Installing TIBCO on Ubuntu

Needed to install TIBCO EMS on Ubuntu (Hoary Hedgehog). However, running the installer (Installshield) failed with an error about libstdc++

The problem appears to be with Installshield wizard requiring an old version of libstdc++.

I followed the steps in the post Debian hath been defeated and it installed successfully

Ubuntu Laptop - Playing DVDs

I stuck in the original Matrix DVD.
Totem DVD player started up and promptly hung.
I killed it, restarted it, tried to play disc again. It hung.

Used Synaptics package manager to install totem based on xine (it appears default totem is based on gstreamer).

Fired up Totem, went to play DVD, it told me it was copy protected and was I trying to play a protected disc without libdvdcss?

Couldn't find libdvdcss on Synaptics package manager.
Googled for libdvdcss, installed it.
Fired up totem again.
Played disc. It worked!

DVD title menu works
Plays full screen, audio works.

Success.

Installing Cisco 3000 VPN Client

A. Download VPN client software for Linux
1. Download it
2. Unzip it to a temp directory

B. Get required Linux headers and gcc

1. Determine Kernel Version

uname -r
2.6.10-5-386

2. Select System --> Administration --> Synaptic Package Manager
3. Select Development from tree
4. Find linux-headers-2.6.10-5-386 (it _MUST_ match the kernel version)
5. Check it, OK any dialog boxes
6. Find gcc, check it, OK any dialog boxes
7. Click Apply, confirm dialog box
8. Close package manager

C. Compile VPN client

1. Open a console window and change directory to the unzipped VPN client
2. Run the install script as super user

sudo ./vpn_install

3. Accept the defaults. It should automatically detect the Linux headers you downloaded. They are linked from a number of places, including

/lib/modules/2.6.10-5-386/build

4. It will compile successfully
5. Change directory to where the VPN client tarball extracted the bundled profiles (*.pcf files), if any
6. Copy those files to

/etc/CiscoSystemsVPNClient/Profiles/

D. Start VPN client

1. The VPN client will start when the system boots. However, start it manually for now by executing:

sudo /etc/init.d/vpnclient_init start

2. Run the client with

vpnclient connect

where is one of the profiles, without the .pcf extension

3. Enter your username (username part only, not your full email address)
4. Enter your SecurID password+token

It will connect. That console window will remain busy. You can put the job in the background.

Ubuntu Laptop Install - Part 3

Unhibernate

Powered up the computer.
Prompted me to login.
It restored the windows I had open previously. Nice.

Summary

* Sound works
* Screen works at max resolution (still need to see up upgrading driver)
* Hibernate works
* Wired and wireless networking works

Seems pretty successful so far

Ubuntu Laptop Install - Part 2

Continuing the Installation

I selected my time zone
I specified the user account
Ubuntu finished telling me the first stage of installation is complete
It ejected my CD and continued to reboot the computer

Booting

Watched all the messages scroll by on the boot. Everything said [ok]. Seems promising.
It then appeared to unpack a bunch of Debian packages Scrolls by too fast to read. This seems to be the slowest part of the installation by far. The hard drive is (quietly) working hard.

It appears to be done. I now have an Ubuntu logo taking up most of the screen and its prompting for my username. The screen resolution seems good. A good sign.

I logged in. Some kind of tree-hugging waterfall, birds and windchimes sound plays. At least the sound card works.

I went to System --> Preferences --> Screen resolution. Sure enough, 1920x1200. Nice.

Configuring Wireless

I pulled out my network cable.
I went to System --> Administration --> Networking
If I understand it correctly in order to configure multiple wireless networks (or perhaps multiple networks altogether), I need to assign each to a different location.
I selected the Location dropdown and choose Create New and called it "Home"
I clicked on Wireless Connection and clicked Properties
I checked on This device is configured
It detected my wireless network, so I selected its ESSID from the dropdown
I entered the wep key. I keep it on a USB stick which, when I plugged into the laptop, popped up on the desktop.
Selected DHCP and hit OK
The Wireless Connection was still selected so I clicked Activate; it popped up a dialog box telling me it's Activating interface "eth1". It took a minute or too before disappearing.
I switched the Default gateway device as eth1. I think this is what tells it which one to use in this profile.
Clicked OK to get rid of the Network settings dialog, although it doesn't seem to be going away. There is a spinning cursor when I hover the mouse over it, but the rest of the system seems fine. Hmm, still there after a few minutes.

I pulled up Firefox and went to google.com. It didn't work.
I clicked on the little network icon on the top-right of the screen and typed into the dropdown "eth1". It switched to that.
Firefox works now.


Standby?

I closed the lid. Opened it up. I was left with a console login prompt.
I pressed a few random function keys.
The computer powered off.
Powered it back on. Not sure what happened.
Its trying to boot. It came back up with a fresh login. It really did power off.

Hibernate?

I went to System --> Logout and selected hibernate.
It seemed to hibernate. Powered down.

Ubuntu Laptop Install

Notes on installing Ubuntu Linux (Hoary HedgeHog)

Here is what I'm installing on:

Dell Inspiron 9300
2Gb DDR2 533Mhz
2.0Ghz Pentium M
17" WUXGA (1920x1200)
60Gb 7200rpm HDD
256Mb Nvidia Go 6800
Ethernet and b/g wireless
Bluetooth

Getting started

* I download and burned Ubuntu Install CD
* Restarted computer hitting F12 to open boot menu and select boot from CDROM

Installation Process

* Answered various questions about Location, Language Keyboard

Configure the network
It found two network cards: eth0 (the 10/100 card) and eth1 (the wireless card) and wants me to pick which one to use while installing Ubuntu. Since I'm not plugged in, selecting Wireless (I have the WEP key)

It failed to find my access point, so I entered the SSID
I entered the WEP key
It tried to configure with DHCP, but failed. Hmm.. may have to plug in
I plugged into the network, hit Go Back and picked eth0; OK, that worked
I entered the hostname

Partion disks
I've been trying to decide whether to install a dual boot system or a Linux only system.
Since this is a brand new laptop, and I've not spent any time tweaking windows, I figured I'd blow away Windows and partition the whole thing for Linux.

For good measure I screwed around with resizing the existing Windows partition. I halved the size. The installer told me it shrunk, but I didn't try rebooting to see if it still worked.

I went back to guided partitioning and selected Erase entire disk
Since this is a personal machine, single user, I accepted the default of a 57Gb / ext3 partition and a 2.5Gb swap partition. I'm sure there is a superior filesystem to ext3 that I should be using, but I don't feel like researching it.

There also seem to be options for installing the Logical Volume Manager, but I'm thinking I don't need that.

I committed the partition and Ubuntu continued with the installation.