Author: Jay Forrest

I resently was messing around in Ubuntu 20.04 and messed up the icons. Here is how to reset it to the original configuration.

Step 1: Open the terminal

Step 2: Copy and past this command:

dconf reset -f /org/gnome/

That is all there is to it. The Gnome desktop should now be reset.

For the last few years, I have been using Linux Mint. This week I switched back to Ubuntu. I am now running Ubuntu 20.04.2.0 LTS, code named Focal Fossa.

For those who only know about Windows and MacOS, Linux is another and different operating system. It is different because it is free and because the source code is available for inspection.

I have been running Ubuntu Linux since 2008. I used Fedora for a number of years, and then switched to Linux Mint. I still recommend Linux Mint for all home users. This is the system I have on both my mom’s computer and my wife’s parent’s computer.

So why did I switch? I recently have switch professions to the IT field. This means that I will need to stay current on news and threats directed to businesses. Ubuntu Linux and Red Hat Linux are two of the major players in this field. Hence the reason for the switch.

UPDATE: After a death of a thousand papercuts, I have returned to Linux Mint.

Rhythmbox is the default player in Linux Mint 20.1. But it still does not have an equalizer.

The best solution is to add Pulse Effects to the whole system.

In the terminal, simple type:

sudo apt install -y pulseeffects lsp-plugins 

It will ask for your password, then press enter.

Search for PulseEffects in the menu. Go to the equalizer, enable it.

Click on the tool icon. Choose a preset you like, or customize one yourself.

I listen to relaxing Zen meditation music so I chose “soft.”

Your Chromebook should automatically checks for and downloads updates when connected to Wi-Fi or Ethernet.

Finish an Update

1. When your Chromebook downloads a software update, look for the “Update available” notification.
2. Select Restart to Update.
3. Your Chromebook will restart and update.

Check for Updates Yourself

1. Turn on your Chromebook.
2. Connect your Chromebook to Wi-Fi.
3. At the bottom right, select the time.
4. Select Settings .
5. At the bottom of the left panel, select About Chrome OS.
6. Under “Google Chrome OS,” you’ll find which version of the Chrome operating system your Chromebook uses.
7. Select Check for updates.
8. If your Chromebook finds a software update, it will start to download automatically.

Connect to Wi-Fi

Step 1: Turn on Wi-Fi

1. At the bottom right, select the time.
2. Select Not Connected .
   Note: If you see your Wi-Fi network name and a signal strength, your Chromebook is already connected to Wi-Fi.
3. Turn on Wi-Fi.
4. Your Chromebook will automatically look for available networks and show them to you in a list.

Step 2: Pick a network and connect

Step 3: Sign in

“Go For It! is a simple and stylish productivity app, featuring a to-do list, merged with a timer that keeps your focus on the current task.” 

But that is not why I downloaded and installed it. I am using is as a countdown timer for recording my podcast. Not perfect, but it works and looks nice.

http://manuel-kehl.de/projects/go-for-it/

Here is just another reason I recommend Linux Mint and not Ubuntu. Taked from: https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3906

Snap

We also heard your queries on the topic of snapd. This is a topic which is important to us and we already explained our position last year:

[…] as you install APT updates, Snap becomes a requirement for you to continue to use Chromium and installs itself behind your back. This breaks one of the major worries many people had when Snap was announced and a promise from its developers that it would never replace APT.

A self-installing Snap Store which overwrites part of our APT package base is a complete NO NO. It’s something we have to stop and it could mean the end of Chromium updates and access to the snap store in Linux Mint.

A year later, in the Ubuntu 20.04 package base, the Chromium package is indeed empty and acting, without your consent, as a backdoor by connecting your computer to the Ubuntu Store. Applications in this store cannot be patched, or pinned. You can’t audit them, hold them, modify them or even point snap to a different store. You’ve as much empowerment with this as if you were using proprietary software, i.e. none. This is in effect similar to a commercial proprietary solution, but with two major differences: It runs as root, and it installs itself without asking you.

First, I’m happy to confirm that Linux Mint 20, like previous Mint releases will not ship with any snaps or snapd installed. Second, to address this situation we’ll do exactly what we said we would:

• In Linux Mint 20, Chromium won’t be an empty package which installs snapd behind your back. It will be an empty package which tells you why it’s empty and tells you where to look to get Chromium yourself.
• In Linux Mint 20, APT will forbid snapd from getting installed.

You’ll still be able to install it yourself and we’ll document this in the release notes, but by default APT won’t allow repository packages from doing this on your behalf.

SOURCE: https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3906

So I am still using Linux Mint 18.3 and loving it.

I switched back to Google Chrome. Firefox does not download very fast and it glitches on some websites.

Thunderbird is still my email client. Rhythmbox is my music player. I am still using Audacity for my podcast, and WordPress for my blogs.

The only non-open source program I use is Paint Shop Pro 7. I use it in Linux using Wine.

Hoping for good things for Linux and Open Source in 2019.

I have been using Google Chrome for a couple of years now. But I am tired of being tracked by Google, and pushed with advertising.

But switching to Firefox is not easy. I have two factor authorization on most of my accounts. So I have to reauthorize all my accounts.

But Firefox does seem quicker now. And their commitment to privacy is important to me.

Here is how to turn off the screen reader inLinux Mint:

Go to terminal and type:

killall orca

That will turn it off.