Some easy setting questions - startup, shutdown, messaging

[driftwood]

Ok, thanks for having me.

I've been using kubuntu now on my laptop for about 6 months and found it very good. But now I have more time I want to customise it more to my liking so I have a few easy questions I want help with please.

1. When I shut down the screen gives me a message "blarr blarr will shut down in 30 seconds". I don't see the point to this and I want don't want to have to click twice to shut down. So where can I remove this setting.

2. Even after logging in I still need another password for my network to enable. This is some kind of suitcase lock or something, anyway I don't need that. I just want to turn my laptop on and it be ready to use as fast as possible.

3. Instent message ? why is it running and how can I get rid of it, I won't ever use it.

[sasha]

Ok, thanks for having me.

I've been using kubuntu now on my laptop for about 6 months and found it very good. But now I have more time I want to customise it more to my liking so I have a few easy questions I want help with please.

1. When I shut down the screen gives me a message "blarr blarr will shut down in 30 seconds". I don't see the point to this and I want don't want to have to click twice to shut down. So where can I remove this setting.

Did you try changing this: Settings > Startup & Shutdown > Desktop Session > Confirm Logout

2. Even after logging in I still need another password for my network to enable. This is some kind of suitcase lock or something, anyway I don't need that. I just want to turn my laptop on and it be ready to use as fast as possible.

Easy way: https://mschlander.wordpress.com/201...t-is-annoying/
Better way: https://blogs.kde.org/2016/06/03/unl...during-startup

3. Instent message ? why is it running and how can I get rid of it, I won't ever use it.

In "System tray settings" (right-click on the tray): uncheck General > Extra Items > Instant Messaging

[driftwood]

Did you try changing this: Settings > Startup & Shutdown > Desktop Session > Confirm Logout



Easy way: https://mschlander.wordpress.com/201...t-is-annoying/
Better way: https://blogs.kde.org/2016/06/03/unl...during-startup




In "System tray settings" (right-click on the tray): uncheck General > Extra Items > Instant Messaging

Well that was painless, thank you very much Sasha. I've done 1 and 3 will look at 2 when I have more time.

I'll try not to pester too much :-)

[BenjB83]

I would personally recommend to consider carefully if it makes sense to disable kwallet. I have put some thought into this myself, for the same reasons. Yet, kwallet asks only for one password, while giving you access to a whole lot of protected software. For example with entering the kwallet password on startup, you connect to your WIFI, you can connect to kmail to send and receive mails, etc. without being asked for passwords. In addition, I think some programs, that do store passwords, do only do so, if you have kwallet enabled. Otherwise, they will ask your for passwords every time they are started.

[oshunluvr]

I would personally recommend to consider carefully if it makes sense to disable kwallet. I have put some thought into this myself, for the same reasons. Yet, kwallet asks only for one password, while giving you access to a whole lot of protected software. For example with entering the kwallet password on startup, you connect to your WIFI, you can connect to kmail to send and receive mails, etc. without being asked for passwords. In addition, I think some programs, that do store passwords, do only do so, if you have kwallet enabled. Otherwise, they will ask your for passwords every time they are started.

However, you can have no password for kwallet and it still does these things. Simply leave the password field blank when setting up kwallet and let it store other passwords for you. Not quite as secure as having a second separate password, but if they've got your login password they have already pwned your PC anyway.

[BenjB83]

Good point, though I do not quite agree...

Of course, if they got access to your machine, it is doomed.. but it is one thing to get access to the machine and another to get access to the sensitive information on it, that is protected by kwallet. Then again, of course that does only work if you use a different password with it. On the other hand, I have to admit, a strong password, that prevents access to the system in the first place, does make any further needs unnecessary.

I am living in the most dangerous city of the world.. :P So I have developed a certain sense for security and this kind of double protection helps me getting it. Of course if the computer is lost, it is lost, but at least I want to know sensitive information of myself and my clients to be secure...

[oshunluvr]

Good point, though I do not quite agree...

