Installing Chromium in Ubuntu 10.04 is a very simple and quick process.  Just run the following three commands in your terminal (Applications/Accessories/Terminal):

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:chromium-daily/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install chromium-browser

Integrating Chromium into new ubuntu theme:

http://ubuntuguide.net/integrate-chromechromium-to-new-ubuntu-theme-in-ubuntu-10-04

The build queue is apparently backed up right now, so it may take some time before the patched version is released.  To manually fix your installed version, do the following:

1. gksudo gedit /usr/bin/pithos
2. Comment out line 173 (by placing a # character).
3. Save and close the file.

Thanks to Kevin for this fix!

Now we know what that is.  Window Indicators, or “Windicators” are going to go in their place.

This area will be used similar to the indicators near the clock in ubuntu.  Small buttons will provide volume control per application (using features that pulseaudio already provides), online/offline status, and status messages (such as saving, etc).  This will allow the status bar of many applications to be moved to be removed, and those buttons placed at the top of the window.

Issues?

I have mixed feelings on this.  One part of me celebrates a change like this, with Ubuntu blazing their own path, but another part of me absolutely hates this change.  Most people are intuitively used to clicking in the top right corner to open/maximize/close a window.  Now this fundamental design choice has been changed, which will take some getting used to.

Also, as far as I can tell, this is going to require developers to modify their programs to support this (hopefully I am wrong though).  If Ubuntu is the only distro that does this, how many developers will do this.  What about KDE?

Mark goes into a lot more detail on his blog:

http://www.markshuttleworth.com/archives/333

Fortunately changing this back requires running only one line of code:

Open up terminal, or the run application box (Alt-F2), paste the following command in, and run it:

gconftool-2 --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout --type string menu:minimize,maximize,close

These changes should be instantaneous.

Moving Back to the Left Side:

If you ever want to change this back, all you have to do is run:

gconftool-2 --set /apps/metacity/general/button_layout --type string close,minimize,maximize:

If you are wondering why this has been changed, see this post:
http://www.tuxguides.com/ubuntu-why-the-buttons-were-moved-in-10-04/

There is an easy solution to this. Just load the video in firefox, and then hit pause once it starts playing. Then, open up the terminal, and run the following command:

smplayer /tmp/Flash*

or

vlc /tmp/Flash*

This probably also works for many other video players using similar commands.  I have had success with youtube, and vimeo when using this, but I would assume that it also works with many other video services.  This will not work with encrypted flash videos though.

ssh user@hostname "echo `cat ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub` >> ~/.ssh/authorized_keys"

If you receive an error about ~/.ssh/id_rsa.pub not existing, run the following to create it first:

ssh-keygen -t rsa

In this particular case, I am going to be focusing on how to setup and use Squid with your router running the open source firmware, ddwrt (also confirmed to work on tomato firmware mods).

Configuring Squid:

You are going to need a computer that is either on 24/7 or one that is on whenever you need access to the internet.  I have a server running at my house that is always on, so I decided to use that.  I am running ubuntu on my server, so my instructions will be specific to that, but if you are running a different distribution of Linux, you should be able to easily figure out what what commands you will need to use in order to install and configure squid.

sudo apt-get install squid

Then, you need to configure the software to allow transparent proxying (forcing users to use the proxy by channeling all http traffic going through the router to go through the squid proxy).  If you do not want to force all users to use a transparent proxy, skip the following sections, and use the section at the end that explains how to use the proxy by configuring your browser.

sudo nano /etc/squid/squid.conf

edit:

http_port 3128

to read:

http_port 3128 transparent

Configuring DDWRT:

First, you need to enable ssh on your router to allow you to edit some commands (see the guide here or here).

Next, you need to create and run a script (or you can add this as a startup script for ddwrt).  Make sure you edit the four variables in lines 2-5:

#!/bin/sh
INTERNAL_NETWORK=\"192.168.69.0/24\"
ROUTER_IP=\"192.168.69.1\"
PROXY_SERVER=\"192.168.69.123\"
PROXY_PORT=\"3128\"
if [ -z $TRANSPARENT_PROXY ]; then
/usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i br0 -s $INTERNAL_NETWORK -d $INTERNAL_NETWORK -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
/usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -A PREROUTING -i br0 -s ! $PROXY_SERVER -p tcp --dport 80 -j DNAT --to $PROXY_SERVER:$PROXY_PORT
/usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -A POSTROUTING -o br0 -s $INTERNAL_NETWORK -p tcp -d $PROXY_SERVER -j SNAT --to $ROUTER_IP
/usr/sbin/iptables -t filter -I FORWARD -s $INTERNAL_NETWORK -d $PROXY_SERVER -i br0 -o br0 -p tcp --dport $PROXY_PORT -j ACCEPT
export TRANSPARENT_PROXY=\"1\"
else
echo \"This script has already run!\"
echo \"If it hasn't, unset \$TRANSPARENT_PROXY manually via the shell.\"
fi

If you created this as a startup script for ddwrt, you now need to restart your router in order for it to work.  If you created it as a script, you can simply run the script to enable the transparent proxy.  This script will have to be recreated and run every time you restart the router, so  it is recommended that you set it up as a startup script once you get it working.

If you ever need to disable the proxy, just create and run the following script:

#!/bin/sh
INTERNAL_NETWORK=\"192.168.69.0/24\"
ROUTER_IP=\"192.168.69.1\"
PROXY_SERVER=\"192.168.69.123\"
PROXY_PORT=\"3128\"
if [ -z $TRANSPARENT_PROXY ]; then
/usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -D PREROUTING -i br0 -s $INTERNAL_NETWORK -d $INTERNAL_NETWORK -p tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
/usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -D PREROUTING -i br0 -s ! $PROXY_SERVER -p tcp --dport 80 -j DNAT --to $PROXY_SERVER:$PROXY_PORT
/usr/sbin/iptables -t nat -D POSTROUTING -o br0 -s $INTERNAL_NETWORK -p tcp -d $PROXY_SERVER -j SNAT --to $ROUTER_IP
/usr/sbin/iptables -t filter -D FORWARD -s $INTERNAL_NETWORK -d $PROXY_SERVER -i br0 -o br0 -p tcp --dport $PROXY_PORT -j ACCEPT
export TRANSPARENT_PROXY=\"1\"
else
echo \"This script has already run!\"
echo \"If it hasn't, unset \$TRANSPARENT_PROXY manually via the shell.\"
fi

If you have any issues with getting this to work, please post in the comments section, and I will do my best to help you.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install virtualbox-ose

If you need usb support in your virtualbox install (great for hooking up devices that are not compatible with linux), you need to install the proprietary version (also free), and do a few tweaks in order to get it to work.

Installing USB Version:

Make sure the open source version of virtualbox is uninstalled:

sudo apt-get remove virtualbox-ose

First, add the respective line to your /etc/apt/sources.list file according to the current version you are running (for example, add the first line if you are running Jaunty):

deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian karmic non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian jaunty non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian intrepid non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian hardy non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian gutsy non-free
deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian dapper non-free

Download and add the key for the new repositories:
wget -q http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian/sun_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add -

Install virtualbox:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install virtualbox-3.0

Configure usb support:

Edit:

Editting /etc/init.d/mountdevsubfs.sh is no longer required after further review.

Make sure you are part of the vboxusers group:

sudo usermod -G vboxusers -a `whoami`

Then, logout and back in.

After that, in virtualbox, click on settings for the virtual machine, and go to usb. Make sure enable usb controller is enabled. Then click on OK, and see if it works.

Make sure that you enable guest additions (if it is available for your guest operating system).  It makes the experience a lot more seamless, and easy to use.  You can move your mouse in and out of the guest window seamlessly, and the mouse is then a lot less jerky.

Virtualbox Screenshot

Adapted from:  https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VirtualBox/USB

All software packages that I will be mentioning in this post are available for other distributions of linux, but I am mainly going to focus on the installation and configuration for ubuntu.

Dropbox

Dropbox is one of my favorite pieces of software.  In addition to dropbox backing up files, it is also great for sharing files between computers, and friends.  Their software works on Macs, PCs, and Linux operating systems.  In this review, I am going to be focusing on the ubuntu linux operating system.

After you download the software for your computer, and create an account, a folder is created in your home folder (or wherever you chose to put it) labeled dropbox.  This folder initially comes with a few files in it to show you how it works.  There is also a photos folder in here by default (you can delete it) that you can add folders and images to, and then share via the web.  To do this, you place all of the files you want to share into a folder, and then right click on the folder, and select dropbox/copy public gallery link.  You can send this link to any friends, or share it on the web.  Here is an example of one of my dropbox albums that I made:

Files are automatically synced to the dropbox servers (hosted by amazon s3), and all revisions of your files are saved (so if you mess up a document that you are creating and saved, you can go back to a previous save point.  This is very similar to svn revisioning, expcept it automatically occurs every time you save.  When a file is being uploaded, the overlay icon changes from a checkmark, and when it is done it changes back to a checkmark.  Uploads and downloads are generally very speedy (obviously depending on your connection).

Syced Dropbox Folders

Folder Syncing

There is also a web interface for dropbox from which you can share folders, restore files and revisions of files, and even upload files.  I have used the dropbox software in the past to share folders with other people, and to upload files to my computer when I am on a public computer.

Pros:

• Fast syncing
• Easy to use
• Sharing features
• Photo albums
• Revisions saved

Cons:

• You can’t host the data yourself
• You are limited to 2gb of space unless you pay more.
• All files you want to sync have to be in the dropbox folder (they have said they will fix this in the future)

Overall, Dropbox offers a great way to sync, share, and backup your files between different computers.  The features are a little bit limiting, but they do this to try and keep the software simple to use.  The development of this application is very active, and I can see them sticking around for a while.

Dropbox – Secure online backup, file sync and sharing made easy

Unison

Unison is a great piece of software through which you can backup folders and sync folders between computers.  This is an open source software that works on Macs, PCs, and Linux operating systems.

This software does not have the ability to be accessed from a web interface (I am sure you could share the folder you backup to if you have a webserver though), and does not have the ability to share folders and make photo albums, but it is great at syncing files between computers, or for using to backup your files.

