SCIENTIFIC.DK^™ develops and coordinates Bio. & IT. projects

We completely renounce any damages that may occur and all you do is on your's own responsibility including possible offending license. Before hardware tweaking do backup.

sudo cp /etc/apt/sources.list /etc/apt/sources_bak.list #(press the Enter button)
sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list #(press the Enter button again)

Setup of School/Office computer with Edutainment & IP-telephone

Click on installation  to install the basic Ubuntu Dapper (OR : do this together in a Linux User Group)

1. Be aware that the BIOS is setup to boot from the CD / DVD (activate immediately the BIOS pressing F1,F2,F12 or Del...written on the very first screen you see. If not: you just start no Ubuntu)

2. You can normally say YES to all points, BUT be aware that you can also choose:

3. To install a non-English language choose English US first and add your native language later (some non-latin languages expect English as default). Danish, you can choose without problems.

4. Choose your native country and keyboard immediately.

5. Choose your default administrator user (our is "hope". Use this hope user to get our scripts going)

6. If you got two Hard Desk Drive (HDD) use the smallest eg. 10GB for storage by manual partitioning your /home in this drive and the system in the largest (and often) fastest HDD.

7. Be aware that you are online through the installation – that will save you a lot of time

The system setup after the upper basic Dapper is installed.

1. Insert a BIOS administrator password (activate immediately the BIOS pressing F1,F2 or Del)

2. Make the HDD the first and only startup in BIOS to keep install-CD's of children away. Control: place a floppy and a CD in the drive.

3. Do upgrade your system by pressing your top icon for updating (as the system request). Let it FINISH everything before rebooting. Controll: Write in a terminal:

   sudo apt-get update #followed by:
   sudo apt-get dist-upgrade --fix-missing #and press the buttom: Enter - let all finish.
   #If problems look for a tipp at: http://scientific.dk/IT-support/rescue.html

4. Create a new user - beside the default one. A user who has administrator privileges. The user we use is: lego     (Choose the same users to proceed our scripts)

   Restart the graphic interface (Ctrl + Alt + <- (delete backwards)), and login as the new user, logout and login again as our default administrator user (hope).  

5. Transfer shortcuts to your desktop, if you like Scientific's concept by click on http://www.scientific.dk/download/desktop and unpack to your Desktop.
   Controll: all icons must have unique thumpnail-images when you have installed the programs below.

6. Accept the repositories that are available in Automatix and skip this point OR better insert repositories from your country as seen --->
   You can also copy a Chinese source from: http://www.scientific.dk/download/sourcesCN.list or a Danish source from http://www.scientific.dk/download/sourcesDK.list into the sources.list file:
   

   sudo gedit /etc/apt/sources.list #and replace with your chosen sources.

   Repeat point 3. Controll: follow the update and remark from what country you get your update.

7. If your computer is older than 1999, skip point 8 and 9 and go to point 10.
8. a. Try to insert the Linux-686 kernel through System->Administration->Synaptic OR use the following command in a terminal:  

   sudo apt-get install linux-686

9. ONLY if it won't start, press Esc in the very beginning and choose the Linux-386 kernel and remove Linux-686 after boot through Programs->System Tools->Synaptic.

   b. If it starts perfect your processor is boosted seriously in performance. Controll read while booting. You can now remove the Linux-386 kernel

10. For later easy and safe upgrade, preferable install the programs available from the repositories:
    Glabels is for label-creation and Inkscape is a vector-drawing program, Skype is a IP-phone, links2 is a fast simple graph or text-browser, network-manager to easy get the internet-connection, vlc is for showing videos, mozilla-plugin-vlc, ttf-thryomanes is support for VLC, acroread is acrobat reader, amsn is a messenger, and the remainings are edutainment-programs:
    

11. sudo apt-get install glabels inkscape network-manager network-manager-gnome vlc mozilla-plugin-vlc ttf-thryomanes sun-j2re1.5 acroread acroread-plugins skype links2 amsn gcompris childsplay links2 toppler mathwar tipptrainer tipptrainer-data-en tuxmath tuxpaint pingus xpaint armagetron bzflag gcompris-sound-da wormux slune flightgear gl-117 lincity-ng
    

12. #Also promissing for edutainment, but for Ubuntu Edgy seams: littlewizard miniracer vdrift onyx billardgl glest lgenerals openttd mathpuzle
    #OBS: Remember to keep your system updated by pressing the upgrade icon in the top each time it request so (or frequently) to keep the system safe and let the process finish.

