BaffledExperts by Adam Norman

Making Ubuntu usable

I've basically given up on Ubuntu on my Eee netbook. Along the way, though, I found out many things that should have worked that I had to fix myself.

To make your Eee usable, dear reader, with the foul and nefarious Ubuntu, learn from my mistakes.

Ubuntu installs from a central source that doesn't work very well

Unlike every other operating system, Ubuntu gets its programs from a central location,  the "Ubuntu Software Center". This usually works well, except when it doesn't. To make it work at all, though, you need to allow your computer to download ideologically offensive material.

Of course, the material isn't offensive to you--you just want to play MP3s. The zealots, though, would rather you didn't, so they keep the MP3 math out of sight, in the "restricted" repositories.

Don't listen to the zealots. Go to "System"--> "Administration"-->"Software Sources", and check every box you see. This will allow you to download ideologically impure (but very useful, software).

Install MP3 math and real fonts

If you use your computer like most people do (to play music and movies, and to surf the net), you need some special equations. Because these equations offend the zealots (I'm not exaggerating at all, by the way; they are equations, and zealots), you're not allowed to have them. To get them, go to Ubuntu Software Center and search for "Ubuntu Restricted Extras". Install them. Now things might work, though the open-source gods will curse you.

Fix your wireless

With these equations installed, you could, in theory, see the stuff on the net. Unfortunately, your wireless will be so slow you'll want to die. Fix it by going to Applications-->Accessories-->Terminal. Enter the following, without quotes. You can copy it easily, but to paste it you will need to use Edit-->Paste

sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-karmic

When that's done, enter this:

sudo apt-get install linux-backports-modules-wireless-karmic-generic

I have no idea what the magic is, but this fixes bad wireless.

Fix the awful fonts

Ubuntu is ugly. There's no way around it. Fix it by installing themes and fixing the fonts. Go to System-->Preferences-->Appearance. Choose a theme from the options there, or download another. If, like me, you hate the brown colour, fix that too. Click on Customize..., and then the Windows colour selector. When you're done, choose a font you like, too from within the Appearances section

And while you're there, go to Visual Effects and put it on "Normal".

Finally, go to Fonts, and choose Subpixel smoothing, then go to Details..., and turn hinting off altogether.