Using Ubuntu

    There are two ways of using Ubuntu (and most other versions of Linux).

Graphical User Interface (GUI)

    Three different  graphical interfaces are available - Gnome, KDE and Xfce provided by Ubuntu, Kubuntu and Xubuntu respectively.

    The Graphical interfaces are very similar to MS Windows.  Though some things are in a different place, the general way of using the system and most of the short cuts are the same - making migration from Windows painless.  Installing a particular version of Ubuntu does not stop you from installing one or both of the other GUIs - you can then select which you want to use at sign-in.  I shall be using the Gnome GUI in my explanations (except where otherwise stated).  Information plus screenshots about the three desktops and how to install another look will be added later.

Desktop Wallpaper 

Go to System > Preferences > Desktop Background - Either choose a wallpaper and click Finish or click Add Wallpaper to browse for image files.  Any image file will do eg. use your favourite photo. The file browser shows a thumbnail of the file selected.  Click Open when you've found the one you want and it will be added to the list and selected.  Click Finish to use the new wallpaper.  That's it!

Adding Icons to the top Panel

The top panel already contains the Menu and Quick Launch Icons for Firefox, Evolution and Help.  You can add other Quick Launch Icons for any application by using the Menu and right-clicking on an application and choosing Add this launcher to panel.  Other applications can be aded by right-clicking in the panel and choosing Add to panel.  The Add to Panel dialog is displayed from which to choose items.  Several of these are already set by default such as Quit and Clock.  I have found several useful eg. Disk Mounter shows a number of icons, one for each drive that is available including the Windows drives and external drives, card readers etc. I find Network Monitor (shows network activity) and System Monitor (shows processor activity) useful too.

Using Synaptic Package Manager to install applications

Goto System > Adminstation > Synaptic Package Manager and enter your password in the Password Entry box that pops up.  A list of applications is displayed.

To be sure of seeing all available software, go to Settings > Repositories and make sure all the repositories are ticked except Source code.  Click Close when finished.  Now click Reload to download the software lists.

Now you can either browse the lists by category or use Search to find what you want.  After a little while a list matching your search will be displayed.

To download and install software :-
Click on the check box at the left of the item required.  A pop-up appears inviting you to Mark for Installation.  In some cases you will then be presented with a list of extra libraries required to use your software - click the Mark button to select these.

Having marked the required downloads, click Apply.  A summary list is displayed from which you can see what is selected for installation plus the amount of HD space this will use and the size of the download.  Click Apply and watch while the files are downloaded and the software installed and set up.  Click Close in the "completed" dialog.

If the application is graphical it should appear in the menu otherwise you may need to run it from the Command Line.

Command line (Terminal)

    This is very similar to the old DOS command line or cmd in Windows.  It provides extra control of the system over and above that obtainable with the GUI though many actions may be carried out with either.  Many new users of Linux are fearful of using the command line (or Terminal, as it's also called) but in many cases you don't need to understand anything - just copy and paste the commands from someone else's instructions line by line.

    The command line or terminal mode is accessed from the GUI form the Applications menu, then Acessories and you will find Terminal near the bottom.  Click on it to open a Terminal window, where you will see a command prompt.  The form of this is user@computer:~$ where user is the name you set up as user, computer is the name you set as your computer name.  I'll deal with the other bits later.

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Updated 21 January 2008