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Ubuntu 13.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop / Interface

richardsplanet — Wed, 08 May 2013 10:24:35 +0000

These instructions are for Ubuntu 13.04 running the Unity Desktop.

They may be the same or similar for other versions, but no guarantee is made.

Installing the Cinnamon Desktop will use up about 21.4MB of hard disk space.

Note: Cinnamon once completely locked up on me. Not sure what happened or whether it was Ubuntu, Cinnamon, or GNOME 3 at fault. I was playing around with some of the experimental stuff, though.

What is it?

Like Unity, Cinnamon is a customized version of GNOME 3.

Unlike Unity, Cinnamon tries to preserve the look and feel of the traditional desktop by having a more or less traditional Start menu (boxed in green) and does not have a HUD like interface for application, so programs have the traditional menu bar (boxed in red) at the top.

The image below shows the Start menu open, as well as an open application (Firefox):

As in Unity or the GNOME 3 Desktops, you can type the name of the application or document you want to open in the Search field (boxed in yellow).

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install cinnamon

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows / Super key to open the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the Dash query field:

3) Press Enter to launch the Ubuntu Software Center:

Note: pressing the Enter key will select the first Dash entry. If Ubuntu Software Center is not the first entry, then use the keyboard arrow keys or mouse to navigate to the appropriate icon.

If pressing Enter does not launch the Ubuntu Software Center, then click on the Ubuntu Software Center icon.

4) Type cinnamon in the Ubuntu Software Center search field:

5) Click on Cinnamon (this will highlight the selection in orange):

6) Click on Install:

7) Enter your password and click on Authenticate:

8) Restart Ubuntu by selecting Shut Down… from the System menu:

Note: it should be enough to just log out and log back in, but I have sometimes experienced things not working quite 100% until I actually restart.

9) Click on the desktop selection icon:

10) Select Cinnamon:

Note: Cinnamon 2D is not (as the name might imply) an alternative to the 3D rendered Cinnamon. It is still pretty much regular Cinnamon, but using the CPU instead of the GPU to perform 3D rendering.

What this means is that (in most cases) Cinnamon 2D will be slower and more sluggish than the regular Cinnamon desktop.

11) Login as normal:

Notice that the desktop icon in the upper right corner has changed to an open circle. Cinnamon does not (at least not yet) have any sort of identifying icon.

The post Ubuntu 13.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop / Interface appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 13.04 – How to Install VirtualBox Guest Additions

richardsplanet — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 07:12:19 +0000

These instructions are for Ubuntu 13.04 running under VirtualBox 4.2.12 on Windows 7 with SP1.

They should be the same or similar for other version combinations, but I make no guarantee.

These instructions are the same or very similar for many other Linux distros, however, the VirtualBox Guest Additions don’t work with all distros of Linux. As well, for some Linux distros, the installation does not happen automatically – you have to manually start it.

Note: sometimes, after Ubuntu updates have been installed, the Guest Additions will stop working.

See the section When Install Guest Additions… Doesn’t Autorun below on how to manually run the Guest Installation procedure again.

Why Install VirtualBox Guest Additions?

Installing the VirtualBox Guest Additions better integrates Ubuntu Linux with your system and gives you the following benefits (and more):

better video support – more resolutions, hardware acceleration, etc. This is important with Ubuntu because the Unity desktop expects to be running on 3D hardware accelerated graphics card. If it does not find 3D hardware acceleration, it emulates it using LLVM Pipe and performance is definitely on the sluggish side.
better mouse pointer integration
shared folders – useful for sharing data between OSes
seamless windows (instead of having an Ubuntu desktop and a Windows desktop, the two can be combined together. While neat, it is not quite perfect – though, I it is cool to see Linux and Windows applications running side-by-side on your Windows desktop)
shared clipboard

1) Click on on the Devices menu and then select Install Guest Additions…:

If you are running Ubuntu in full screen mode, move your mouse to the very bottom of the screen in the middle. This will pop up the same menu options:

Alternately, you can hold down the right Ctrl key down and press the D key (the default Host key is the right Ctrl key) to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions.

2) Click Run on the information dialog:

Note: sometimes selecting Install Guest Additions… (or pressing Host+D) installs the Guest Additions CD but fails to start the install process. If you don’t get the dialog below, see this section for manually starting the install process.

3) Enter your password and then click on Authenticate:

4) A terminal will pop up and begin the process of compiling and installing the Guest Additions – how long this process takes depends on how fast your machine is, but it is at least several minutes:

The warning

The headers for the current running kernel were not found. If the following module compilation fails then this could be the reason.

is a spurious warning with Ubuntu 13.04 – though it may be a valid warning for other Linux distros.

5) Go to the System Tools icon in the top right corner and select Shut Down:

6) Choose to either Shut Down or Restart the system (it doesn’t matter which):

The next time the virtual machine starts, the guest additions will be installed and integrated.