13. An opensource IP-phone with webcam support, you can downloade from: http://openwengo.org-we have till now chosen the stable classic ver. 0.958m (In China it is 40% cheaper than Skype to public phones). (Wengophone 2.0 is now available using wget http://download.wengo.com/wengophone/rc/2006-10-18/WengoPhone-2.0-linux-bin-x86.tar.bz2, unpack and run the wengophone.sh file). In Dapper or Breezy copy the following lines into a terminal:

    # sudo apt-get install libssl0.9.7 ## needed line in Edgy
    wget http://wengofiles.wengo.fr/wengophone/rc/wengophone-0.958m-1.i386.deb
    sudo dpkg -i ~/wengophone-0.958m-1.i386.deb #In Edgy Wengophone 0.99 or 2.0 is better.

14. Check that eg. Macromedia Flash-player starts at the page:  www.lego.cn and do the install if not.

15. Installing programs all together, except programs from Automatix and Wengophone so far, do copy into a terminal:
    

    sudo apt-get install glabels inkscape network-manager network-manager-gnome vlc mozilla-plugin-vlc ttf-thryomanes acroread acroread-plugins linux-686 ttf-arphic-newsung cmap-adobe-gb1 cmap-adobe-cns1 cmap-adobe-cns1 xfonts-intl-chinese skype links2 amsn gcompris gcompris-data gcompris-sound-en childsplay childsplay-plugins links2 toppler mathwar tipptrainer tipptrainer-data-en tuxmath tuxpaint pingus xpaint armagetron bzflag gcompris-sound-da wormux slune flightgear gl-117 lincity-ng 
    # provided all sources are created as downloaded from http://scientific.dk/download

16. If your PC's graphic card is onboard or not very fast you'll benefit of these 4 screen tweeks, remember especially to do the 16 color depth of the graphic setup writing DefaultDept 16 in stead of the demanding 24-bit color depth mode:
    Start and end with a test:
    

    glxgears
    

    and replace the value 24 with 16 for more speed:

    sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf
    #and choose color deapt 16 - change the line to:
    

    DefaultDepth        16

17. Also you may decrease the resolution eg.:
    Modes        "1152x879" "1024x768" "800x600" "640x480" - and remove "1152x879"
    but let the minimum acceptable resolution 1024x768 remain. Lower values may handicap the system.
18. Remove background: System->Preferences->Desktop backgrounds->no background
19. Remove screensaver: System->Preferences->Screensaver->(unclick) Activate Screensaver when system is idle.

20. Set your date and time correct by right-click the watch in the upper right corner and Adjust... That is a common problem eg. in Automatix installed below like "time warp or clock problem". Now you can pick the upper downloading "automatixKey.txt" method, which is also useful if you got the error: gpg: WARNING nothing exported.

21. Consider to bring the £-suggested programs under Automatix in and these suggested edutainment-, multimediaplayer-, messenger-, fonts and utility-programs into your Linux-box with the commands. Insert Automatix2 and choose Installing on (K,X)Ubuntu 6.06 i386,amd64 (Dapper) as described at: http://www.getautomatix.com/wiki/index.php?title=Installation. OR you can do as follows:
    
22. This way you get the public key downloading "automatixKey.txt" writing in a terminal:

    wget http://www.getautomatix.com/apt/key.gpg.asc # key 521A9C7C is common for Edgy too.
    gpg --import key.gpg.asc
    wget http://scientific.dk/download/automatixKey.txt
    sudo apt-key add ~/automatixKey.txt #if no OK message, try to reboot and redo this command again.
    

