Konqueror is not only a web browser but also a good file manager designed as a core part of the K Desktop Environment. To be released under the GNU General Public License, Konqueror can run on many different operating systems including Ubuntu Linux. However, you can install this application easily in Ubuntu if you are missing it.

sudo apt-get install konqueror

What I would like to tell you in this article are the hidden features of this great application.
1. As a Web browser, Konqueror allows you to navigate easily a web site with access keys. You try to open a site with Konqueror, hit Ctrl key to activate access keys and you will see a bunch of boxed characters appear. Type any character you like to navigate the link.


2. You can access new websites in new tabs when calling Konqueror externally. For example, I want to open the website: www.kde.org, then I use this command.

kfmclient newTab http://www.kde.org

3. Konqueror let you search text quickly using find as you type. For example, I want to search for "KDE" in the current web page, just hit "/" key and start typing "KDE".

You can hit F3 to go to the next result.

4. Another score for Konqueror is the bookmark toolbar with a “View Most Visited” feature found under the View menu.

5. It's possible to scroll up or down with the auto-scroll feature of Konqueror. Just hold Shift key then press Up or Down key. Hit Shift key again to stop scrolling.

6. Like Firefox, you can use Ctrl + T to open a new tab in Konqueror.

7. As a file viewer, Konqueror allows you to view any file or folder in your file system. Just enter the path to your folder into location bar. For example, enter

/home/vntutor

8. Easily access the file system of any computer which is running a SSH daemon. For example, to access the files of linux.com as user vntutor, enter into location bar:

fish://vntutor@linux.com

9. Easily access the file system of any computer which is running a FTP service. For example, to access the files of linux.com as user vntutor , enter into location bar:

ftp://vntutor@linux.com

10. As a terminal window, Konqueror allows you to read nicely formatted man pages. For example, I want to the ls man page, I have to enter this command to the location bar.

man:ls

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As you know the Windows operating system allows application programs to access to system files. This makes viruses spread over the whole system easily to do damage on your system. Linux is strict with its permissions. A virus cannot gain the necessary privileges to destroy your system unless you want to do as a super user. In order words, your system files are protected at the high level. That is the reason why most of Linux users don't need a virus protection. So, I wonder that do we need an anti-virus for our Ubuntu box?

In my opinion, the most valuable resource is your data. Hence, it need to be protected as well. Indeed, I always lock the door before I leave my house. Do you think that Linux viruses are coming? So, this tutorial will guide you how to install a Virus Scanner to protect your data. This installation can be applied for both Ubuntu and Kubuntu Gutsy.

Step 1: Install a Virus Scanner

sudo apt-get install clamtk

Sep 2: Start up the tool (read more details about this tool here)

clamtk

Step 3: Open a file or a folder to scan

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These days Ubuntu users are being offered various CD/DVD burners. In order words, to make a data CD is not a difficult work under Ubuntu. You can follow a short tutorial from Ubuntu Geek to know how to burn a CD by using GnomeBaker. WikiHow also has a post on this topic. In addition, I will provide another tutorial for burning a CD in Kubuntu Gutsy.

K3b is a default application in Kubuntu Gutsy. It allows you to burn CDs or DVDs with a comfortable user interface. To know more details of useful features please read at K3d websites. Now I will show you step-by-step to make a data CD by using this software.

Step 1: Start up the application

KMenu > Multimedia > K3D CD & DVD Burning

Step 2: Select your data which you want to write to CD
For example, I stored a photo album of my Barcelona trip last month in a folder. Now, I want to make a copy of all pictures. So I have to browse to that folder and press "Ctrl + A" to select all. Then drag and drop all selected files to the panel at the bottom. Put a name for my album (CD label). I have got a ready status for burning as the following picture.

Step 3: Open Burn dialog
You click "Burn" button (CD icon) to open a Burn dialog as the follows

Step 4: Insert a bank CD to CD/DVD drive
After the bank CD is put in CD/DVD drive, the "Burn" dialog will automatically be changed

Step 5: Set up parameters for burning CD
You can change some default parameters for burning your CD. For example, I have changed the speed of burning (speed = 24x).

Step 6: Burning CD
Click on "Burn" button to start burning your data ....
Just wait for some minutes you will have a new data CD. This is also a good manner to backup your data to external storages.