When Install Guest Additions… Doesn’t Autorun

Sometimes, Ubuntu doesn’t automatically start the install process after after Guest Additions have been added. One of these three techniques will allow you to manually start the installation process:

Method 1

1) Click on the VBOXADDITIONS disk near the bottom of the Unity Launcher – it’s just above the trash can:

2) Click on Run Software and then continue from Step 2) above:

Method 2

1) Click on the Files icon on the Unity Launcher:

2) Click on the VBOXADDITIONS… entry under Devices:

Note: do not click on the icon because this will cause the disk to be “ejected”.

3) Click on Run Software and then continue from Step 2) above:

Method 3

1) Open a terminal and enter the following commands:

cd /media
cd VBOXADDITIONS_4.2.12_84980
sudo sh VboxLinuxAdditions.run

Note: VBOXADDITIONS_4.2.12_84980 is specific to VirtualBox 4.2.12. Each version of VirtualBox will have a different name. The simplest way to enter the name is to: (1) type cd VB and then press the Tab key to complete the name.

It will then go through the process of compiling and installing the Guest Additions:

The post Ubuntu 13.04 – How to Install VirtualBox Guest Additions appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop

richardsplanet — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 12:10:02 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Installing Xubuntu Core Desktop installs only the GUI part of Xubuntu Desktop without all the extra applications that are part of the Xubuntu Desktop package (the only extra application it installs is the Thunar file manager)

The Xubuntu Desktop is a custom configured version of the Xfce Desktop.

Xfce is smaller than Xubuntu Core Desktop. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Xubuntu Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Xubuntu Core Desktop will install 111 MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

Compared to the Xubuntu Desktop, there are some minor differences.

Installing From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install xfce4 xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-default-settings

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

Installing From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

This requires you to install 3 separate packages, so a few more steps are required than usual.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

The following steps will install Xfce.

2) Enter xfce4 into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Meta-package for the Xfce Lightweight Desktop Environment – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

The following steps will install the Xubuntu artwork (backgrounds, colours, etc).

6) After installation is finished, enter xubuntu-artwork into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries:

7) Click on the entry Xubuntu themes and artwork – this will highlight it in orange:

8) Click on Install:

You should not be asked to enter a password again, but if you are, then enter it and press Authenticate

The following steps will install the settings necessary for Xfce to look like Xubuntu.

9) After installation is finished, enter xubuntu-default-settings into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries:

10) Click on the entry Default settings for the Xubuntu desktop – this will highlight it in orange:

11) Click on Install:

You should not be asked to enter a password again, but if you are, then enter it and press Authenticate

12) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

13) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

14) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

15) Select Xubuntu Session:

Xubuntu is a customized version of Xfce. This is why an Xfce session appears as well.

If you select Xfce Session then you will get the standard Xfce desktop.

16) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Xubuntu Core Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Lubuntu Core Desktop

richardsplanet — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 09:09:34 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Lubuntu Core Desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Installing Lubuntu Core Desktop installs the GUI part of Lubuntu Desktop without all the extra applications that are part of the Lubuntu Desktop package.

This is a good option for those who are happy with the applications provided with Ubuntu, but simply want to change their desktop.

The Lubuntu Core Desktop is a custom configured version of the LXDE Desktop.

To install a very basic LXDE desktop without additional applications, I recommend installing the LXDE Core desktop. Installation instructions can be found here.

There is also a version of the LXDE Desktop that includes a little more than the basic version. Installation instructions can be found here

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Lubuntu Core Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Lubuntu Core Desktop will install 66.3 MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install lubuntu-core

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter lubuntu-core into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Lubuntu Desktop environment – minimal installation – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop setting for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select Lubuntu Desktop:

Lubuntu is a custom configured version of LXDE which is built on top of Openbox and GNOME/Openbox – that is why their entries also appear in the desktop menu. It is best to ignore them since they give you a completely blank desktop.

Lubuntu Netbook is a desktop designed for Netbooks. It looks like this:

10) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Lubuntu Core Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Desktop

richardsplanet — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:17:05 +0000

These instructions are for installing the GNOME Desktop in Ubuntu 12.10 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance. The mentioned tutorial is for Ubuntu 12.04, but should be the same or very similar for 12.10. Eventually, I will have an updated tutorial for 12.10.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then GNOME Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What is it?

GNOME Desktop is GNOME Shell bundled with a number of additional applications.

GNOME Shell is not the same as the classic or traditional desktop most users are familiar with. It is a desktop that requires 3D hardware capability (if it is not available, then the system loads the GNOME Fallback Session). GNOME states that most 3D graphics cards manufactured after 2007 (or so) should be suitable.

Who is it for?

This is for those users who want the GNOME 3 desktop along with all the extra program files bundled with it.

If you just want GNOME Shell without all the additional packages and programs, choose to install GNOME Shell instead.

If you are not interested in the GNOME 3 desktop and want a more traditional/classic desktop environment I recommend installing GNOME Session Fallback.

If you want a true GNOME 2 (traditional/classic) desktop experience, then you need to install MATE.

MATE is a fork (a development branch that has split from the main branch) of the original GNOME 2 project to preserve it.

GNOME 2 is no longer supported or developed – it has been superseded by GNOME 3.

MATE is the new GNOME 2.

