Some usefull software:
To enable 3D effects on mate you will need compiz, it adds some really cool effects and makes the os look really really really cool.
Installing Compiz on Mate 14.1 :
1- install the followig packages ( Via Synaptic manager ):
- compiz-gnome
- compizconfig-settings-manager
- fusion-icon
- compiz-plugins-extra
- libdecoration0-dev
2- In terminal run "compiz --replace" or run Compiz Fusion Icon and choose compiz as your window manager.
3- Go to Startup Applications click on add and in the name field write "compiz" and in the command field enter "compiz --replace"(without the punctuation) click on Add again then Close. This is to make compiz start automatically on next logins.
4- To stop that high CPU usage run in terminal “mateconf-editor”. When the editor opens go to /desktop/mate/session/required_components/windowmanager and replace "marco" with "compiz".
3- install "dconf-editor" by runnig in terminal:
sudo apt-get install dconf-tools
Then press ALT + F2 and run: "dconf-editor", navigate to org > gnome > desktop > wm > preferences and change the "theme" value from "Adwaita" to "Clearblocks. Remember this because in the same place you can also change the window button layout, among others.
Then open Start Menu, All, Apearances, customise and set Controls to Clearblocks, borders to spidey.
You will notice that file copy in linux is really basic, you cant qeue files, cant resume/pause them or anything, so i would highly recommend you install Double commander, which is the linux version of total commander which basicly is an app that adds all these features :
to use any kind of Windows programs or games you will need to install Wine, type following commands into terminal :In the terminal type :
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:alexx2000/doublecmd
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install doublecmd-qt
You can then just run Double commander from your start menu anytime and copy away ...
for Torrents install Deluge, its the closest look and feel to most Windows Torrent apps :In the terminal type :
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-wine/ppa
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install wine1.5
In the terminal type :
sudo-apt-get install deluge
To Mount ISO Bin, NRG etc etc files install furiusmount, it is similar to deamon tools :
The first time you mount a image, right click image and choose open with other application, then cgoose custom command andbrowse to your "filesystem/usr/bin" directory and select furiusiso and tick "remember this application", now next time you want to mount an image you simply double click it. this works for any other files you want to associate with programs. All exe's of everything you install is inside the "file system/usr/bin" directory.In the terminal type :
sudo apt-get install furiusmountiso
If you are going to Dual boot between Windows and Linux, then i highly recommend you install Grub Customizer 3.0. It will allow you to edit and customise the boot loading screen and customise the menu as you wish.
If you are used to using internet download manager and multi threaded downloads then fear not, there is a similar app in Linux called multiget, follow the instructions below to set it up :In the terminal type :
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install grub-customizer
now whenever you click a link multiget will grab the download.Install Multiget :
In the terminal type :
sudo Apt-get install multiget
in firefox :
Install the addon flashgot in firefox via "tools->addons" and get more extensions.
Open FlashGot Options (Tools -> FlashGot ->More Options)
Click Add
Enter the download manager name: MultiGet
Browse the location of MultiGet at /usr/bin
Find MultiGet then click Open
This is the important steps. insert [url=URL] [refer=REFERER] in the command line arguments place. That is for make flashgot can work together with multiget
Finally, click Ok
Some usefull tips concerning linux, now keep in mind ive only been using it for a few months so pretty much a newbie myself, but i have learned a few tricks here and there.
GPU Driver :
To enable your graphics driver go to "start menu->preferences->software sources->additional drivers". you can set your GPU drivers there.
Mouse pad buttons on Laptop not working :
go to "menu->control center->mouse->touchpad" and enable them there.
Install software via Terminal:
The command for installing a program manually via terminal will ALWAYS be : sudo get-apt install "appname"
Make sure you spell it exactly right, if it shows no spaces in name in software manager or wherever you saw the name, then you leave out the spaces as well.
Sudo:
The command Sudo is used for giving terminal admin rights, so if you are doing something and get a access denied error, just add Sudo in front of the command and it should work.
Installing .run files :
Open Terminal in directory that file is in ( right click "open in terminal" ) and type the following :
If you perfer running Chrome or Opera or internet explorer in windows, then im sorry to be bearer of bad news, but running those in Linux will be more headaches than anything else, Yes they all work, but in linux the majority of users use firefox and thus all the cool addons and stuff is written mostly for Firefox. I hated firefox before i moved to linux, but i have learned to appreciate the browser simply because of all the features that has been added via addons. I have however downloaded a few addons to make my firefox feel more like my opera did, in both style and features. I will list some usefull addons you can try if you wish :sudo chmod a+rx filename.run
sudo ./filename.run
you can go search each of those addons and read the descriptions, but they have made life so much better for me.adblock plus
download helper
extended statusbar
facebook notification
fastestfox
flashgot
FVD speedial
gmail notifier
mint search enhancer
operaview
similar sites
stylish
zoom page
Adding shortcuts on desktop :
to make shortcut right click desktop and choose "create launcher" and then click browse button and point it to filesystem/usr/bin/appname"
if you want to make a shortcut to a program in wine then the path to browse is : "home/your_username/.wine/drive_c/and wherever your app exe is".
Running windows in a Virtual machine:
the same programs that windows users use for virtual machine exist in linux as well. Virtualbox, Vmware and parrallels. However, Virtualbox is fastest, easiest to use and its free, so its highly recommended you install that :
the rest is the same as windows, the only other recommendations i can give you is unless you have an I7 with 8 threads then make sure you set only 1 core on a virtual XP machine and also make sure you untick "VT-X". your virtual XP will run so much faster.In the terminal type :
sudo apt-get install virtualbox
if there is a program you want to install, but its not listed in the software manager, dont stress !!! normaly if you search google you will find the ppa for it. PPA is repository addresses that link linux to the location of the setup files. Since mint is based on ubuntu and everything between them are compatible i have learned to seach for both linuxmint and ubuntu in my search terms, i normaly get a hit with one or the other or both.
for example searching "grub customizer ubuntu" will yeild results pointing to this page : http://www.noobslab.com/2012/11/install ... buntu.html and on that page you will find install instructions starting with the PPA :
I think this is everything that comes to mind of stuff i messed around with and eventualy got to work in linux, its all a learning curve and im enjoying every moment of it, there is alot of guides floating around that will give you detailed instructions on how to do stuff, and the community here on mint forums are always extremely helpfull. if i think of anything else i will edit it into this thread.sudo add-apt-repository ppa:danielrichter2007/grub-customizer
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install grub-customizer
Can someone please Sticky this thread ?