Ubuntu Tweak 0.4.0 Released!

Ubuntu Tweak 0.4.0 has been released.
We told you about it 3 days ago, before anyone else did here. Its author TualatriX has written an in depth review of Ubuntu Tweak's capabilities. It has taken him 2 months to code Ubuntu Tweak.
Here is his take on Package Cleaner:
another new feature has been introduced to Ubuntu Tweak after I finished the GUI design. That’s the “Package Cleaner”.
After a long time of using Ubuntu, after many times of installing and updating, I think there’s a lot of packages that are useless in your Ubuntu, it is called the “Garbage Package”. So is the package cache.
Now you can clean up them easily through Ubuntu Tweak!
If you’re a skilled user of Ubuntu, you must know the opertions can be done by run “sudo apt-get autoremove” or “sudo apt-get clean” in termianl. But Ubuntu Tweak can do it better, you can remove the packages(or cache) in your mind.
For example, you want to remove most of the unneeded packages, but want to remain the old kernels. So you can just select what you want to remove, and click “clear”. If you do with “apt-get autoremove”, all the packages will be removed by once.
Following pictures show how you can clean up packages and cache by Ubuntu Tweak.
Ubuntu Tweak will automately list the unneeded packages(or cache), you can clean up of them by selecting what you want, or just select all.
The pictures show the old kernel can be removed.

The same to clean cache, it will free your disk space.

I hope this feature will help you to manage your Ubuntu with a better solution.

You can read his review here: http://ubuntu-tweak.com/2008/10/09/ubuntu-tweak-040-released.html

If you are use Ubuntu Tweak through its repository and you’ve upgraded to Ubuntu 8.10, please changed the sources to Intrepid:

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ubuntu intrepid main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ubuntu intrepid main

If you still using Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy, the old source is still be used.

deb http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ubuntu hardy main
deb-src http://ppa.launchpad.net/tualatrix/ubuntu hardy main

Or you want to go and download it from here: downloads

Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.5 Released

A new version of Ubuntu Tweak has been released today: 0.5.5. There's no official announcement yet, but the new version is now available in the Ubuntu Tweak stable PPA.

Looking and the BZR changelog, there's only one new major feature in Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.5:PPA Purge (which was also available in the WebUpd8 PPA by the way), which you can now use from within Ubuntu Tweak.

PPA Purge can remove a PPA and downgrade all the packages you've installed from that PPA to the official version in the Ubuntu repositories. An example: suppose you add the c-korn/vlc PPA and install VLC 1.1.1 but you want to go back to VLC 1.0.6 which is available in the Ubuntu official repositories. Using PPA Purge, the c-korn/vlc PPA will be removed and VLC 1.1.1 will be downgraded to version 1.0.6 (there's one catch though: make sure you don't have any other PPAs with VLC 1.1.1 or 1.1.0 and so on).

PPA Purge can be found in Ubuntu Tweak under Applications > Package Cleaner.

Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.5 also brings support for Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat and also, itcan now detect if you're using Ubuntu Netbook Edition or Lubuntu.

Install Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.5:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa 
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-tweak

Note: The Ubuntu Tweak "About" dialog currently says "0.5.4.1" instead of "0.5.5". That's a display bug, if you have the Ubuntu Tweak PPA added and upgrade, you'll have version 0.5.5.

5 Things To Do After Installing Jaunty

Enjoying the latest and greatest that Linux has to offer? Here are 5 things you should do to get even more from your Ubuntu 9.04

1) Configure Firewall

If you are concern about your security, then it is pertinent that you activate the firewall and prevent any unauthorized access to your computer.

UFW is installed by default, but if you need a graphical interface, install GUFW.
sudo apt-get install gufw

2) Enable the repositories

Every time I do a fresh install of Ubuntu, the first thing that I do is to enable the universe, multiverse, backport and Canonical’s ‘partner’ repositories. These repositories open up new application choices and allow you to install popular third party software easily and quickly.

Go to System -> Administration -> Synaptic Package Manager.

Click on Settings -> Repositories.

Check all the boxes.

Go to the Third-Party Software tab. Check all the boxes.

Click on Close button and press the Reload button at the top left corner to update the repositories.

3) Wine

Wine is a must-have application for those who can’t live without their Windows applications, It allows you to install your Windows application in your Ubuntu machine and run them like native Windows apps.
sudo apt-get install wine

Once you have installed Wine, remember to run the configuration (Applications -> Wine -> Configure Wine) before attempting to install your favorite Windows app.

4) Ubuntu-Restricted-extras

Can’t listen to MP3? Can’t watch Youtube video? Can’t run Java? Don’t worry, all you need to do is to install the ubuntu-restricted-extras package and it will install all the necessary files/codecs for you. Some common applications in the package include MP3 codec, Adobe Flash player, Java runtime and Microsoft core fonts.
sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

5) Download Ubuntu Tweak and VLC

Download Ubuntu Tweak here and install it by double clicking the .deb file

Download VLC by this command

sudo apt-get install vlc

Interview With TualatriX - Maker of Ubuntu Tweak!

