The Pull of Ubuntu

[Nis]

Ed Sutherland Wrote: 
> Less than 24 hours after wiping out Ubuntu Hoary and returning full-time
> 
> to Windows XP, I hear the call of Open Source. I plan to return to 
> Ubuntu but this time, I'd like to prepare for any post-MS misgivings. 
> So, I have a few rather varied questions.
> 
> 1. I want to do more than complain and wait on the sidelines until 
> someone creates the app I desperately need -- or think I need. I'd like
> 
> to work on the PR side of Linux, but also on the interface creating 
> simple solutions to the most common problems. How do I start? Do I need
> 
> to learn a scripting language?
> 
> 2. I don't want to leave multimedia (in my case, playing audio CDs and 
> MP3 files) behind simply because my dominant OS is now Linux. What are 
> some concrete examples of bullet-proof apps for such tasks? What are
> the 
> steps needed to enable MP3 playback on Ubuntu?
> 
> 3. I spend most of my workday in Mozilla Thunderbird, but I can't stand
> 
> the blocky bold serif typeface used to denote unread messages. No
> matter 
> what I change (switching from Serif to Arial; using 96dpi fonts) the 
> same blocky bold typeface is used in the Linux Mozilla Thunderbird. If
> I 
> have access to the MS fonts and Thunderbird on Ubuntu is using the same
> 
> font settings as Thunderbird in Windows, why does the application look 
> so drastically different? Is there a solution?
> 
> Thanks, again.
> 
> Ed
> 
> 
> -- 
> ubuntu-users mailing list
> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
> http://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
1) bash is a good scripting language to learn; check out the Advanced
Bash Scripting Guide: http://www.tldp.org/LDP/abs/html/  You can also
use zenity in bash scripts to lend a little GUI magic to your scripts. 
python is also a good interpreted language to learn since a lot of GNOME
development is now being done in python.

2) Some shameless self-promotion: the Hoary After-Install Helper will
help you setup MP3 support, DVD support, and other restricted formats. 
Version 0.8 isn't working quite right yet but version 0.7 should be
okay.

3) Not sure about this one.  Sorry. :(


-- 
Nis