Archives For November 30, 1999

Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial

The first alpha of Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus LTS has been released. Features images for Lubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, and UbuntuKylin.

Ubuntu 16.04 Alpha 1 comes with Linux Kernel 4.3. As an alpha pre-release, it is only recommended for developers and those who want to test by finding, reporting, and/or fixing bugs.

xerus

Download links:

For a reminder of upcoming Ubuntu release dates see the table:

January 28th Alpha 2 (for opt-in flavors)
February 25th Beta 1 (for opt-in flavors)
March 24th Final Beta
April 14th FinalFreeze, ReleaseCandidate
April 21st Final release of Ubuntu 16.04

Nuvola Player 3

Linux cloud music player Nuvola Player 3 finally goes stable. Its official repository is ready for Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04, and derivatives.

Nuvola Player 3 supports various services such as Google Play Music, 8tracks, Amazon Cloud Player, Bandcamp, Deezer, Jango, KEXP Live Stream, Logitech Media Server, Mixcloud, Plex Music, Spotify, TuneIn, Yandex Music.

Nuvola Player 3 supported services

The new release has been rewritten from scratch and contains plenty of improvements over Nuvola Player 2. It features:

  • built on top of WebKit2Gtk+ so it doesn’t need any hacks to support Flash plugin
  • run multiple services side-by-side, the software creates a desktop application shortcut when a particular service starts
  • official repositories for Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora.
  • GTK header bar, client-side-decorations in Gnome.
  • and more at the release page.

How to Install Nuvola Player 3 in Ubuntu:

Open terminal from Unity Dash, Application Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, run below command one by one.

1. Add the official repository.

Paste below command in terminal and hit run:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb https://tiliado.eu/nuvolaplayer/repository/deb/ wily stable" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tiliado-nuvolaplayer.list'

Type in your password (no visual feedback so just type in mind) when it asks and hit enter.
nuvola-player-repository

Here you may replace wily in the code with:

  • wily — for Ubuntu 15.10 Wily Werewolf
  • vivid — for Ubuntu 15.04 Vivid Vervet
  • trusty — for Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, Linux Mint 17.x, Elementary OS Freya, etc.

2. Add GPG key to trust the repository packages.

sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys 40554B8FA5FE6F6A

3. Finally install Nuvola Player 3 via either Synaptic Package Manager after clicking Refresh, or below commands one by one:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install nuvolaplayer3

For those who hate Linux commands, try the graphics installer available at this page.

peazip 5.2.0

PeaZip file manager and file archiver has reached the 5.9.1 release recently. Here’s a quick tip for you how to install it in 64-bit Ubuntu.

PeaZip website provides the .deb binaries for Debian/Ubuntu based systems, but the software does not launch after installing it on 64-bit Ubuntu. The workaround is to simply install the 32-bit dependency libraries.

PeaZip File Archiver in Ubuntu

1. Go to link below:

PeaZip download archive

select download

  • peazip_x.x.x.LINUX.GTK2-2_i386.deb for 32-bit Ubuntu
  • peazip_x.x.x.LINUX.GTK2-2_all.deb for 64-bit Ubuntu

2. For 32-bit machine just install the package and you’re done.

The 64-bit package requires ia-32 libs, which is no available in Ubuntu since Ubuntu 13.10. The “fix” is to simply install the 32bit dependency libraries on 64bit Ubuntu, and that’s how multiarch works.

So first open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and run to install dependencies:

sudo apt-get install libatk1.0-0:i386 libc6:i386 libcairo2:i386 libgdk-pixbuf2.0-0:i386 libglib2.0-0:i386 libgtk2.0-0:i386 libpango1.0-0:i386 libx11-6:i386 libcanberra-gtk-module:i386

Then click to open and install downloaded PeaZip binary via Software Center or Gdebi.

3. You may right-click on one of your RAR, ZIP, TAR, etc. files, go to the Properties -> Open With tab. Finally select PeaZip as the default application to open these file formats.

openas-peazip

Mixxx 2.0

The Mixxx team finally announced the release of its free, open-source DJ software Mixxx 2.0 after years of development.

Mixxx 2.0 comes with so many new features and below is a few of them:

  • Dynamic, resizable skins to fit whatever size screen you have.
  • Support the latest DJing techniques
  • New effect processing system
  • Cover art support
  • Improved, expanded support for DJ controllers
  • upgraded libraries and much more.

For more details, go to the release page.

Mixxx 2.0

How to install Mixxx 2.0:

Mixxx has an official PPA repository, which contains the binaries for Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04, and derivatives.

1. Add the PPA.

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command and hit run:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mixxx/mixxx

Type in your password (no visual feedback just type in mind) when it asks and hit enter to continue.

mixxx-ppa

2. Install or upgrade the software.

If you have a previous release installed, launch Software Updater after added the PPA to check for updates and upgrade Mixxx.

