Xubuntu Setup

This text describes, how we set up Xubuntu 10.04 for the Internet Cafes on i386-PCs (Intel x86).

we use now
we used xubuntu.org
 
see also:
Xubuntu 9.04 Setup
Xubuntu Setup 9.10

Installing Xubuntu from alternate-CD-ROM

If you want to install a Dual Boot-system (Xubuntu and Windows on the same computer), you have to install and defragment Windows first.

  1. Get a Xubuntu alternate image from www.xubuntu.org/get
  2. Burn a CD from the iso image BurningIsoHowto
  3. Prepare the computer to boot from CD-ROM
    1. Start the computer and enter BIOS/Setup (normally the computer shows on startup, which key you have to press for entering BIOS/Setup – often its something like Entf or F2
    2. Insert the CD
    3. Check if the Boot Sequence starts with CD-ROM
    4. Save and exit BIOS/Setup – the computer will now boot from CD-ROM.
  4. Install Xubuntu alternate: Select Install Xubuntu and press Enter
  5. Follow the installer-instructions

More detailed instructions about Ubuntu-installation: Alternate install CD (Unsupported Version)

Other installation methods:

Language support

Even if you do not want to install additional languages it’s useful to open Applications > System > Language Support > Supported Languages : once to complete the already installed language support.
You can add many different languages but keep in mind that every language uses a remarkable amount of disk space. We usually install in english and add language support for:

arab
french
german
persian
polish
spanish
swahili

You can choose the language for a session on the login screen. All supported programms should appear in the chosen language.

Adjusting Xubuntu to our needs

Using a script to adjust Xubuntu

Applications > Acessories > Terminal
# scrip not yet updated for 10.04
# wget https://we.riseup.net/assets/
# md5sum xubuntu-10-04-setup.tar.bz2 # should be 
# sudo tar -xvpjf ./xubuntu-10-04-setup.tar.bz2
# sudo ./xubuntu-10-04-setup/xubuntu-setup-script

Answer the questions in the Terminal.

Manually adjusting Xubuntu

Add a user account

  1. Applications > System > Users and Groups > Unlock
  2. Type in Password, Authenticate, Add User
  3. Type in Username, User password and Confirmation, OK, Close

 

Activate automatic login

Replace «username» with the name of user who should be logged in automatically

Applications > Acessories > Terminal
sudo su -c 'echo -e "\n[daemon]\nTimedLoginEnable=false\nAutomaticLoginEnable=true\nTimedLogin=«username»\nAutomaticLogin=«username»\nTimedLoginDelay=5" > /etc/gdm/custom.conf'

GUI (alternatively):

  1. Applications > System > Login Screen > Unlock
  2. Select “Log in as «username» automatically”
  3. Select “Allow”
  4. Change time to 5 seconds
  5. Close

 

Automate security updates

AutomaticSecurityUpdates using cron

GUI (alternatively):
Applications > System > Synaptic Package Manager > Settings > Repositories > Updates
select ‘Install security updates without confirmation’
‘Close’

 

Activate Partner repositories

Applications > System > Software sources > Other Software > activate partners

 

Add packages (multimedia & more)

Applications > Accessories > Terminal
sudo aptitude install xubuntu-restricted-extras sun-java6-plugin libxine1-all-plugins soundconverter streamripper mplayer totem-mozilla vlc xine-ui filezilla medit openoffice.org vim
# no more: amsn, realplayer, skype, libdvdcss2 Does anyone neet this? 
# sound-juicer not needed anymore because exaile can import Audio-CDs

packages.ubuntu.com/lucid/xubuntu-restr...
note: package ttf-mscorefonts-installer 3.0 failes to install if URLs are resolved too slow

try
sed -e "s#wget --continue --tries=1 --dns-timeout=10 --connect-timeout=5 --read-timeout=300#wget --continue --tries=2 --dns-timeout=100 --connect-timeout=50 --read-timeout=3000#g" -i /var/lib/dpkg/info/ttf-mscorefonts-installer.postinst
aptitude -y install

GUI (alternatively):

  1. Open Synaptic: Applications > System > System Package Manager
  2. Type in password
  3. Type in search box each by each and right click > “Mark for Installation” :
        xubuntu-restricted-extras
        sun-java6-plugin
        libxine1-all-plugins
        soundconverter
        streamripper
        mplayer
        totem-mozilla
        vlc
        xine-ui
        filezilla
        medit
        openoffice.org
        vim
  4. Apply
  5. Quit

 

Update system & reboot

Applications > Acessories > Terminal
sudo aptitude update && sudo aptitude full-upgrade && sudo reboot

GUI (alternatively):

  1. update system: Applications > System > Update Manager
  2. reboot:

 

Configure user account

Firefox

  1. Open Firefox and go to Edit > Preferences
    1. Main > Startup: Home Page: enter http://www.refugeesemancipation.com
    2. Main > Downloads: select Always ask me where to save files
    3. Privacy > History: select Use custom settings for History
    4. Privacy > History: select Automatically start Firefox in a private browsing session
    5. Privacy > History: cookies: Keep until: select I close Firefox
    6. Security > Passwords : deselect Remember passwords for sites
    7. Close
  2. open http://www.refugeesemancipation.com/, press Strg+D, Folder : Bookmarks Toolbar > Done
  3. open https://we.riseup.net/refeman, press Strg+D, Folder : Bookmarks Toolbar > Done

The script additionaly stipulates these privacy-settings.

OpenOffice

Get DIN-A4 as default page format & more settings that are useful in Germany

  1. Tools > Options > Language Settings > Languages:
  2. Locale setting: German (Germany)
  3. Default Languages for Documents: Western: German (Germany)

Thunar

  1. View > Location Selector > Toolbar Style
  2. Edit > Preferences > Display
    • choose View new folders using: Detailed List View
    • deselect Sort folders before files
    • choose Date Format: yyyy-mm-dd HH:MM:SS
    • Close
  3. Filetypes: right-click file > Open with > Open With Other Application…
    • open .odt with OOo, not with AbiWord
    • open .ods with OOo, not with Gnumeric Spreadsheet
    • open .aif with exaile
    • open .wma with exaile
    • open .spx with exaile
    • open .pls with exaile
    • open .m3u with exaile

Panels

  1. move bottom-panel-items to top-panel
  2. remove bottom-panel
  3. add xfce4-terminal-launcher
  4. Mixer Plugin: make all controls visible

Removable Drives and Media

  1. Applications > Settings > Removable Drives and Media > Multimedia
  2. Audio-CDs: sound-juicer -d %d
  3. Video-CDs/DVDs: vlc dvd://%d

Terminal style

Edit > Preferences… >

  1. Appearance:
    • Font: Monospace 10
  2. Background:
    • Transparent background
    • Transparency: 0.5

Vim

Applications > Accessories > Terminal
cp -p /etc/vim/vimrc .vimrc
echo "set sw=2" >> .vimrc
echo "set noai" >> .vimrc
vim .vimrc

activate:

  • set backgound=dark
  • jump to the last position
  • load identation rules an plugins
  • behave a lot differently from regular vi
    • all but mouse

On logout

deselect Save session… on log out-prompt

Help & Troubleshooting