Skip to content

ubuntu

Quick access to useful tools and most used programs in Ubuntu – Video Tip

Two of my favorite tips (tricks) to teach Windows users is the use of the Quick Launch bar. See:

Create a new toolbar in Windows – Video Tip

Create a docked Quick Launch bar in Windows Vista – Video Tip

As I make my way into the Ubuntu world, which I think has the potential to whole heartedly change the computing landscape as we know it, I learn how to duplicate skills with it that I learned and utilized with Windows. As with the navigation tip I posted earlier today, I think Ubuntu came up with a more clever, faster, and more flexible way to access our commonly used computer tools. Watch my new tip below to see how it is done in Ubuntu.

 

Basic Ubuntu Navigation – Video Tip

Ubuntu Navigation

One more day left in our first annual "Ubuntu Week", and I have another great tip for all of us Ubuntu beginners. In Ubuntu, there is no "Start" button like Windows. Instead, I think the Ubuntu creators came up with a more elegant and intuitive format for accessing programs we use, navigating our saved files, networks and operating system options and preferences.

Watch the video below for a video and audio tour of Ubuntu's navigation options.

Automatic Update in Ubuntu Linux – Video Tip

In our ongoing "Ubuntu Week" series of articles, today's tip focuses on computer safety. No matter what operating system you may use, the most important skills you can learn for your computer's safety is updating the operating system. All operating systems, Windows, Macintosh, Linux, Solaris, BeOS, etc. offer security and system updates from time-to-time. These updates fix problems found in the software and shore up security holes found through research or hackers.

Ubuntu Linux implementation of Automatic Updates works quite well and is painless to maintain. Today's video tip shows you the steps to take to make sure your Ubuntu system is running the latest in system and security updates.

Ubuntu Week at HelpMeRick.com

This week, I will be posting and using only my Ubuntu laptop. Expect some short how-to videos from the Ubuntu world all week long culminating with our interview on Saturday with David Overcash from the Colorado LoCo Ubuntu team . An Ubuntu LoCo team is a regionally established group of Ubuntu experts who promote and support Ubuntu users in their region. We look forward to talking with David on Saturday, and the how-to videos for this week will give you further insight into the world of Ubuntu Linux.

If you missed my introductory video of Ubuntu Linux, click here to watch the video.

Emailing in Ubuntu Linux – Video Tip

This is a three part video tip showing how to setup and use email in Ubuntu Linux using the included Evolution software. Evolution is a full fledged Personal Information Manager (PIM) that can perform calendaring, tasks, email, contact management and more. Think of it as Outlook for Linux, but easier.

Macintosh inching more and more

I really thought the computer world was simple. Ultra-geeks used Linux, cool cats with a little attitude used Macintosh and the rest of us used Windows. None of the three major platforms worried to much about the other and software remained pretty much platform specific. Then two years ago Apple released software for the Macintosh that allows Windows to be installed on their systems, an upstart Linux version called Ubuntu started to make a splash and Microsoft recently released their biggest dog yet…Windows Vista.

Today, I read a story that Windows users can now use the Apple Macintosh web browser called Safari. Dismiss the fact that hackers have already pummeled Apple's first offering at PC software and instead take a look at the tech forest. The tech forest is changing at a more rapid and significant pace than it has in nearly ten years. Microsoft and Windows are losing ground, manufacturers are now offering PC's with alternative operating systems, Apple is making a dent in Window's sales and now offering Windows software, buying packaged software is unnecessary in many instances, and computer users no longer crave or need the fastest or the latest and greatest.

Ubuntu on the road

I continue to experiment with the Ubuntu operating system. This past weekend, my family and I made a quick trip to the South Dakota Black Hills and I took my Ubuntu laptop along for the ride. My Ubuntu laptop is an older Compaq (almost six years old) that was destined for the trash heap by its previous owner. It no longer performed well for them and required reformatting and upgrading to run Windows XP and other software at any appreciable speed. I rescued it, installed Ubuntu Linux on it, bought the cheapest wireless card I could find, and now I have a completely functional and quick second laptop.

Actual drop in computer productivity from 1986 to Today

I just "Stumbled Upon" this article from Hubpages.com and article which compared one of the earliest 'personal' computers (an Apple Mac Plus). What it concluded was what Adam and I complain about on the show often and what all computer users feel when they sit down at their keyboards; our computers are not any faster today, than they were 10 or more years ago.

Processors, hard drives, RAM have all increased exponentially in the last 20 years, but unfortunately so has modern operating systems. The article I linked above pointed out the gargantuan disk requirements of Windows Vista, so I decided to put together a little table comparing disk space and RAM requirements for the different flavors of operating systems. It is quite eye opening.

Ubuntu 5 Minute VIDEO Tour

I've only been using Ubuntu Linux about a month, but I think it has real potential at saving many of you a lot of money and giving you more peace of mind. I put together this short introductory video of Ubuntu so you can see what it is all about and give you a glimpse as to what its capabilities are.

Another post from Ubuntu

I have been so busy lately, that I haven't had much of a chance to play around with my Ubuntu Linux (alternative to Windows) machine. Last night, I updated to the latest version of Ubuntu Linux 7.04 for free. Compare that to the minimum of $179 you would pay for the basic version of Vista. I was motivated to do the update not only because I promised I would learn more about Linux, but also because Dell released a story yesterday announcing their plans to sell Linux laptops and desktops computer starting this summer. It seems that Microsoft keeps getting hit day-after-day. Where will they be in 5 years? They certainly don't have the stature today that they had 5 years ago.