Today is Feb 14, 7 days ago I started learning Linux my distro is “Ubuntu 8.10″.

Now, I finished with my second step which was:

Making Ubuntu ready to be used

• How can I make my fresh installed copy of Ubuntu ready to be used?

• What’s missing in my fresh copy and I need to get it by myself?

And much more questions you ask when you open Ubuntu for the first time.

Now I think to be ready is to be able to do most of the daily stuff you used to do with your X OS

1. Browsing internet. (LAN connection)
2. Writing some documents.  (already installed)
3. Listening to music.  (Having Codec)
4. Watching movies.  (Having Codec)
5. Reading E-Books.  (already installed)
6. Maybe coding     (eclipse with your chosen compiler)

All of these need variety of programs, you can find some basic programs already installed with the fresh copy of Ubuntu.

But, not all of ‘em can bring you the best performance you want, so we have to get some programs into this new OS.

How!!!

I’ve learned three ways to do that so far:

1. Using Add/remove, but it’s not that efficient.
2. Using Synaptic package manager, works perfectly.
3. By Windows technique “Double click”, not efficient at all.

Wait a minute, do Ubuntu programs have the (.exe) setup file?

Nop, Ubuntu has a new theory in installing programs.

1. Program called a package in Ubuntu, its extention is “.deb”.
2. You can get a package using” internet connection and 1,2 installing methods mentioned above”. Also, it’s possible to have ‘em on CD, DVD.
3. Each package needs dependency files, which stands for plug-ins in Windows.
4. If the dependency package is not available then the target package can’t be installed.

About my trials :

1. I wasn’t familiar with the dependency term, so I used Windows method which is “Double click”, I didn’t know what I was  installing and some packages refused to be installed due to missing dependency files.
2. Then, I started reading a book , which I will mention its name later, I understood some new concepts and I tried to use Add/Remove & an internet connection “Using LAN”, it worked but it didn’t have everything I wanted.
3. I used Synaptic package manager, it’s a great tool to use, but I wasn’t pleased to use it only with internet connection on, because I have many packages on a DVD and I didn’t have fast internet connection.
4. I thought the only way to install the packages on DVD is to use Windows method, but I was wrong.I asked mpcabd, “Thanks”, and I knew how to change the software source from “Internet” to “DVD”.
5. Now, I’m happy with my “ready to be used Ubuntu”.

What about drivers!!

I didn’t face such a problem my laptop is Linux-Friendly, of course my modem isn’t working, instead I’m using a (LAN connection).

Last note:

• You can find codec under Gstream package.
• Ubuntu Recognizes LAN connection easily, if it’s a shared connection.

I’ll meet you in the next step, it’ll be about installing programs using Terminal.

It’s 7 Feb, a day away from my 19th birthday.
I attended FOSS 09 workshop during the last three days, it was the first FOSS workshop I’ve ever attended.
Before workshop, I had a blur idea about the FOSS philosophy through some articles I used to read, also I’ve watched Revolution OS.

• The workshop helped me get used to this new way of thinking, programming even living.

• As a junior developer I believe that FOSS can make a great worldwide developing knowledge which will improve our studies.

Through my last year I tried to use some open

programs, like GIMP, PIDGIN, FireFox.
They’re all amazing, easy to deal with and the most important thing free.
Now, I want to try new thing, which is Learning Linux.

My First distribution will be :

Ubuntu 8.10 “which was the installation party distribution”.

As mentioned in Ubuntu quote, “it’s a Linux for human being” so I think it’s a good starting point.

I think learning new OS needs alot of steps:

• First step “Installing system”.

I did that today, after suffering with HDD partitioning in the last few days.

1. In the installation party I didn’t have the chance to install it, because my HDD refused to have a third partition.
2. First trial, was to do the operation through the partitioning program which was included in the Ubuntu CD -> the process aborted.
3. Second trial, was to do the operation through a partitioning program which worked on Windows -> after rebooting nothing changed, still had two partitions.
4. Third trial, was to do the operation while SATA support was disabled and retry 3 -> nothing changed.
5. Fourth trial, was to do the operation while SATA support was disabled and retry 2 -> we couldn’t edit the new partition size in “Edit partition” section.
6. There wasn’t any Fifth trial, I closed my laptop and I was sad to go out of the installation party without any Linux.

At night that day, I tried a program called “Acronis Disk Director Suite” which made me conclude that the NTFS table is damaged so I wasn’t able to do any other partitions, but it was easy to get rid of .

• First, moving my files to an external HDD.
• Second, formating that partition.
• Third, having a suitable special partition to install Ubuntu on.
• Fourth, having Ubuntu on my laptop today “at last”.

That’s all for my first step, I will meet you in my next step which I wish it will be easier