Attn: Linux Experts

[sillygoosegirl]

You are going to be so proud of me. I have a new laptop and it runs Linux. In fact, it *only* runs Linux. I'm on the other side of the world with no Windows boot option. Amazingly, I don't really need any help with it, as Ubuntu is mostly just working out of the box, and for everything else there is Google. It seems Linux has come a long way since I last tried to seriously use it my Freshman year of college.

However, I'd love some recommendations about what software I should load up while I have a good free Internet connection. Between OpenOffice, Mozilla, Picasa, and Skype, I think I have the essentials covered, but it would be nice to be able to do a few more things. Specifically I'd love recommendations on applications for the following:

Sync my iPod Touch, ideally with new Audible books (I thought iTunes was supposed to work through Wine, but no dice so far)
Read Kindle Books
Sync a nice Calendar/Outlook-clone to my Google Calendar
Sync software to make backing up photos onto hard drive and alternate SD card more convenient
LJ client
Blogger Client
Any other useful programs I should have but haven't thought of yet

Also, is there a way to trouble shoot programs that don't *just work* on Wine?

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Now, I just have to take a minute to tell about my new computer. This computer shall be known as Lotus, since we got it in Asia, and sticking with the floral theme. It's a Sony P-Series "Lifestyle" PC, which is super small, but more powerful than a typical netbook. It's got a super-wide aspect ratio, clearly designed around the smallest possible usable keyboard for touch typing, with no extra space on the base for a mousepad. It's nub mouse only, which is a little bit of a bummer. The resolution is 1600x800. It weighs about 1.5 lbs. The rest of the specs are a bit lacking by modern standards. I didn't buy it before our trip for a combination of reasons: price, mixed reviews, not knowing how much I would want a PC with us. The reviews mostly said that the keyboard is marginally sized, and that it works pretty well so long as you don't ask it to do too much. Running Vista counts as "too much", which lead to many bad reviews since that's the operating system it ships with. Supposedly 7 and XP are both okay. So when this one, running only Linux and without it's original Vista disks came up on eBay, it seemed like a great opportunity to pick it up cheaper, and with a more appropriate OS to the hardware. And to become a Linux user. Maybe I'll even be a convert by the time we get home...

Comments

[mineral2.livejournal.com]

Mozilla Thunderbird for e-mail, Mozilla Sunbird for a stand-alone calendar or Mozilla Ligntning to integrate a calendar with Thunderbird. Deepest Sender is a Firefox add-on that allows you to post to LJ, Blogger, and a host of other platforms.

Some other fun stuff you might enjoy: Stellarium is a digital planetarium for the night sky.