Note: most people want GNOME Shell or GNOME Session Fallback. Installing GNOME Desktop will install a lot of extra applications that you will probably never use.

A better solution is to install GNOME Shell or GNOME Session Fallback and later install those additional applications you want.

What it looks like

The straight-out-of-the-box look of the desktop is:

While it might look similar to the traditional/classic desktop, it is not. Clicking on the Action item (or tapping the Windows or Super key) will bring up a Unity style pane with some decorations on the side:

GNOME Desktop will install 542 MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Contrast this with 84.5 MB for GNOME Shell or 35.5 MB for GNOME Session Fallback. Do you really want those ~460 MB of extra programs installed?

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install gnome

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Note: during installation, you are likely to get a message box asking which display manager you use. It is safe to use either one.

gdm is installed with gnome.

lightdm is the display manager shipped with Ubuntu.

Basically, the difference between the two is that your login screen will look different.

Afterward, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to bring up the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the search field:

Note: as you type, search results will be displayed in the Dash Panel below.

You can stop typing when Ubuntu Software Center is the leftmost item in the panel.

3) Press the Enter key. This will select and launch the Ubuntu Software Center

Note: pressing the Enter key automatically selects the top, leftmost item in the Dash Panel. This is why it is not necessary to type everything.

Note: if, for some reason, you switch focus or change focus from the search field, then pressing Enter will not work and you will need to select the icon using your mouse (or navigate using your keyboard). This is definitely an issue Ubuntu needs to address with the Dash.

4) Type gnome into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries.

5) Click on the entry The GNOME Desktop Environment, with extra components – this will highlight it in orange:

6) Click on Install:

If you receive the following error message:

See this article for a possible solution.

Note: I haven’t encountered this error with Ubuntu 12.10, but I believe it is still possible.

7) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

8) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

9) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your selection for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

10) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

11) Select GNOME (you also have the option of selecting GNOME Classic which is just the Session Fallback version):

12) Click on OK:

13) Login as normal:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will display an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Shell

richardsplanet — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 15:00:04 +0000

These instructions are for installing the GNOME Shell in Ubuntu 12.10 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then GNOME Shell is an alternative desktop.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What is it?

GNOME Shell is just the basic GNOME 3 desktop environment. It includes GNOME Session Fallback as part of the installation.

Who is it for?

GNOME Shell is for those users who want a GNOME 3 desktop without installing extra packages and programs.

GNOME Shell includes GNOME Session Fallback as part of the installation, if you are not interested in the GNOME 3 desktop and want a more traditional/classic desktop environment I recommend installing GNOME Session Fallback because it will save you some disk space.

If you want a true GNOME 2 (traditional/classic) desktop experience, then you need to install MATE.

MATE is a fork (a development branch that has split from the main branch) of the original GNOME 2 project to preserve it.

GNOME 2 is no longer supported or developed – it has been superseded by GNOME 3.

MATE is the new GNOME 2.

Note: even if you install GNOME Shell only intending to use the GNOME Session Fallback, the extra files installed will not affect your systems performance except for the amount of disk space used.

In general, I think it is good practice to minimize the number of unneeded files on your system

What it looks like

The straight-out-of-the-box look of the desktop is:

GNOME Shell will install 84.5MB of files and data to your hard disk.

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Note: during installation, you are likely to get a message box asking which display manager you use. It is safe to use either one.

gdm is installed with gnome-shell.

lightdm is the display manager shipped with Ubuntu.

Basically, the difference between the two is that your login screen will look different.

Afterward, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to bring up the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the search field:

Note: as you type, search results will be displayed in the Dash Panel below.

You can stop typing when Ubuntu Software Center is the leftmost item in the panel.

3) Press the Enter key. This will select and launch the Ubuntu Software Center

Note: pressing the Enter key automatically selects the top, leftmost item in the Dash Panel. This is why it is not necessary to type everything.

4) Type gnome shell into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries.

5) Click on the entry GNOME Shell – this will highlight it in orange:

6) Click on Install:

If you receive the following error message:

See this article for a possible solution.

Note: I haven’t encountered this error with Ubuntu 12.10, but I believe it is still possible.

7) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

8) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

9) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your selection for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

10) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

11) Select GNOME (you also have the option of selecting GNOME Classic which is just the Session Fallback version):

12) Click on OK:

13) Login as normal:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will display an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Shell appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Session Fallback

richardsplanet — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 12:39:02 +0000

These instructions are for installing the GNOME Session Fallback in Ubuntu 12.10 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then GNOME Session Fallback is an alternative desktop.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What is it?

GNOME Session Fallback is the most basic version of GNOME you can install. The 3D features and requirements of the standard GNOME Shell are not present.

It is the closest you can get to the original GNOME 2 desktop. The GNOME 2 desktop is the one most users would recognize as the familiar or traditional desktop.

If you want a true GNOME 2 desktop experience, then you need to install MATE.

MATE is a fork (a development branch that has split from the main branch) of the original GNOME 2 project to preserve it.

GNOME 2 is no longer supported or developed – it has been superseded by GNOME 3.

