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**dibl** · Jun 28, 2010, 04:45 AM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

Originally posted by bai.ganga

Problem Number-1: After Ubuntu window is fully open with all those add-on pictures and application shortcuts that I have attached on to the desktop, a pop-up appears stating "The application 'Amarak' has requested to open the kde wallet. Please enter the password for this wallet below.". During installation of the Kubuntu, I had used only one pass-word and that works fine as the root password for any changes that I make on Kubuntu. But all other passwords that I have ever used and totally blank password do not work with this kde wallet pop-up window and I have to press "cancel" for this pop-up window to vanish. Can someone please explain what exactly this kde wallet is and what is its significance?

KDE Wallet Manager: http://utils.kde.org/projects/kwalletmanager/

You can use it, or not, as you wish. It can have the same password as your user password, or a different password, as you wish.

Problem Number-2: I was experimenting with some modifications to the desktop on Kubuntu and probably pressed something accidentally. Now, if I minimize (by pressing the "v" sign on the right hand top of the screen) any of the open windows like a document or a movie or the web-browser anything like that, the thing just vanishes (as if I had pressed the "x" sign instead of "v") and is not available on the bar at the bottom of the screen! If I need to open that item, I have to once again open the document as if I had earlier closed it by pressing "x".

Probably you lost the "Task Manager" widget from your panel:

http://kubuntuforums.net/forums/inde...opic=3108522.0

Just click the cashew and "unlock widgets", then "Add Widget" and choose the task manager, then "lock widgets".

Problem Number-3: The clarity of sound from the laptop (or external speaker when attached) is not good when running a song or movie from the Linux whereas it is excellent when running on windows. Of course, there was a driver CD which came with the laptop - which installed quite a lot of software on top of windows - and this CD does not get activated with Kubuntu. And, some programs like the Web-cam, Blue-tooth and wireless network that work very well with windows, do not work in Kubuntu. The driver CD also had drivers for all these hardwares, which were installed on windows. Is there a solution to this?

Windows drivers are not generally of any use for Linux, the exception being that for some wireless chips there is a "ndiswrapper" solution that uses the Windows driver: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Wi...er/Ndiswrapper

Audio quality may or may not be subject to improvement -- depends on the sound chip in your Acer and the availability of a suitable driver. If it's an Intel HDA chip, then you need to review the options for the Intel driver database on Ubuntu Forums. There are several links to useful troubleshooting guidance in #6 in the FAQs in my signature, including one to the Intel driver options.

Query on Kubuntu update: Last couple of months or so, whenever I go into the net, I see some message stating something like "Kubuntu 10.4 LTS is available" and I have so far been electing not to update the system. I feel that this update will again load up some more of my hard disk space and something like what has happened to the windows (slowing down with so many updates) will happen. Is there any way to totally discontinue (or uninstall) the current version of Kubuntu before updating my system with the new version?

Since you have a bunch of performance issues with your 9.10 system, YES, I would advise either updating it or just doing a clean new installation of 10.04. Linux does not "automatically" load up the OS and hard drive with performance-killing junk, like Windows does, so I would not be concerned about that. But, with audio and wireless issues that need fixed anyway, and 10.04 being an LTS release while 9.10 is not, I would go for the new installation of 10.04, and then you can troubleshoot any residual issues. Try a 10.04 Live CD if you can, to check the performance of audio and wireless in advance of installing (you can make a bootable USB stick to try it if your Acer has no optical drive).

Linux kernels for (Edu)(X)(K)Ubuntu are all called "Ubuntu", so that's normal.

BTW, you will not normally be this lucky with a forum post that has a "laundry list" of issues and questions. I know it seems efficient to bundle it all up that way, but it is considered poor etiquette in a user forum. In the future I recommend you limit yourself to one issue per forum post -- there will be more users who know the answer to one issue than to a half-dozen.

**bai.ganga** · Jun 29, 2010, 05:06 AM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

Thank you very much for the answers. I am NEW here and I have so far not learned any "etiquettes" applicable to this community. I posted my query in the same manner as I would post a similar query on the microsoft website and your clarification was an important lesson, which I will always remember.

I have been using computers for about 20 years or so and all this while, it all meant some version of DOS, Windows and some programs like Wordstar and Wordperfect in the early days. In the last 10 years or so, I have used Windows 95, 98, ME, and XP as the operating systems and basically Microsoft's Office suite upto 2007 version. I am reasonably proficient in the use of these programs and never felt the necessity to upgrade to Windows Vista or Windows-7. All this while, I was so happy with Windows in all its versions that I had used and am now trying to "change my loyalties" since many of my friends have been telling me that LINUX is superior in every way when compared to WINDOWS. I have no shame in admitting that I am totally clueless as far as LINUX is concerned and well . . . honestly, I am not yet aware of various associated terms like the exact difference between Ubuntu and Kubuntu except some bit knowledge about a "KDE" environment in which Kubuntu is supposed to be working ! What exactly this KDE means or, how it makes a difference to the OS . . . . I have not yet understood. And well, I am making efforts to gradually learn more about all these.

