On the new released Ubuntu 16.04 desktop, you may get a few error popups that asks you to report problems. Some popups has already been reported so you may want to disable these error popups before they are fixed by upstream.
To do so, you can either temporarily stop the Apport service on current boot, or manually edit the config file to disable error reporting system permanently
1. To stop the Apport service, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:
sudo service apport stop
Type in password when it asks and hit Enter. There’s no visual feedback while typing your password.
2. To disable the apport system so you’ll never see the error popups, run command to edit config file:
sudo gedit /etc/default/apport
When the file opens, change the value to 0 and save it.
Here’s how to enable Secure Shell (SSH) service in Ubuntu 16.04 Xenial Xerus, the new LTS release, to allow secure remote login and other network communications.
Ubuntu provides OpenSSH (OpenBSD Secure Shell) in its universe repositories, which is a suite of security-related network-level utilities based on the SSH protocol.
1. To install it, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) or log in Ubuntu server and run command:
sudo apt-get install openssh-server
2. After that, you should have SSH service enabled in your system, you may check its status by running command:
sudo service ssh status
3. You may change some settings (e.g., the listening port, and root login permission) by editing the configuration file via command:
sudo nano /etc/ssh/sshd_config
On Ubuntu desktop, you may use gedit instead of nano:
Finally apply the changes by restarting or reloading SSH:
The lightweight PDF and XPS viewer MuPDF 1.9 has been released. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS and its derivatives.
According to the news page, MuPDF 1.9 brings following changes:
Headline changes:
New command line tools: create and run.
New low-level Java interface for desktop and android.
Bidirectional layout for Arabic and Hebrew scripts.
Shaping complex scripts for EPUB text layout.
Noto fallback fonts for EPUB layout.
mutool create:
Create new PDF files from scratch.
Read an annotated content stream in a text file and write a PDF file, automatically embedding font and image resources.
mutool run:
Run javascript scripts with MuPDF bindings.
The interface is similar to the new Java interface.
mutool draw:
Optional multi-threaded operation (Windows and pthreads).
Optional low memory mode (primarily for testing).
How to Install MuPDF in Ubuntu:
1. Launch terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to add PPA (unofficial):
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps
Type in your password when it asks and hit Enter to continue. No visual feedback while typing password. You can lately manage the PPA in Software & Updates -> Other Software.
2. Then update package index and install the software via commands:
After installation, right-click on a PDF/XPS file and select open with MuPDF. You may also set MuPDF as default viewer in file’s Properties settings window.
For those who don’t want to add PPA, grab .deb packages for mupdf and mupdf-tools at PPA Index page.
For Ubuntu laptops with dual graphics cards, Intel graphics is being used by default. To get the best graphics performance for playing games or charting, you need to manually switch to NVIDIA graphics card.
This can be easily done after installing Nvidia graphics drivers and below steps will show you how:
1. Search for and launch “Additional Drivers” utility from Unity Dash.
2. When it opens, you can see a list of recommended drivers for your graphics cards:
3. Install NVIDIA proprietary driver as it shows by launching terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:
sudo apt-get install nvidia-361
Replace nvidia-361, or just use nvidia-current instead and keep an eye on the installing process to make sure the installed driver is listed in above picture.
You may also install Intel proprietary driver, which is not required:
sudo apt-get install intel-microcode
4. After installed graphics drivers, re-launch Additional Drivers utility and apply new installed drivers, so it looks like:
5. Finally switch graphics card by launching NVIDIA X Server Settings and select a GPU you want at PRIME Profiles tab.
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There are also some other features such as m4b support for non-drm files, HipHop and Kuduro equalizers, IDv3 tag lyrics support, lyrics from AZLyrics, bollywoodlyrics.com, hindilyrics.net, lololyrics.com, Musixmatch, Tekstowo.pl, and more and more.
You can also install Clementine 1.3 from its official PPA, which allows you to receive future Clementine updates along with other system updates via Software Updater utility.
1. Add PPA.
Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and paste below command and hit run to add PPA:
This is a quick guide for beginners that shows how to remove / disable the Guest account login from Ubuntu 16.04 Unity Greeter.