MATE is the new GNOME 2.

GNOME 3 (aside from the Session Fallback) requires 3D hardware capability (according to GNOME, most 3D graphics cards manufactured after 2007 (or so) meet these requirements). However, the GNOME 3 desktop is different from the original or classic desktop most users are familiar with.

GNOME Session Fallback is automatically installed when you install GNOME Shell or GNOME. It is provided in the case that your graphics card does not meet the minimum 3D hardware requirements or drivers for your graphics cards do not support 3D hardware acceleration.

Who is it for?

GNOME Session Fallback is for those users that want a more or less traditional style desktop and don’t want to minimize the amount of extra files they install on their system.

While you can install GNOME Shell and GNOME, these will occupy more space on your hard drive. Installing them will not affect your systems performance except to where it comes down to free disk space.

In general, I think it is good practice to minimize the number of unneeded files on your system

What it looks like

There are two versions: GNOME Classic and GNOME Classic (No effects) – the difference between them is quite subtle.

The straight-out-of-the-box look of the desktop is:

Gnome Classic displays the four desktops in the lower right corner as a small grid.

GNOME Classic (No effects) displays the four desktops in the lower right bar as individual panes.

Otherwise, I don’t see any other differences between them.

GNOME Session Fallback will install 35.5MB of files and data to your hard disk.

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Note: during installation, you are likely to get a message box asking which display amanger you use. It is safe to use either one.

gdm is installed with gnome-fallback-session.

lightdm is the display manager shipped with Ubuntu.

Basically, the difference between the two is that your login screen will look different.

Afterward, you need to restart your system.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Launching the Ubuntu Software Center

1) Tap the Windows (Super) key to bring up the Dash panel:

Note: tapping the Windows keys means pressing it as though you intend to type it. It does not mean holding down the key (holding down the key does something else).

Ubuntu calls this the Super key

2) Type Ubuntu Software Center into the search field:

Note: as you type, search results will be displayed in the Dash Panel below.

You can stop typing when Ubuntu Software Center is the leftmost item in the panel.

3) Press the Enter key. This will select and launch the Ubuntu Software Center

Note: pressing the Enter key automatically selects the top, leftmost item in the Dash Panel. This is why it is not necessary to type everything.

4) Type gnome-session-fallback into the Ubuntu Software Center search field. This will bring up related entries.

5) Click on the entry GNOME Session Manager – GNOME fallback session – this will highlight it in orange:

6) Click on Install:

If you receive the following error message:

See this article for a possible solution.

Note: I haven’t encountered this error with Ubuntu 12.10, but I believe it is still possible.

7) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

8) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

9) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your selection for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

10) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

11) Select either GNOME Classic or GNOME Classic (No effects):

12) Click on OK:

13) Login as normal:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a different icon. Some, not all, desktop environments will display an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.10 – Installing GNOME Session Fallback appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 Server – How to Install a GUI

richardsplanet — Thu, 21 Jun 2012 17:08:12 +0000

This tutorial is for Ubuntu 12.04 Server. While the instructions are probably the same for other versions of Ubuntu Server (and, maybe, for other Linux Server distros), I make no guarantee.

In previous versions of Ubuntu, there were small differences between the kernel used for the Server and Desktop versions. In Ubuntu 12.04, there is no longer any difference.
The main difference between the two versions is that Ubuntu 12.04 Server is a bare-bones, no frills, down to the metal version of Ubuntu – which makes it the perfect version if you want to run Ubuntu but completely customize it to your tastes without the overhead / bloat of everything that goes into Ubuntu Desktop.

NOTE: Ubuntu Server is a pure command line driven system – at least until you add a GUI

The Basics of Getting a GUI

To get a GUI running you need three things:

graphics server
display manager
window manager

The graphics server just draws. Nothing it draws has any meaning or significance to it. The only option here is xserver-xorg (eventually, there is hope that wayland will be an alternative to X). Installing xserver-xorg accounts for about 66 MB of the size totals given below.
The display manager manages the graphics server (but this is all behind the scenes). The only thing users notice about the display manager is the login screen.
There are many display manager options, but I recommend lightdm-gtk-greeter or unity-greeter. If you want to have an Ubuntu style login screen, then install unity-greeter instead of lightdm-gtk-greeter (most of the instructions I give use the lightdm-gtk-greeter if the package does not automatically install a display manager). Even if a package installs a display manager, you can always add unity-greeter to the installation code to get the Ubuntu style login screen.
The window manager is responsible for the way the actual display looks and interacts with the user. Again, there are many options, I only recommend a few of them.

The most Commonly Recommended Method

Most sites recommend installing the ubuntu-desktop. Unfortunately, that defeats the purpose of having installed Ubuntu Server 12.04 in the first place – you may as well have installed Ubuntu 12.04 Desktop to begin with.

