Ubuntu Help (Drivers etc) Native Install

[rmbrown09]

So I have Ubuntu 10.10 installed on my MBP here via Refit.

Things work absolutely wonderful for the most part.

Wifi? Works
Ethernet? Works
Trackpad? Works (even two finger scrolling after grabbing a driver)
volume hotkeys? Works
Pretty much everything works great....

Things that don't work that I would like to:

1.) Backlit keyboard. I know there is a driver for it somewhere to get it to work, even with the hot-keys. SOLVED

2.) Brightness adjustments.. the keys don't do anything.

3.) Magic Mouse... are there drivers somewhere for it that I can use to get scrolling on it?

4.) Can I switch my Cmd and cntrl keys? if so how? I saw a blog where someone said it was possible.That way cmd + C is copy and not ctrl + c SOLVED

Things That I have questions about:

1.) Is there a spotlight type search for Ubuntu? SOLVED

2.) Is there a program like MagicPrefs that allows me to possibly custom assign actions on the magic mouse to do things? cmd + a brings up an expose esc window showing, and I would love for a three finger click on the magic mouse to do the same, just as it does for me on the OSX side.

3.) Is there a hotkey to take a screen shot // where does the screen shot go? SOLVED

4.) Would there be a way to completely kill my OSX install and just use Refit and Ubuntu?


Do you guys recommend anything? Ubuntu is so freaking cool. Chromium makes me feel right at home here on the web. Net Beans is looking very nice for my comp sci class.

 

[Morley7]

4.) Can I switch my Cmd and cntrl keys? if so how? I saw a blog where someone said it was possible.That way cmd + C is copy and not ctrl + c

What if you change your keyboard layout to USA - Macintosh?

4.) Would there be a way to completely kill my OSX install and just use Refit and Ubuntu?

Couldn't you just do a clean install of Ubuntu and reformat the entire hdd? You may be able to delete and merge the OS X and EFI partition. I'm not entirely sure how well that would work. You may want to look into it though.

There's probably a way to do it without wiping you hdd but it may be more trouble than it's worth having to deal with the way macs are set up.

As for your other questions I would go look at a linux forum. You will probably find the answers there.

 

[rmbrown09]

What if you change your keyboard layout to USA - Macintosh?



Couldn't you just do a clean install of Ubuntu and reformat the entire hdd? You may be able to delete and merge the OS X and EFI partition. I'm not entirely sure how well that would work. You may want to look into it though.

There's probably a way to do it without wiping you hdd but it may be more trouble than it's worth having to deal with the way macs are set up.

As for your other questions I would go look at a linux forum. You will probably find the answers there.

Hmm I'll see if that is an option about the keyboard, as far as the keyboard with the back lighting I have that now fixed.

 

[Morley7]

I have been thinking about switching completely over to Ubuntu as well. I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would appreciate your solutions.

 

[c1phr]

As far as dropping OSX, I've read that having OSX is beneficial so that you can download EFI updates as needed. I would say just install a fresh copy of OSX, run GParted to resize your partition (probably will have to be off the live cd) and keep it at a very low minimum (add maybe 2gb of space to the OSX clean install?)

Then boot up OSX every now and then if there are any EFI updates.

I'm assuming this will work (and is good practice), I read it on the Ubuntu website I believe in regards to switching to Ubuntu completely, I don't remember where it was exactly, so I can't link it here.

Welcome to the Linux world! I've been using Ubuntu since 6.04. If you have any questions about the OS itself, I would be glad to answer them if I can, just send me a PM. I'm not sure about the other questions you had though.

 

[rmbrown09]

I have been thinking about switching completely over to Ubuntu as well. I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one who would appreciate your solutions.

Well I am starting to slowly get them worked out. I am Using Ubuntu now as my main. I want to get my freaking magic mouse to work but I cant figure out how to get the scrolling back.

I'll post full solutions to each issue as I get it.

As far as dropping OSX, I've read that having OSX is beneficial so that you can download EFI updates as needed. I would say just install a fresh copy of OSX, run GParted to resize your partition (probably will have to be off the live cd) and keep it at a very low minimum (add maybe 2gb of space to the OSX clean install?)

Then boot up OSX every now and then if there are any EFI updates.

I'm assuming this will work (and is good practice), I read it on the Ubuntu website I believe in regards to switching to Ubuntu completely, I don't remember where it was exactly, so I can't link it here.

Welcome to the Linux world! I've been using Ubuntu since 6.04. If you have any questions about the OS itself, I would be glad to answer them if I can, just send me a PM. I'm not sure about the other questions you had though.

Just wondering where screen shots are stored after you take them?

Also; after editing gedit file to get Cmd to take on the actions of crtl, I have to keep entering "xmodmap ~/.xmodmap" to switch the keys each time I boot.

 

[c1phr]

Just wondering where screen shots are stored after you take them?

It should have popped up a window asking you where to save them. But since you don't have a print screen button on the MBP keyboard, you have two alternatives:

1. Type "gnome-screenshot" into the terminal

2. Applications > Accessories > Take Screenshot (this method gives more options as well as the ability to set a timer.

Also; after editing gedit file to get Cmd to take on the actions of crtl, I have to keep entering "xmodmap ~/.xmodmap" to switch the keys each time I boot.

You could try making a .sh script and set it to run at boot.

Try opening up a text editor (like gedit) and type this

#! /bin/sh
xmodmap ~/.xmodmap

Then save the file somewhere with a .sh extension. Then go Systen > Preferences > Startup Applications, hit add and add the new sh file you just made.

 

[rmbrown09]

It should have popped up a window asking you where to save them. But since you don't have a print screen button on the MBP keyboard, you have two alternatives:

1. Type "gnome-screenshot" into the terminal

2. Applications > Accessories > Take Screenshot (this method gives more options as well as the ability to set a timer.




You could try making a .sh script and set it to run at boot.

