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Category: Unity

Time for a change installing Cinammon on Xubuntu 14.04

2016-01-26 / / 0 Comments

Last week I posted about wanting some change by changing the interface, and took a look at several interfaces, this post is the second part, where I actually chose an interface and got down to business.

I decided to go with Cinnamon, it’s visually appealing and the download size is relatively small (51.4 MB). My only concern was reading online that it’s buggy and has many problems. But I was willing to take a chance!

At first I installed Cinnamon using these commands
This command is to add the repository to my system.
sudo add-apt-repository ppa:lestcape/cinnamon
This command is to update and install.
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install cinnamon.

After the first reboot I had Cinnamon as an option on the login screen, which still looked like it was in XFCE and I had to enter my password twice! (it’s a common bug actually!)

 

 

I figured that deleting Xubuntu will fix my problem, so I began deleting Xubuntu, once and for all!

I used several commands to make sure the interface went away, like:

sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get clean
sudo apt-get autoclean
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get purge xfce4

The second command is probably the longest I ever used, thank god for copy and paste!!

sudo apt-get remove abiword abiword-common abiword-plugin-grammar abiword-plugin-mathview bison blueman brltty-x11 catfish elementary-icon-theme exo-utils flex gigolo gimp gimp-data gmusicbrowser gnome-icon-theme-full gnome-system-tools gnome-time-admin gnumeric gnumeric-common gnumeric-doc gstreamer0.10-gnomevfs gthumb gthumb-data gtk2-engines-pixbuf gtk2-engines-xfce indicator-application-gtk2 indicator-messages-gtk2 indicator-sound-gtk2 indicator-status-provider-pidgin leafpad libabiword-2.8 libaiksaurus-1.2-0c2a libaiksaurus-1.2-data libaiksaurusgtk-1.2-0c2a libao-common libao4 libaudio-scrobbler-perl libbabl-0.0-0 libclutter-1.0-0 libclutter-1.0-common libclutter-gtk-1.0-0 libcogl-common libcogl5 libconfig-inifiles-perl libencode-locale-perl libept1 libexo-1-0 libexo-common libfile-listing-perl libfont-afm-perl libgarcon-1-0 libgarcon-common libgdome2-0 libgdome2-cpp-smart0c2a libgegl-0.0-0 libgimp2.0 libglade2-0 libgnomevfs2-extra libgoffice-0.8-8 libgoffice-0.8-8-common libgsf-1-114 libgsf-1-common libgstreamer-perl libgtk2-notify-perl libgtk2-trayicon-perl libgtkmathview0c2a libhtml-form-perl libhtml-format-perl libhtml-parser-perl libhtml-tagset-perl libhtml-tree-perl libhttp-cookies-perl libhttp-daemon-perl libhttp-date-perl libhttp-message-perl libhttp-negotiate-perl libid3tag0 libido-0.1-0 libilmbase6 libio-socket-ssl-perl libjpeg-progs libkeybinder0 liblink-grammar4 libloudmouth1-0 liblwp-mediatypes-perl liblwp-protocol-https-perl libmad0 libmailtools-perl libnet-dbus-perl libnet-http-perl libnet-ssleay-perl liboobs-1-5 libopenexr6 libotr2 libots0 libpolkit-gtk-1-0 libsexy2 libtagc0 libthunarx-2-0 libtie-ixhash-perl libtimedate-perl libtumbler-1-0 liburi-perl libwv-1.2-3 libwww-perl libwww-robotrules-perl libxfce4ui-1-0 libxfce4util-bin libxfce4util-common libxfce4util4 libxfcegui4-4 libxfconf-0-2 libxml-parser-perl libxml-twig-perl libxml-xpath-perl libxss1 lightdm-gtk-greeter link-grammar-dictionaries-en m4 mpg321 murrine-themes orage parole pastebinit pidgin pidgin-data pidgin-libnotify pidgin-microblog pidgin-otr plymouth-theme-xubuntu-logo plymouth-theme-xubuntu-text python-configobj python-glade2 quadrapassel ristretto screensaver-default-images synaptic system-tools-backends tango-icon-theme tango-icon-theme-common tcl8.5 thunar thunar-archive-plugin thunar-data thunar-media-tags-plugin thunar-volman ttf-droid ttf-lyx tumbler tumbler-common xchat xchat-common xfburn xfce-keyboard-shortcuts xfce4-appfinder xfce4-cpugraph-plugin xfce4-dict xfce4-fsguard-plugin xfce4-indicator-plugin xfce4-mailwatch-plugin xfce4-mixer xfce4-mount-plugin xfce4-netload-plugin xfce4-notes xfce4-notes-plugin xfce4-notifyd xfce4-panel xfce4-places-plugin xfce4-power-manager xfce4-power-manager-data xfce4-quicklauncher-plugin xfce4-screenshooter xfce4-session xfce4-settings xfce4-smartbookmark-plugin xfce4-systemload-plugin xfce4-taskmanager xfce4-terminal xfce4-utils xfce4-verve-plugin xfce4-volumed xfce4-weather-plugin xfconf xfdesktop4 xfdesktop4-data xfwm4 xfwm4-themes xscreensaver xscreensaver-data xscreensaver-gl xubuntu-artwork xubuntu-default-settings xubuntu-desktop xubuntu-docs xubuntu-icon-theme xubuntu-wallpapers



Finally I used Synaptic to make sure nothing titled XFCE was there, I used the custom filters Sections XFCE desktop environment universe to wipe anything that was left.