    If you recieve an "OK" message, you succeed to continue:

    sudo apt-get update 
    sudo apt-get install automatix2
    automatix2

23. As also possible later - Run Automatix2 from Applications->System Tools->Automatix, write your password and at least select the £-suggested programs from this capability list below:

24. Capabilities **Acrobat Reader (Adobe Acrobat Reader and plugin for Firefox 1.5) £-AMSN 0.95 (MSN client with webcam support, is available in Dapper and Edgy repositories) Amule (Latest version of a P2P file sharing client) Archiving Tools (Additional archiving tools (rar, unrar, ace, and 7zip)) **AUD-DVD codecs (NON-FREE Audio and DVD codecs(w32codecs must be installed from repositories in Edgy to install the rest) (Installation of this option 5. is illegal in the United States of America) Avidemux (Video Editing Tool) Azureus (Installs Azureus bittorrent client) £-Backup and Restore (A graphical backup and restore solution for Ubuntu (GNOME)) Beagle (A Mono-based search program) £-Bittornado (Bittorent Client) Boot-up Manager (Easy configuration of startup and shutdown scripts and services) Checkgmail (A nifty gmail checker) Ctrl-Alt-Del (This configures Ctrl-Alt-Del to Open Gnome System Monitor (GNOME ONLY)) DCPP (Linux DC++ client) Debian Menu (Shows all installed applications on your system) £-Democracy Player (Internet TV platform)  DVD Ripper (DVD ripper) **Extra Fonts (Additional fonts and msttcorefonts) **Flashplayer (Adobe Flash Player for FF) Frostwire (P2P file sharing client (GPL clone of Limewire)) Gdesklets (eyecandy for Gnome) Gaim 2.0 beta3 (The latest version of a popular IM client compatible with YIM/MSN/AIM/Jabber etc) GFTP (FTP client for GNOME with ssh capability) £-Gizmo Project (VoIP phone) Gnomebaker (The best GTK2 CD/DVD burning software) GnomePPP (Graphical dialup connection tool (GNOME ONLY)) GnuCash (Money management software for GNOME) Google Earth (Satellite Earth imagery application from Google) Google Picasa (Photo editing application from Google) iLinux (iLife Alternative (Banshee, F-Spot, Kino)) Liferea (A RSS reader for GNOME) Listen Media Manager (Latest version of a new media manager and player for GNOME) Media Players (Totem-xine, VLC and Beep Media Player (with docklet)) £-MPlayer & FF plugin (MPlayer and Firefox 1.5 plugin) **Multimedia Codecs (Commonly needed audio and video codecs) Multimedia Editing (Audio (Audacity) Video (Kino) and ID3 Tag (Easytag) editors) Nautilus Scripts (Open Nautilus, and any file with gedit with a right click, as root (GNOME ONLY)) NDISWrapper (A driver wrapper that allows you to use Windows driver for network cards) Network Manager (A program and menu applet that allows you to easily change networks) NVIDIA Driver (Installs NVIDIA drivers on select NVIDIA cards) Opera Browser (Opera Web Browser) OpenOffice Clipart (clipart in OpenOffice) Programming Tools (Anjuta (C/C++ IDE), Bluefish (HTML editor), Screem (web development), NVU (HTML editor) **RealPlayer (RealPlayer, available as realplay in Edgy)  Rhythmbox (Latest version of Rhythmbox) Ripper and Tuner (Streamripper (rips Internet radio streams) and Streamtuner (Internet radio client)) Security Suite (ClamAV AntiVirus and Firestarter Firewall) – useful if you are working in a network with Windows PC's. Skype (A free (as in free beer) Voice Over IP software) Slab (Novell's "Slab" menu used in SLED 10) **SUN JAVA 1.5 JRE (Sun's version 1.5 JRE & The Firefox plugin) SUN JAVA 1.5 JDK (Sun's version 1.5 JDK (Most users DONT need this)) £-Swiftfox Browser (optimized Firefox browser for your specific CPU) £-Swiftfox Plugins (Java, Flash, Acrobat, Mplayer, MS fonts) Thunderbird 1.5 (Email client) Wine (Installs Wine) XChat (a popular IRC client) PLEASE DO NOT INSTALL (5) IF YOU ARE IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IT IS ILLEGAL TO DO SO. Choose to keep your own repositories – from your country and upgrade if requested and always let upgrading and installations END without starting any other installation tools (like synaptic)!! -----------------------------Back to the checklist-------------------->

25. Finish with the general control that all is up-to-date and well-working with  

    sudo apt-get update #followed by:
    sudo apt-get dist-upgrade --fix-missing #and press the buttom: Enter - let all finish!
    

