

Ask YC: Setting up a new Linux laptop - icey

My new Thinkpad came in this morning, and I'm in the process of installing Ubuntu on it right now.<p>What applications should I install that will make life easier, coming from OS X and XP?<p>--Edit--
I'm a developer, so there are things that I know I will put on it:<p>Vim &#38; Emacs<p>Apache<p>MySQL &#38; PostgresQL<p>All the various languages I either work in or am messing with.
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t0pj
I'd install the Opera browser. Firefox didn't quite work correctly when
accessing my Linksys router (I blame my router and not FF, of course).

It wouldn't hurt to install PHP either; a worthy Apache companion.

Be sure to run this: sudo apt-get install build-essential

When attempting to install some modules, you'll get a "C compiler cannot
create executables" message and build-essential fixes this.

I don't know why build-essential wasn't included on a base install.

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icey

        sudo apt-get install build-essential
    

This is exactly what I was looking for; there is no way I would have figured
that out easily on my own.

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davidw
From /etc/apt/sources.list:

    
    
        # Video stuff
        deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ gutsy free non-free
    

That has some helpful 'non-free' stuff.

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icey
Awesome, thank you

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Tichy
I had no luck with Totem, so I installed VLC Player for video and DVDs. Not
sure if it is the best alternative, but it works fine.

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Herring
from my install script..

compizconfig-settings-manager, emerald (& get some themes)

nautilus-open-terminal

netbeans, python, rails

google desktop (tracker sux balls)

dvd playback (google it, i forget how)

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sant0sk1
I would suggest Vim, Emacs, Apache, MySQL, and PostgresQL. Plus all the
various languages you either work in or are messing with ;-)

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ejs
Well... What do you plan to do on it?

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icey
Ah, you make an excellent point. I should edit the question.