Or, run commands below one by one in terminal to do the update and install things:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install mixxx

3. (Optional)

After installation, you may keep the PPA for receiving future updates, or disable/remove PPA via either Software & Updates -> Other Software tab, or command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:mixxx/mixxx

Install KeePassX 2 with YubiKey Support in Ubuntu

Last updated: December 28, 2015

KeePassX 2 YubiKey support

For those who want the YubiKey support for KeePassX 2.0, a new stable series released a month ago, here’s a PPA built the binaries a few days ago for Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, and Ubuntu 14.04.

YubiKey (a USB authentication device) support is added by configuring a YubiKey slot to operate in HMAC-SHA1 challenge-response mode. The mechanism works by submitting the database master seed as a challenge to the YubiKey which replies with a HMAC-SHA1 cryptographic hash. The resultant hash is then hashed with the other keys (password, keyfile) to generate the final key used to encrypt the database.

How to Install KeePassX 2.0 with YubiKey support:

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command one by one and hit run:

1. Add YubiKey stable PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:yubico/stable

Type in your password when it asks, no visual feedback so just type in mind, and hit Enter to continue.

yubikey-ppa

2. Add the KeePassX 2 PPA built with YubiKey support:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hda-me/keepassx2-yubico

3. Finally update package cache and install both keepassx and yubikey-personalization-gui:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install yubikey-personalization-gui keepassx

4. (Optional) After installation, you may keep the PPAs for receiving future updates, or disable/remove them via Software & Updates -> Other Software.

manage-ppa

For more information: github.com/keepassx/keepassx/pull/52

SuperTux 0.4.0

SuperTux, a classic Super Mario-like 2D jump ‘n run sidescroller game, has reached the 0.4.0 release, a new STABLE release since 0.1.3 after more than 10 years of development.

supertux-040

Compared to 0.1.3, this release features:

  • a nearly completely rewritten game engine based on OpenGL, OpenAL, SDL2, …
  • support for translations
  • in-game manager for downloadable add-ons and translations
  • Bonus Island III, a for now unfinished Forest Island and the development levels in Incubator Island
  • a final boss in Icy Island
  • new and improved soundtracks and sound effects
  • new badguys, bonuses and power-ups (air-, earth- and ice-flower)
  • a halloween tilemap
  • new graphic effects (glowing objects, particles, …)
  • levels and worldmaps are scriptable using squirrel
  • much more game objects: trampolines, switches, portable stones, wind, moving platforms, … – most of them have scripting APIs
  • improved statistics
  • many invisible changes, like unit tests, efficiency improvements and more bugfixes
  • much more..

Compared to the latest beta, 0.3.5a, SuperTux 0.4.0 features updated translations, many bugfixes, more levels, and much more. See the release notes for details.

How to Install SuperTux 0.4.0 in Ubuntu:

For Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, the new release has been made into the official Ubuntu repositories, just search for and install the game via Software Center.

For Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 14.04, and Mint 17.x, run below commands one by one in terminal to install it from third-party PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install supertux supertux-data

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb packages from links below:

1. First download and install supertux-data for both 32-bit & 64-bit:

supertux-data for Ubuntu 15.10

supertux-data for Ubuntu 14.04

2. Then install the .deb package for supertux:

supertux for Ubuntu 15.10: 32-bit | 64-bit

supertux for Ubuntu 14.04: 32-bit | 64-bit

Firefox 43.0 Released, How to Upgrade in Ubuntu

Last updated: December 16, 2015

Mozilla Firefox

Mozilla Firefox web browser has reached the 43 release on Tuesday, available for upgrade in Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04, Ubuntu 14.04, Ubuntu 12.04 and their derivatives.

What’s new in Firefox 43:

  • Private Browsing with Tracking Protection offers choice of blocking additional trackers
  • Improved API support for m4v video playback
  • Firefox 64-bit for Windows is now available via the Firefox download page
  • Users can choose search suggestions from the Awesome Bar
  • On-screen keyboard displayed on selecting input field on devices running Windows 8 or greater
  • Firefox Health Report has switched to use the same data collection mechanism as telemetry

Also various security fixes and developer improvements are included in this release. See the release note.

How to Install / Upgrade:

Canonical has made the new release into the updates & security repositories for all current Ubuntu releases.

To install it, just run Software Updater and click install available updates after checking for updates:

Firefox 43 available for upgrade

Don’t see it in the list? Launch Software & Updates, select download from ‘Main Server’ and make sure the security and updates repositories are enabled in Updates tab.

StepMania PPA

StepMania is a free dance and rhythm game for Windows, Mac, and Linux. It features 3D graphics, keyboard and “dance pad” support, and an editor for creating your own steps.

StepMania 5.0.10, the most recent stable release, has been released for more than a month. Due to lack of Ubuntu binaries, I’ve finally built this release into PPA available for Ubuntu 15.10, Ubuntu 15.04 and Ubuntu 14.04.

StepMania 5.0.10 in Ubuntu

Install StepMania 5 via PPA:

UPDATE: The PPA supports until Ubuntu 18.04! For Ubuntu 20.04 and later, please use Flatpak package instead, see this step by step guide for details

Before getting started, remove previous release and backup songs if any.

