I want the sound to go through PulseAudio, so I change where sound from a specific app comes out "on the fly". And now when PulseAudio is set up properly in Ubuntu 9.04, I can just make the extra apps that I install use it as well.
(I use pavucontrol to change the streams, don't know a better way)
I downloaded Skype from skype.com and got this version: skype-debian_2.0.0.72-1_i386
It can use the alsa-device that sends audio to/from pulse, if input/output/ringing is set to "pulse" in the dropdown list in Skypes setup window.
I installed flash (the Macromedia/Adobe flavor) via "add/remove programs" and got version 10.0 r22 which also uses alsa-pulse, and it works fine out of the box.
Amarok was the most difficult thing to get working. It uses Phonon which uses Xine to decode music and pass the audio to a sound server of choice. My problem was that phono/xine used the ALSA hardware device exclusively, thus blocking all other playback on that device. (It even crashed when more apps was fighting the sound device!) To change the default to be PulseAudio, I had to install the package "systemsettings", a KDE setup app, that handles the xine/phonon settings graphically.
I installed the following packages to get amarok working as I liked:
Packages installed
Other applications
normally use vlc to watch streamed danish television in h.264, and as default (on Ubuntu 9.04) vlc uses ALSA's default interface which sends the audio through alsa-pulse to PulseAudio. I installed the package "vlc-plugin-pulse" and changed the preferences in vlc to use PulseAudio as default and that also works fine.
A subversion checkout/local coy can be manged through right-click context menus by installing and activating a script.
subversion (1.5.4dfsg1-1ubuntu2)
subversion-tools
Install package "nautilus-script-collection-svn" and run "nautilus-script-manager enable Subversion".
There are other similar scripts, e.g. NautilusSVN at http://code.google.com/p/nautilussvn/
Encrypted DVD's
I had to reboot (or just log out and in again) after installing DeCSS to watch encrypted DVD's before the Ttotem movie player could play the disc content.
How to do: Install package "libdvdread4", then run "sudo /usr/share/doc/libdvdread4/install-css.sh", log out/in (or reboot?)
VPN
To access "remote" networks or get a encrypted line from insecure (wireless) networks, I use VPN (luckily I am not paying for the expensive Cisco equipment in the other end).
To activate it easily and have the status of the link, that sometimes breaks, shown in the "notification area" (like system tray), I use vpnc, the NetworkManager applet (default activated in Ubuntu) and its extension for vpnc. Passwords can be stored in the gnome keyring, and then it only take some mouse movement and two clicks to enable or disable a vpn connection -- sweet!
Extra packages installed
I can set the internal and external screen to all relevant resolutions, and choose if it is an extended desktop or if they should show the same. It is easy and intuitive. Perhaps this goes away if I install 3D graphics drivers made by ATI?
The touch pad now has a sensible setting out of the box, and at the same time my external mice are not set to be over-sensitive.
Install from harddisk, without using other removable media like CD's
Read https://help.ubuntu.com/9.04/installation-guide/i386/boot-drive-files.html
download:
netboot/ubuntu-installer/i386/linux
netboot/ubuntu-installer/i386/initrd.gz
from
http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/dists/jaunty/main/installer-i386/current/images/