Translations by XIAOZHOU ZHU

<emphasis role="bold">Getting Started</emphasis> - An introduction to the world of Ubuntu and some basic concepts which are useful when getting started.

<emphasis role="bold">Common Tasks</emphasis> - Performing common tasks on Ubuntu, including playing music and video, using the internet, office and graphics programs and more.

<emphasis role="bold">Getting More Help</emphasis> - Where to find help if this guide doesn't provide the answer.

HTML and PDF versions of the manual are available online at <ulink url="http://help.ubuntu.com">the Ubuntu Documentation website</ulink>.

A caution alerts the reader to potential problems and helps avoid them.

Commands that you type at a <application>Terminal</application> command prompt will be shown as:

Mouse actions shall assume a right-handed mouse configuration. The terms <quote><mousebutton>click</mousebutton></quote> and <quote><mousebutton>double-click</mousebutton></quote> refer to using the left mouse button. The term <quote><mousebutton>right-click</mousebutton></quote> refers to using the right mouse button. The term <quote><mousebutton>middle-click</mousebutton></quote> refers to using the middle mouse button, pressing down on the scroll wheel, or pressing both the left and right buttons simultaneously, based on the design of your mouse.

Keyboard shortcut combinations will be displayed as follows: <keycombo><keycap>Ctrl</keycap><keycap>N</keycap></keycombo> .Where the conventions for <quote>Control</quote>, <quote>Shift,</quote> and <quote>Alternate</quote> keys will be <keycap>Ctrl</keycap>, <keycap>Shift</keycap>, and <keycap>Alt</keycap>, respectively, and shall mean the first key is to be held down while pressing the second key.

This book is developed by the <ulink url="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DocumentationTeam">Ubuntu Documentation Team</ulink>. <emphasis>You</emphasis> can contribute to this document by sending ideas or comments to the Ubuntu Documentation Team mailing list. Information about the team, its mailing lists, projects, etc. can be found on the <ulink url="https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DocumentationTeam">Ubuntu Documentation Team Website</ulink>.

-Your Ubuntu Documentation Team

Ubuntu is a South African ethical ideology focusing on people's allegiances and relations with each other. The word comes from the Zulu and Xhosa languages. Ubuntu (pronounced "oo-BOON-too") is seen as a traditional African concept, is regarded as one of the founding principles of the new republic of South Africa and is connected to the idea of an African Renaissance.

A rough translation of the principle of Ubuntu is "humanity towards others". Another translation could be: "the belief in a universal bond of sharing that connects all humanity".

"A person with ubuntu is open and available to others, affirming of others, does not feel threatened that others are able and good, for he or she has a proper self-assurance that comes from knowing that he or she belongs in a greater whole and is diminished when others are humiliated or diminished, when others are tortured or oppressed."

However, this means more than just being available at zero cost. The philosophy of free software is that people should be free to use software in all the ways that are "socially useful". "Free software" doesn't just mean that you shouldn't have to pay for it, it also means that you should be able to use the software in any way you wish: the code that makes up free software is available for anyone to download, change, fix, and use in any way. So apart from the fact that free software is often available without charge, this freedom also has technical advantages: when programs are developed, the hard work of others can be used and built upon. With non-free software, this cannot happen and when programs are developed, they have to start from scratch. For this reason the development of free software is fast, efficient and exciting!

This section deals with installing these single files.

It is not guaranteed that these files will be compatible with your system and you will not receive security updates if you install these files. For these reasons, if you wish to install a program, always use a native Ubuntu package of the application available through a package manager, if there is one available.

Install/uninstall <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> files

These files are <emphasis>Debian packages</emphasis>. The package files associated with Ubuntu have the <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> suffix because of Ubuntu's close relations with the Debian GNU/Linux distribution. You will need administrative privileges to install a <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> file (see <xref linkend="root-and-sudo"/>).

Alternatively, you can also install a <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> file by opening a terminal and typing: <screen>sudo dpkg -i package_file.deb</screen>

To uninstall a <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> file, deselect it in your package manager, or type: <screen>sudo dpkg -r package_name</screen>

Convert <emphasis>.rpm</emphasis> files to <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> files

Another type of package files is <emphasis>Red Hat Package Manager</emphasis> files which have the <emphasis>.rpm</emphasis> suffix. It is not recommended to install these on an Ubuntu system. In almost all cases, a native Ubuntu <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> package is available. However, if absolutely necessary, an <emphasis>.rpm</emphasis> file can be converted to a <emphasis>.deb</emphasis> package using the program <application>alien</application>.

Install the <application>alien</application> program (<xref linkend="add-applications"/>).

Run the following command in a terminal, with administrative privileges:

sudo alien package_file.rpm

Install <emphasis>tarballs</emphasis>

Files with the <emphasis>.tar.gz</emphasis> or <emphasis>.tar.bz2</emphasis> suffix are package files known as <emphasis>tarballs</emphasis> which are widely used in Linux and Unix.

Click <guibutton>Close</guibutton> to save your changes and exit.

When <application>Update Manager</application> has finished updating your system, close the pop-up window with the <guibutton>Close</guibutton> button, then close <application>Update Manager</application> to finish updating your system.

After installing some important updates, it may be necessary to restart your computer. If so, Ubuntu will inform you with a popup and an icon in your notification area.