The Contenders

GUI options can be divided into three groups: light weight, medium weight, and heavy weight.
The amount of disk space taken up may vary depending on what you have installed on your system. If required libraries and components are already installed on you system, they do not need to be reinstalled. For example, if you already have Openbox installed on your system, installing Fluxbox or Blackbox will only add a few MB to your hard disk – not ~100 MB each.
The setup I used for testing is:

bare minimum Ubuntu 12.04 Server – no additional packages installed. It uses about 667 MB of disk space
installed as a guest in VirtualBox 4.1.16
8 GB hard drive
1024 MB memory
4 CPU cores

NOTE: many of the light weight and medium weight installs don’t include any applications – not even a terminal.
Many require additional packages to be even moderately useful.
If you need to access the command line and no terminal has been installed (very common for most of these installs) press Ctrl + Alt + F1. To return to your GUI, press Ctrl + Alt + F7

In Linux, Ctrl + Alt + F1 through Ctrl + Alt + F6 provide access to 6 command lines that are always available (you do need to login). You can then install additional packages using apt-get.
In Linux, Ctrl + Alt + F7 through Ctrl + Alt + F12 provide access to running X Servers. Normally, there is just one running and it is found at Ctrl + Alt + F7

For Users Running Ubuntu Under VirtualBox

In many cases it will be necessary to install additional packages in order to be able to install the VirtualBox Guest Additions.
(1) Find the kernel version by running:

uname -r

from a command line.
It should return 3.2.0-23-generic-pae (but, if the kernel has been updated or you are running a different kernel version, the numbers will be different). You will need this to install the correct header files.
(2) Enter the following in a terminal:

sudo apt-get install make gcc linux-headers-3.2.0-23-generic-pae

The text following linux-headers- should be the result returned by uname -r.
This may use up to 129 MB of disk space.

There is a reason why GNOME, KDE, Lxde, and Xfce are the most popular GUIs. They are well developed and reasonably familiar, although GNOME and KDE are moving to a different user interface paradigm.
Those desktops can usually be customized to look and behave the way you want by installing themes and configuration tools.
Many of the other alternatives listed are either highly specialized (e.g. Xmonad, Dwm, Xmii and others) are keyboard driven environments and are for power users.
Other GUIs are quaint throwbacks to the late 1980s / early 1990s.

Why no Screenshots?

I’m not including any screenshots because:

many of them aren’t that interesting
it would make this article even longer than it is

I expect you to do due diligence when choosing a GUI by further investigating before installing.

NOTE: take any screenshots you find with a grain of salt. Oftentimes, they have been heavily customized and don’t represent the out-of-the-box experience.
Case in point: Unity is a customized version of GNOME

Light Weight Options

I consider these GUIs “light weight” because they use the least amount of disk space – generally, less than 200 MB. They are also likely to be completely bare bones and not install any additional applications.

awesome

A minimalist windowing environment designed for power users who like to navigate using the keyboard. It seems to be based on Dwm. You will find the main menu in the top left corner.
More information about awesome, using it, and configuring it can be found here

sudo apt-get install awesome lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 111 MB of disk space.

Blackbox

An early style GUI.
Right-click on the desktop to get a menu.

sudo apt-get install blackbox lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 92.5 MB of disk space.

Dwm

A very minimalist windowing environment designed for power users who like to navigate using the keyboard. You will need a tutorial to get started. A tutorial for Dwm can be found here.
Press Shift + Alt + q to exit.

sudo apt-get install dwm lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 105 MB of disk space.

Fluxbox

sudo apt-get install fluxbox lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 101 MB of disk space.

icewm

A mid 1990s style GUI.

sudo apt-get install icewm lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 98.8 MB of disk space.

LXDE Core

sudo apt-get install lxde-core lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 175 MB of disk space.

LXDE

This will install lxdm and an alternate display manager (LXDM).

sudo apt-get install lxde

The installation will use 216 MB of disk space.

Openbox

After logging in you will be presented with nothing but an empty screen.
Right-click to get a menu.

sudo apt-get install openbox lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 110 MB of disk space.

TWM

A minimalist windowing environment designed for power users who like to navigate using the keyboard. You will need a tutorial to get started. A TWM tutorial can be found here.

sudo apt-get install twm lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 93.7 MB of disk space.

Wmii

A minimalist windowing environment designed for power users who like to navigate using the keyboard. You will need a tutorial to get started. Two different tutorials can be found here and here.

sudo apt-get install wmii lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 93.1 MB of disk space.

Xfce

sudo apt-get install xfce4 lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 225 / 229 MB of disk space.

Medium Weight

I consider these GUIs to be “medium weight” because they use a moderate amount of disk space – generally, greater than 200 MB and less than 1 GB. Some may install additional applications, but the system is, generally, still going to be far from a fully usable, full fledged desktop.

GNOME Session Fallback

GNOME Session Fallback is the minimal GNOME window manager. It does not rely on any 3D hardware acceleration and most closely resembles the traditional/classic desktop experience.

sudo apt-get install gnome-session-fallback lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 668 MB of disk space.

If you want to have the Ubuntu look and feel (without Unity), add ubuntu-artwork to the installation line. Or you can install ubuntu-artwork afterwards.

