Ceci est une ancienne révision du document !
This title may sound like a tutorial, but it is not…
I want to investigate what goes into installing Ubuntu in 2019 and how long it takes you to get it working. Someone recently told me it takes them three hours to set up an Ubuntu desktop machine. (I thought if only!).
After doing a clean install of Ubuntu, before I even connect to the internet to do updates, it takes me some time to get where I want to be.
• Since I have been getting SSD’s, I change vmswappiness to 10 or lower. • I remove things I do not use from start-up, like bluetooth. • I start tweaking FireFox, Turn off geolocation, put my cache into RAM, etc. • I tweak my network, turn off IPv6, etc, and import my hosts file. • I remove extra locale’s and software I do not use. • I usually import my user RC, and tweak Grub. • I pimp my termina,, mouse, and keyboard. • I may start making my desktop nicer, but usually I leave this until I do updates. Maybe create a RAMdisk. • I keep a lot of DEB files around, as I used to have very limited internet, and install some base apps, like Sayonara, so I can listen to music / podcasts while I work.
It is at this point I connect to the internet.
• I remove snap core, do updates. • I run my install script and add my PPA’s and additional architecture if needed. • I download my browser add-ons for each browser and tweak the new ones. • I create an encrypted container and set up Veracrypt for a container within (Inception stuff!). • I tweak things like conky and start-up sounds and whisker menu. • I build all my software not in the repo’s, like fsearch, etc. • I install additional drivers, like Wi-Fi and any toys I may have gained. • I pimp my additional terminals, and firewall, and printers / scanners. • I start theming my applications, like Zerobrane, etc.
Now my computer is ready to accept my data. (I keep my data on an encrypted external, so Veracrypt needs to be installed first).
• I copy my data across – on a new install I do not like to keep my old home folder as software has as a way of leaving traces all over your home folder. • I start importing my fonts. (I have not found a quick way to do this). While I do this, I usually scan my machine with ClamAV – just in case. • I add Appimages and Flatpak and OCS store. • I set up my different email accounts on Geary / Sylpheed, etc. and import my Thunderbird mail. (I rather use different clients for different accounts, than have all in one). • I start setting up software that install via script, like JDownloader2. • If it is a music PC, I start fiddling with Synths, sound settings and different kernels. • Since my graphics cards are old – I start wrangling Nvidia 3.04 driver and replacing the composting with Compton. (Anything is better than Intel snail graphics). • Now I start fiddling with newly installed apps whose defaults I change, like Smplayer, etc. • Now I do an IDS scan and take a backup of the fresh install in case something goes horribly wrong.
This can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days, depending on what I am doing in between.
What do YOU do when you reload your Ubuntu machine?
Let us know – misc@fullcirclemagazine.org.