The best thing and the worst thing about moving to a brand new operating system is all of the new applications that are immediately available to you. With Ubuntu, an open-source GNU/Linux based operating system, this is compounded even more by the astounding number of options along with the close-to automated package management system and strong community support.

Therefore, it’s helpful to have a basic guide to guide new and returning users through the varied software options by highlighted specific popular packages and providing installation directions, along with information about where users can look for more options and support. By showing the new Ubuntu user the best of the software repository from the start, we can ensure retention and thereby further undercut the market share of the 8,000 pound gorillas in the OS market.

Seeing all of the software available for Ubuntu through the official repositories is an easy and enjoyable experience. In fact, you don’t even need to open an internet browser. You can see the repositories (or repo’s) in two different ways:

1. Click on the Add/Remove Programs option in the Applications menu. This will most of the more popular items, along with each package’s estimated popularity. The option to install is provided right through the dialog screen.

2. Use the Synaptic Package Manager, which is available through selecting System–>Administration–>Synaptic Package Manager. A search function is included, making this process even easier. Also, you can choose to update all of your current packages through the click of the button. More often than not, no restart or reboot is required.

Without further ado, here are some common applications for Ubuntu, and directions on how to install them.BitTorrent

qBitTorrent is an application used to connect to the BitTorrent file sharing network, which acts as an uncentralized way to distribute and download large files without much hassle. Many sites on the internet provide these torrent files, and it is the responsibility of the user to make sure they are not violating the copyright laws of their respective nation by using them.

qBitTorrent is not available in the official repositories, so you’ll have to use the Terminal to install it. You can access the Terminal through Applications -> Accessories -> Terminal. As soon as it opens, enter the following commands (a root password may be required).

gksudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.lst

Copy the following lines to the end of the file:

deb http://hydr0g3n.free.fr/qbittorrent/feisty/ ./

deb-src http://hydr0g3n.free.fr/qbittorrent/feisty/ ./

Close the window, and copy and paste the following command:

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install qbittorrentEvolution

Check your e-mail in style with this client. Evolution comes pre-installed with Ubuntu, and you can open it from the Applications menu. This program is ideal for calendaring, keeping track of contacts, and checking e-mail. If it isn’t installed for some reason, you can install it with the Synaptic Package Manager.Pan

Pan is a way to connect to UseNet. It’s one of the few for Ubuntu that has a graphical display.

Type this in to install it:

sudo apt-get install pan

Pan rivals the XNews program for Windows, and it’s completely open-source.Firefox

Firefox is a really quick web browser developed by Mozilla. Yep, it definitely knocks the socks off of Internet Explorer, and it’s way more compatible with most websites than Safari. Based on the latest statistics, more people than ever before are moving over to Firefox from other browsers, and almost everything on the internet is compatible with it. Though it comes pre-installed with Ubuntu, I definitely think it’s worth a mention. If it’s not preinstalled, type this in the command line:

sudo apt-get install firefoxPidgin

Multi-protocol Instant Messaging, baby! Includes support for AIM, Yahoo!, GMail, and MSN. I know, I know, it’s amazing. And trust me, it is EASY to install!

Here’s the directions: Insert this stuff into your command line.

wget

sudo dpkg -i pidgin_2.0.0beta7devel.vicox-1_i386.deb

I hope this was a useful start. For more application ideas, you can try the official documentation or the forums. Good luck, and enjoy your new experience with Ubuntu!

Of course if you are used to Microsoft Windows you are familiar with the concept of files. This familiarity means you won’t have to start from zero to learn about Linux files. However, you will have to relearn several concepts and techniques to work with files in the Linux environment, whether using Damn Small Linux or other versions. You can do several great things with Linux files that you can’t do easily or at all under Windows. This could be just one more reason to switch from Windows to Linux.

Files have unique names. This rule is not as simple as it may seem. There is no conflict between a hard disk file named pay12june and a file named pay12june on your removable USB flash drive. In fact, be sure to backup all your important files. Don’t worry if your hard drive file is erased or becomes corrupted and illegible, simply access the one on your flash drive. You could also have two files named pay12june on your hard drive in different directories. Directories, collections of directories and files, will be discussed in the next article in this series.

Linux distinguishes between lower-case and upper-case characters in file names. Microsoft Windows does not. For example, Linux treats pay12june and Pay12june as two different files, as different as pay12june and heighho. Windows users will have to adapt to this major difference. Even though I am a Linux fan I don’t see any advantage in the Linux way of naming files. Maybe I have spent too much time in the Windows environment.

File names should be relatively short. The allowed maximum is 255 characters but working with long file names is no fun and in fact is asking for trouble. Linux file names may not contain the character / which has a special meaning. To avoid misunderstanding don’t include special characters such as $ and & in your file names. Doing so could cause confusion and lead to hard-to-find errors. For the same reason don’t call your files by special Linux names such as etc.

Linux sometimes applies file extensions; common examples include .c to indicate a C-language program and .htm or .html to indicate one type of web page. Savvy Linux users often avoid coding the file extension but rely on the file directory to indicate the file type. Don’t give a Linux file a misleading file extension.

Use an editor to create or modify a text file. The old fashioned vi editor has been replaced by more powerful, user-friendly editors. Most versions of Linux come with several editors. Damn Small Linux, a popular version that runs under Windows, includes several editors such as Beaver that come quite close to being intuitive.

Linux provides an enormous variety of commands for processing files. Many of these commands are mnemonic; for example the command cp is used to copy files. Many commands include a wide variety of options. Consider the ls command, somewhat similar to the DIR command in the Windows environment. This seemingly simple command is quite rich and offers dozens and dozens of options many of which have no equivalent in the Windows environment.

Linux commands can be thought of as verbs. Just like most English sentences include more than a verb (go, jump) complete Linux commands contain the command itself and one or more objects. To copy a file you not only need to specify cp but also What and Where. For example, the command cp pay12june backuparea means copy the pay12june file into the backuparea directory.

Linux syntax (grammar rules) is quite strict and does take time to learn. But mastering Linux and associated technologies can lead to employment. The next step is mastering Linux directories.