26. Consider to make it possible to make a copy of this level of installed programs:
    

    sudo dpkg --get-selections > packagelist.txt #(<-that is backup of your program package list)
    sudo dd if=/dev/hda of=bootsector.img bs=512 count=1 #(<-that is backup of your boot sector)
    

    so you can return to this level of installed programs. How?:  http://scientific.dk/IT-support/rescue.html

27. Optimizing each hard disc you may have installed:
    Normally, you do not have to worry if you make your hard disk a _little_ unstable through this process, because the settings are not saved between boot-ups unless you decide so (as seen below)
    Start writing your present settings on paper and perform a speed test in a terminal* from:
    

    sudo hdparm /dev/hda #(note this lines output at _least_)
    sudo hdparm -Tt /dev/hda

    gentle optimization of older hard disks -especially the multi read- start with:
    

    sudo hdparm -c1 -d1 -m16 /dev/hda #(experiment with adding arguments -u1 and -c3 (-X66 for newer drives only)

    For a modern hard disk you may try: sudo hdparm -X66 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c3 -A1 /dev/hda
    
    Be aware and reboot in case of instability.
    
    When you have tested thoroughly stressing the hard disk with a lot of large programs open (and noticed the best possible performance sudo hdparm -Tt /dev/hda) and you keep a level where the hard disk are still stable, insert e.g. your hdparm command-line with 12 times of 5 seconds spin down time exactly like this (no sudo): hdparm -X66 -d1 -u1 -m16 -c3 -S12 /dev/hda into the last line of the "/etc/hdparm.conf" file in Ubuntu (and in the /etc/rc.boot of fedora):
    

    Sudo gedit /etc/hdparm.conf #and edit

    Insetting the next lines to make the optimization permanent after your reboots.  

    # write eg. the following into the file:
    /dev/cdroms/cdrom0 {
            dma = on
            interrupt_unmask = on
            io32_support = 0
    }
    
    command_line {
           hdparm -c1 -d1 -m16 /dev/hda
    }
    #providing that your HDD is /dev/hda. Lookup if it is /dev/hda by writing:
    

    sudo fdisk -l

    For a deeper understanding and a better optimization of your hard disks please goto Speeding up Linux using hdparm or Speed vs. compatability or look in the manual by writing in a terminal:
    

    man hdparm

28. If you are Linux skilled, we recommend to use a fast desktop manager like FMWM or IceWM in old hardware. Look how in the buttom.

29. For non-english natives:
    Choose Timezone through right click on the date&watch in the top-menu and choose Adjust time and Syncronize (for China choose Asia/Chongqing). 

30. Choose your language(s) from: System->Administration->Language support. Click the checkpoint for your choise of language from the supported languages list, but keep EnglishUS as default. After installation you can log-in choosing your own language. Here, the first time you choose SCIM (pressing Ctrl+spacesimultaniously), choose eg. Chinese simplified in the lower right corner, othewise only english keyboard is used. 

31. An updated version of a short guide to the Chinese School PC's are available for download in English:  help2linuxENG.rtf and in Chinese: help2linux 帮助使用Linux.doc at http://scientific.dk/download/

32. Choose additional fonts Eg. for simplified Chinese also choose all fonts including GB2312 and ethnic fonts.  If you have not  deb http://apt.debian.org.tw/ unstable main/ttf-arphic-newsung in your repository you need it for inserting ttf-arphic-newsung)

    # Find fonts of your choise at least xfonts and ttf- that mention Chinese.
    sudo apt-get install cmap-adobe-gb1 cmap-adobe-cns1 xfonts-intl-chinese ttf-arphic-newsung
    # You can also check in synaptic for the words: arphic -zn -cn -tw -hk and chinese

33. Choose how to setup your Firefox to show native search first and change more: In Firefox use the topbar: Edit->General->Location of your choice, unclick Privacy->Passwords on public computers!, unclick Content->Block popup windows for newcommers,  Advanced->Edit Languages->add eg. Chinese zh-cn and move it up on top, press OK.

34. Optimize your Firefox (or Swiftfox) internet connection from http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=181107 or after started firefox once and if you got a midium-fast broadband Internet-connection and an older computer, you can download the file "user.js" from http://scientific.dk/download and place it at your firefox default directory:

    wget http://scientific.dk/download/user.js
    sudo cp ~/user.js ~/.mozilla/firefox/*.default/
    #Control:In firefox write  about:config [Enter], pipelining - If the value 8 exist OK

35. Do the same for your user (lego) this way: start a terminal and copy:

    nautilus /home/hope/ #and another terminal with
    sudo nautilus /home/lego/.mozilla/firefox/
    #Open the *.default directory and copy the file user.js from /home/hope/ to this directory
    #Close both the (nautilus) windows and Control as above.

