(Modified 2016 Oct 02)
Linux stuff
Outline
General Unix/Linux stuff
find -- use of the find command
tar -- for archiving (and copying)
cshrc files for use with tcsh
an example .cshrc file
mmv -- multiple move
DEL -- multiple delete
burning CDs, CDRWs, and DVDs using cdrecord
display settings -- resolution, external display, dual display
system monitors -- various process-display tools
conky
gkrellm
procmeter
keyboard mapping -- using xmodmap
networking -- some networking issues switching from a wireless network to a wired network
audio problems -- no hardware devices detected in PulseAudio
fstab -- disk mounts, may be specific to Ubuntu
sudo -- for enabling root priviledges to other users
wireless networking -- I had had issues, but they're solved now.
Hardware/Distro/Desktop configurations I have tried
current -- Linux Lite 1.0 + XFCE
Athlon II X2, 2.9 GHz, 4GB RAM; Dell Studio laptop with i5, 4GB RAM
based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS
will be supported until April 2017 and uses Libreoffice 3, which works with the reference manager Bibus
Xubuntu + XFCE
hp Elite w/i7 + 4GB RAM, Hannspree Hannsbook, Lenovo S10-3
problems with LibreOffice 4, but better at recognizing my Android phone
netbook-specific distros, such as Moblin and EasyPeasy, were bad -- they discourage you from having multiple windows open, and 1024x600 is adequate for that purpose (as opposed to 640x480 tablets)
notes on disabling the horizontal scrollbar on the Hannsbook
i5 laptop, 4GB RAM -- Xubuntu + XFCE
I stopped experimenting with desktop environments other than XFCE
Athlon II X2, 2.9 GHz, 4GB RAM -- Fedora Core 11 + GNOME, then Ubuntu + GNOME, and later Xubuntu + XFCE
Fedora install crapped out during an update, and I resorted to the Ubuntus
Celeron (laptop), 2.0 GHz, 1GB RAM -- Xubuntu + XFCE
had wifi issues with Mandriva (in early 2009), but most distros have wifi solved now
P4, 1.8GHz, 512MB RAM -- Zenwalk + XFCE
With a little faster hardware, I'd have like to run PCLinuxOS
P3, 850MHz, 256MB RAM -- Zenwalk + XFCE, then AntiX + IceWM
Zenwalk ran great, but I tried AntiX when I installed Zenwalk on the P4 above
K6-2, 380MHz, 192MB RAM -- Fedora Core 2 + XFCE
used until hard drive died
Distro- or desktop-specific tricks
XFCE -- a light desktop manager
place the terminal tabs at the bottom of the window -- for XFCE 4.10
fixing hddtemp error -- for XFCE 4.10
fixing not autohiding panels -- for XFCE 4.10
fixing warnings when using Murrine-based themes -- for XFCE 4.10
disabling auto-maximize when dragging to top of screen -- for XFCE 4.10
GIMP guide-freezing bug -- in recent versions of XFCE, dragging the guide rulers freezes the menus
fixing Thunar's slowness on startup -- for XFCE 4.8
fixing corrupted desktop -- for XFCE 4.8
enabling suspend -- for XFCE 4.6
terminal settings -- for XFCE 4.4, activating the beep -- doesn't fix version 4.6+
font selection -- written back for XFCE 4.0
desktop themes -- written back for XFCE 4.0
Ubuntu/Xubuntu/LinuxLite tricks
downgrading to LibreOffice 3.X -- Bibus reference manager does not work with LibreOffice 4.X
networking -- when NetworkManager said "Device not managed"
disabling auto-maximize when dragging to top of screen -- for XFCE 4.10
finding CD drive name for use with cdrecord -- in Ubuntu, dev flag is /dev/scd0
Zenwalk -- for version 6.2
installation trick -- installation kept dying, so had to use the installation's own partitioning tool
solving slow shutdown -- due to the Iceweasel browser recaching fonts, and prompted a change of /etc/rc.d/rc.6
infinite-reboot problem -- after a kernel upgrade, the bootloader got corrupted
can't access wicd because not in netdev group -- after upgrading to version 6.4, I couldn't access wifi as non-root
RedHat/Fedora
RPMs -- RedHat Package Management
Enlightenment 17 -- a lighter desktop manager -- under construction
Software -- Typically, I install the smallest programs first and stop when I find one that does what I want.
