Top Things I install on a fresh Ubuntu 10.04 Installation.

0) 64bit fails to provide me with a functional logmein.com ability, so I opt for 32bit.

1) Full update

sudo aptitude update ; sudo aptitude full-upgrade

Or if you install from the Mini.iso, then all should be up to date.


2) Install VLC Media player

sudo aptitude install vlc

3) Install NTP services becuase by default Ubuntu only updates the clock on boot-up. Leaving your machine on requires NTP services for continous updating.

sudo aptitude install ntp

edit /etc/ntp.conf to include

server us.pool.ntp.org

as the first server.


4) To use the command "srm" to shred/delete sensitive files, install Secure Delete

sudo aptitude install secure-delete

5) Install Gnome-Do. I recommend "docky" mode as it provides the "do" & a dock-bar.

sudo aptitude install gnome-do gnome-do-docklets

6) I use KeePass 2.10 Portable which requires Mono's winforms2 to run in linux. KeePass Portable is launchable via command line "Mono KeePass". Install winforms first

sudo aptitude install libmono-winforms2.0-cil libmono-system-runtime2.0-cil

7) Install SSH server for remote login and scp

sudo aptitude install openssh-server

8) I use DynDNS.org for dynamic DNS services. Install ddclient and ssl socket.

sudo aptitude install ddclient libio-socket-ssl-perl

after configuring ddclient, edit /etc/ddclient.conf to include

ssl=yes
daemon=360

9) I prefer x11vnc over ubuntu's default vine-server. For security I only run it from a remote SSH session. There are many options, but this suits my needs. First install x11vnc:

sudo aptitude install x11vnc ; x11vnc -storepasswd

Then from a remote SSH session I can

sudo x11vnc -once -usepw -display :0 -autoport 5900 -nap -noxdamage -nolookup -auth guess &

allowing me to use my vncviewer to connect remotely to the desktop.

10) Firefox plugins: AdBlock Plus, Ghostery, Privacy Plus, Update Notifier, GMail Manager, WOT, NoScript.

11) More than likely at some point you may need to re-install Ubuntu. Remastersys allows to to create your own distribution (with all updates) or a backup cd. You can run "remastersys" from the gui or the command line.
First add

deb http://www.geekconnection.org/remastersys/repository karmic/

to synaptic repositories then

sudo aptitude install remastersys

12) Add "Open in Terminal" item to nautilus context menus.

sudo aptitude install nautilus-open-terminal

13) Add "Open as Administrator" item to nautilus context menus.

sudo aptitude install nautilus-gksu

14) Get a more current NVidia driver:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntu-x-swat/x-updates
sudo aptitude update
sudo aptitude install nvidia-current

15) Sometimes the colors just don't work, install this to edit them:

sudo apt-get install gnome-color-chooser

16) Install webmin for various configuring, including easier iptables firewall setup.  Refer to http://www.webmin.com/deb.html for installation.


Also take a look at Tips and Tricks for Ubuntu after Installation


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