virtualization

As you may or may not know. Ubuntu 9.04, Jaunty Jackalope, came out today. And what a release it is! I’ve definitely noticed the faster boot time and significant progress that the Ubuntu distribution has undertaken even since I first installed Ubuntu 8.04 only a few (maybe 6?) months ago.

I decided to give a 64 bit machine ago. This will be my very first 64 bit operating system that I’ve used in all my years (*laugh*) of using computers, so I’m definitely hoping for the best on this one. I read a bunch of mixed responses from a number of different people on whether to use 32bit Ubuntu or 64bit. Many said they installed 64 bit and never looked back, some complained that certain software was buggy, and most were just so-so on the matter. My main areas of concern that I need to address pretty soon are running a Flash Player 10 debug player (which doesn’t exist for 64 bit Linux yet), Java, and Eclipse. If I can make Flash 10 Debug run in browser at all, even if I have to virtualize 32 bit or whatever, that will be a home run for me. A debug player is pretty much mandatory in developing Flash Player applications, regardless of size. I hear that the standard Linux 64 bit Flash Player is amazing and runs extremely well. Here’s hoping that the same can be said of Flash Debug Player 10. I’m fairly confident that Java will run as expected, and I don’t worry too much about Eclipse — again, time will tell — but I do hope that I can find a way to run FlexBuilder.

Flex Builder is pretty much the only free way to effectively develop Flash Player applications on Linux at this point in time. Since it’s an alpha, there are some bugs, but once you get it running right, it’s nothing short of amazing… for Flex Builder. I’d love to get FDT, but until I crank out a really rad open source project and get it for free, I’m not going to be able to shell out $600+ for a development environment.

We’ll just have to see about all of this stuff, in time we’ll know how it all turns out.

But anyway, with the spirit of free software in mind, I wrote a really quick script for transforming your Ubuntu machine into [TK + Ubuntu =] TeekUbuntu, my own distro of Ubuntu Yeah, I know, it’s nothing special, just a bunch of packages that are configured and downloaded automatically for you, but it’s a start. Plus, I wanted to post this script somewhere so I’ll have a place to start from if I ever need to start with a new Ubuntu distro.

The script does a few things. It adds the Medibuntu repositories to your source list, it updates and upgrades your system, then it installs a bunch of packages that are really nice to have at hand. This script is meant to be ran as soon as you start Ubuntu for the very first time. Don’t use Update Manager, and don’t worry about it as it’ll keep popping up, this script will get all of the necessary packages for you and get you Teekified in no time.

Here’s a package list describing what each package is and does, so you don’t have to read it all from the script:

• mysql-server, mysql-admin, mysql-query-browser: The MySQL server itself and a few really useful plugins for administrating the database, you know: adding and removing users, tables, schemas, databases…
• python: Python… NASA uses it, why not?
• openjdk-6-jdk, ant: Java JDK and Ant. Two completely necessary tools for Java development
• apache2: Apache’s HTTPD server, pretty important.
• subversion, libapache2-svn: Tools for using Subversion as well as integrating it with Apache HTTPD.
• gnomad2: Software for managing Creative media players, adding songs, deleting stuff, using it as a portable hard drive, etc.
• compiz, compizconfig-settings-manager, compiz-core, compiz-dev, compiz-fusion-plugins-main, compiz-fusion-plugins-unsupported compiz-gnome: If you don’t know what Compiz is, you need to check it out.
• acroread, acroread-plugins: Adobe Reader for viewing PDF’s.
• skype: Skype.
• non-free-codecs: Non-free video codecs for playing encrypted DVDs and videos.
• banshee: The best music manager program that I’ve found for Linux.
• envyng-qt: Envy is a program for helping Linux users download and install the correct video card drivers for their hardware. Definitely a plus with compiz.
• mplayer, vlc: Two awesome video players for Linux.
• libdvdcss2: Again, more non-free DVD codecs.
• ffmpeg: Surely you’ve heard of ffmpeg?
• mencoder: A little bit nicer way to encode and transcode video files.
• vboxgtk: VirtualBox for virtualizing guest operating systems right inside your host operating system. I’ll probably use it to virtualize XP at some point so I can use my PhatNoise car audio hard drive system… there are tools for Linux, but I haven’t explored them yet.
• wine: Windows emulator for natively running Windows programs inside of Linux.
• frozen-bubble: Probably the best game that was ever made to be free software.
• ardour: Awesome DAW (digital audio workstation) for working with music mastering and production. Closest thing to Sonar that I’ve found for Linux.
• azureus: Best torrent program for Linux, perfect for seeding Ubuntu releases!
• gtk-recordMyDesktop: Record your desktop in Linux the easy way.
• php5, libapache2-mod-php5: I can’t really stand using PHP, but often I have to. It’s dirty, quick, and it works, so PHP did make my list. Also includes the plugin for Apache HTTPD.
• nautilus-open-terminal: A nifty plugin for Nautilus that allows you to open a terminal from anywhere in your filesystem with a simple right click.

Here’s the script:
teekubuntu.installer
Enjoy

Even though most things can be automated with Linux with nice and nifty scripts, some things just can’t. (Though I’m sure all I’m going to mention is possible.) Firefox plugins, Flash Player, Eclipse, Flex Builder, AIR, and DropBox are all programs I’ll just have to install manually. Really wish there was an easy terminal-based way to get these, but sadly they don’t exist in any repositories that Ubuntu can get a hold of, as far as I know.

And as for Firefox plugins, you definitely need StumbleUpon, Delicious, AdBlock, FaviconizeTab, and FullScreenHomestarRunner. Also, XMarks is awesome, they used to be Foxmarks. Basically they synchronize your bookmarks across computers running Firefox… OS independent. Nice.

Hope this helps encourage some of you to jump on the ball and get Ubuntu! Long Live Free Software!

-TK