To allow installing VirtualBox Guest Additions, you will also need to install make and gcc

GNOME Shell

This will install the GNOME shell, but it will not look like Ubuntu because it doesn’t have the artwork, widgets, themes, etc. GNOME Shell requires 3D hardware acceleration – if not available, it will default to GNOME Session Fallback.

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell lightdm-gtk-greeter

The installation will use 499 MB of disk space.
Alternatively, you can use gdm (GNOME Display Manager) instead of lightdm-gtk-greeter, this will increase used disk space to 502 MB.

To allow installing VirtualBox Guest Additions, you will also need to install make and gcc

GNOME Shell with Ubuntu Look and Feel

If you want GNOME to have the look and feel of Ubuntu, minus Unity, then you need to install ubuntu-artwork. In that case you might also prefer to install unity-greeter as well (this adds 1 MB to the installed size).

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell unity-greeter ubuntu-artwork

The installation will use 499 MB of disk space.
Alternatively, you can use gdm (GNOME Display Manager) instead of lightdm-gtk-greeter, this will increase used disk space to 502 MB.

To allow installing VirtualBox Guest Additions, you will also need to install make and gcc

KDE

This will automatically install kdm (KDE Display Manager), so there is no need to install lightdm-gtk-greeter.
It will also install a web browser (Konqueror), file manager (Dolphin), text editor (Kwrite), and a few other applications.

sudo apt-get install kde-plasma-dekstop

The installation will use 528 MB of disk space.

Lubuntu Core

This will install LXDE, the Lubuntu artwork and a few extra applications. It will give you the look and feel of Lubuntu Desktop without the weight of all the extra applications bundled with it.

sudo apt-get install lubuntu-core

The installation will use 657 MB of disk space.

Xubuntu Core

This will install Xfce as well as the artwork and settings for Xubuntu. It will give you the look and feel of the Xubuntu Desktop but without the weight of all the extra applications bundled with it.

sudo apt-get install xfce4 xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-default-settings

The installation will use 268 MB of disk space.

XMonad

A very minimalist windowing environment (the display is completely blank). You will need a tutorial to get started. A tutorial can be found here.

sudo apt-get install xmonad lightdm-gtk-greeter

For a minimalist environment it uses a lot of disk space.
The installation will use 523 MB of disk space.

Heavy Weight

I consider these GUIs to be “heavy weight” because they use the greatest amount of disk space – all over 1 GB.
These are full fledged desktop environments that come with numerous bundled applications.

GNOME

This will install gdm (GNOME display manager) an alternate display manager.

sudo apt-get install gnome

The installation will use 1.5 GB of disk space.

Ubuntu Desktop

This will install the Ubuntu Desktop. The end result will be the same as if you had installed the desktop version of Ubuntu 12.04 (minus the restricted components – which you can install later).

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop

The installation will use 1.5 GB of disk space.

Kubuntu Desktop

This will install the Kubuntu Desktop. The end result will be the same as if you had installed the desktop version of Kubuntu 12.04 (minus the restricted components – which you can install later).

sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

The installation will use 1.3 GB of disk space.

Lubuntu Desktop

This will install the Lubuntu Desktop. The end result will be the same as if you had installed the desktop version of Lubuntu 12.04.

sudo apt-get install lubuntu-desktop

The installation will use 1.2 GB of disk space.

Xubuntu Desktop

This will install the Xubuntu Desktop. The end result will be the same as if you had installed the desktop version of Xubuntu 12.04.

sudo apt-get install xubuntu-desktop

The installation will use 1.4 GB of disk space.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 Server – How to Install a GUI appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop

richardsplanet — Sun, 29 Apr 2012 16:32:12 +0000

NOTE: For Cinnamon to work, your system must provide 3D hardware acceleration. If your system does not have 3D hardware acceleration, you will only see the “traditional” GNOME desktop.

This is a limitation of GNOME 3 (on which Cinnamon is built). According to gnome.org:

GNOME Shell uses relatively primitive 3D capabilities that have been available from essentially all computing devices made in the last four or five years.

This seems to imply that the if your video card is pre-2007, there is a good chance Cinnamon (and GNOME) will not display as expected.

These instructions are for installing the Cinnamon Desktop v.1.4 on Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity interface.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other version combinations or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

The latest information about the Cinnamon Desktop can be found here.

The Cinnamon Desktop is one of the desktops provided with Linux Mint.

Linux Mint is derived from Ubuntu and it is possible to install Cinnamon under Ubuntu instead of installing Linux Mint. This is the closest we come to being able to upgrade from one distro of Linux to another.

The Cinnamon desktop is similar to the traditional Windows type of desktop, with a Start menu in the lower left hand corner (the same is true of LXDE). It opens up a rather nice large panel divided in 4 parts: (1) quick launch icons (red), (2) menu categories (green) and (3) applications (blue), (4) search (yellow):

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Cinnamon Desktop is an alternative desktop.

Cinnamon Desktop will install 63MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

Quick Instructions

If you are comfortable using a terminal entering commands then open a terminal and enter the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install cinnamon

Restart your system.

Note: it may be sufficient to simply logout and log back in, but I don’t think it hurts to restart.