Try opening up a text editor (like gedit) and type this

#! /bin/sh
xmodmap ~/.xmodmap

Then save the file somewhere with a .sh extension. Then go Systen > Preferences > Startup Applications, hit add and add the new sh file you just made.

Okay well I got the screenshot thing figured out, along with getting dropbox installed. Is there an app like cloud.app for mac? Just drag a pic to it and it uploads?

Now I am going to try that sh thing, see what happens.

Edit: Seems to have worked correctly, I haven't rebooted yet to see if it works 100%.

Next task: getting the magic mouse to scroll
It has been somewhat aggravating to have to pull the bars up and down.

Also, getting the sound to work out of the speakers.. It works right now only with headphones.

 

[c1phr]

Okay well I got the screenshot thing figured out, along with getting dropbox installed. Is there an app like cloud.app for mac? Just drag a pic to it and it uploads?

Now I am going to try that sh thing, see what happens.

Edit: Seems to have worked correctly, I haven't rebooted yet to see if it works 100%.

Next task: getting the magic mouse to scroll
It has been somewhat aggravating to have to pull the bars up and down.

Also, getting the sound to work out of the speakers.. It works right now only with headphones.

Here is some Ubuntu documentation on the Magic Mouse:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AppleMagicMouse

For speakers: The internal speakers are muted by default (only god knows why?). Open up a terminal and run "alsamixer" scroll over to "front sp" and tap the M key, it should unmute them.


Cloud.app: Not sure of any alternates, sorry, I have always just used dropbox and given people the public URLs when I want to share images.

 

[rmbrown09]

Here is some Ubuntu documentation on the Magic Mouse:
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/AppleMagicMouse

For speakers: The internal speakers are muted by default (only god knows why?). Open up a terminal and run "alsamixer" scroll over to "front sp" and tap the M key, it should unmute them.


Cloud.app: Not sure of any alternates, sorry, I have always just used dropbox and given people the public URLs when I want to share images.

I find myself back on the mac side right now, trying to slowly move, but for instance; I have a paper to write, and Open Office in my opinion just is no good compared to Office. Can Wine, or Crossover or something allow me to run Office in Ubuntu? Also, It would seem my 330m is not actually functioning in Ubuntu..

Anyways my only issues keeping me from completely switching
1.) I love xcode 4... No IDE I have seen on Ubuntu is matching it there. Suggestions?
2.) Expose from magic mouse.. How can I get it set up so that a three finger click actives Ubnutu's Expose like feature.
3.) Multitouch trackpad would be nice, anyway to achieve that? Beyond two finger scrolling..
4.) Little minor things here and there.

 

[c1phr]

I find myself back on the mac side right now, trying to slowly move, but for instance; I have a paper to write, and Open Office in my opinion just is no good compared to Office. Can Wine, or Crossover or something allow me to run Office in Ubuntu? Also, It would seem my 330m is not actually functioning in Ubuntu..

Anyways my only issues keeping me from completely switching
1.) I love xcode 4... No IDE I have seen on Ubuntu is matching it there. Suggestions?
2.) Expose from magic mouse.. How can I get it set up so that a three finger click actives Ubnutu's Expose like feature.
3.) Multitouch trackpad would be nice, anyway to achieve that? Beyond two finger scrolling..
4.) Little minor things here and there.

The Wine AppDB is showing testing only status for Office right now, and it isn't running very well at all. I've always used OpenOffice/Google Docs, so I've never personally had that issue. Not sure about the 330m though, I haven't installed Ubuntu on my MBP yet, just my desktop machine.

1. Really depends on the language you're writing in. I know a lot of Linux devs swear by emacs/vim. For Java, usually its Eclipse or Netbeans. There is Geany as well, but I haven't used that, I've pretty much only worked with Python in Eclipse (and Aptana at one point) on Linux and some C# in MonoDevelop.

2/3. Not sure these will work, someone usually has to implement it themselves, and I have a feeling no one has yet. Seeing the responses here it appears that just 2 finger is supported right now.

 

[rmbrown09]

Man I still like the Mac side a lot. I can't see a real reason to go to Linux besides the fact that I just like playing with it. It's not like Windows to Mac where there are obvious benefits.

Mac has all the same benefits for the most part from what I can see, and acts very similar.

I want some better drivers for the pro so that everything just feels more natural

Also, does anyone know if you are able to change to default boot of Refit to to the Linux partition instead of the Osx one?

 

[c1phr]

Man I still like the Mac side a lot. I can't see a real reason to go to Linux besides the fact that I just like playing with it. It's not like Windows to Mac where there are obvious benefits.

Mac has all the same benefits for the most part from what I can see, and acts very similar.

I want some better drivers for the pro so that everything just feels more natural

Also, does anyone know if you are able to change to default boot of Refit to to the Linux partition instead of the Osx one?

As far as changing the boot order, I haven't used Refit, so I'm not sure.

Plenty of people are able to make a full time move to Linux, it really just depends on what you use your computer for. Prior to getting my Mac, I had gone weeks at a time without ever booting into Windows. Linux still gives you full access to the web, sometimes faster than Windows, and can be extremely stable and viable for those who don't do much outside their browser (as ChromeOS has shown us, there is a large enough population of these people).

The other thing the Linux has that OSX can't ever come close to, is being able to customize every single inch of your OS to do and look like whatever you want. This isn't as apparent in Ubuntu, but those who compile their own Arch builds or even use Debian rolling releases know this.

Ubuntu has been taking Linux and making it what they want, not what the user wants, but with this comes ease of use, which is why they are a bad example of this.

It's awesome that you tried it though! With how far Linux has come in the last 5 years, I'm really excited to see what it holds for us in the future.