Thanks once again.

**The Liquidator** · Jun 29, 2010, 06:34 AM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

My (incomplete) understanding is that linux is simply the kernel. There are a whole load of applications that have been created to run on top of that kernel to make it usable by humans but at which point the setup technically becomes an OS I would not care to suggest I know.

A much oversimplified description of the layers is:

Kernel running at the bottom Then
xorg server providing video then
Applications (including the desktop)

KDE is a set of applications that provide a gui based desktop and associated applications. KDE itself stands for "kool desktop environment" and it is exactly what it says - fundamentally the desktop that you see. In addition to the desktop to that KDE produce a wide range of applications that can be used in conjunction with their desktop, although their use is not in the main obligatory. KDE itself is only one of a number of different desktop environments - KDE and gnome are the 2 heavyweight desktops of the linux world, and there are numerous other lightweight desktops that could all be theoretically be installed on the same machine at the same time, so you could simply pick one at login.

So far as I can tell, applications running on a linux system do not interact with the kernel in the same way as windows applications do. As a result, if a linux application were to crash /freeze the solution would simply be to kill it and then carry with your work. At times it may look like the system has frozen up completely. With windows you would have to hit the off switch. With Linux you would hold down the alt + Sysrq keys and type reisub. As you do you will see the system respond to each keystroke signifying that whilst the applications may have frozen, the kernel hasn't and the sequence described makes the system do an orderly shutdown and reboot. This lack of integration with the kernel is also thought by many to contribute to the security of the system.

You may also find this to be a useful read

http://www.tuxradar.com/linuxstarterpack

HTH

**dibl** · Jun 29, 2010, 08:43 AM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

Originally posted by bai.ganga

Thank you very much for the answers. I am NEW here and I have so far not learned any "etiquettes" applicable to this community. I posted my query in the same manner as I would post a similar query on the microsoft website and your clarification was an important lesson, which I will always remember.

I have been using computers for about 20 years or so and all this while, it all meant some version of DOS, Windows and some programs like Wordstar and Wordperfect in the early days. In the last 10 years or so, I have used Windows 95, 98, ME, and XP as the operating systems and basically Microsoft's Office suite upto 2007 version. I am reasonably proficient in the use of these programs and never felt the necessity to upgrade to Windows Vista or Windows-7. All this while, I was so happy with Windows in all its versions that I had used and am now trying to "change my loyalties" since many of my friends have been telling me that LINUX is superior in every way when compared to WINDOWS. I have no shame in admitting that I am totally clueless as far as LINUX is concerned and well . . . honestly, I am not yet aware of various associated terms like the exact difference between Ubuntu and Kubuntu except some bit knowledge about a "KDE" environment in which Kubuntu is supposed to be working ! What exactly this KDE means or, how it makes a difference to the OS . . . . I have not yet understood. And well, I am making efforts to gradually learn more about all these.

Thanks once again.

You are quite welcome, and I'm glad you came and asked your questions here, for your first experience in a Linux forum. In addition to what Liquidator has said, which is quite true, what you will learn is that GNU/Linux is developed and supported by a volunteer "community". That fact, very different from the situation with Windows and Mac OS, can be seen as both "good news" and "bad news", depending on your perspective. The good news is, development and support is distributed worldwide and cannot be constrained, controlled, or redirected. The other good news is, for the kernel, desktop environments, and most commonly-used packages, development occurs quickly and more or less continuously, to the benefit of all the users. The bad news is, there is literally nowhere to go and no one to complain to, if you're not having a satisfactory experience. Related to that, you must always remember that no one is being paid to help you, and therefore no one owes you anything in the way of support. That's why it is important to make your forum posts simple, single-issue requests for assistance, and it is also more compelling if you can show you have already used a forum search and Google and still cannot find a solution on your own. Remember, probably 98% of all the questions have already been asked and answered, and the solution is available with a single thoughtful Google search.

Other thoughts:

- a lot of what you accepted as "facts" about computer operations, learned from your DOS/Windows experiences, is not true when using Linux

- be careful about "GNU/Linux is superior in every way to Windows/Mac" kinds of claims. Those aren't true, either.

Welcome!

**sithlord48** · Jun 29, 2010, 04:32 PM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

hello and welcome to kubuntu, i would do a fresh install of 10.04 since its Long Term Support release, that is if you don't have to many files to back up. as for your issues i see dibl has once again beat me to it. :P, also you might want to edit your first post and remove your email address (those pesky spam bots might find you..)

**Snowhog** · Jun 29, 2010, 05:32 PM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

Originally posted by sithlord48

you might want to edit your first post and remove your email address

Fixed.

**bai.ganga** · Jun 30, 2010, 05:19 AM

Re: Working with Kubuntu

Thank you all

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