nunos's questions

My apt-get for some reason, suddenly stopped to work properly and now I can't install any package whatsoever or do an update.. I have browsed and googled for some answers but nothing seems to work. At this point I am seriously considering resintalling Ubuntu to fix this.

What I have tried:

• Selecting the "Select Best Server" option from the Ubuntu Software Center. The speed was still drastically slow and unusable ultimately, because it just times out downloading and cancels between updates.

• Selecting the "Main Server". Same thing as before.

• Selecting the "Server for United States". Same thing as before.

• Generating a new sources.list from http://repogen.simplylinux.ch/generate.php. It didn't help the problem.

• Tried in different networks and there was no problem with the connection. The connection was fast and was downloading torrent for instance at 1 MByte/s speed.

Any ideas what could be wrong?

Err http://extras.ubuntu.com precise/main Translation-en                                                  
  Unable to connect to 213.181.73.145:8080:

and

Err http://extras.ubuntu.com precise Release.gpg                                                          
  Could not connect to 213.181.73.145:8080 (213.181.73.145). - connect (110: Connection timed out)

Any idea how to fix this? Thanks.

Also, I have tried with a similar computing power computer in the same network, with the same sources.list file, the same server, and on that computer the speed is 100x times faster and it works. Really confused about that as well!

In windows machine I am used to tap the Alt key and I have normally focus on the menu toolbars, like "File", "Edit", "View" and so on. Is there any equivalent for Ubuntu? Because, right now, if I hit the Alt key I get the "type your command" option.

So as pretty much everyone, before using Ubuntu I used a Windows machine, and one of the things I got used to in Windows was to use the underscore as the first character of a folder name as some sort of special marking so that it would be appear first on listing, both in command line and file explorer.

For instance, in my eBooks folder (in Windows) looks something like this:

_read
      Book1.pdf
      Book2.pdf
_reading
      Book3.pdf
Book4.pdf
Book5.pdf

but in Ubuntu's Nautilus it looks like this:

Book4.pdf
Book5.pdf    
_read
      Book1.pdf
      Book2.pdf
_reading
      Book3.pdf

What is happening is that it is completely ignoring the underscore and it treats "_read" as "read" and therefore not listing it in first as wished.

I have tried setting the environment variable LC_COLLATE to C. This helps somehow since it lists the underscore together, but at the end, and not at the beginning.

Thanks.

Because I had a problem with my keyboard I enabled the on screen keyboard OnBoard. Now, I want to disable it, but I haven't been able to do so, even though I have googled for a solution.

Right now, the OnBoard screen doesn't appear on the lock screen, it just gets loaded on login and boot up and I want to disable that.

I have hidden the keyboard and the tray icon too, but I can still see it running with the ps command.

nuno@mozart:~$ ps -e | grep onboard
 4138 ?        00:00:01 onboard

I have also tried the onboard command at the terminal, but that doesn't give me any "don't run on boot up option".

And I have also checked the start up appliications "Startup Applications" and it wasn't there.

Any idea how I can disable it for sure? Thanks.

Possible Duplicate:
What is “dist-upgrade” and why does it upgrade more than “upgrade”?

Is this dist-upgrade normal? It looks like there are way too many packages and some that shouldn't even be there I suppose.