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Nowadays most of computer applications require an authorization before using (e.g. kopete, kmail, ..). It means that you have to remember many different passwords if you want to keep a high safe mode for both your personal information and your computer system. To manage all of them is not easy but to write them down is not secure. So what is a good solution for Ubuntu users in this case?

KDE users are offered an application named KWallet, which is used as the default
in Kubuntu to securely store passwords. By using this tool all your passwords are stored in a strongly encrypted file which is accessible by all your applications. However, to manage this file you have to define a master password which is required at the first time when you start up this tool. The master password is also used to encrypt all of the information stored inside the wallet. Therefore you don't need to remember all your passwords except the master one. Another benefit which is offered from this tool is that you can save time for entering user names and password every time you start up your applications.


All wallets are managed by kwalletmanager. This program keeps various wallets for any kind of data. You can operate with defined wallets via this program. Currently I'm using this tool to remember for my applications in Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10. How about you?

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Do you agree with me that Kpdf is the best tool in top 5 PDF readers? At the point in time when I am writing this post, the current version is Kpdf 0.5.8. You can read here to see what are new features of this version. I think that I should write some small tips for this tool. But I will do it latter. Now I will blog for how to change a default PDF reader.

Yesterday, I have installed all tools in top 5 PDF readers. Now, I try to double-click on a PDF document, it is shown up in Acrobat Reader. That means Acrobat Reader is set as the default PDF viewing program in my computer. I don't want to remove them right now. May be I will make another comparison next time. But I prefer Kpdf, so it should be the default one. To make it as the default PDF viewing program I have carried out the following steps in both Ubuntu and Kubuntu.


In Ubuntu Gutsy 7.10.

• Right-click on the PDF document
• Select Properties
• Open With" tab
• Select KPDF option from the list (see the picture)
  

• Click "Close" button to finish
  

In Kubuntu Gutsy 7.10.

• Right-click on the PDF document (or use Alt + Enter)
  
• Select Properties
• Click on "Tool" button at the right side of "Properties" window
• Move Kpdf to the top of the list of available tools in "Application Preference Order" panel, the result looks like the following picture

• Click "Apply" and "OK" then to confirm changes
• Try to double-click on a PDF document again ... It's OK!
  

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As you know PDF become an open, ISO standard. To view a PDF file we need to install a PDF viewer or PDF reader. A list of top 5 PDF readers is not too much for installation on Ubuntu Linux. But may be you wonder that if what should be used on your system to bring to the best benefit. Then, the answer is what benefit you need. It means you should know what you expect from the software and how the software meets your requirements.

For example, this is what I need for a PDF viewer.

• show a PDF file as well
  
• pay nothing
• allow me to search text
• support to rotate page, zoom in and zoom out
  

Well, I can eliminate one tool from top 5 PDF readers. It's gv tool because this tool doesn't allow me to search text. Now I have to add another option to the above list.

• should be open source software

That's good. I can eliminate another tool from top 5 PDF readers. It's Adobe Acrobat Reader because this tool is NOT an open source one. One again, I add more options to my requirement.

• provide side panel with thumbnails
• allow double page mode

This time xpdf tool is removed from top 5 PDF readers. So which one is better between Kpdf and evince? I try to put one more option to the list of my requirement.

• start up quickly

This option will bring to you an answer when you want to make comparison between Kpdf (or Evince) with Acrobat Reader since Acrobat Reader has a low loading. However, in term of performance when loading application Evince will be better in Gnome while Kpdf will be faster in KDE. So you know why Ubuntu offers Evince as a default Pdf reader while Kubuntu uses Kpdf. But if you don't like "a country under two kings", I will vote for Kpdf as the best PDF Viewer in Ubuntu Linux. You will ask me WHY? Wow, let me tell you right now.

Kpdf provides many configuration options (e.g. view two pages, configure memory usage, configure program look) which are not found in Evince. I like two mouse features (scrolling mouse and zooming mouse) in Kpdf when reading ebooks while Evince doesn't support these features as well. That the reason why I vote for Kpdf in this game.

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Today, I want to share a quick trick to anybody who have a problem with brightness buttons in Kubuntu Gutsy. The problem is known when you press Fn + Home (End) to adjust screen brightness in a Lenovo Thinkpad computer using Ubuntu Linux. You think that your screen will be darker or brighter but it doesn't work. There are a lot of questions about this bug on Ubuntu forum. So, if you have not yet found a proper answer may be this is a solution for you.

