Linux Mint (Mate, 32-bit) - Trying to set things up!

[MintDude2013]

Hi Forum:

I am a complete newbie to Linux Mint 32-bit (Mate). I installed Mint Mate 2 days ago and am now trying to find my way around Mate. Hopefully, this is the right forum for my questions .

There are a couple of questions I hope some of you are willing to answer . Learning by doing works better for me rather than reading a long intro about how Linux works and its differences to Windows.

a) osmo: I was missing something like a calender/organizer but 'osmo' seems like a good candidate. Yesterday when I clicked on the 'Install' button on its webpage I was asked to select something like an application to open it with (I'm sorry I forgot exactly what the message said). Today, though, clicking on said 'Install' button hasn't worked all day...
b) app-install-data: apparently this app is needed to install other applications. As has been the case with 'osmo' today when I click on the 'Install' button nothing happens.
c) Fax: is there some fax software already installed on Mate? If not, what would be a good candidate and once downloaded, which application do I need to select to open it with?
d) Is there some software to burn CDs and DVDs? If not, what would be a good program and which application do I need to select to open it with?
e) Adding programs like 'Transmission', 'Tomboy', etc. to the Startup folder: what do I need to type in 'Command' resp. where can I find the the installed programs via 'Browse'?
f) Are there Sidebar apps available for Mint (Mate)? More specifically, what I'm looking for is a clock, a calendar and a CPU meter .

Many thanks!

John

[passerby]

a) Osmo seems to be in mint's repos, so you can install it by opening a terminal (Accessories > Terminal) and typing it:

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install osmo

then entering your root (admin) password when prompted.

b) Same as previous, but replace "osmo" with "app-install-data"

c) Sorry, no experience with this myself.

d) Give brasero a try. I think it comes with MATE by default.

e) You should be able to type in just the application's name. So for transmission the command could be as simple as "transmission" (or maybe "transmission-gtk")

f) Take a look at conky. eg. http://www.upubuntu.com/2012/08/spice-u ... e-two.html

[MintDude2013]

Hi Passerby, hi Forum:

Thanks a lot for replying

However, when I try to enter the commands in the Terminal I immediately run into problems.

When I open the Terminal it reads: mintdude@John-NF520-A2-TE ~ $

When I add "CODE: SELECT ALL" after the prompt "mintdude@John-NF520-A2-TE ~ $" and press "Enter" I only get this:
CODE:: command not found

Skipping "CODE: SELECT ALL" and entering "sudo apt-get install app-install-data" instead looks like this:
mintdude@John-NF520-A2-TE ~ $ sudo apt-get install app-install-data

Pressing "Enter" again prompts me to type my password:
[sudo] password for mintdude:

Now, what's strange is that when I try to type my password after the "[sudo] password for mintdude:" prompt no letters appear. Pressing 'Enter' again gets me:
Sorry, try again.

After the third "Sorry, try again." and three times pressing "Enter" I get this:
sudo: 3 incorrect password attempts

Pressing "Enter" again gets me this:
mintdude@John-NF520-A2-TE ~ $

When I now enter my password letters do appear. But pressing "Enter" once more I get this:
...: command not found

Btw, "..." is the placeholder for my password.

No idea what the problem is . Hopefully, though, my description makes some sense?!

Many thanks again.

John

[passerby]

That's normal; no letters are supposed to appear when you type the root password into the terminal.
Just type the password in when prompted and press enter. As long as it's the root user's password it should proceed to install.

Alternately you could open the synaptic package manager and find the programs from within there.
Synaptic is like the software center (you go there to find and install software), but it's made moreso for users who already know what they're looking for.

[TheDynamicHamza21]

Mintdude when prompted for your password the terminal doesn't show anything,it's feature of the terminal.

Why don't you just use the software manager or package manager until you get the hang of the terminal. More I just checked it's app-install-data-partner. I have osmo installed but don't have app-install-data installed only app-install-data-partner App-install-data is for Ubuntu specific applications. Osmo is not Ubuntu application it's GTK application developed by Ubuntu. Just use the software manager to install Osmo and it should install fine.

to find the names to put in command field just right click the item in the mintmenu choose edit properties and it will show the command. Usually it's usr/bin/nameofapplication or nameofapplication %U. For example firefox is firefox %U and Getting Things Gnome it's /usr/bin/gtg .

[MintDude2013]

Hi Passerby and TheDynamicHamza21:

Thanks a lot for your replies!

Using the Software Manager to install Osmo and the 'app-install-data-partner' was a piece of cake ! The Synaptic Package Manager seems to be a bit more difficult to use (for the newbie, anyways).

Before doing that I tried the Terminal again.

After opening it and the "mintdude@John-NF520-A2-TE ~ $" prompt I typed "sudo apt-get install osmo" (respectively "sudo apt-get install app-install-data"), then pressed "Enter".

After the next prompt "[sudo] password for mintdude" I entered my password and pressed "Enter", which produced this message:
"E: Could not get lock /var/lib/dpkg/lock - open (11: Resource temporarily unavailable)
E: Unable to lock the administration directory (/var/lib/dpkg/), is another process using it?"

As long as I can use the Software Manager I should be OK (in Mint's Repos there seem to be tons and tons of software) .

But in order to eventually get the hang of the Terminal what could've caused this message?

Many thanks again.

John

[passerby]

That message appears when another program used for installing, removing, etc. packages is running.
eg. If you had synaptic or the update manager running, the terminal wouldn't allow you to install anything.
We don't want the two programs to clash, after all.

[MintDude2013]

Hi Passerby:

Makes sense .

After closing that other program (I forgot which one it was) installing Acrobat Reader with the Terminal basically went w/o a hitch .

John