nuno@mozart:~$ sudo apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree       
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be REMOVED:
  apparmor apport-gtk at avahi-daemon avahi-utils binfmt-support bluez bluez-alsa bluez-cups bluez-gstreamer brltty checkbox checkbox-gtk console-setup couchdb-bin cron
  cups cups-driver-gutenprint cups-pdf desktopcouch desktopcouch-ubuntuone dkms eclipse-jdt eclipse-pde eclipse-platform erlang-base erlang-inets erlang-public-key
  erlang-ssl friendly-recovery ftp gdm gnome-bluetooth gnome-disk-utility gnome-power-manager gnome-session gnome-session-bin gnome-session-fallback gnome-shell
  gnome-tweak-tool gnome-user-share gufw hplip hplip-cups indicator-power indicator-session irqbalance jarwrapper katepart kbd kde-runtime kdebase-runtime kdelibs-bin
  kdelibs5-plugins kdepim-runtime kdepimlibs-kio-plugins kdoctools keyboard-configuration knotes kubuntu-debug-installer lftp libakonadi-contact4 libakonadi-kcal4
  libakonadi-kde4 libakonadi-kmime4 libkabc4 libkatepartinterfaces4 libkcal4 libkcalutils4 libkde3support4 libkdepim4 libkdewebkit5 libkemoticons4 libkfile4 libkhtml5
  libkio5 libkmediaplayer4 libknewstuff3-4 libknotifyconfig4 libkontactinterface4 libkparts4 libkpimidentities4 libkpimtextedit4 libkpimutils4 libktexteditor4
  libmailtransport4 libmicroblog4 libnss-mdns libplasma3 libsolid4 lightdm linux-generic linux-generic-pae linux-image-3.0.0-12-generic linux-image-3.0.0-12-generic-pae
  linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic linux-image-3.0.0-13-generic-pae linux-image-3.0.0-14-generic linux-image-3.0.0-14-generic-pae linux-image-3.0.0-15-generic
  linux-image-3.0.0-15-generic-pae linux-image-3.0.0-16-generic linux-image-3.0.0-16-generic-pae linux-image-generic linux-image-generic-pae linux-sound-base lsb-core
  modemmanager mysql-server mysql-server-5.1 nautilus-share network-manager network-manager-gnome network-manager-pptp network-manager-pptp-gnome ntfs-3g ntpdate
  oss-compat pcmciautils plasma-scriptengine-javascript plymouth-label plymouth-theme-fade-in plymouth-theme-ubuntu-logo plymouth-theme-ubuntu-text pm-utils
  powermgmt-base ppp pppconfig pppoeconf pptp-linux qapt-batch rsyslog sane-utils sat4j simple-scan telepathy-salut telnet ubuntu-minimal ubuntu-standard ufw
  update-notifier upower ureadahead usb-creator-common usb-creator-gtk wine wine1.3 wireless-crda xdiagnose xorg xserver-xorg xserver-xorg-core xserver-xorg-input-all
  xserver-xorg-input-evdev xserver-xorg-input-mouse xserver-xorg-input-synaptics xserver-xorg-input-vmmouse xserver-xorg-input-wacom xserver-xorg-video-all
  xserver-xorg-video-ati xserver-xorg-video-cirrus xserver-xorg-video-fbdev xserver-xorg-video-geode xserver-xorg-video-intel xserver-xorg-video-mach64
  xserver-xorg-video-mga xserver-xorg-video-neomagic xserver-xorg-video-nouveau xserver-xorg-video-openchrome xserver-xorg-video-qxl xserver-xorg-video-r128
  xserver-xorg-video-radeon xserver-xorg-video-s3 xserver-xorg-video-savage xserver-xorg-video-siliconmotion xserver-xorg-video-sis xserver-xorg-video-sisusb
  xserver-xorg-video-tdfx xserver-xorg-video-trident xserver-xorg-video-vesa xserver-xorg-video-vmware
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  diff erlang-base-hipe libraw1394-8 libsepol1 mktemp
The following packages have been kept back:
  python-cddb python-notify
The following packages will be upgraded:
  libavc1394-0
1 upgraded, 5 newly installed, 181 to remove and 2 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/9,339 kB of archives.
After this operation, 1,565 MB disk space will be freed.
Do you want to continue [Y/n]? 

My Ubuntu is staring with the "speaker" signal in the alsa-mixer. Everytime I boot my computer I have to go there and uncheck the "mute" checkbox. How can I make it unmute automatically so that I don't have to do it manually everytime?

Thanks.

I have been some trouble using applications that require MIDI like GuitarPro6 and tuxguitar.

These both programs make use of MIDI synthesis. However, I can only listen the midi output when I actually export the files I am working on and can't listen anything when I am just inputting notes as I should.

Any idea how to fix this?

I have an Asus N82JV with touchpad configured for single tap, double tap and two-finger vertical scroll. Even though I have the "Enable horizantal scrolling" in the mouse configurations it still doesn't work.

Any idea how to fix? Thanks.

I normally use a mini jack cable to connect the audio out of my laptop to my guitar amp to listen to music.

When the computer is on battery I have no problem whatsover with the sound quality. However, the second I plug in the charger to the laptop I get a lot of noise in the guitar amp.

I have Windows 7 on dual boot and this problem doesn't happens there, which allows me to conclude that this is software problem of some sort.

Any idea how to solve it? Thanks.

I have been using the default Ubuntu 11.10 with Unity for some time now and decided to start customizing it.

I have already been able to make some changes with the gnome-tweak-tool. However, there are many themes that I get from gnome-look.org that don't appear in the gnome-tweak-tool even after putting them in the /usr/share/themes folder.

Any idea why this is happening? Thanks.

