essential software to use on ubuntu

Soldato
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I just changed from being a windows user (10 years) to a linux user. I am finding linux much better to use. Everything about linux I like more than windows. Some things are alittle confusing at first.

I was just wonder what programs are good to use on linux? The most used/popular programs that is.
 
Any specific areas?

Ill name a couple,

IRC Client - Xchat
MSN Chat - Pidgin
Movie Viewing - SMplayer
Office - Open Office
Graphics Stuff - GIMP
Music - Amarok
Virtualization - VirtualBox or VMWare

And there is always Wine if you get stuck finding a replacement for a Windows application, http://appdb.winehq.org
 
Isn't amarok mainly for KDE? I use rythymbox personally.

Avidemux-gtk for stitching avi's together.

Devede for converting AVI's into proper DVD's.

Office - Microsoft Office over crossover or wine hehe.
 
I am trying to add folders to mediatomb but it keeps saying permission denied.

How do I stop Ubuntu from asking for a password all the time?
 
smplayer +1 (if you have nvidia card don't forget to set up VDPAU)
rhythmbox +1
sabnzbplus +1

I also use easytag for mp3 tagging and ripper x for mp3 rippping. Ive also recently moved over to google chrome as i find it much faster than firefox.

Re: the permission problem - where are the folders that you are trying to add?
 
Browser: chromium
IRC Client - irssi
MSN Chat - centerim
Movie Viewing - mplayer
Office - Open Office
Graphics Stuff - GIMP... but i hate it
Music - mplayer
Virtualization - VirtualBox
 
I use Chrome, Pidgin, Rythmbox, OpenOffice/Abi Word, VLC and GIMP but for graphics you could always use some online flash based editor such as SumoPaint that's just as good. Also, there are some fairly decent games if you're interested. Look at Nexuiz, Warsow, TeeWorlds and Extreme Tux Racer to name but a few.
 
Thanks. What firewall/anti spyware/virus programs should I use?

I am having a problem getting .mkv files to stream using mediabomb. Also, I can't get ps3 media server to install.

Why is installing programs on linux really confusing? On windows its always just a simple .exe file you click.

I spent about 5 hours yesterday trying to get just a few programs working. Going into terminal all the time is really confusing me.

I'll stick with linux as I really can't be arsed with windows anymore.
 
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It's just a different approach, although you always have the Ubuntu Software Center available to you. It's not as good as the old Add/Remove that used to feature, but it's easy enough to navigate (just frustrating that you can only (un)install one thing at a time). Once you get used to the terminal and find out just how powerful it is, your opinion may change. There are some guides around explaining the basic commands, such as ls, cp, mv, rm, mkdir.
 
As JHeaton has said, there is the GUI. I think most of us that came over from windows found it all confusing in the early stages. If you think about it though, linux is the most logical system.

You download programs from a central official respository. Not a lot can go wrong :p
 
Thanks.

I am trying to download a program from the software centre just now but it "waiting for other software mangers to quit."

I don't have anything else downloading.
 
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