Setting Up a New Box

[dwainsworld]

Hi all,

Now that I have beeen through it quite a few times, learning a lot along the way, I thought I might post what I am doing in seting up a new linux box as far as installing apps and setting up my desktops goes, so as to bounce ideas off other users to see what they think, and what apps they like to put on a new box. Here Goes.

1. Install the distro - I only have the RH9 disks at the moment. I have found that the full install is the only way to go otherwise installing apps tends to fail due dependencies.

2. Set KDE as the default desktop

3. Use KDE control center>hardware>keyboard to set the num lock default

4. Edit /etc/fstab to reflect what storage media is to be able to be mounted

5. Add monting icons to the desktop of each user for mounting of devices

6. Add Kedit, run command bar, and terminal launcher to the bar at the bottom of the screen, removing the office launchers (I prefer these on the desktop)

7. Get the internet connection up and running - This is pretty tricky and I still havn't found a decent tutorial on linux networking as yet, but as it goes I have found the GUI on KDE the best way to go about it.

4. Download and install apt-get

5. Run apt-get and update all rpm packages (this takes AGES)

6. After this is done - register the system with RHN and run up2date (main aim to install the latest kernel). This also takes ages.

7. Instll and run firestarter - a neat little firewall that someone from LJ put me on to.

8. Get the latest version of Mozilla and install it

9. Set up mail on Mozilla (I have tried a bunch of mail clients on Linux now and Mozilla is the only one that I have found that is stable and usable)

10. Install the flash plugin for Mozilla

11. (I would like to say install Java plugin for Mozilla here, but try as I like I just havn't been able to make it work yet!!)

12. Download and install the latest version of Open Office and put launchers for it on the desktop

13. Install XMMS MP3 support

14. Install giFT with the Apollon front end

15. Don't forget to install the printer - here CUPS is my friend


This list will grow as I get new ideas - so if anyone cares to add some stuff that I just must have, please go right ahead !!

If you have been following my other threads you will see that after using Linux for months I have only just fund out about apt-get for RH, so I am posting this to find out what else I have missed, whilst at the same time to document some new-box-must-do items just in case it is a help to someone else somehow.

Regards,

Dwain.

[ph34r]

Check the PET here on Mozilla + Java.

[coltrane]

7. DHCP is a blessing, Ive always used KPPP and Actiontech modems for dialup

9. One Word. Evolution. Though I hate the fact that it doesnt have a native port to Slackware.