I’m striving to completely move away from Windows even though I’m enamored with Windows 7. This is strictly due to the fact of the flexibility of Ubuntu. Here’s what I’ve put together and a pseudo step-by-step of what I installed.

First, here’s the basics of my PC:

• Quad Core Extreme
• 4 GB of RAM currently (4GB out on RMA)
• 1 NVIDIA 8800 GTS (384MB) – Twinview enabled
  – 1 NVIDIA 8800 GTS disabled for ease of use – Dual video cards = Headache

• Dual boot with Windows 7
• 2 250 GB SAS drives – Separated. 1 for app installed and 1 for the OS’s.

Here’s the video (So sorry for the flickering):

*NOTE* In the video you see the menu on the bottom – That’s my main monitor. I did have AWN going across the entire thing, but it became cumbersome, so I moved it.

I recorded in gtk-recordmydesktop and converted it to FLV using this: http://gtk-apps.org/content/show.php?content=90837

Lastly here are my steps:

• Nvidia drivers
• Open Office full suite
• Avant: http://wiki.awn-project.org/
• Thunderbird
• Wine (1.2) – all
• Adobe Flash Player: http://crimm.me/2010/05/adobe-flashplugin-is-virtual-on-64bit-ubuntu-10-04.html
• Gnomenu: https://launchpad.net/gnomenu/
• Ubuntu Tweak: http://blog.ubuntu-tweak.com/2010/02/02/ubuntu-tweak-0-5-1-released-support-10-04-lucid.html and tweaked it
• Google Chrome: http://www.google.com/chrome/
• Did this to delete top panel: Went into Ubuntu Tweak -> Sessions -> Panel was set to: awn-applet
• Enabled Desktop Cube
• Added Chrome to menu by editing menus in system->preferences
• Tweaked Chrome
• Added Chrome shortcut to AWN by changing preferences of AWN Task Manager. Chrome shortcut: /usr/share/icons/hicolor/48×48/apps/
• Enabled Twinview – got it working with Cube!
• Installed compiz-fusion-plugins and set Nautilus to not draw the desktop so I could have fancy wallpapers. http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1466614
• Enabled 3D windows and Cube Reflection and Deformation
• Installed Screenlets inside Ubuntu Tweak under Compiz settings – picked terminal, fodlerview and performance
• Installed Synergy for controlling my other machines that sit next to me https://help.ubuntu.com/community/SynergyHowto
• Started getting windows apps working with Wine – Photoshop, WoW, etc.
• Played with the Cube using this as a great reference: http://www.futuredesktop.org/compiz_desktop_in_ubuntu9.04.html
• Who needs Windows 7 Emerald theme: http://gnome-look.org/content/show.php/Who+Needs+Windows+7+%3F?content=105399
• Installed Emerald
• Installed the new theme
• Ran this command to apply emerald: emerald –replace -> Then made it permanent by adding it to Compiz (http://www.webupd8.org/2009/03/ubuntu-install-themes-emerald-compiz.html)
• Changed the appearance style to be more Windows looking and changed the Windows 7 title bar to be smaller
• Installed Tweetdeck <– Gotta keep up with my social media!
  – I had to install Adobe Air separately: http://get.adobe.com/air/
  – Then followed this step by step: http://www.ossramblings.com/tweetdeck_in_64_bit_ubuntu

• Made AWN stretch across both monitors by going to advanced and playing with Monitormode
• Then disabled “Show all windows” to only show tasks for that workspace that I’m on
• Installed grdesktop to use rdesktop instead of T.S. viewer, because I hate T.S. viewer
• Installed Filezilla for file transfer
• Installed StreamTuner for streaming music – Shoutcast 181.FM the Buzz – My favorite!
  – Applied this fix for the station listing: http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=5813187&postcount=5

• Installed Gimp
• Installed gtk-recordMyDesktop and http://gtk-apps.org/content/show.php?content=90837
• Installed VMWare Player with Vista on it for now – Will put Windows 7 on it once I make sure I’m happy. http://www.vmware.com/products/player/
  – Followed the instructions here: https://help.ubuntu.com/community/VMware/Player
  – Used monitor mode to force AWN to right Twinview monitor – Tweaked size and distance

A few things I’m still working on and will put together walk through as I get to them:

• Raptr Client
• Logins and sharing with Active Directory
• Better Window/Task Manager Applet for AWN

Got any suggestions?

What do you think?