Calculators
galculator
calcoo -- not very attractive
gcalctool -- the default in (X)Ubuntu, but doesn't have a memory function
Image display/editing
gimp -- GNU Image-Manipulation Program
save as JPG -- in GIMP version 2.8, to save as a JPG you by default can only export
guide-freezing bug -- in recent versions of XFCE, dragging the guide rulers freezes the menus
pandora -- for creating panoramas -- lately, I use it as a backup to hugin
wavelet denoising -- part of Ubuntu package gimp-plugin-registry
auto white-balance -- batch script for fixing the white balance
gphoto2/gtkam -- for reading camera images
exiftool -- tool to read and modify EXIF data -- part of package libimage-exiftool-perl
Imagemagick -- notes on convert command
on Zenwalk install, required installation of FFTW libraries
shrink -- batch conversion script
hugin -- for creating panoramas
geeqie -- successor to apparently-dormant gqview
gthumb -- manages albums -- displays animated GIFs, unlike geeqie
fotoxx -- not a bad editor, but cropping near the image border had unintuitive behavior
pinta -- I didn't see an option to crop using a fixed aspect ratio
cheese -- webcam capture
gqview -- image-viewer, thumbnails
inkscape -- vector graphics
didn't like: heliospaint, photofiltre, flphoto, xnview, gimageview, zgv, lats
Scientific software
SPIDER/SPIRE -- image-processing from the Wadsworth Center
32-bit library problem for SPIRE and JWEB
Sculptor -- not as fancy as Chimera, but runs on older hardware and performs flexible-fitting
Office / Reference managers / Bibliography databases
Establishing initial connection between LibreOffice and Bibus
Downgrading to LibreOffice 3.X -- Bibus reference manager does not work with LibreOffice 4.X
vim -- cheat sheet for VI iMproved
emacs -- cheat sheet for emacs
kate
uses KDE libraries
full-featured, but bulky
sublime -- has find-as-you-type search and can split windows but is closed source
jedit -- not as powerful as emacs, but easier to use -- plugins which I installed:
BufferTabs
BufferList -- adds a side pane which lists open files
medit -- has file-selection and browsing panes like kate, but doesn't use KDE
mousepad -- with version 0.3, has find-as-you-type
geany -- pretty solid all-around
nedit
can select columns of text using CTRL-click
newer versions support tabs
gedit -- uses GNOME libraries
vlc and, as a back up, parole for playback -- earlier, also used totem and mplayer
using ffmpeg for editing -- with examples
gstreamer -- at one point, needed for decoding some formats
Web browsers
Firefox, plus the following add-ons
Last tab close button
ESPN Author blocker -- install the add-on Greasemonkey, restart browser, and click the "Install" button at this link
AdBlock Plus
Saved Password Editor
installation -- old instructions, is in many repositories now
shortcuts -- I'm using Opera 9.2 compatible
Chrome -- not so configurable, but the automatic language detection is handy
lynx
a text-only browser
links2
based on a text-only browser, but can display images too
useful for annoying, JavaScript-heavy pages, e.g., Slashdot, etc.
Iceweasel -- in Zenwalk 6.2, required a trick to avoid unnecessary slowdown
I've tried the following, but don't see a compelling reason to use:
Seamonkey
Midori
Epiphany
Thunar -- for XFCE -- added tabs with version 1.6
PCman -- added tabs with v1.0, but is relatively simplistic otherwise
older file managers: xffm, Xplore, X File Explorer
HTML editors
bluefish -- full-featured editor
erwin -- color-coded HTML editor with preview mode -- no longer available with Ubuntu
gnotepad+ -- a text-editor, with buttons for HTML tags -- no longer available with Ubuntu
News reader: pan
didn't like: glitter, sylpheed
Miscellaneous packages
jockey -- installs proprietary graphics drivers
-- under Software & Updates, there is a tab Additional Drivers which may obviate this
flashqard -- a flash-card program, not in Ubuntu repository
xournal -- a simple PDF reader that allows annotation
unetbootin -- for installing linux from a USB drive
arandr -- nice utility to manage displays, including dual screens
xscreensaver -- allows selection of subset for random screensavers
growisofs
for burning DVDs
no longer in default Xubuntu install, although xfburn may be adequate
unrar -- needed for unpacking some archives
wbar -- Mac-like launch bar -- not very practical without autohide feature
gnuplot -- plotting utility
requires gnuplot-x11 also (pointed out at LordAmit's Blog)
This page is Lynx-enhanced