# Ubuntu help?



## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

Trying out Ubuntu. So far, I am really liking it. There are a couple questions in case someone here if familiar:

1: How do you keep it from recording the history of every movie, song, file you access?
2: How can I get it to see my server on my windows network? It sees the network, but shows a blank screen when I click on it. The workgroup is named "workgroup". There are also two Upnp servers running on the main windows server I would like to access.

3: Recommend a quick and dirty free virus scanner equivilent to MSE

Thanks


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

It's not just a click option like Windows you'll need to use a command prompt and su.
It depends on what you're running and how you have it setup. 

Use the Ubuntu software center as it's all rated. I will tell you though that AV in a Linux box is about useless unless you're intentionally going after one. Last count I saw said there were less than 1000 viruses written to target Linux. They're not just out there for people to attempt to use and built into web browsers you have to basically be targeted.

The first thing I would do is get an IRC client, join freednode, register your NIC and then join #ubuntu and #linux. Most of the stuff in there will be higher level but if you read what they're saying enough it will start to make sense.

Also avoid the pit trap of making Ubuntu just windows 2.0. Learn to use it as it's meant to be used. The more linux you start to comprehend the sooner you can get onto a distro that is less cookie cutter and more refined.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

"Shades228" said:


> Use the Ubuntu software center as it's all rated. I will tell you though that AV in a Linux box is about useless unless you're intentionally going after one. Last count I saw said there were less than 1000 viruses written to target Linux. They're not just out there for people to attempt to use and built into web browsers you have to basically be targeted.
> .


Biggest reason to have AV on Linux is to prevent unknowingly spreading a Windows virus to a Windows PC. That is a legitimate reason to have one.


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## RasputinAXP (Jan 23, 2008)

ClamAV.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

dpeters11 said:


> Biggest reason to have AV on Linux is to prevent unknowingly spreading a Windows virus to a Windows PC. That is a legitimate reason to have one.


If you don't have your windows PC setup properly I suppose so. I also never download executable files for other OS's on another OS. I have a server that I use for storage space for things I want all computers to access and it does scans regularly through the day so anything would get caught there.

With that said most people will never run into this issue even with just the minimum AV installed on their computer that the file gets transferd to as long as they are smart about their setup.


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## Davenlr (Sep 16, 2006)

OK, Thanks for the suggestions. The only real reason to network to my server would be to play A/V files, and since I have better options (just got my Vizio Co-Star) I think I will be ok. I just wanted to give Linux a try...as I am tired of Windows getting slower and slower with every update. Used to boot right up, now it takes what seems like forever. 

All I really use this computer for is web surfing, social media, and watching my HDHomerun TV tuner during football season...I found a HDHomerun scanner/viewing program that works fine. I also installed MythTV, but it says "No Tuners Configured" and I have no idea where to configure them, so Ill probably just erase that one.

Ive been reading up on networking to a windows domain, and I think Ill just pass. Looks way to complicated for me, and I am way to old to learn a command line language with cryptic commands.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Davenlr said:


> OK, Thanks for the suggestions. The only real reason to network to my server would be to play A/V files, and since I have better options (just got my Vizio Co-Star) I think I will be ok. I just wanted to give Linux a try...as I am tired of Windows getting slower and slower with every update. Used to boot right up, now it takes what seems like forever.
> 
> All I really use this computer for is web surfing, social media, and watching my HDHomerun TV tuner during football season...I found a HDHomerun scanner/viewing program that works fine. I also installed MythTV, but it says "No Tuners Configured" and I have no idea where to configure them, so Ill probably just erase that one.
> 
> Ive been reading up on networking to a windows domain, and I think Ill just pass. Looks way to complicated for me, and I am way to old to learn a command line language with cryptic commands.


When I first looked at Linux I also thought it looked a bit complicated, so I waited until after I had retired so I would have time to learn (it's been 18 years and I'm still learning). 

In those days you had to use the command line for most things and I still prefer it although the GUIs have improved a lot.


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## Shades228 (Mar 18, 2008)

Davenlr said:


> OK, Thanks for the suggestions. The only real reason to network to my server would be to play A/V files, and since I have better options (just got my Vizio Co-Star) I think I will be ok. I just wanted to give Linux a try...as I am tired of Windows getting slower and slower with every update. Used to boot right up, now it takes what seems like forever.
> 
> All I really use this computer for is web surfing, social media, and watching my HDHomerun TV tuner during football season...I found a HDHomerun scanner/viewing program that works fine. I also installed MythTV, but it says "No Tuners Configured" and I have no idea where to configure them, so Ill probably just erase that one.
> 
> Ive been reading up on networking to a windows domain, and I think Ill just pass. Looks way to complicated for me, and I am way to old to learn a command line language with cryptic commands.


Unfortunately Windows needs to be blasted out about every 6-8 months depending on how much stuff you install. A good way to have it setup is to use all of your data on one drive and then your OS on a smaler fast drive. Then just make an image of a clean install that's patched, with no other programs installed, and just refresh that image once every 6 months. Install the programs you actually use and you're computer will be as fast as you remember it.



bobnielsen said:


> When I first looked at Linux I also thought it looked a bit complicated, so I waited until after I had retired so I would have time to learn (it's been 18 years and I'm still learning).
> 
> In those days you had to use the command line for most things and I still prefer it although the GUIs have improved a lot.


You never have to remember where to look for an icon in the command line. It also teaches you a lot more to use command lines than a GUI.


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## bobnielsen (Jun 29, 2006)

Shades228 said:


> You never have to remember where to look for an icon in the command line. It also teaches you a lot more to use command lines than a GUI.


Even with OS X, I find myself bring up a terminal a few times a day to perform command line stuff.


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