1. Add PPA.

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut keys. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/stepmania

StepMania PPA

Type in your password (no visual feedback just type in mind) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

2. After that, search for and install stepmania via Synaptic Package Manager after clicking Refresh.

Or run below commands one by one in terminal to refresh index and install the game:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install stepmania

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb packages from This Page. Ubuntu 14.04 and its derivatives need FFmpeg.

3. (Optional) To remove the PPA and uninstall the game, run:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/stepmania

sudo apt-get remove stepmania stepmania-data

In addition, after first launch the game will create .stepmania-5.0 folder in user root directory. Press Ctrl+H to view this hidden folder and install Themes, Songs, etc into sub-folders.

Song directory structure: root folder (.stepmania-5.0/Songs) -> group folder -> song/simfile folder -> *.png, *.mp3/*.ogg, *.sm/*.ssc/etc files

Get more songs: stepmania.com/forums/songs/

install songs

LightTable IDE

The Light Table IDE has just reached a new stable release after more than one year of development. Now it provides 64-bit only binary for Linux.

Changes in LightTable 0.8.0:

  • CHANGED: We have switched to Electron from NW.js
  • CHANGED: LT’s releases and self-updating processes are completely in the open on Github
  • ADDED: LT can be built from source with provided scripts across supported platforms
  • ADDED: Most of LT’s node libraries are installed as npm dependencies instead of as forked libraries
  • ADDED: Significant documentation. See more below
  • FIX: Major usability issues on >= OSX 10.10
  • CHANGED: 32-bit linux is no longer an official download. Building from source will still be supported
  • FIX: ClojureScript eval for modern versions of ClojureScript
  • More details at github.com/LightTable/LightTable/releases

LightTable 0.8.0

How to Install Light Table 0.8.0 in Ubuntu:

Below steps show you how to install the official binary in Ubuntu. Works on all current Ubuntu releases (64-bit only).

Before getting started, please make a backup if you have a previous release installed.

1. Download the Linux binary from link below:

lighttable-0.8.0-linux.tar.gz

2. Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T keys. When it opens, paste below command and hit enter:

gksudo file-roller ~/Downloads/lighttable-0.8.0-linux.tar.gz

open-via-fileroller

Install gksu from Ubuntu Software Center if the command does not work.

3. Previous command opens the downloaded archive via Archive Manager using root user privilege.

When it opens, do:

  • right-click and rename the folder name to LightTable
  • extract it to Computer -> /opt/ directory.

extract-lighttable

Finally you should have the LightTable installed to /opt/ directory:

lighttable-in-opt

4. Create a launcher so you can start LightTable from Unity Dash or App Launcher.

Open terminal and run below command to create & edit a launcher file for LightTable:

gksudo gedit /usr/share/applications/lighttable.desktop

When the file opens via Gedit text editor, paste below and save the file:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Light Table
GenericName=Text Editor
Comment=Open source IDE that modify, from running programs to embed websites and games
Exec=/opt/LightTable/LightTable %F
Terminal=false
MimeType=text/plain;
Icon=/opt/LightTable/resources/app/core/img/lticon.png
Categories=TextEditor;Development;Utility;
StartupNotify=true
Actions=Window;Document;

Name[en_US]=Light Table

[Desktop Action Window]
Name=New Window
Exec=/opt/LightTable/LightTable -n
OnlyShowIn=Unity;

[Desktop Action Document]
Name=New File
Exec=/opt/LightTable/LightTable --command new_file
OnlyShowIn=Unity;

So it looks like:

lighttable-launcher

Finally launch the IDE from Unity Dash or Application Launcher and enjoy!

KeePassX 2

KeePassX, a native Linux port of KeePass password manager, finally reached the 2.0 release after several years of development.

KeePassX 2 has been rewritten from scratch. It uses the new .kdbx (same as KeePass 2) database format. You can import your .kdb database from 0.4 series from menu Database > Import KeePass 1 database.

New features include:

  • Multiple attachments per entry
  • Add custom key/value pairs to entries
  • Open multiple database in one window

For more details, see official release note.

KeePassX 2

How to Install KeePassX 2 in Ubuntu:

The official KeePassX PPA does not update at the moment, but a third-party PPA has built the KeePassX 2.0 for Ubuntu 16.04 LTS, Ubuntu 15.04, and Ubuntu 14.04 LTS.

1. Add PPA

Open terminal from Unity Dash, App Launcher, or via Ctrl+Alt+T shortcut key. When it opens, paste below command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:eugenesan/ppa

keepassx-3thparty-ppa

Update: The 14.04 package so far is broken in the eugenesan/ppa. Use this PPA instead with yubikey support:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:hda-me/keepassx2-yubico

Type in your password when it asks (no visual feedback just type in mind) and hit Enter to continue.

2. After that, upgrade KeePassX by running Software Updater. Or run below commands one by one in terminal:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install keepassx

For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab the .deb installer directly from HERE.

3. (Optional) As a third-party PPA, it also contains many other applications. You may remove the PPA after installation by either using Software & Updates -> Other Software tab, or running below command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:eugenesan/ppa && sudo apt-get update