When trying to install the wxmaxima app from the Ubuntu Software Center I am getting this error:

Failed to fetch http://pt.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/universe/g/gmp4/libgmp3c2_4.3.2+dfsg-2ubuntu1_i386.deb 403 Forbidden

I suppose that for some reason the file isn't availabe in the .pt server. Is there anyway to try with a different one?

Thanks.

I have no problem with sound when the headphones are connected. However, I am getting no sound from the laptop speakers.

Any ideas how to overcome this?

_{(I am running Ubuntu 11.10 on a Asus N82JV.)}

edit: I can achieve point 1 now. Still need a solution for point 2, though.

I am having a hard time configuring my notebook's touchpad.

The touchpad already works. It successfully responds to one-finger tap, two-finger tap and two-finger vertical scrolling.

What I want to accomplish:

1. change two-finger tap action from right-mouse click to middle-mouse click
2. add three-finger tap functionality to yield right-mouse click action (i have checked that the three-finger tap is supported by my laptop's touchpad since it works on Windows)

I read on a forum to use this as a guide.

I have successfully accomplished point 1 with synclient TapButton2=2. However, I have to do it everytime I log in. I have tried to put that command on /etc/rc.local but the computer always boots and logins with the default configuration.

Regarding point 2, I have tried synclient TapButton3=3 but it doesn't do anything when I three-finger tap the touchpad.

I am running Ubuntu 11.10 on an Asus N82JV.

/etc/X11/xorg.conf:

nuno@mozart:~$ cat /etc/X11/xorg.conf  Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "touchpad catchall"
        Driver "synaptics"
        MatchIsTouchpad "on"        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"             Option "TapButton1" "1"             Option "TapButton2" "2"             Option "TapButton3" "3" EndSection

/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-synaptics.conf:

nuno@mozart:~$ cat /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/50-synaptics.conf
# Example xorg.conf.d snippet that assigns the touchpad driver
# to all touchpads. See xorg.conf.d(5) for more information on
# InputClass.
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE, your distribution will likely overwrite
# it when updating. Copy (and rename) this file into
# /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d first.
# Additional options may be added in the form of
#   Option "OptionName" "value"
#
Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "touchpad catchall"
        Driver "synaptics"
        MatchIsTouchpad "on"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
            Option "TapButton1" "1"
            Option "TapButton2" "2"
            Option "TapButton3" "3"
EndSection

xinput list:

nuno@mozart:~$ xinput list
⎡ Virtual core pointer                      id=2    [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer                id=4    [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® Nano Transceiver v2.0    id=12   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® Nano Transceiver v2.0    id=13   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ ETPS/2 Elantech Touchpad                  id=16   [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣ Virtual core keyboard                     id=3    [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard               id=5    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                              id=6    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                 id=7    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                 id=8    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Sleep Button                              id=9    [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ USB2.0 2.0M UVC WebCam                    id=10   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Microsoft Microsoft® Nano Transceiver v2.0    id=11   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Asus Laptop extra buttons                 id=14   [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard              id=15   [slave  keyboard (3)]

How can I pin eclipse indigo 3.7 I have 'installed' at /opt/ to the taskbar?

I have tried launching eclipse and right-clicking to choose the 'keep in launcher' option. But when I click that icon, after closing eclipse, it doesn't start eclipse.

I have already looked at How do I add Eclipse Indigo to the launcher? but no answer worked for me. (Mod note: The answers from this thread are now merged into this one)

Is there a way to clear the pop up notifications I get from changing the volume, brightness, dropbox updates, etc...?

Sometimes I have to sit and wait for them to go away so that I can continue to work, as they are blocking something I want to click or look at.

I know this question might seem a little naggy but it does indeed lower my productivity sometimes. I don't mind getting the notifications, but I do mind not having a option to clear them.

Any idea how I can do that?

I am using Ubuntu 11.10 (Gnome)

I have installed gnome 3 with

sudo apt-get install gnome-shell 

on Ubuntu 11.10.

But when I choose the 'Gnome' profile on the login screen I get the 'Gnome Classic' profile instead. Nothing even similiar to the awesome screenshots I have seen on many blog posts.

How to launch the real 'Gnome'?

Thanks.

P.S Can this be because of not having the proper video drivers installed? Because I don't have yet...

I have just installed Ubuntu 11.10 and I am getting this message:

To run a command as administrator (user "root"), use "sudo <command>".
See "man sudo_root" for details.

every time I run a terminal window. How can I disable it?

Thanks.

How can I achieve the following:

type vdm in the terminal and that will be replaced by wine Program Files/The VDM++ Toolbox Lite v8.3.1/bin

I also wanted vdm to work in any folder I am whatsoever.