Friday 29 October 2010

Simplistic Ubuntu

Here I will show you how to run Ubuntu desktop, the simple way. Untill Chrome OS cmes out, I want my pc to run as simple as possible, so as to get the Chrome OS Feel!

Ok, First remove as many applications as you can. I removed all the games, open office, empathy, gwibber evolution (Replacing them with web apps: miniclip, Gdocs, Gmail, Ebuddy). And if you're really willing to dive in to the web: Gimp, Shotwell, Rythmbox, all browsers but Chrome/ium, etc.

Set desktop to show your Home directory: Hit Alt-F2. Type 'gconf-editor', go to Apps > Nautilus > Preferences, and tick desktop_is_home_dir. Close the window. Hit Alt > F2 again. Now type Xkill and left click on your desktop. It should reload Nautilus and you should see your Desktop showing your Home Directory.

Next, the Panel. First, delete your bottom panel. Then add Window list to you top panel. Remove the Applications, Places menu, and replace it with Ubuntu Menu. Now, remove all the launchers(make shortcuts for them instead). St the clock to just show the time on 24 hour mode. And last of all(for the panel), run htis command to remove Mail, and Indicator Icons from the panel:

sudo apt-get remove indicator-me indicator-messages

Now Alt > F2. Xkill. Click on the panel. It should look a lot simpler now.

Next, Go to Startup Applications, and remove as much as possible there(all that you think you can spare). Don't worry, making a mistake here won't wreck your system. It will just mean that you will have to go back to Sartup Applications, and re-tick what you removed.

And that, is about all. I will be posting much more often soon. Hopefully I can go back to my blog more often

Thursday 28 October 2010

The Mere-Cat

At the begging o October, I have started using the new Ubuntu 10.10 and here I am going to give you my (late) opinion of it.

I love the new Ubuntu font! I think it really gives Ubuntu some character, and is a lot less boring than the old font. Some of the letters actually remind me of the twit.tv logo!

The backgrounds are getting better and better. Since Karmic Ubuntu has come with very good quality wallpapers, and the Maverick ones are very good.

Overall in the past few months, theming developers have been improving their themes. Many new and cool Ubuntu applications have come out making it have it's own when compared to other Operating Systems.

Now for the not so good stuff. I have been having terrible monitor problem since Maverick, and I am still trying to figure them out.

All in all, Maverick is not as big an update as Karmic of Lucid, but is definitely something worth getting!

Secure your Chrome Cookies

I have read a lot of online articles about browser security. How people can do scary things when you're not careful with your settings. And since I am not used to taking these kind of things with a pinch of salt, I take it seriously. Here is a simple method to stay on the secure side, and stay happy with chrome!

Go to Chrome Wrench(Spanner Button) > Preferences(of Settings). Go to The 'Under The Hood' tab. Click the 'Content Settings' button. Then click Block Sites from any Data, and 'Block all third-party Cookies without Exception'. And do not check clear all cookies when I close my browser. Now, when you try to sign in to a website and it won't sign in, there will be a little cookie icon in the right of the omni-bar. Click it. Then you will be able to tell chrome to allow the cookie.

All-though this Security Method sounds complicated, over time, Chrome won't get cluttered up. And you won't have to sign-in every time you open Chrome!