taken on Fedora 7 with Cedega version 5.2.3 (Game: Guild Wars). The actual Cedega version is 6.0.3.
5.3.12 VMware Server
Homepage: http://www.vmware.com/products/server/
With VMware Server you can install guest operating systems as Windows, Linux, NetWare or Solaris.
If you want to use VMware Server, install the following package with the Synaptic Package Manager: • vmware-server
During the installation you'll be asked for a serial number. Get it at http://www.vmware.com/download/server/ . Click on "register for your free serial number(s)" and afterwards enter the required data on the next page. After that you'll get a serial number for the VMware Server.
6 Links
Linux Mint: http://linuxmint.com/