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[Takk]

I'm making the jump to Ubuntu 8.04. Never used the linux environment before, but the slowness of XP overtime and the massive amount of weird spyware and viruses I've accumulated from not using any anti-virus or anti-spyware software has turned me over to the other side. I'll be using ubuntu for a good year or two until I can get my hands on a MacBook.

So GAF linux users, what are some quality applications and visual/performance tweaks for Hardy Heron? I don't want to let my 7600 go to waste, so any cool looking skins or themes are also welcome.

Music:
Amarok - Just started messing around with this and really liking it so far.

Office:
OpenOffice - Nothing else needs to be said

Internet
Firefox + Thunderbird - staple in any OS
Pidgin - I don't think there are any other options that are better than this.

 

[VAIL]

http://www.gnome-look.org this will be your gateway to all kinds of nice themes/icons/wallpaper and so on, look to the sister sites for other desktop managers and whatnot.

Exaile is a great media player as well, pretty much amarok without the KDE tie-in.

Pidgin is great but if you do video over msn, get amsn as it supports that feature.

Moblock is the answer if you need something like peer guardian to keep the man from seeing what you are downloading.

 

[iapetus]

So GAF linux users, what are some quality applications and visual/performance tweaks for Hardy Heron? I don't want to let my 7600 go to waste, so any cool looking skins or themes are also welcome.

Go to System/Preferences/Appearance and turn on visual effects in the Visual Effects tab.

Install compizconfig-settings-manager, which can then be run from System/Preferences/Advanced Desktop Effects Settings. Use that to fine tune and configure the whizzy graphical effects. At the very least you want to enable one of the alternative alt+TAB effects and toolbar window previews.

 

[PROOP]

I think VLC is the best video player. Make sure to check out the mediabuntu packages that enable things like realplayer compatibility and DVD playback.

As far as OS customization goes, www.gnome-look.org is a great resource and usually people are happy to explain the how-to stuff. Also, get Avant Window Navigator, which is essentially a mac dock clone. It works really well.

Here is a cool customization guide.

 

[Takk]

I installed the Emerald Theme Manager and imported one of the .emerald themes. I can't seem to apply it though.

 

[scorcho]

TVTime is fantastic if you have a compatible tv tuner card
compiz-fusion for full 3D-accelerated desktop goodness

 

[scorcho]

I installed the Emerald Theme Manager and imported one of the .emerald themes. I can't seem to apply it though.

hit alt-f2 and type emerald --replace

see if that works. if so you'll have to include that line either in your sessions or within CCSM itself

 

[M3Freak]

I'm a Fedora guy. I don't like Youpootoo (aka Ubuntu).

Having said that, here are some of my fave apps:

- Grip (CD ripping)
- Pidgin (IM)
- Firefox
- OpenOffice.org (OOo)
- mplayer (I like the non-gui version best)
- vlc
- k3b (cd/dvd burning)
- xmms (mp3/ogg/flac/wav player)

 

[Nerevar]

Pidgin - I don't think there are any other options that are better than this.

use funpidgin - don't support obnoxious developers who think they know better than their users.

 

[Doytch]

Besides the stuff mentioned:
Deluge for torrents (big fan of this one)
soundKonverter for audio encoding
EasyTAG for ID3 tagging

I installed the Emerald Theme Manager and imported one of the .emerald themes. I can't seem to apply it though.

Do what scorcho said. Ubuntu uses Metacity to handle themes by default, so when you start using Emerald themes, you have to explicitly tell it to use that themer instead of Metacity.

 

[Takk]

Thanks, it's working now. And also for the recommendations.

 

[iapetus]

use funpidgin - don't support obnoxious developers who think they know better than their users.

Four Words for Funpidgin...

 

[Doytch]

Four Words for Funpidgin...

Couldn't put it better myself.

 

[PROOP]

You said something about wanting to switch to mac in a year or so, however, if you want the top bar to function like a mac one (changes the menu bar up top to the corresponding top window), check out global menu for gnome. It works with everything but Firefox, Thunderbird and Amarock IIRC.

I can't say anything about google earth because I dont have it on my hardy install, but it was glitchy as hell for me in 7.10.

 

[theBishop]

compizconfig-settings-manager

For unlocking tons of fun desktop effects

Screenlets
Essentially Dashboard

Nicotine
A SoulSeek client used for the purposes of downloading music exclusively of artists who have released their music under a free license that is not at all illegal or infringing on anyone's copyright (especially those in the RIAA).

Deluge
Same as Nicotine, but using the bittorrent protocol. And not limited to music.

VLC
The best media player ever for playing single files.

Banshee
Sometimes, Rhythmbox doesn't do what I want. Banshee usually does.

Xchat
IRC client. I like it better than mIRC.

Blender
3d modeling and animation.

Epiphany
Web Browser. I still like Firefox better, but Epiphany uses Webcore (same as Safari), which is worth checking out.

Ardour
Awesome music mastering console. Supports lots of effect plugins.

Hydrogen
Drum Machine. Great user interface, but it could use more drumkit sounds.

PS: Evolution > Thunderbird