10 adjustments make Ubuntu home away from home

Not long ago I provided 12 suggestions to adjust Ubuntu. However, it has been a while ago, and now we have made another 10 suggestions that will make your Ubuntu your home away from home.

These 10 recommendations are very easy to implement, so let's get started!

1. Install the TLP

We recently came across TLP, a software that optimizes power settings that allow you to enjoy longer battery life. Before we go into the TLP in-depth, and we also mentioned in the list of this software is not bad. To install it, run the following command on the terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa: linrunner / tlp && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y tlp tlp-rdw tp-smapi-dkms acpi-call-tools && sudo tlp start

The above command will add the necessary repository, update the list of packages so that it can contain the packages provided by the new repository, install the TLP, and turn it on.

System load indicator

Adding a system load indicator to your Ubuntu desktop will give you a quick overview of your system's resource usage. If you do not want to add this technical chart to the desktop, then you can not add, but for those who are interested in it, this extension is really good. You can run this command to install it:

sudo apt-get install indicator-multiload

Then find it in Dash and open it.

3. Weather indicator

Ubuntu used to have a built-in weather indicator, but since it switched to Gnome 3, it is no longer provided by default. You need to install a separate indicator instead. You can install it with the following command:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa: atareao / atareao && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y my-weather-indicator

This will add another repository, update the list of packages, and install this indicator. Then find and open it in Dash.

Install Dropbox or other cloud storage solution

One of the software I installed on all my Linux systems is Dropbox. Without it, I really can not find the feeling of home, mainly because all my frequently used files are stored in Dropbox. Dropbox is straightforward, but it takes time to execute a simple command. Before you begin, you need to run this command so that you can see the Dropbox icon in the system tray:

sudo apt-get install libappindicator1

Then you need to go to Dropbox's download page, then install your downloaded .deb file. Your Dropbox should now be running.

If you hate Dropbox a bit, you can also try Copy or OneDrive. Both provide more free storage space, which is a big reason to consider using them. I recommend Copy more than OneDrive because Copy works on all Linux distributions.

5. Install Pidgin and Skype

Stay in touch with friends is especially good, and if you use instant messaging, you are very lucky. Both Pidgin and Skype are great at Linux, and they connect to all major networks. Installing Pidgin is as easy as running this command:

sudo apt-get install pidgin

It's easy to install Skype - you just have to go to Skype's download page and download the .deb file for your Ubuntu 12.04 architecture.

Remove the keyboard indicator

Displaying the keyboard indicator on the desktop can be annoying to some people. For English speakers, it merely shows an "EN", which can be annoying because many people do not need to change the keyboard layout or are reminded that they are using English. To remove this indicator, select System Settings, then enter text, then remove the "Show current input source in menu bar" checkbox. (Annotation: people may not be suitable for this proposal.)

7. Return to the traditional menu

Before Ubuntu switched to Unity, it used Gnome 2 as the default desktop environment. This includes a simple menu to access the installed applications, the menu contains many categories, such as: games, office, the Internet, and so on. You can get back this "traditional menu" with another simple package. To install it, run this command:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa: diesch / testing && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y classicmenu-indicator

8. Install Flash and Java

In the previous article I mentioned installing decoders and Silverlight, and I should also mention that Flash and Java are the main plugins they need, although they may sometimes be forgotten. To install them just run this command:

sudo add-apt-repository -y ppa: webupd8team / java && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install oracle-java7-installer flashplugin-installer

Installing Java requires a new repository because Ubuntu no longer includes its patented version (most people recommend this for best performance), but instead uses the open source OpenJDK.

9. Install VLC

The default media player, Totem, is great, but it relies on many independently installed decoders to work well. I personally recommend you to install a VLC media player because it contains all the decoders and in fact it supports every media format in the world. To install it, just run the following command:

sudo apt-get install vlc

10. Install PuTTY (or not)

Recently, if you are using PuTTY for SSH's sake, you have two options: to install PuTTY for Linux, or to use the terminal directly. If you want to use PuTTY on a terminal, you will need this command:

sudo apt-get install putty

However, it does not need to be installed directly because you can use this command to connect to any remote host.

ssh username@this.domain.here

Replace "username" with the username you want to connect to, and replace "this.domain.here" with the host's direct domain name or IP address.

How do you recommend adjustment?

Complementing these 10 adjustments, you should feel like your Ubuntu really feel at home, which is easy to build or crush your Linux experience. There are many different ways to customize your own experience to make it more suitable for your needs; you just have to look for yourself to discover what you want.