understanding Ubuntu

Try this document: "Switching to Ubuntu from Windows"

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows

See especially the sections "Installing Applications" and "Hardware Support".

Thank you for those recommendations. However they still have many
pages that I will have to read through when I get the time. Also, it
looks as though I will have to do it online. What I would like is a
simple answer that I can print out on one or two pages. That does not
seem possible in these forums.

Thank you anyway.

On 11/5/08, Leonard D. Richardson <email address hidden> wrote:
> Your question #49823 on Launchpad itself changed:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/launchpad/+question/49823
>
> Status: Open => Answered
>
> Leonard D. Richardson proposed the following answer:
> Try this document: "Switching to Ubuntu from Windows"
>
> https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SwitchingToUbuntu/FromWindows
>
> See especially the sections "Installing Applications" and "Hardware
> Support".
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/launchpad/+question/49823/+confirm?answer_id=0
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.edge.launchpad.net/launchpad/+question/49823
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Allan,

i understand your problem with searching on the internet; but linux contains many functions, so it can not be explained on 2 pages (neither can Apple-Mac nor M$-Windows).
My suggestion is that you go to a bookstore and look for a book introducing you to linux / or to Ubuntu...

As far as i experienced: if you have your hardware connected and turned ON during installation of Ubuntu, then most of it is normally recognized and installed by default.

If you can explain in more detail what your modem-problem is, we can help you.

(e.g. look in Windows what kind of modem you have, and what the properties of that connection are...; we will translate them to Ubuntu)

I have an internal modem in my Ubuntu machine that was made by a local retailer using Dynalink chips. It is called XH1154_PCI which is probably only the shops code number. It has a driver CD with it with a Linux driver called "intel-536ep-tgz" and another file next to it called
"intel-536ep-tgz.sig". I could not get it to work even though I tried to follow the instructions I was given so I removed the modem and tried to install an external modem which is called XH1135-DSE modem 56k External from the same company. I thought Ubuntu would naturally install and use that one but no such luck. I have had to resort to using the network to my XP computer and connecting to the internet through a dial up sharing connection. That I did not want to do because I have to have two machines running.
Also I downloaded Firefox three and I now have a file sitting on my desktop called "firefox-3.0.3.tar.bz2". How do I install it???
In windows I would click on a zip file and it would open a number of files and one would be and 'setup' file that I could click on and it would install automatically. Can I do something similar in Ubuntu??

I have tried reading entries in the linux help pages but it goes into pages and pages of the history of what files are and install managers etc without being specific. I know all that, I just want a simple answer about how to install a tar file.

Thank you, Allan

Hi Allan,

Try reading through the following link on how to install a tar file:
https://help.ubuntu.com/8.04/add-applications/C/install-file.html#tarballs

The Ubuntu Documentation is pretty good.You might just consider going through the basic documentation, its not pages long, just right to the point.
https://help.ubuntu.com/

Hello first I do understand what you are going through. That said maybe I can help, to install programs; click system Administration synaptic Manager. It will load all types of programs or you can type in the search box.
Next. any files you may download will by default be stored in the download folder, click places downloads.
As far as you modem goes it should be automatically installed at boot up try connecting it and restarting your machine. :Upper right corner will be user name ( whatever name you gave when installing system) clicking that will give drop down select restart, Your modem should be installed when your machine starts.

  David
  in TN

Thank you, David for your help. However, I posted this question over two
years ago and I have since moved on to a broadband connection. I makes it
much easier to use Linux.

I installed Ubuntu 9.10 on my laptop and have been using it successfully to
browse the internet. I haven't yet mastered the email program but I am
getting there.

I have another problem though. the other night, I tried to download a pdf
file from the internet and my firefox browser will not start now. It must be
still looking for the file but I don't know where to go to restart it. In
windows, I would just install the program again and that would fix the
problem but I don't know if I can do the same in Linux. Any ideas??

On Sun, Apr 4, 2010 at 4:08 AM, David Jones <
<email address hidden>> wrote:

> Your question #49823 on Ubuntu changed:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/49823
>
> David Jones proposed the following answer:
> Hello first I do understand what you are going through. That said maybe I
> can help, to install programs; click system Administration synaptic Manager.
> It will load all types of programs or you can type in the search box.
> Next. any files you may download will by default be stored in the download
> folder, click places downloads.
> As far as you modem goes it should be automatically installed at boot up
> try connecting it and restarting your machine. :Upper right corner will be
> user name ( whatever name you gave when installing system) clicking that
> will give drop down select restart, Your modem should be installed when your
> machine starts.
>
> David
> in TN
>
> --
> If this answers your question, please go to the following page to let us
> know that it is solved:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/49823/+confirm?answer_id=5
>
> If you still need help, you can reply to this email or go to the
> following page to enter your feedback:
> https://answers.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+question/49823
>
> You received this question notification because you are a direct
> subscriber of the question.
>

Thank you, This helped me to fix the problem and firefox is running now.

I have previously downloaded the pocket guide and have not read it yet.