ubuntu-newbie has loads of questions

[peter pilsl]

While I consider myself as linux-pro I'm new to ubuntu and 
desktops-environments are not my thing.

I have the following questions and maybe some of you can help me with 
some of the problems. Mainly I want to have something configured 
differently and cant find the button

i) copy on select

in a terminal I'd like to select/mark a text and have it automatically 
copied to the clipboard (without pressing any key or mousebutton) so I 
can paste it. This is old X-style and I was able to activate it on my 
mandrake-terminal, but I cant manage in ubuntu.


ii) hide taskbar

I've the taskbar (with notification-area and all the stuff) on the 
bottom of my screen. On mandrake the taskbar has a small icon on the 
right side. If I click it the taskbar reduces itself to this icon and 
needs no place, so I can view a window in full-screen. When I need the 
taskbar again I press the icon (which is a narrow arrow) and the taskbar 
pops up again. Maybe its a KDE-feature and not available in gnome.

iii) password for system-tools

when I start some system-tools (device-manager etc.) I need to reenter 
the password of the current user. Thats strange. why dont I have to 
enter the root-password instead. would be more safe?
and I can even start the root-console without entering any password.

iv) root does not have X-rights

when I start a terminal it opens in the users account and the DISPLAY is 
set, so I can fire up any X-application like xterm. when I do a 'su -' 
to become root I cant do any X-stuff anymore, even after setting DISPLAY 
to the adress of my local X-server.

v) remote x-apps cannot maximize.

If I connect to a remote sever using X-forward, I can open remote X-apps 
on the local X-server. I do this very often and it works fine. unless I 
try to maximize. then the application freezes and I have to kill it on 
the remote server. Its a ubuntu-problem, cause the same stuff works 
perfect on any other linux-desktop I use

vi) taskbar-applet for changing screenresolution on the fly

I could not find anything like this, but it would be fine cause I 
frequently use a projector for presentations

vii) plugins for the keyboard-indicator

I cant find any plugins to install. I use the indicator frequentely and 
  I'm sure there are some useful plugins

viii) power-saving

where I can I set the details? like what the laptop should do when I 
close the lid/screen.


puuh --- thats all for now.

any help is appretiated,

best,
peter