LightDM configuration files are located in /usr/share/lightdm and /etc/lightdm. Disabling Guest account can be easily done by adding a rule into one of the two directories. And below I made a change in /etc/lightdm:
1. Open terminal from Unity Dash, or via Ctrl+Alt+T combination key.
When it opens, paste below command and run to create a sub folder:
sudo mkdir /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d
Type in your password (no visual feedback on typing) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.
2. Running below command to create a “50-no-guest.conf” file under this folder and write the rule allow-guest=false.
sudo sh -c 'printf "[SeatDefaults]\nallow-guest=false\n" > /etc/lightdm/lightdm.conf.d/50-no-guest.conf'
Now restart your computer and the Guest session disappeared.
3. To revert the changes, just remove the configuration file via command:
Skype for Linux sucks. It is lagging behind and has lots of problems, but some of Ubuntu users may still need this application.
Here’s the quick tip for beginners how to install Skype 4.3 in Ubuntu 16.04 LTS:
1. Enable Canonical Partners Repository
Canonical partners repository offers access to proprietary and closed-source software including Skype for Linux and is not enabled by default.
To enable it, launch Software & Updater from Unity Dash or System Settings, then check the first box in Other Software tab.
The second “Canonical Partners (Source Code)” is not required unless you want to get software sources and make some changes.
2. Skype won’t be listing in the Software App even after adding the partners repository. To install it, use Synaptic Package Manager (need to install):
click Reload to update cache
click Search and search Skype
right-click skype package from the list and select “Mark for Installation”
click Apply to apply changes
Or just open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and paste following command and hit run:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install skype
Type in your password (no visual feedback while typing password) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.
Finally launch Skype from Unity Dash or App Launcher and enjoy!
Looking for a weather app for your Ubuntu desktop? Though there are a few available in Software Center, I would recommend my-weather-indicator which is developed by atareao team.
My-weather-indicator is an advanced desktop weather app for Ubuntu Unity. It displays the current weather situation and a week forecast for your location through indicator menu and/or a desktop widget.
my weather indicator and “alinone” widget
one week forecast
It also allows you to see a map of current situation, forecast information for the next hours and days of the temperature, humidity and cloudiness.
Forecast for next hours
The app also features:
support two locations
weather services: Yahoo, OpenWeatherMap, wunderground.com, world weather online.
weather display: Temperature, Pressure, Humidity, Thermal sensation, Dew point, The speed and wind direction, cloudiness, Time sunrise, sunset and twilight, Moon phase
Weather Preferences Window
How to Install My-weather-indicator in Ubuntu:
The weather app is available in the developer’s PPA for all current Ubuntu releases. Follow the steps below to add PPA and install the software:
1. Add PPA
Open terminal from app launcher or via Ctrl+Alt+T keys. When it opens, paste below command and hit run:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:atareao/atareao
Type in your password (no visual feedback when typing) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.
2. Install the software via Synaptic Package Manager after clicked Refresh button. Or run following commands one by one in terminal:
Once installed, you can future update of the software alongside other system packages via the Software Updater utility.
3. (Optional) To remove the PPA, use Software & Updates -> Other Software. To remove my-weather-indicator, use Synaptic Package Manager or run command below in terminal:
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How to Install/upgrade Rhythmbox 3.3.1 in Ubuntu:
Besides building from the source, fossfreedom is maintaining a PPA to make it easy to install the latest Rhythmbox music player for all current Ubuntu releases.
1. Launch terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run below command to add PPA:
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:fossfreedom/rhythmbox
Type in your password (no visual feedback just type in mind) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.
2. After that, launch Software Updater and install updates for Rhythmbox, or just run below commands one by one in terminal:
Grub Customizer, a graphical configuration tool for Grub and BURG boot-loader, has recently reached the 5.0.x series with Ubuntu 16.04 support and a few fixes.
Grub Customizer provides a graphical interface to make it easy to:
create, move, remove, edit Grub menu entries
set default OS
show or hide Grub menu and change the time delay.
change background image, resolution, fonts, etc.
install Grub boot-loader to Windows’ MBR, and more.
Grub Customizer, edit menu entries
Grub Customizer General Settings
grub customizer theme settings
How to Install Grub-Customizer in Ubuntu 16.04:
This open-source application is available in the developer’s PPA repository for all current Ubuntu releases and their derivatives.
Install Grub Customizer and receive future updates via Software Updater:
1. Open terminal from App Launcher or via Ctrl+Alt+T keys. When it opens, paste below command to add PPA:
