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UbuntuInstallationNotes.md

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Ubuntu installation notes

This is a brief document outlining the steps I am taking as I configure my new laptop to my liking. I'm assuming Ubuntu 16.04 LTS has been successfully installed, and that the setup.sh and install.sh scripts have been run.

Adding multi-touch gestures

Follow this article in order to install and configure touchegg. In case the article ever gets deleted, here is a summary:

  • Have the workspaces arranged in 1 row:

    dconf write /org/compiz/profiles/unity/plugins/core/hsize 4
dconf write /org/compiz/profiles/unity/plugins/core/vsize 1

  • Disable unity gestures by recompiling with some commented out lines:

    sudo apt-get build-dep unity
cd /tmp
mkdir unity
cd unity
apt-get source unity

  • Then edit /tmp/unity/unity-*/plugins/unityshell/src/unityshell.cpp and comment all the lines beginning with gestures_.

  • Buid unity (this takes a while):

    cd /tmp/unity/unity-*
dpkg-buildpackage -us -uc -nc
cd ..
sudo dpkg -i *deb
sudo apt-get -f install
sudo apt-get autoremove

  • And prevent new updates to the package:

    echo "unity hold"|sudo dpkg --set-selections

  • Download touchegg source, change into its directory and install:

    sudo apt-get build-dep touchegg
qmake
make
sudo make install

  • Copy the touchegg.conf file in this repository under ~/.config/touchegg/touchegg.conf and the touchegg.desktop under ~/.config/autostart/touchegg.desktop.

  • Log out and back in and try swiping left-right-up-down with four fingers t switch workspaces and dragging with a three finger swipe.

Apps

This is a list of some of the apps I install right away, in no particular order:

Misc configuration tweaks

  • Do not use NVIDIA's proprietary driver: It is a battery drain! I couldn't go for longer than 2 hours on this driver. Follow this video's instructions that I'm going to summarize here:

    • Add ppa:graphics-drivers via the software and updates app
    • Go to Additional Drivers and selec the latest for NVIDIA (387.15 worked for me)
    • Install synaptics package manager
    • From synaptics, install bumblebee, bumblebee-nvidia and prime, and check that bbswitch is installed
    • Type this into a terminal window: sudo prime-select intel
    • Install prime indicator: 
      sudo add-apt-repository ppa:nilarimogard/webupd8
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install prime-indicator-plus
    • Edit /etc/bumblebee/bumblebee.conf and change all instances of nvidia and nvidia-current to nvidia-387 or whichever version you installed, and also change PMMethod=bbswitch
    • Restart and pray! An indicator should appear in the top bar with the intel logo that will allow you to switch back and forth from Intel to NVIDIA

  • Change terminal profile colors to black background, light grey text, white bold text, transparent background and adjust the initial number of rows and columns.

  • Install unity-tweak-tool and fiddle around with options. Insall gnome-tweak-tool and map the CAPS LOCK key to CTRL.

  • Useful key bindings:

    • Alt-4 closes window (since the F-keys here are Fn-based)
    • Alt-t opens a terminal

  • Un-check Chrome's advanced setting "Continue running background apps..." to prevent annoying error message after every reboot.

  • To be able to pair bluetooth headphones (Bose QC 35) edit \etc\bluetooth\main.conf and set ControllerMode = bredr. Also run this: sudo apt-get install blueman bluetooth. Not sure if that made a difference, but bluetooth-manager seems to be the better tool to manage bluetooth devices.

  • Making the touchscreen work after suspending: I couldn't find a fix for this, and it is a bit annoying that after suspending the touchscreen stops working. The workaround is to close and open the lid quicly, and resume using the power button (weird, I know... but it works!).

  • Disabling touchpad while typing. This is very annoying, since it gets pretty jumpy on the XPS. To fix this, add the following to `/usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d/51-synaptics-quirks.

    # Disable generic Synaptics device, as we're using
# "DLL0704:01 06CB:76AE Touchpad"
# Having multiple touchpad devices running confuses syndaemon
Section "InputClass"
  Identifier "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad"
  MatchProduct "SynPS/2 Synaptics TouchPad"
  MatchIsTouchpad "on"
  MatchOS "Linux"
  MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
  Option "Ignore" "on"
EndSection

Section "InputClass"
  Identifier "touchpad catchall"
  Driver "synaptics"
  MatchIsTouchpad "on"
  Option "VertTwoFingerScroll" "on"
  Option "HorizTwoFingerScroll" "on"
  MatchDevicePath "/dev/input/event*"
EndSection

    and run syndaemon -i 1 -d -K on boot (~/.zshrc or similar). If for some reason you lose 2 finger scrolling or tapping, make sure there is just one instance of syndaemon running (there are other products like touchpad-indicator that use it too)