Ubuntu Noob: What applications and AV/firewall questions

KraniX · 6 Feb 2011 at 09:35

Hi all,

Played briefly with an older version of Ubuntu and was reading about 10.10 in PC Pro and thought I'd give it another go, am very impressed so far, all worked perfect out of the box but am still quite confused about the terminal and su but am sure will get there slowly.

Anyways, I've been downloading from the Software Centre, lots of good stuff so far, got Java working now, Beneath a Steel Sky (one of my fav games of all time), GIMP, Stellarium and Celestia and few other bits from my Windows days but so much else in there I'm not sure what to download... any gems out there I'm missing, games, apps or anything really?

Also, I understand that because of the user permission things in Linux that I don't need AV, is this really the case? Also, I don't think Ubuntu comes with a firewall by default, I'd always believed this is a must on a Windows environment, is this the case using Ubuntu, and if so can anyone recommend one, Firestarter?

Cheers guys.

Dean

squerble · 6 Feb 2011 at 11:12

Ubuntu comes with UFW (uncomplicated firewall). Very easy to set up.

http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2010/10/1...-a-graphical-firewall-client-in-ubuntu-10-10/ << A quick guide including a way of installing a GUI for it.

tntcoder · 6 Feb 2011 at 12:28

KraniX said:
Also, I understand that because of the user permission things in Linux that I don't need AV, is this really the case?

Yep, no AV system required

xJcBx · 6 Feb 2011 at 18:04

I've got an AV installed to scan files I download if I plan on using them on a PC.
Think it's ClamAV..

KraniX · 6 Feb 2011 at 23:46

karlbbb said:
Ubuntu comes with UFW (uncomplicated firewall). Very easy to set up.

http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2010/10/1...-a-graphical-firewall-client-in-ubuntu-10-10/ << A quick guide including a way of installing a GUI for it.

Cheers karl, that worked great.

brendan · 7 Feb 2011 at 09:01

No need for an A/V in linux, you may want to run clamav to scan your windows partitions every so often if you download stuff in linux and then will use them in Windows.

You need a firewall, but tbh if you are behing a NAT router, you're better off using your router which probably runs iptables and then internally not use firewalls.

3dcandy · 9 Feb 2011 at 19:09

planning on running a server? Or just a desktop replacement? (in the OS sense!)

KraniX · 9 Feb 2011 at 21:03

It's just on my old Dell laptop, dual booting with W7 for games and am really enjoying it so far, am going to try out Banshee and see if it will support my iPod, reading the forums it sounds like most people have been successful.

Any other killer applications you guys can recommend?

3dcandy · 9 Feb 2011 at 22:28

Advantage of Linux is the choice of software easily available. There is a wealth of different solutions to most problems, some tie in nicely with a certain window manager and some don't. I have used several distros and usually end up with a different config every time!!!

m4rkw7 · 22 Feb 2011 at 22:59

I don't use an AV or Firewall on Linux.

Also, su stands for "switch user" in Linux and is often used to elevate privileges. It you wanted to run a program in terminal such as nmap scans that require root privileges then you'd sudo them.

"sudo nmap -sP" etc.