Detailed Instructions

If you are not comfortable opening a terminal and entering commands, or have never done so before, these step by step directions should guide you through the process:

Opening a Terminal

Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal. (Detailed instructions for opening a terminal can be found here.)

Pressing Ctrl+Alt+T means “While holding down the Ctrl and Alt keys, press the T key as though you intend to type it”. Do not press or hold down the Shift key. It does not matter if the Caps Lock key is on or off.

You should now have something that looks like this:

Adding Software Sources

Cinnamon Desktop is not part of the regular software sources used by Ubuntu, so you have to add the sources for Cinnamon.

1) Enter the following line exactly in the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:gwendal-lebihan-dev/cinnamon-stable

You can type it or cut and paste it.

To cut and paste the line into the terminal:

1) Select the line and press Ctrl+C.

2) Right-click on the terminal. This will pop up a menu. Select Paste from the menu:

Note: the traditional keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V will not work in the terminal.

It should look something like this when you are done:

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password (this is the password you use to log into Ubuntu) and press the Enter key:

Note: when you type your password, nothing will happen in the terminal. It gives no feedback as the password is typed in. This is normal.

When you are done, it will look like this:

Updating the Software Sources

Before Cinnamon can be installed it is necessary to update the software sources so Ubuntu knows where to fetch the required packages from.

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get update

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password and press the Enter key.

Ubuntu will then spend several minutes updating your software sources. The amount of time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

When it is done, it should look something like this:

Installing the Cinnamon Desktop

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get install cinnamon

2) Press the Enter key.

Some text will scroll across the screen showing exactly what is going to be installed. You will be prompted to continue with the installation:

3) Press the Enter key to proceed with installation. (You can also type y followed by Enter.) If you don’t want to install it, then press n followed by the Enter key.

Installation time will depend on your Internet connection speed (how quickly you can download the code) and computer speed (how quickly you can compile everything).

4) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

5) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

1) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

2) Select Cinnamon:

3) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a blank circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – Installing the Cinnamon Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the MATE Desktop

richardsplanet — Sat, 28 Apr 2012 15:37:58 +0000

These instructions are for installing the MATE Desktop v.1.2 or v.1.4 on Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity interface.

Unless otherwise specified, all observations and screenshots are for v.1.2.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

The MATE website provides installation instructions for several different Linux distros (including Ubuntu).

Installing MATE Desktop is very much like going back to the original GNOME 2 desktop that was part of earlier version of Ubuntu.

GNOME 2 is now obsolete and had been replaced by GNOME 3. Not everyone was happy with this (including Canonical). Canonical (the makers of Ubuntu) decided to create a new desktop called Unity.

A developer named Perberos decided to fork GNOME 2 (i.e. create a new independent project based on GNOME 2) and continue development under name MATE.

While this is the “traditional” desktop, it has some issues. Some applications, like System Monitor, don’t work properly under MATE, so a MATE compatible version is provided.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of System Monitor shipped with Ubuntu 12.04 (on left) and the replacement System Monitor included with MATE (on right) (click for larger image):

Unlike other desktops which install alternate applications that function the same as existing applications (e.g. Thunar and Nautilus), MATE installs duplicate applications. This can be seen in the screen shot below:

Note the duplicate entries. One is the version installed with Ubuntu 12.04, the other the replacement installed with MATE. The original versions don’t quite work / look right under MATE.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then MATE Desktop is an alternative desktop.

MATE Desktop will install 316MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

While installing MATE will give you a true classic GNOME 2 desktop, there are potential problems and incompatibilities. Ubuntu 12.04 is built on top of GNOME 3, but with a customized interface Canonical calls Unity.

There is always the possibility that MATE and GNOME 3 may not coexist happily on the same system. One of the bug fixes to MATE was to change file names to avoid clashes with GNOME.

Note: Linux Mint provides MATE as one of their desktop environments. They claim that MATE and GNOME 3 can happily coexist on the same system.

As well, some applications may not look / function properly under MATE. I have not done exhaustive testing, but aside from the few applications MATE installs to replace the equivalent Ubuntu ones, I have not encountered any problems.

Quick Instructions

Open a terminal and enter the following commands:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu precise main"
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment

Restart your system.

Note: it may be sufficient to simply logout and log back in, but I don’t think it hurts to restart.

Detailed Instructions

Opening a Terminal

Press Ctrl+Alt+T to open a terminal.

You should now have something that looks like this:

Adding Software Sources

MATE Desktop is not part of the regular software sources used by Ubuntu, so you have to add the sources for MATE.

1) Enter the following line exactly in the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://packages.mate-desktop.org/repo/ubuntu precise main"

You can type it or cut and paste it.

To cut and paste the line into the terminal:

1) Select the line and press Ctrl+C.

2) Right-click on the terminal. This will pop up a menu. Select Paste from the menu:

Note: the traditional keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V will not work in the terminal.

It should look something like this when you are done:

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password (this is the password you use to log into Ubuntu) and press the Enter key:

Note: when you type your password, nothing will happen in the terminal. It gives no feedback as the password is typed in. This is normal.

