Disabling touchscreeen on Ubuntu / Xubuntu

For temporarily disabling, touchscreen will be enabled after re-login, first we should identify touchscreen id. For this run following command in terminal:

xinput --list

It will show like this:

Virtual core pointer                    id=2 [master pointer  (3)]
⎜   ↳ Virtual core XTEST pointer              id=4 [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎜   ↳ SYN1B7F:00 06CB:7DA2 Touchpad            id=17 [slave  pointer  (2)]
⎣   ↳ Xyz Touchscreen            id=9 [slave  pointer  (2)] 
Virtual core keyboard                    id=3 [master keyboard (2)]
    ↳ Virtual core XTEST keyboard              id=5 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Video Bus                                id=6 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Power Button                            id=7 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Lid Switch                              id=8 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HDA Intel PCH Front Headphone            id=10 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=3              id=11 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=7              id=12 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=8              id=13 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=9              id=14 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HDA Intel PCH HDMI/DP,pcm=10            id=15 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ HD WebCam: HD WebCam                    id=16 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Intel Virtual Button driver              id=18 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ AT Translated Set 2 keyboard            id=19 [slave  keyboard (3)]
    ↳ Acer WMI hotkeys                        id=20 [slave  keyboard (3)]

From above it is clear that touchscreen id is 9

For disabling touchscreen, use command:

xinput disable 9

For enabling touchscreen, use command:

xinput enable 9

In the above procedure re-login will enable touchscreen. For permanent disabling, we have to edit the file /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf. for this run command

sudo gedit  /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf

or for xubuntu

sudo nano /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/40-libinput.conf

This file will have entry like


Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "libinput touchscreen catchall"
        MatchIsTouchscreen "on"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
        Driver "libinput"
EndSection


Change MatchIsTouchscreen "on" to MatchIsTouchscreen "off" like this

Section "InputClass"
        Identifier "libinput touchscreen catchall"
        MatchIsTouchscreen "off"
        MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
        Driver "libinput"
EndSection

Save the file. Now touch screen is permanetly disabled

Adding / Deleteing users in Linux

In linux users can be added / deleted from GUI (graphical user interface). These options are in settings > Users and Groups. It is very easy and type of user can also be selected from options like Administrator, Desktop user, Custom user etc.

Sometime we need to add / delete user from command line terminal. The procedure is as below:

Command to add user "xyzabc"

sudo useradd xyzabc

Command to delete user "xyzabc"

sudo userdel xyzabc

If home directory (all files created by that user will be deleted) for this user has also to be deleted along with user deletion

sudo userdel -r xyzabc

Creating desktop shortcuts in Ubuntu 11.10

In Ubuntu 11.10 creating desktop shortcuts by right clicking on desktop is not possible. So, here are your ways out:

1. GCONF-EDITOR

The standard Home, Trash, Computer & Network icons can be easily added if you have already installed gnome-panel & gconf-editor (if you have not installed, go here - http://lin-tips.blogspot.com/2011/11/getting-gnome-panel-back-on-ubuntu-1110.html)

go to Applications > Other > Advanced setting

keep the buttons ON for icons required on desktop.

2. DESKTOP SHORTCUT

If desktop shortcut for any other folder is required, the following command can be used (assuming username xyzabc):

ln -s /home/xyzabc/Documents/test ~/Desktop/test123

This will create shortcut of folder named "test" (in /home/xyzabc/Documents) at desktop and shortcut would have name test123 (can be renamed later)

3. GNOME SHORTCUT

Another way is to use old style dialog boxby using command:

gnome-desktop-item-edit ~/Desktop/ --create-new

This will open launcher dialog box as below:

Installed Ubuntu - recommended programs

Here is my list of my recommended programs on ubuntu.

update & upgrade: First we should update repositories and update the system.

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

ubuntu-restricted-extras : It includes usefull audio & video codecs, flash plugin, java etc.

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

After this you need softwares as per your choice:

Graphics:

GIMP is image editing software, just like photoshop.

kolourpaint is painting program for kids, just like mspaint but more powerfull than it.

tuxpaint is painting program for kids, kid would have fun using it.

Sound & Video:

VLC media player is a cross platform media player. Good for watching videos, with plenty of options.

Audacious is a lightweight audio player just like winamp classic versions. XMMS themes can be used with it (can be downloaded from http://gnome-look.org), copy the downloaded theme to /usr/share/audacious/skins to use themes (use sudo nautilus to get root access for copying)

Audacity is a good sound editor software, usefull if you are interested in sound editing stuff.

Rythmbox media player is good for managing songs, default is banshee media player in ubuntu 11.10 (I didn't like banshee).

Arista Transcoder is useful video converter for converting movies / video clips for various devices such as mobile phone / tablet / PC etc.

Internet:

Skype is for video & audio calls over VOIP

Chromium is a web browser just like Google chrome (actually google chrome is based on chromium, or chromium  = chrome - google). If you like google chrome you can install that also

Education:

Must have in this catagory is Gcompris. complete educational suit for children. some games require gnucap installed. So install both

Tuxmath is good for children for learning math.

If you you offline dictionary on ubuntu, Artha is a good software. It does not require Internet connection after installation.

Kstars is a planetorium software.

 

Games:

hex-a-hop : game with thinking & logics, addicting game.

hedgewars : strategy single / multi-player game. It is played turn by turn. In your turn you can shoot any one weapon on opponent.

supertuxkart : Car racing game with weapons to damage opponent's vehicles.

supertux2 : Mario like game.
Extreme Tux racer : A racing game, with you playing as penguin sliding down the snowy hills and eating fishes.
Airstrike : plane fighting single / multi-player game.
X-Moto: Motor bike game, its all about controlling. 

Getting GNOME panel back on Ubuntu 11.10

Ubuntu 11.10 comes with Unity desktop manager. Some users didn't like the default Unity desktop Manager. To get back GNOME panel run:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install gnome-panel

sudo apt-get install gconf-editor

Or you can install these packages from Ubuntu Software Center also (gnome-panel & gconf-editor). Logout and re-login with GNOME classic. The difference from GNOME 2.x is - to add, remove or move items to panel we have to use Alt key. (Alt+Right click or Alt+Left click).

Another change is no theme with minimise, maximise and close buttons at right side of window. To move minimise, maximise and close buttons to right side of window:

Open terminal, and run

gconf-editor

Now browse to apps>metacity>general, on the right pane double click on button_layout. Change the value from.

close,minimize,maximize:

to

:minimize,maximize,close

 










This will effect setting for current user only

In new version use this command:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences button-layout 'menu:minimize,maximize,close'