Of course, if they got access to your machine, it is doomed.. but it is one thing to get access to the machine and another to get access to the sensitive information on it, that is protected by kwallet. Then again, of course that does only work if you use a different password with it. On the other hand, I have to admit, a strong password, that prevents access to the system in the first place, does make any further needs unnecessary.

I am living in the most dangerous city of the world.. :P So I have developed a certain sense for security and this kind of double protection helps me getting it. Of course if the computer is lost, it is lost, but at least I want to know sensitive information of myself and my clients to be secure...

Understood and agreed. Likely, you should be using encryption and a very strong password. This would obviate the need for a second password IMO, but it can't hurt.

[BenjB83]

Yeah I do and I change them frequently as well. The good thing with our beloved Linux is that attacks from viruses and malware such as keyloggers is close to zero, making this part a lot easier. But other than that, I got used to enter two passwords... one to log into the system and once logged in another for kwallet. Of course if I wanted to use sudo or get into YaST for system configuration, installing software, etc. I get prompted yet another time.

I have even password protected my MBR.... :P that on a different sidenote...

SUSE offers a nice checkbox with the KDESUDO prompts, offering you to remember the password so you don't have to put it in anymore. Even though I was tempted at times to just click it, I have found that I use KDESUDO way to little for the password to be hassle and that security was more important. Well, on the other hand, I put my computers asleep or I leave them running, but I barely every turn them of or reboot. Hence, most of the time all I have to do, is unlock the screen with my strong password. :P If I had to reboot several times a day or maybe even daily, I would possibly be more bothered by it.. Then again, robbery and theft are unfortunately quite a common reality here. So far I have been lucky and as you have said, nobody will stop someone to simply reinstall a new OS, but I have to assure my clients that their information is safe and the same is what I wish for my info. Especially, since it is a Laptop that does leave the house a lot.

My desktop, that does not leave the house and that is used mainly for gaming, movies, and stuff like that, does not haven have kdewallet enabled I think or does have it set without password. There is not much of important stuff on it anyway and being at home all the time, theft risk is fairly low.

[GreyGeek]

Most dangerous city? Have you ever been to south side Chicago, or Detroit, or D.C., or certain parts of Baltimore, L.A., NYC, Miami, etc.

More people are killed each year in Chicago Black-on-Black violence (mostly drug & gang related) than were killed during the US invasion of Iraq.


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[oshunluvr]

Sorry GG, Chicago isn't even in the top 50 in the world for murder rate. Latest numbers put St. Louis as the worst in the US and 15th the in world. Only 3 other US cities make the top 50.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/wo...-a6836416.html

US TV news isn't actually news. It's entertainment. You have to go outside the US to get actual facts and figures not colored by political or financial agendas.

[GreyGeek]

Some easy setting questions - startup, shutdown, messaging

For sure about TV "news".
I just read a Bloomberg article about hyperinflation in Venezuela:
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...-weighing-them

Now I know why benjB83 said what he did. If Hillary gets elected we won't be far behind.

EDIT
That said, and looking at that list, one has to wonder about the absence of cities in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and question how the list was vetted. It is also interesting that several of those locations are in countries with strict gun control laws. And, where is France with its Islamic killings? Is the list excluding terrorist killings?


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[oshunluvr]

The webpage subtext states war zones and cities with pop. less than 300,000 are excluded. This would exclude all of Pakistan and most of the Middle East right now. Other than the Paris bombing last year, most "terrorist" attacks in France have killed few reference population. For example, 130 killed in Paris during the Nov. 2015 attacks were in a city of 2.2 million. Far less by percentage than would make the list. That's like 5.9 per 100,000 vs. Caracas 119.87!

[BenjB83]

Well I don't know about the US or dangerous cities there actually, other than from what at times pass through the news.

I do know however, that Caracas on pretty much any website and in all studies made during the past year keeps holding that sad record as well as that (at least according to some sources) of one of the most expensive cities in the world.