I use unison in addition to dropbox for files that do not change very often, yet I still want to backup.  Since dropbox only gives 2gb for free, I use that for backing up and sharing my school files, and other documents, while I use unison to backup my pictures and music to my server.

When you first open unison, you can create different profiles and select two directories to sync:

Unison Profile

You can sync two local directories, or you can choose to sync a local directory with a remote directory, such as a ssh directory.  On my computer, I sync local folders to a remote ssh server.

Unison Checking for Changes

After unison finishes checking for changes, you can choose what to do with the changes on each on, and then sync the files.  Unison can be run from the command line, so setting up a cronjob to automatically sync/backup a folder would not be very difficult.

Pros:

• Open source
• You can backup to your own server
• Unlimited (or as much storage as you have) storage for no extra cost
• It’s in the repositories

Cons:

• The interface can be a little bit confusing at first
• Folders are not automatically synced (but can be via a cronjob)

Overall, unison provides a great way to sync/backup folders on computers to a server.  It may not be as easy or intuitive to use as dropbox, but you own the backups instead of relying on “cloud” storage.

Installing:
sudo apt-get install unison

SBackup

SBackup is another service that allows you to backup a specific directories to a remote server, or to a local directory. By default the program backs up the folders you chose to you /var/backup directory.

The interface is relatively easy to use.  You can manually do backups, use the recommended automatic backup schedule/settings, or do use a custom backup schedule.  The gui provides an easy way to select directories that you want to include/exclude, when you went to backup, where you want to backup to, and what you want to do with old backups (purging).

SBackup Gui

The interface appears to be well though out, and it is quite easy to use.  There is a separate interface from which you can restore files and directories from your backup to your computer.

SBackup looks perfect for anytime you want to automatically/manually backup folders on your computer.  It does not offer instant syncing like some other services, or “cloud storage,” but it is relatively fast and easy to use for its intended functionality.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• No command line required
• Can sync to your own server/backup drive

Cons:

• Requires extra storage to backup to
• No “cloud storage”
• No sharing features

SpiderOak

SpiderOak is another service that is quite similar to dropbox. I found it after I began using dropbox, and I was wondering what alternatives there were to dropbox. One particular function that I noticed/liked was the ability to select specific folders to sync instead of just having one folder where I had to move all of my files to. It seemed to be a lot easier to switch to using spideroak as opposed to switching to using dropbox.

Spideroak does work on Windows, Mac, and Linux operating systems like dropbox, and unison do. This allows you to use it for crossplatform syncing.

SpiderOak Gui

The interface seems to be a bit more complex than both dropbox and unison, but once you get used to it, it is quite powerful. Dropbox focuses on making their program easy to use and setup, while SpiderOak appears to put more focus on functionality.

There is a web interface for SpiderOak that you can use to accces and edit your files remotely. This is great for printing or editing files from the library or other remote location.

SpiderOak Webinterface

Spideroak does say that they encrypt your data when you upload it, so they do not know what your data is, and cannot access it. I am unsure if this means you use your own encryption key, or if they use one encryption key for all of their files as dropbox does (this seems to be one common complaint against dropbox.

Pros:

• Powerful software
• Sharing functionality

Cons:

• A little bit difficult to get used to
• Syncing does not automatically occur when files get updated, but instead at a preset interval.

Overall, the software appears to be a very powerful and easy way to backup your files between computers, or to the internet. The interface is a little bit difficult to grasp at first, but after a while, it become easier to use, and more intuitive.

After installing, my root partition was an ext4 partition, but my home partition was not since it was on a separate partition.  I decided to convert my home partition over to ext4 to get all of the benefits that it provides.

WARNING: Do not do this to a root partition unless you know what you are doing.  I have not tested this/looked it up, and I do not know how this will end.  Also, as with all tweaks (especially on a filesystem), there is some danger of messing up your computer.  I am not responsible for anything that happens.  Make sure all of your files are backed up before attempting this.

Converting

Make sure your operating system supports ext4, and if not, apply any relevant patches to the kernel.

Make sure you are using a live cd, or do not have the file system mounted.  Then, unmount the volume that you are converting, and convert it.

Example with /dev/sda1 (run “fdisk -l” to see your filesystems):

umount /dev/sda1
tune2fs -O extents,uninit_bg,dir_index /dev/sda1

Mounting

Now that your filesystem is converted to ext4, you need to mount the drive.  To mount the drive to a directory for the current session (not automatically on reboot):

mount -t ext4 /dev/sda /directory/to/mount/to

To mount the drive permanently, you need to add it to your fstab:

UUID=your-uuid-number-here /directory/to/mount/to ext4 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1

Restart your computer.

Booting from ext4 partition

If you are booting from an ext4 partition (if your /boot directory is in your / directory, or if you are converting your /boot directory) you need to apply a few more tweaks before rebooting:

sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

Then, find your operating system and add the following to the end of the kernel line:

rootfstype=ext4

Now, update grub:

sudo update-grub

Update your fstab the same way you would have above:

UUID=your-uuid-number-here /directory/to/mount/to ext4 relatime,errors=remount-ro 0 1

Restart your computer.