Ubuntu has made the whole PC industry sit up and take notice. Even companies like DELL are shipping Ubuntu as an alternative to Windows. Ubuntu has made Linux as simple as Windows (if not more) to use. However making changes in Ubuntu still require some good old grease and some x-conf editing. Thankfully one software, Ubuntu Tweak, aims to make changes to Ubuntu very easy. Today we have TualatriX, the maker of UT. Lets ask him the secret of Ubuntu Tweak's phenomenal rise in the Linux world.

First of all, what does TualatriX mean? Is it a Chinese name?

No, TualatriX doesn't means anything. It is actually Tualatin + Cyrix. Tualatin and Cyrix are the names of my 2 CPU processors. I started using it because I needed an ID that could be used everywhere and wouldn't be already registered. So I create the TualatriX for my English ID. From there on, I never meet the thing that the ID has been registered.
Of course, TualatriX is hard to spell and remember, so you can call me TX for short, or my real name: Zhou Ding. Zhou is my surname and Ding is my name.

So Ding, tell us something about Ubuntu Tweak.

Ubuntu Tweak is a tool originally designed to help those who are new to Ubuntu. After several releases, I found that skilled people use it too. So now it's a setting tool for every Ubuntu user. It makes changing settings on Ubuntu very easy.

When and why did you set out to write Ubuntu Tweak?

Ubuntu Tweak's first version (0.1.2) was released in September 2007.It was during my first summer vacation (From July 2007 to August 2007) of my college, I decided to develop an application to help tweaking Ubuntu.

Every time I finished installing Ubuntu on my or others' computer, I had to do the same work again and again to make it do what I want. So I thought why don’t I write an application to help me avoid doing the same work again？

Did you have any previous coding experience?

I started learning programing since August 2006, but didn't wrote any application. Before programing for Ubuntu Tweak, I only had a little experience with writing simple programs. I like writing programs with Java, but now I chose Python. It was July 2007, when I finally started writing a real application, it was Ubuntu Tweak. I didn't have any experience with writing application , so I learnt GTK+ for developing Ubuntu Tweak.The beginning was difficult, fortunately, in the Opensource world, I can read other applications’ code to learn how to do programming. After more than one month, the first version of Ubuntu Tweak came out! Since version 0.2.4 I re-wrote Ubuntu Tweak with Python.

You can read more about it here.

Talking of other software, which is your favorite Ubuntu software?

My favorite software is Compiz Fusion. It's magical and powerful, that's why I like it.

You have been putting in cool new features in Ubuntu Tweak with every release, what is the secret of such rapid pace of development? What new features can we expect in Ubuntu Tweak?

The secret is: I always listen to the users, and make ideas every time.

Some new features you can expect are the Service control, Appearance settings (Theme install) and Tweaking the System Settings.

What is the current situation of Linux in China?

Linux useage in China is still in its infancy. Very few people here know about Linux. However the number of Linux users is increasing. Even in education field, various schools and colleges are starting an Linux course in addition to Windows.

Since when did you started using Linux, what has been your experience so far?

I started using Linux since November 2006, I was curious about it. Now I cannot live without Linux. I have used various Linux distributions right from Fedora to Ubuntu, and now I choose to use Gentoo.

My advice to Linux newcomers is: Never look at Linux as an Windows clone, regard Linux as a completely new thing.

When you started out, did you expect Ubuntu Tweak would become so famous?

No, I didn't. So it now becomes a responsibility (also power) to me, I need to make it better.

Are there any plans to include Ubuntu Tweak in the Ubuntu distribution?

I know many people want it to be included by default, but I feel it is more suitable for Tweak to be included in the repository.

Are you planning to fork UT into other releases.

I'll always work with Ubuntu Tweak, let other people do the fork.

Many users ( including me ) are complaining about the changed theme for the upcoming 3.6 release, what are you going to do about it?

Yeah, many people are also complaining about the big interface, their desktop's resolution is 1024*768 (or 1024*600 with EEE PC). So I'll have to change the theme to let more people play with it.

How has Ubuntu Tweak changed your life? Any special memories?

Many people start to know me because of Ubuntu Tweak, but it doesn't change my life at all. in other words, I make Ubuntu Tweak to make life more meaningful. I have known many people thanks to Ubuntu Tweak. Last month I received an email from a 72 yr old gentleman from India who congratulated me for making Ubuntu better. It was special!

Thank you Ding! For your wonderful service to Ubuntu and Linux in general. We are sure you will keep Ubuntu Tweak the best in its class.

"So, tell me momma why make Buffalo's biggest cookie?"