Using Themes in Ubuntu Linux
Ubuntu Linux comes with a variety of themes ready for use to customize the look of your computer. It is quite easy to find these, simply go to the Ubuntu menu, System -> Preferences -> Appearance and a number of themes will be there for you to choose from. However, you need not be limited to just these options! Simply browsing the Internet you will find countless screenshots of cool, classic, slick or sassy Ubuntu themes out there for you to use to jazz up your computer screen. Installing these themes is really straightforward, following is a brief explanation how.
Ubuntu Tablets: Asus EEE T101MT Tablet Netbook
A convertible touchscreen tablet-netbook from Asus is now available at the Laptops with purpose store. Asus EEE T101MT is both a netbook and a tablet – a rotating screen allows easy conversion between the two modes. The multi-touch functionality provides a very intuitive way of interaction, such that you can flip pages and pictures with your fingers as you would with a book or a photo album. And dual-boot Linux and Windows setup, as usual, provides the freedom and flexibility you always want from a portable computing device.
Installing Free Software in Ubuntu Linux
Installing software in Ubuntu Linux is extremely simple. There is one central place called Ubuntu Software Center accessible through the "Applications" menu. This will be a very pleasant surprise for Windows users. There is no need to look through many pages of search results to find a free application. Neither do you have to worry about getting viruses or spyware along with the downloads (we already discussed that in the context of secure filesystem, users and passwords). Just choose the application you want and press "Install" – as simple as that.
Managing Users and Passwords in Ubuntu Linux
Linux in general and its Ubuntu flavor in particular is an advanced multi-user operating system. It involves very powerful access rules and permission systems. Every file present in the filesystem has specific owner and permissions assigned to it. File permissions set the rules about who (i.e. which user) should have access to read, write, or execute a specific file. This may seem unusual for a novice, but it is worth the effort to understand it (by the way, we recommend the following getting started-guide for new Ubuntu users). For example, secure file permission system is one of the reasons why you do not need to worry about viruses when working in Linux. A note of warning however for dual-boot Linux and Windows users: You do need to be careful when running Windows on your machine (avoid going online when in Windows as much as possible: Microsoft Windows is built with an essentially pre-Internet-era security model. Clam Anti-Virus is a good free (open-source) option for scanning Windows-part of your system (if any) for Trojans, viruses, malware etc.)
Dual Boot Ubuntu and Windows:
The Ultimate Solution
Linux has been used for decades as the operating system of choice in applications where reliability and security are the first priorities. It was not until recent years however when it started becoming more widely used for personal computing needs. Reliable, user-friendly, and completely free distributions such as Ubuntu make Linux attractive not only for professional system administrators but also for a wide range of regular computer users. Nowadays, the average non-savvy user can enjoy the operating system relied on by most data servers, financial institutions, and supercomputer clusters that comes in a very user-friendly wrap.
