Getting frustrated with Ubuntu....

[Sam Tygier]

Lee H. wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Nov 2005 19:55:15 +0000, you wrote: 
>>how did you install gnome? it looks like you installed the ubunut-desktop
>>package. this is a metapackage. it just make sure that a list of packages
>>get installed, in this case all the default ubunut applications and gnome.
>>if you remove ubuntu desktop then you can remove things like firefox.
> 
> 
> Er...ummm....:  sudo apt-get install gnome 
> 
> Is there such a thing as:  sudo apt-get uninstall gnome  ??    :)

"gnome" is another meta package like ubuntu desktop, which depends on a few more meta and real packages including gnome-office (which get you abiword and gnumeric) and gnome-desktop-environment.

gnome-desktop-environment is yet another metapackage.

gnome-core seems to be the metapackage that you want. you'll get the core of gnome, nautilus, gedit, and eog, but thats about all.

the trouble you have is now how to get rid of everything else.

one trick is to remove something that they all depend on. try removing libgtk2.0-0. then installing gnome-core.

"sudo apt-get remove" to uninstall stuff.

note: i got all the above info about dependencies from synaptic, but if you like the command line try
sudo apt-cache show gnome
sudo apt-cache show gnome-core
sudo apt-cache search gnome

have a look at man apt-cache, for all the options

>>the x server gets started by gdm at boot. there are instructions to stop
>>this happening here http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php
> 
> 
> No thread shown, but if it's there, I'll find it!

if you do the minimal gnome install as above i think you'll avoid having gdm installed,

have a read of "man update-rc.d", update-rc.d is the debain command line tool for manageing what gets started (out of the /etc/init.d/ scripts) at what run level.

looks like
update-rc.d gdm remove, would do what you want.

>>coming to linux with lots of windows knowledge is very difficult. you
>>can probably make windows do what ever you want it to do, and its very
>>frustrating that you can't do the same with linux. also changing from being
>>a guru to a newbie is intimidating (though you are past the newbie stage).
>>
>>have a read of this post http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=58017
> 
> 
> That is a great read!  Thank you!

glad you liked it

>>>1.  When downloading software from various sources, where is the default
>>>place I'm supposed to download it to?
>>
>>do you downloading .debs, or .tar.gz (source packages). there is not really
>>anywhere special you should download them to. dpkg, or the installer script
>>will put all the program files in the right place.
> 
> 
> I've read elsewhere that I can just create my own directory.  Cool!  I
> had thought that there was a default where downloads had to go to so
> Linux could find them.
> 
>>you are better off using apt-get or synaptic to install things.
> 
> 
> Only if those things are available via apt-get or synaptic.  I was
> thinking of other stuff--BOINC/Seti for example.

ok, but be sure to do a good search before hand.
 
 
> It's just when I read the boot up goings-on and see things like
> "starting raid drivers" I can't help but think "I don't need that.  It's
> got to go."  Surely there's lots more I can do without.
 
you'll do better by stopping some of these services from starting at boot.

have a read of "man update-rc.d"

> 
> Thanks.  It looks like I'm going to have a fun Winter.
> 
> Lee H.

i hope so. you seem willing to learn. 
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=60303 is my personal favourite tip. it will save you lots of time if you are new to the command line.

	
	
		
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