Open file:

vim /etc/acpi/thinkpad-brightness-up.sh

Add this line before "exit"

echo 4 > /proc/acpi/ibm/cmos

Open another file:

vim /etc/acpi/thinkpad-brightness-down.sh

Also insert this line before "exit"

echo 5 > /proc/acpi/ibm/cmos

Hopefully the problem will be fixed in your case.

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As other versions of Ubuntu Linux, Gutsy Gibbon doesn't provide Flash Plug-in for Firefox. You can check this problem easily by opening any Web pages consisting a Flash. You don't surprise because that is a non-free plug-in. That is the reason why I want to tell you how to install this plug-in from a non-free resource.

• Step 1: Add this line to your source.list

deb http://packages.medibuntu.org/ gutsy free non-free

• Step 2: Update your package database

sudo apt-get update

• Step 3: Search Adobe Flash Player plugin installer

apt-cache search flashplugin-nonfree

If it is found in the result, you move to next step to install it.

• Step 4: Install flashplugin-nonfree package

sudo apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

Some new related packages are also installed to your Ubuntu system. But now you can play Flash in your Firefox.

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As you know, OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite. It is a free office suite in Ubuntu 7.10 with several improved features. Last month, I had to show you more than 80 free tutorials for creating and using documents, databases, spreadsheets, and presentations in OpenOffice.org. Today, I would like to tell with you what I have done to fix a bug in this office suite. Now let's go!

Applications > Office > OpenOffice.org Word Processor > Insert > Special Character

My God! What happen? Look at this screenshot

My OpenOffice.org 2.3 is crashing in Gutsy Gibbon. Look around and discover that this problem is somehow related to two packages (openoffice.org-gnome and openoffice.org-gtk)

The problem have been solved after I removed these packages.

sudo aptitude remove openoffice.org-gnome openoffice.org-gtk

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There is no monitor signal while booting Ubuntu Gutsy. Just only a bank screen during booting the system. This problem is also seen again after you shutdown the Ubuntu Gutsy. How can you fix this problem? Don't worry! Hopefully, this post can help you to solve the problem.

First, you should install a startup manager. This tool allows you to change settings in the bootloader and splash screen in Ubuntu Gutsy. Run the following line in your terminal to install this tool.

sudo aptitude install startupmanager

Then, you start up this tool as a root user

sudo startupmanager

You will see a Startup-Manager window like this

Look at the bottom of the window, you have marked all options (Show bootloader menu, Show boot splash, and Show text during boot) like the following picture.


Click "Close" and continue to next step.

You open the usplash configuration file

sudo gedit /etc/usplash.conf

Maybe, the content of your configuration file like this

# Usplash configuration file
xres=1280
yres=1024

You change the resolution in this file to

# Usplash configuration file
xres=800
yres=600

Save file and reboot your Ubuntu box to see the effect. What is your result?

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The KDE Project today (October 16th, 2007) announced the immediate availability of KDE 3.5.8, a maintenance release for the latest generation of the most advanced and powerful free desktop for GNU/Linux and other UNIXes. KDE now supports 65 languages, making it available to more people than most non-free software and can be easily extended to support others by communities who wish to contribute to the open source project.

While the developers' main focus lies on finishing KDE 4.0, the stable 3.5 series remains the desktop of choice for the time being. It is proven, stable and well supported. The 3.5.8 release with its literally hundreds of bugfixes has again improved the users' experience. The main focus of improvements for KDE 3.5.8 is

• Improvements in Konqueror and its web browsing component KHTML. Bugs in handling HTTP connections have been fixed, KHTML has improved support of some CSS features for more standards compliance.
• In the kdegraphics package, lots of fixes in KDE's PDF viewer and Kolourpaint, a painting application, went into this release.
• The KDE PIM suite has, as usual, seen numerous stability fixes, covering KDE's email client KMail, the organizer application KOrganizer and various other bits and pieces.

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VnTutor have generated a VIM commands cheat sheet v1.0 for new VIM users. However, it is also needed professional for users as references. In this cheat sheet, commands with similar functions are grouped together.

Print it out and stick it on your wall if possible!

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