Using Synaptic to make sure all of XFCE's packages are gone.


Now I was running Cinnamon alone on my computer, and immediately I notice why it was dubbed as “Buggy”..


It was true, Cinnamon was buggy! I noticed several issues right off the bat!




A minor video issue was resolved in one of the reboots (no fix for that sadly).

The power manager is acting up, either this fixed my battery somehow or it’s just not reading it right!

I had to fix Docky like I did after the partial upgrade. This time locked all parts of it.

I rearranged the Grub menu items, now Ubuntu is top, I Also renamed it from Xubutnu to Ubuntu on the boot menut using Grub Customizer.


I was left with a buggy but pretty interface, and the login was messed up! Next week I’ll post what I did next, stay tuned!

							
	

				
	



	


		
								
			


							
					
											

					
										
			

				
						
				

											Time for a change of interface on on Xubuntu 14.04
									


							
			

			
				2016-01-19
				
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I have a need for change lately,  I have been shaking things up and reordering things here and there . I  believe its healthy. Amongst the changes decided to do some remodeling on my computer.









As you may know I use Xubuntu Linux and Windows 8.1 side by side as a dual boot. And since I just reverted back to Windows 8.1 (coming back from Windows 10) there is no need to mess around that. So it was time to take a look at my Linux distribution.


I have been using the same interface for quite some time now (since April 2014 to be specific) and that seems like a very long time to spend around one interface. 


 


XFCE works well and I configured it to work like I want. Using Docky and Kupfer to do my daily tasks. And it works too well I’m afraid!


 


XFCE is a minimalistic interface who focus on performance rather than visual appeal, that’s a polite way of saying it looks awful but works well.


 


The blue scheme is depressing! I felt a sudden urge to change the scenery ( not just editing the theme, NOPE!).


 


I took a look at the interface options available for my Ubuntu LTS 14.04 Trusty Taher:


 


    

  • Unity (Ubuntu’s default interface).
    • 

  • Gnome(Ubuntu’s former default interface).
    • 

  • Cinnamon(Comes with Mint).
    • 

  • KDE( I assumed it will be much bigger in size because its not Gnome based).
    • 

  • LXDE(has an even more minimalistic approach than XFE).
    • 



 


Back when I installed Xubuntu I made the system partition small, so this is going to be an issue. Added to the horrible Internet that Libyawears so proudly, I needed to make a sensible decision to accommodate all of these conditions.


 


Before going any further, I need to mention that a Linux interface isn’t a theme (there are themes available for every interface), its the upper layer of the system that has the visual elements, login controls, handler apps. While it sounds like a difficult thing to do, its actually very easy to install an interface. You can have multiple interfaces at the same time (if you have enough free space on your system partition.) and alternating between them is as easy as choosing the user on login!


 


It’s an easy change that feels like installing a whole new system without the hassle of starting over and installing everything like it was before, your apps will be safe but the apps that come with the interface will change from one to the other.




I divided this into parts, I’ll post the next part soon enough, let me know what you think in the comments section belows 🙂 


  

							
	

				
	



	


		
								
			


							
					
											

					
										
			

				
						
				

											Where did the Windows 10 inspiration came from?
									


							
			

			
				2015-05-11
				
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Hey there dear readers. How have you been?
Windows 10 seems like an innovated revolutionary system. Where did they come up with all those great ideas? You must be wondering! 


Hmmm?! From Linux perhaps?




Let’s take a look at the facts, shall we?




    

  • 1998 KDE 1.0 brought multiple desktops. When did Windows adopt that? 2015!
    • 

  • 2011 Unity brought the desktop on-line search. When did Windows adopt that? 2015! 
    • 

  • 2011 Unity brought Window spread. When did Windows adopt that? 2015! 
    • 

  • 2014 Ubuntu – KDE brought true convergence (Single code base) When did Windows adopt that? 
    • 

  • 2015! (False convergence) with Different code base!! 
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Check the info-graphic for more detail.




Can we call that stealing? No! That’s not how open source works. What Windows did here was slapping a label on an existing thing and calling it their own, I don’t think it’s stealing or unethical. But the people should know where the ideas originated from and have the right to decide for their own.


Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, one could say. I mean it took after Linux so much. And as the old saying goes: “If you can’t beat them, join them” with an NT twist, mimic them so much in private and curse them in public. That’s how to make business.


So Windows 10 is Ubuntu 11.11 with an overpriced tag? Maybe that’s why they won’t release a Windows 11!! (just kidding)..


It’s 10 so they break the habit 


of names and of course to escape the age old install routine that confuses Windows 9 with Windows 98! 


At least Microsoft has it’s own code! While Mac closed the source of Minix (Unix based system) and sold it as Mac OS under the BSD license!!


Big time companies steal ideas all the time and get away with it. The really clever ones like Mac steals then sews who steals from them?! Brilliant!!


Anyway. I’m a bit interested to see how will Windows 10 will fair in the real world. A world ruled and dominated by Microsoft. And by forcing the people to upgrade to it and even giving it free for a while. I think the way is paved!


If Windows 10 succeeds it’s going to be a hit. If it failed then it’s going to be a disaster!! They want to make it the alpha dog. But what if the dog was dead on arrival?


I’d like to know what do you have in mind. So press that sweet comment section and let me know what you have in mind 🙂 


Have a good day.

							
	

				
	


		

		
					
	

		
	
	
	
	


	              	        


    

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