So you Want Launchers on your Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop

As I start digging into Ubuntu 11.10 I keep finding more and more stuff you can't do that you used to be able to in previous versions. But there are ways around some things so today I'm going to show you how to add launchers to your Ubuntu 11.10 Desktop.

Ok, so first you need to install gnome-panel package.
To this open up the Terminal, press Ctrl-Alt-T.
Now type in the following command:
sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnome-panel 
Press ENTER

Now we will create our new launcher.
Using the Terminal type the following command:
gnome-desktop-item-edit ~/Desktop/ --create-new

This will open up a launcher dialog box like so.

Press OK, and BOOM!

There is your Desktop Launcher.

Are you Getting the Most Out of Your Clipboard?

So when you copy stuff to your clipboard, the other thing you had on there goes away, never to be seen again. Now you have to hunt down that pic you just copied, well not any more with this nifty lil gadget I found called a clipboard manager. I love it I can copy any texts or pictures to my clipboard then use them when I want to, because this gadget stores all of you clipboard history. It can store up to 999 entries, you can also customize it with different colors, patterns, and even pictures. If you are one of those people who copies and pastes everything you defiantly have to have this gadget. It will make you life just a little bit easier.

DOWNLOAD!

Are you a pirate?

Ahoy Matey!!
   We all know that when you download movies and music for free you are a pirate, but can you still download free movies and music and not be a pirate? Yes, yes you can.
   These movies are called in publc domain, meaning they dont have a copyright. And these movies just dont include B movies and cheap shows, but some well-known titles. Such as Three Came Home, Andy Griffith Show, and even The Lucy Show. I have found several great websites for downloading these shows, and they are 100% LEGAL.
   Internet Archive This website is the BEST one I have found, they have the most of any public domain site I have found. You can view things buy category, or just use the search box. You should get several results.
   Entertainment Magazine Online They have a few public domain videos and movies on here, more than likely the Internet Archive website has everything that this one has, but there may be a few that it doesn't. Like "Bet Your Life with Groucho Marx"
   Public Domain Torrents I like this website as well, they have a big selection as well. The downloads are in the form of torrents. You can download these torrents with uTorrent , you can download uTorrent for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. You may have read that torrents are illegal, however this is not always true. If the files within the torrents are public domain it is perfectly legal to download these torrents.
Remember: A majority of shows and movies that you can download from the Internet are illegal, but there is still legal stuff out there. So before you start downloading stuff check, and make sure that the site is legal.
   

To-Do List Gadget

I'm a big gadget person, and recently I have found myself under this mental list of  stuff I need to do, and no way to keep track of it all. So I searched the web and found this little To-Do List Gadget for Windows 7. You can move it anywhere on the screen, you can reorder your list with it's drag and drop interface, and even print out your To-Do List. I really like it so far, and I think it will really help me be more organized.

DOWNLOAD!

Virtual Machine Software

What is a Virtual Machine?

A Virtual Machine is basically a computer inside a computer. A virtual machine can run a different Operating System than the computer running the Virtual Machine. Maybe you already have a duel boot computer, and don't see the point in a Virtual Machine? Well, unlike a duel boot PC, which can only run one OS at a time. A Virtual Machine can run two different OS at the same time.The only possible downfall in this is that the Virtual Machine and your current computer must share the same RAM. You can limit the amount of RAM your Virtual Machine can access. I have mine set at 512MB which is the recommended default, but adjust your according to your needs.

In this screen shot I have Ubuntu 11.10 running in my Virtual Machine while Windows 7 is running in my computer



By now your probably wondering where you can download software so you can have a Virtual Machine. I have two that I have actually used, but lets start with my favorite.

VirtualBox - I haven't been using VirtualBox as long as I have VMware, but I already like it alot better. It seems to me that it gives you more control over customization. Also if you are new to Virtual Machines this software is probably going to be a lot easier for you.  It also is available in a wide variety of formats. VirtualBox is also FREE!!!
VMware - I have been using this one longer than I have VirtualBox, but it is not near as user-friendly as VirtualBox. With some of the dialog boxes that pop-up no first time user is going to be able to figure out what it's asking for. This software is available for Windows and Linus OS, but it is not free.

 NOTE: If you have a Virtual Machine software that you love using and would like to add it to this list. Email me a link, why you like it so much, and your name. I will try and add it to this list and put your name beside it.

E-mail: scarwars.pc.md@gmail.com

My Modem Project

So I yanked a Rockwell Riptide HCF 56k PCI Modem out of a 99 HP computer. And I installed it into my 2007 Lenovo computer running Ubuntu 11.10. After several hours of downloading and installing drivers I happen to discover that my modem will only support kernel 2.4 which would be Ubuntu 6.06 Drapper Drake. So do I severely downgrade my OS so I can get dial up Internet access? No, it wouldn't be worth losing security and everything else just for internet access. I will probably be buying a new modem in the near future.