Unix on the desktop

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Here are some common questions and answers about using Unix on the desktop. Most of the advice below assumes that you are running Ubuntu, although most of it will still work on Debian. Please note that there is no official support for using Linux.

Contents

How do I install ...?

There are two main ways to install software on Ubuntu machines: via the Synaptic Package Manager or via command-line tools.

  • Use the Synaptic Package Manager:
System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager
  • Open a terminal and use either apt-get or aptitude:
sudo apt-get install <package-name> (you can use tab to auto-complete package names)
sudo aptitude install <package-name>
sudo aptitude (this allows you to browse available packages)

Emacs

Install with

sudo apt-get install emacs

If you don't want emacs to have a splash screen, add the following line to ~/.bashrc:

alias emacs='emacs --no-splash'

If you always want to run emacs in a terminal and bypass the GUI, use the line

alias emacs='emacs -nw --no-splash'

instead.

LaTeX

Install with

sudo apt-get install texlive-full

Common LaTex applications include lyx and kile.

Use texconfig to configure the paper size.

How do I run apps from the t machine and have them show up on my local machine?

In this section, we assume the local machine has 128.163.128.79 as its IP address. You will need to change this to match your machine. Use ifconfig to find your IP address.

On the local machine:

Open the file /etc/gdm/gdm.conf:

sudo gedit /etc/gdm/gdm.conf

Search for TCP and change DisallowTCP to false

DisallowTCP=false

Now add the remote machine as a host on the local machine:

xhost +t2.ms.uky.edu

On the remote machine (t2.ms.uky.edu)

ssh username@t2.ms.uky.edu (You do not need to put -X or any other options)
xclock -display 128.163.128.79:0.0

Or make it permanent for that session. Depending on your shell, you can use export or setenv:

export DISPLAY=128.163.128.79:0.0
setenv DISPLAY 128.163.128.79:0.0

Enjoy!

How do I edit my webpage?

There are multiple ways, you just need access to the files.

Through the terminal You can login to the t machines (t2.ms.uky.edu or t5.ms.uky.edu) and your site located in ~/public_html

Through a file manager You can view your files in nautilus, konqueror or dolpin. Look at setting up your home dir for this method. http://docs.ms.uky.edu/wiki/Accessing_your_home_directory

Where can I find more tips?

Many useful tips can also be found at UbuntuGuide.org.

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