36. Suggestion to change the main panel: Rightclick on top->Add to panel and select (the unconsuming Geyes and secret drawer for kids, Dictionary look up, Workspace switcher, the system monitor to dimm inpatiency on  slow PCs.  Remove the Workspace switcher in the buttom to make room for more open programs.
37. For the teacher/administrator: Draw (Copy) the launger named "Transfer Desktop to user" from the maintainence directory "PC-vedligehold" till the top-panel to copy the administrator icons to the user [provided you have unpacked (dobbeltclick) the "desktop" after downloaded it from http://scientific.dk/download.
    

38. To write-protect the users Desktop in a terminal do: 

    sudo su -
    cd /home/lego
    chown root Desktop
    chmod 1775 Desktop
    exit #and press the Enter buttom.

39. Establish an Email (eg. 5GB from linuxmail.org) and create a wengophone account):
    

40. Consider installing SAMBA for easy filetransfer. Download and read the guidelines of "sambaconfig".
    

    
    General optimization of the computer

41. Theft secure the cabinet of the computer with a one-way screw through the cabinet that also function as a device for hanging.

42. Checkup cables, keyboard, install of scanner, printer, monitor, sound, USB/ps2 mice

43. Place a new motherboard battery in the computer to avoid instability

44. Consider BIOS flashing for better stability, overclocking of processor and RAM

45. Overclock less than 30% and if you get a stable system 10% at least. It lower the life of the processor but after 15 years you probably do not use the computer anyway. If you get a collapse when you load heavy graphic, the processor run from your graphic card (which you may renew).

When you install the basic system and the packages using synaptic, aptitude or another apt-get command all installation files are saved in the directory: /var/cache/apt/archives/. But on an old computer these xxx.apt files will fill-up your limited harddisk space. As in Window$ 10-20% space has to be left empty for remain the harddisk to work optimal. To clean ALL older installations files write in a terminal*:

sudo apt-get clean

sudo apt-get autoclean

setcd -x <4> # here we decrease the CD to 4 time speed, which can help reading damaged CDs.

If you make a mistake with the answers, you can always edit the file:
sudo gedit /var/lib/debfosterkeepers

For cleaning up duplicate and problematic files install FSlint . Just unpack -dobbeltclick- the tar.gz file to a folder and startup FSlint from this folder you installed it. (Default the download go to your home directory).

sudo dpkg-reconfigure locales

sudo apt-get install network-manager network-manager-gnome

sudo dpkg -i gtkwifi-1.09.deb #later replace 1.09 with the number of any new version
gtkwifi run-in-window #start this every time you like wireless (easy through a script)

sudo dhclient
sudo /etc/init.d/networking restart
# or 
sudo ifdown wlan0 
sudo ifdown eth0
sudo ifdown eth1
sudo ifdown ra0 # or whatever wireless hardware you find available from iwconfig
# followed by
sudo ifup wlan0 
sudo ifup eth0
sudo ifup eth1
sudo ifup ra0

sudo apt-get install sleepd
man sleepd
sudo sleepd

sudo apt-get install acme # Enables the "multimedia buttons" found on laptopsacme
acme

network.http.pipelining 
network.http.proxy.pipelining 
network.http.pipelining.maxrequests #also part of the major optimation above

sudo apt-get install lilo (keep the Grub files)
sudo lilo -b /dev/fd0

head /proc/cpuinfo

glxgears
sudo gedit /etc/X11/xorg.conf 

gconftool-2 --type bool --set /apps/gnome-session/options/show_splash_screen false

sudo apt-get install iceme icepref icewm icewm-common icewm-themes mousepad icewm-gnome
sudo apt-get install rox-filer python-gtk-1.2
sudo apt-get -f install # in case of any uncovered dependencies
sudo dpkg -i ubuntulite-icewm_1.2.18-1ubuntu1_all.deb

sudo apt-get install big-cursor
big-cursor

sudo apt-get update #(press the Enter button and write your password and press Enter again)
sudo apt-get dist-upgrade #(and press Enter again and yes to all (reasonable suggestions))