Ubuntu Hacks

If one thing is for sure about Linux, it's that it has no shortage of text editors. This reflects the largely text-based nature of Linux, from the command line, to the source code, to the configuration files that programs refer to. When you are in a ...

So you have used your Ubuntu desktop for some time, and it has started to attract attention from the other members of your household. They all want in on the action, but you may not necessarily want them to be able to edit your files. The solution is...

By default, Ubuntu will automatically detect and configure mount points for any partitions it finds when Ubuntu is installed. However, if you add a new disk to the system, or you want to automatically mount an NFS or SMB share at boo...

As Ubuntu boots, you might notice text scrolling by, detailing all of the different things Ubuntu is doing. Among these things are a number of services that Ubuntu enables at boot time, such as the cron scheduling service, the system logger, and the ...

Debian boasts some very useful tools to make the job of building and installing kernels much easier, and of course those same tools are available in Ubuntu as well. They streamline the process of compiling a custom kernel and building a .deb package ...

Backups always seem to be the thing we think about after it's too late. Just about every computer user we know has been bitten at least once by failing to make a backup of an important file or directory. Yet what should you back up? How often? Out of...

We've installed many different Debian-based distributions over the years, and one thing we've found handy to have is a complete list of packages you have installed. If you want to create a system that is similar to a different system you have already...

If you are reading this hack, we want to offer you our condolences. It can be stressful and upsetting when your system won't boot. We're sure you are thinking right now about all of those files you wished you backed up (We know this is a bad time, bu...

When you use a system long enough, eventually you find you need to put on your detective hat. Maybe you've added a piece of hardware or plugged in a new device, and you aren't sure whether the system is recognizing it. Maybe you upgraded some softwar...

Mount your FireWire drive so it appears as /media/data every time. My storage setup on my Ubuntu box at home is a bit unusual. I have an external drive dedicated to music and another external drive that backs up the...

Samba has transformed how Penguinistas interact on networks with Windows machines and even other Linux boxes. In particular, I often use smbfs (short for "Samba filesystem") to mount a Samba share on my box for easy access. For example, I have two co...

We've all been there: Uncle Gussy is on the phone to you trying to explain a computer problem he's having, but his description isn't helping in the slightest: "Welllll, I click on the thingie, and then this doohickey opens, so I click on that, and th...

Use the free Unison File Synchronizer to keep all your systems in sync, even Windows and Mac machines. There's an old saying that everyone should take to heart: "There are two kinds of computer users: ...