Getting frustrated with Ubuntu....

[ulrich steffens]

Am Montag, den 28.11.2005, 08:45 -0800 schrieb Lee H.:
> Although I have been a Windows user since I bought my first computer in
> 1999, I have made several attempts to work with various distros of Linux
> over the years, all ending in complete frustration.  This summer I
> discovered Ubuntu 5.04 and got further than I had ever before but, once
> again, ran into problems with hardware as well as with multi-booting
> different versions of Windows with Ubuntu and had to give up.  I have
> now assembled (sort of!) a bunch of leftovers into a computer I can
> dedicate to Ubuntu.
> 
> Wanting a fairly light, uncluttered system and wanting to learn as I go,
> I installed 5.10 as a server.  I wanted a relatively simple GUI so I
> randomly picked Iceworm and installed it.  Pleased with the results, I
> tried to install Opera (my browser of choice!).  I used Lynx to try to
> download Opera but I never got the option to save it--all I got was a
> screen full of gibberish.  I downloaded it with my Windows box, burned
> it to a CD and installed it from the CD using the instructions found on
> the Ubuntu Wiki and I was ecstatic when everything worked as it should.
> Thank you!
> 
> I then, just for comparison purposes, installed Afterstep and Fluxbox.
> Fluxbox takes much, much longer to load but is the only one that picked
> up on the fact that Opera was installed.
> 
> At this point I felt I was stalling out--I was happy with what I had
> done so far but I was still a little lost about installing other
> software and, as yet, I had no sound, which didn't really bother me at
> that point.  
> 
> So, wanting something I was more familiar with, I installed Gnome.  Big
> mistake!  I didn't notice that installing Gnome would automatically
> install Firefox, Games, Gimp, Abiword and piles of other stuff I either
> didn't want at all or wanted to install manually, one at a time, as a
> learning experience.  I can only start Opera from a terminal.  Not only
> that, but now I've lost the ability to just boot to the command line.
> I've tried changing the runlevel in /etc/initab but I can only get to
> the command line as root.  Whatever else it's set at, X starts.
> Ctrl-Alt-Backspace shuts down X for a second but it immediately starts
> up again.  If I try to remove Firefox, etc. using Synaptic, it wants to
> remove Gnome and everything else at the same time.  The only refresh
> rate available to me with Gnome is 61, which makes it very hard on the
> eyes compared to Afterstep and the other GUIs.
> 
> On the plus side, I now have sound!  :)
> 
> Now, having proven that I know just enough about Linux to be dangerous
> to myself, I have a few questions.  Apologies in advance if I'm missing
> something obvious or using the wrong terminology.  Please keep it
> simple!  I'm still a Newbie with years of Windows-centric thinking to
> overcome.  I've read many instructions on the Web, but after a couple of
> minutes of reading my eyes tend to glaze over and my brain stops.  I
> learn by doing, and it's only after I've done something once or twice
> that I begin to understand what the instructions are telling me.
> 
> 1.  When downloading software from various sources, where is the default
> place I'm supposed to download it to?
> 
> 2.  Is it possible to install just the GUI part of Gnome without all the
> excess baggage it brings with it?
> 
> 3a.  How do I change the refresh rate so I can use Gnome?  The other
> GUIs I've tried are watchable with no flickering.  Why is Gnome
> different?  3b.  What part of the Gnome installation made my soundcard
> work?  
> 
> 4.  At some time, I do want to attempt to compile a Kernel suited to my
> machine.  I've found the instructions on the Wiki and they look good.
> Are there any "Gotchas" or things I should look out for?
> 
> 5.  I have, for years, used Forté Agent as my Mail/News program, running
> it through Hamster Classic for its multi-server capability.  What Linux
> program most closely resembles Agent in usage?  I would prefer the
> simplicity of having one program for email and newsgroups (with
> multi-server capability) but I could adapt to something else if I had
> to.  :)
> 
> 6.  Under Windows, you have to install chipset drivers from VIA.  Is
> there something similiar under Linux or is this not necessary?
> 
> 
> 
> I think that'll do for now!  Thanks for your patience!
> 
> Relevant hardware:
> 
> Gigabyte 7ZM motherboard with an Athlon 1.2 (200 FSB) which the board is
> "supposed" to recognize but doesn't--I can only get about 950 wherever I
> set the dip switches.
> 
> On-board sound -- AC97
> 
> ATI 7200 video card with Viewsonic Q71 monitor
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Lee H. in beautiful Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada!
> 
> -- 
> 
lee, 
where is the point in choosing ubuntu as a distribution and then *not*
taking advantage of *any* of its features? 

-- 
ulrich steffens
ulrich at barfuss-jerusalem.org
http://www.barfuss-jerusalem.org