Re: linux problems
 

Ik, I tried Ubuntu but couldn't get to grips with it and reverted back to Mandy till I'm brave enough to give Gentoo a whirl... so, what I'm getting at is that I can't test this, but I remembered seeing this thread when I was initially browsing the Ubuntu forums, and it has a post-installation script you can run that prompts you to install a whole bunch of stuff not installed by default, including the MS Core Fonts.

http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthre...highlight=haih

Hope that helps :)

Re: linux problems
 

thanks but I am having a nightmare since I got this kubuntu, as I cannot change my privilages to su at all.

I am starting to think (k)ubuntu is mainly for people who are already linux masters, as I cannot even write to cxertain files as I have no permission.

I cannot just put in su and my password in a shell, I have to do sudo then an action, then I give my password, but thats the problem, I don't know the commands yet.

bloody linux, why is it, people want windows people to change for the better, but there are so many distros of linux to choose from, which one is best for newbiers to get a grip and learn. and when I ask some people for help, I get the classic, figure it out yourself.

I think I will try something else if not go back to Mandrake.

so I am giving up with kubuntu after just 2 days, as I cannot even write to files, or extract to certain directories as I have no permission

ik

Re: linux problems
 

Ubuntu is one of the easier distros to get to know, but one of the key things is that it installs with root disabled, so you can't su to it. And if you can't write to certain files, it's probably for a very good reason! Which files, incidentally?

sudo is the *proper* way of doing admin tasks, as it avoids the perennial problem of lazy people logging in shells, switching to root and leaving them, which is about the easiest way to compromise a machine going.

sudo is also very granular in the privileges you can apply with it.

What does 'sudo bash' give you, incidentally? Or 'sudo passwd root', which should let you enable root. Have you got apt (or synaptic, if you want a GUI) working yet? IIRC that was how I got my fonts working.

That's a strength and a weakness of course - moving from a world where Bill is God to one where everyone has an opinion has its upsides and downsides.

However, there are plenty of forums to look at - I found everything I needed to know about Ubuntu from them without having to ask anyone a question (including the root thing).

Re: linux problems
 

hey BB,

I just got so fed up with not being able to do much, that I am now downloading Suse 9.3 as I type.

I was following a how to, on making the fonts better in KDE. http://convexhull.com/mandrake_fonts.html

I had to compile freetype but kubuntu would not let me, it just said I don't have the priveleges even if I did use the sudo before hand.

I think the Suse may suit me better, as I prefer working with su thatn sudo, I can't seem to get a handle on this.

I did try Mandrake but it was a bit buggy for me, thats why i am changing.

Plus I was getting a sore head trying to read the very small text.

ik

Re: linux problems
 

9.3 is good, I use 9.1 as my server OS and 9.3 as my desktop but I have Ubuntu on the laptop and I really like it but then I have used Linux for a good while now. Persevere and you will get to like it. Yes there are lots of distros but with broadband it's not too bad to just download any of them and try them out, you're bound to find one that you get along with!