When you are done, it will look like this:

Updating the Software Sources

Before MATE can be installed it is necessary to update the software sources so Ubuntu knows where to fetch the required packages from.

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get update

2) Press the Enter key.

3) Enter your password and press the Enter key.

Ubuntu will then spend several minutes updating your software sources. The amount of time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

When it is done, it should look something like this (ending with an error):

The error occurs because, for security reasons, Ubuntu requires various software sources to be authorized. The next steps add the necessary authorization.

4) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get install mate-archive-keyring

5) Press the Enter key.

You will be warned about trying to install an unauthenticated package. This is normal.

6) Type y and press the Enter key:

When it is done, it should look something like this:

We will need to update the software sources again.

7) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get update

Ubuntu will then spend several minutes updating your software sources. The amount of time will depend on the speed of your Internet connection.

When it is done, it should look something like this (without errors):

Installing the MATE Desktop

1) Enter the following exactly:

sudo apt-get install mate-desktop-environment:

2) Press the Enter key.

Some text will scroll across the screen showing exactly what is going to be installed. You will be prompted to continue with the installation:

3) Press the Enter key to proceed with installation. (You can also type y followed by Enter.) If you don’t want to install it, then press n followed by the Enter key.

Installation time will depend on your Internet connection speed (how quickly you can download the code) and computer speed (how quickly you can compile everything).

Part way through the installation, you will get this screen:

4) Press the Enter key.

5) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

6) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them. Although, I am not sure if MATE and GNOME can exist happily together on the same system.

1) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

2) Select MATE:

3) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to a blank circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the MATE Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Xfce Desktop

richardsplanet — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Xfce Desktop in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

An alternative to Xfce is Xubuntu Desktop.

Xubuntu Desktop is Ubuntu with a customized Xfce desktop. It also installs a number of applications. Some of these applications duplicate the functionality of applications already installed in Ubuntu 12.04. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then Xfce is an alternative desktop.

Xfce will install 67.8MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

Installing From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install xfce4

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

Installing From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter xfce4 into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry Meta-package for the Xfce Lightweight Desktop Environment – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select Xfce Session:

10) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

If an icon is present, this provides a quick way to see which desktop environment you are logging into.

First Login

The first time you login to Xfce, you will receive the following message:

Click on Use default config.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the Xfce Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.

Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE Desktop

richardsplanet — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 07:00:00 +0000

These instructions are for installing the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment (LXDE) in Ubuntu 12.04 running the Unity Desktop.

Installation instructions may be the same or similar for other versions of Ubuntu or for other Linux distros, but no guarantee is made.

LXDE includes the desktop environment as well as a number of applications. Some of these applications perform the same or similar functions as applications already installed with Ubuntu 12.04.

To install just the desktop without additional applications, I recommend installing the LXDE Core desktop. Installation instructions can be found here.

For a complete “Ubuntu” experience using the LXDE desktop consider installing the Lubuntu Desktop. This is the core Ubuntu system configured to use LXDE as its desktop. It also includes many applications that perform the same or similar functions as applications already installed with Ubuntu 12.04. Installation instructions can be found here.

An article listing alternative desktops for Ubuntu 12.04 can be found here.

If you are changing desktops because you are totally lost / confused by Unity, I suggest reading this tutorial and giving Unity a chance.

Of course, if you really hate Unity, then LXDE is an alternative desktop.

LXDE will install 46.9MB of files and data to your hard disk.

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

What it Looks Like

The basic, straight-out-of-the-box, look of the desktop is:

From the Command Line

If you are comfortable with Linux and know how to use the command line and apt-get then the command is:

sudo apt-get install lxde

Detailed instructions for accessing a command line can be found here.

Afterwards, restart your system. It should be enough to just log out and the log back in with the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart.

From the Ubuntu Software Center

Some images may be clicked for full sized versions.

1) Launch the Ubuntu Software Center by clicking the icon on the Launcher:

2) Enter lxde into the search field. This will bring up related entries.

3) Click on the entry LXDE (the Lightweight X11 Desktop Environment) – this will highlight it in orange:

4) Click on Install:

5) Enter your password and click Authenticate:

6) After installation is finished, click on the System icon in the upper right corner of the desktop and select Shut Down… from the drop down menu:

Note: it may be enough to just log out and log back in using the new desktop, but it doesn’t hurt to restart either.

7) Click on Restart:

Selecting the Desktop

After the system has restarted, it is necessary to select the new desktop from the login screen.

It is only necessary to select the desktop the first time after installation. Ubuntu will remember your your desktop for future logins.

You can even install multiple desktops and switch between them.

8) Click the icon in the top right of the Login box:

9) Select LXDE:

LXDE is built on top of Openbox and GNOME/Openbox, which is why their entries also appear in the desktop menu.

They can be safely ignored.

10) Login:

Notice the icon in the upper right hand corner has changed to an open circle. Some, not all, desktop environments will present an icon there.

This provides a quick way to know which desktop environment you are logging into.

The post Ubuntu 12.04 – How to Install the LXDE Desktop appeared first on Complete, Concrete, Concise.