Decided to try ubuntu

[broadbandking]

Hi

I have decided to give Ubuntu a go for awhile.
What I am wondering whats the best software for certain task i.e

Bittorrent
Newsgroup Reader
Firewall(if I need one)
AV(If I need one)
Converting AVI's to DVD format
Making music/data CD's

Anything else you can think of, I don't fancy using wine, as I want to move from windows programs really.

Any help is welcome

Cheers BB

[ZrByte]

I'm pretty sure all of what you want is included and more than adequate for your needs. Aside from possibly your codecs depending on what avi files you are converting to DVD from.

[haydnwalker]

I would second ZrBytes comments. Most of those apps are included in the default packages in ubuntu. I didn't have to install anything other than my PHP/Web Programming stuff on to it.

[admars]

Converting AVI's to DVD format
Making music/data CD's

Any Linux I play with I always install k3b as the burning program, I much prefer it to gnome baker etc, so I'd install that.

k3b may do that, as it's the closest you'll get to Nero for free in Linux. You can pay for Nero, but I haven't tried it in Linux, as k3b does all I want.

Bittorrent:
I'm currently using transmission, but have used ktorrent in the past. Azureus/vuze is available to.

Newsgroup Reader
Thunderbird?

Firewall(if I need one)
one is installed automatically with ubuntu I think ufw

AV(If I need one)
maybe clam if sharing files with Windows users/ppl

As you say, there's always wine if you're desperate for an MS windows app, but then you partially defeating the object of going to Linux if you do that for too many apps Most things there's an equivalent, or even the same app.

http://www.howtoforge.com/

has some great guides for setting up a freshly installed Linux, especially helpful for those migrating from MS Windows to see equivalent apps. look up "perfect ubuntu desktop" etc

[xpod]

My own Personal preferences and nothing more...

Bittorrent......Deluge.
Newsgroup Reader.....Thunderbird does me for the occasional basics(text) although i dont bother with much more than that(binaries) so have no real need of one.

Firewall(if I need one)... Uncomplicated Firewall is already installed but as long as your not planning on running any server type stuff or you use a half decent router you`re probably never going to need it.

AV(If I need one).......Not something i`ve ever really used on Linux.Not since the first week or two anyway.It was one of the first things i wanted to know about too though.
Converting AVI's to DVD format....Devede is nice and simple.
Making music/data CD's....If i burned music cd`s the default Brasero or Gnomebaker would probably do me just fine.

Codecs,flash,etc....Ubuntu-restricted-extras.

[ronald146m]

Hi
I don't disagree with any of the other recommendations above.

In my case I'm using:-
Transmission for torrents.
Pan newsgroup reader and GPar2 parity checker.
Gnomebaker for burning disks (K3b is excellent too, but this time I'm staying away from KDE packages).
For converting AVIs to DVDs I use Tovid from the command line. There is also a GUI.
All of the above are in the Ubuntu repo.

There are only 2 'must have' programs that I run with Wine. These are Spotify and mp3DirectCut. Both of them run well.

[III]

Deluge for torrents
Pan for NG, I use it for text only
Nero Linux
Devede for conversion
AV - Me
Firewall IP tables
Spotify over wine
And must have VLC

[xpod]

Originally Posted by ronald146m

There are only 2 'must have' programs that I run with Wine. These are Spotify and mp3DirectCut. Both of them run well.

It took me nigh on 3 years to find a reason to install Wine but Spotify was that reason.
Not that i use it much myself to be honest as i dont really listen to very much music nowadays(i`m more likely to be listening to LBC or something) but i got the kids all using it on their own machines and they love it.
There is(was?) the native Despotify but i i never got round to giving it a go and the last time i even checked it required a premium Spotify account to work, if it still works at all that is.
I also use the Teamviewer client via Wine on occasion but that`s about it. Anything i could ever possibly need is right there in Synaptic and anything that aint......well,i probably dont need it...."probably"

Originally Posted by III

And must have VLC

Now how could i ever forget VLC


EDIT.Smiley OD for XP.O.D....now known as X-POD of course :-)

[ronald146m]

And must have VLC

Have you used VLC's red button yet?

[dave6x]

Decided to use my old PC as an Ubuntu platform and have set it up to dual boot Ubuntu 9.10 and Windows 2000 Pro.
Although most things "work" in Ubuntu I'm still struggling to get my USB2 MIDI interface working, and am yet to discover how to get smooth near real time webcam working, currently very slow refresh and awful quality. Seem to be having Java Applet issues that just won't go away! Also installing applications not in the Ubuntu software list has defeated me so far!!! Love the idea of being free of M$, not suceeded so far, but I'm determined to master it!!!!

[CycoSymz]

I installed Ubunti 9.10 on my spare PC so the kids can use the internet. Seem's ok so far.

I'm not overly fussed with 9.10 im sticking with 9.04 at min due to audio problems , hopefully they will make a better fist of it with lucid lynx the next long term release.

[ronald146m]

Hi
I'm not impressed with PulseAudio either.
It's supposed to be a better system than was used in the earlier Ubuntus.
They are going to stay with it, but maybe there will be improvements for Lucid.

[ZrByte]

I used to use a live USB version of ubuntu 9.04 on my dell sx270 which worked flawlessly. I liked it so much I installed the full version which again worked perfect, then after a few moments of use I was prompted with the upgrade option, decided to go for it and now after power up I just get a blank screen after post, I don't even get the ubuntu loading bar. Does that sound like a compatibility problem with my system or a botched upgrade?

[admars]

most probably botched upgrade.

That's the slightly annoying thing about Ubuntu, they make it very easy to upgrade so it seems as simple as installing some software, buta lot more goes on behind the scenes.

Saying that, most of the upgrades I've doen in Ubuntu and Mint have gone fine, my laptop's from 9.04 to 9.10 didn't. took me ages to try and fix, tried all sorts, xorg had gone horribly wrong, in the end gave up, did fresh install.

That's not to say yours can't be fixed. Going into recovery mode, and reconfiguring Xorg.conf couldn't be enough to fix your issue.

I think you may need to use an Ubuntu alternate cd to do that, which doesn't let you boot into a live OS but has more options when the CD starts.