First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

[KubuntuForums20091222]

Hi
--
I'm new to Kubuntu, but have worked with other Linux Distributions and OS/360. We selected Kubuntu after reading about it, and trying a copy distributed with Linux Professional Magazine. The common first question I have with all distributions is "how". Once a package is installed, where is everything, and how are applications and system tasks configured - manually, add-on, system admin tool, or some combination. I have a new machine which will replace 2 or more machines in a network (virtualization), and I've downloaded Kubuntu 10.4-DVD -Desktop, but will be also running apache2, databases, perl, php, etc.

The list of sites I've been referring to for installation, customization, standards and documentation are shown below. I usually get bits and pieces from each site to work on Kubuntu. Any other suggestions?

Resources
----------------------------------------------------
- kubuntuguide.org
- packages.ubuntu.com/karmic
- manpages.ubuntu.com/manpages/karmic
- www.debian.org/doc
- help.ubuntu.com/community
- help.ubuntu.com/9.10/serverguide
- bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/

Questions
-----------
1. Is there a list of packages online for Kubuntu, like Ubuntu (http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/)?

This is one example. When I do a `aptitude search cron`, I see 'kcron'. But I can't seem to find that package
at http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/. Since it is a kde4 apt, I thought I should be looking at a Kubuntu package list, but I couldn't find one.

The documentation at kubuntuguide.org/Karmic#Automating_Tasks says,
"K menu -> System Settings -> Advanced -> Task Scheduler", but there is no "Task Scheduler" there.
I did an `aptitude search cron` to see if perhaps I needed to install something. That's when I spotted 'kcron'. I went to packages.ubuntu.com to read about it, but as I mentioned I couldn't find it. In the past, I've just used crontab on the command line for system and user task scheduling.

2. Is there any problem using 'webmin' for Kubuntu administration?

3. I installed 'apt-log' for package installation reporting. Any other good installation add-on's to supplement apt-get? I really like the command line installation. I always `apt-get... | tee ` so I can review the output if I need too later.

4. Any GUI for configuring the network services, system service like runlevels, managing logrotate/updatedb, etc? Or is it all manual?

5. I will be installing Apache, PHP, Mysql and PostgresQL. Any tools in Kubuntu to configure apache2, or do I update the files manually in apache2? If so, are the man pages the best source for doc?

6. I've been installing individual packages or what seem to be single applications. If there are 2 options for an application, I install the one proceeded by a "v".

Are there bundled packages? If so, where can I find out more about them. Some examples might be 'fonts', 'graphics', 'development', 'games', or 'math education'. Are "virtual" packages bundled packages?

7. Regarding fonts, anyway to see which one's are installed? I did install msttcorefonts which was mentioned at kubuntuguide.org.
** Update: K -> System Setting -> Font Installer

Thank you.

[Ole Juul]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

The package manager which came with your distribution will list all the programs in the repositories. They can be viewed by groups. Some packages install many related programs. Be sure to do an update (sudo apt-get update) so all the latest packages are listed. You can add other repositories to the list.

What other Linux distros have you tried?

[KubuntuForums20091222]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

In the early days it was Slackware, but for the last several years it has been SuSE.

I've used `dpkg` to list files and list package info, but I've only seen how to display information for already installed packages.

I was going to http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/ for information, but I couldn't find a similar site for kubuntu.

Thank you.

[Ole Juul]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

I'm puzzled at why you don't do it using Synaptic. I think that everything you want is one click away.
You don't need to go to any site - just look on your own computer and you will get the same information as on the Ubuntu site your indicated. If you need more information on a particular package than the long description provides, just use Google and go to the home page or sourceforge etc.

[KubuntuForums20091222]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

Synaptic is Gnome/Ubuntu and wasn't installed with Kubuntu. I played with KPackageKit, though. My personal preference is towards the console command approach, and dpkg/apt-get/aptitude was one of the reasons I went with Kubuntu. It's a good learning experience.

It seems like the answer is, no - 1) Kubuntu version of http://packages.ubuntu.com/karmic/? These pages also have links to Ubuntu Resources, Similar packages, and I poke around and read a bit. I'm still learning how best to use Kubuntu web resources and where the line is divided between Ubuntu and Kubuntu.

[KubuntuForums20091222]

Re:How do you go about configuring your system

How do you go about configuring your system?

kubuntuguide.org has been helpful. Kubuntu seems like an in between approach between Slackware and SuSE. I read some admin applications are gone and being rewritten for KDE4. I think the approach I'll take is, look at System Setting -> Advanced, if there is something, okay, if not, manually edit configuration files. Guess that means manually edit apache2 files :-)

[Ole Juul]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

You install your package manager of choice regardless of what came with the distro. IMHO, you really need a package manager where you can click a bunch of stuff to uninstall, along with a bunch of stuff to uninstall, in order to experience Kubuntu.

I think the approach I'll take is, look at System Setting -> Advanced, if there is something, okay, if not, manually edit configuration files. Guess that means manually edit apache2 files :-)

I have not idea what you mean by "Advanced", but agree that's the way I do it. Besides using a GUI can be a way to learn. Once you know, it's generally easier to edit configuration files. A good example would be network setup. However, when it comes to configuring the GUI (eg colours and fonts) I think it is easier to just use the setup utility.

Regarding apache2, you will eventually need to edit some files but a lot of it comes working right out of the box if you install the server edition of Ubuntu instead. I would actually recommend that you dump the installation you have and go that route if you plan to run a server. It's a quick install and gives you choices of all the servers (database, apache2, etc) you might need. If you want KDE, just install the desktop from there using apt-get.

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

No one, however would recommend using a GUI on a server if security is a concern. Note too, that server and desktop applications each benefit from having their own kernels - although for general use it doesn't matter much.

[toad]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

1. not that I'm aware of.
2. nope
3. just come across apt-log myself - something apt had been missing sorely! not aware of any others
4. nope - unless of course there is something kde-apps.org
5. can't help I'm afraid, doesn't webmin have modules for that, too?
6. I'm afraid I don't understand...
7. you got already

You will find that while kde integration in kubuntu is a lot better than in most other distros it does not compare with suse which is quite simply the best on that score. Same goes for all the gui stuff (which is why suse is also so damn slow).

Sorry not to be able to help more, but I am currently off kubuntu myself...

[jglen490]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

I've been a Kubuntu user for a couple of years, so I'll try to answer a few questions for you. Of course the usual caveats, i.e., YMMV, if there's one way to do someting in Linux there're a hundred, etc.

1., 6., and 7. The best way I know of to view available packages is still Adept, or Synaptic (you CAN install that in Kubuntu). I've tried Kpackagekit, and it's better than it was under 9.04, but it has a long way to go. Adept will go find packages from any repo that is referenced in the /etc/apt/source.list file, and you can add repos via the GUI, or you can manually edit sources.list..

2. Toad handled that quite well, I think.

3. apt is still the best out there; all the GUIs are front ends to it. Adept will help you find and give info about any related packages, which is the main strength of a GUI, IMHO.

4. Kicker -> Settings -> System Settings has config tools, just look around it.

5. Don't have anything for you!!

[toad]

Re: First time Kubuntu user questions, but long time Linux

There is of course aptitude! ncurses interface and supposedly vastly superior. All I know is that apt never broke any of my kubuntus and that aptitude does manage to break sidux (different kettle of fish, it being a rolling release).