Oct 02 2006
My Must-Have Applications For Ubuntu
Here’s a list of some of my favourite or most relied-upon applications on Ubuntu. It’s not exhaustive but it’s a start. It doesn’t include extras like multi-media codecs or any of the sort of things you can get easily with something like EasyUbuntu. The lists arranged by purpose and are ordered alphabetically not by preference. Some things are not available in the Ubuntu repositories and are marked as such.
Desktop
- deskbar-applet
- gnome-keyring-manager
- kde-style-polymer (from external source - makes QT apps look ok on gnome, see my post here)
- MSTCoreFonts
- nautilus-open-terminal
- nautilus-scripts:
- nautilus-script-collection-svn (subversion shortcuts)
- nautilus-script-manager
- skype (only beta 1.3 works, needs kde-style-polymer or looks ugly, get it from www.skype.com)
- Tomboy (desktop notes tool)
- xnest (for nested X logins)
Development
- apache2
- emacs-snapshot-gtk (emacs for the gnome desktop)
- JEdit (from external jedit repo http://dl.sourceforge.net/sourceforge/jedit)
- java:
- ant
- sun-java5-*
- meld (visual/graphical diff tool)
- mysql:
- mysql-server
- mysql-client
- mysql-admin (note a wrapper script is needed as a bug workaround on this, can’t remember the bug link just now)
- mysql-query
- .Net (just listing the basic dev packages here)
- mono-devel
- monodoc-manual
- php5:
- php5 (basic setup for use with apache)
- php5-* (choose whatever extra modules you need)
- php5-cli (command line version)
- python
- ruby
- ruby
- irb
- lib*-ruby (pickup any of the extra packages you need)
- ri
- rdoc
- rails
- subversion
- vim-gnome (gvim)
- vmware-server
Networking
- Avahi (zeroconf/bonjour)
- avahi-daemon
- avahi-utils
- libapache2-mod-dnssd (to auto-advertise apache2 sites available on your machine)
- service-discovery-applet
- libnss-mdns
- ethereal
- firestarter (basic firewall manager)
- gftp (sftp and ftp client)
- NetworkManager
- rdesktop (Remote Desktop and Terminal Services Client)
Sound & Multimedia
- banshee music player
- f-spot photomanager
- gnomebaker (cd-burner)
- gxine (media player)