Ubuntu-Gnome 16.04 on Thinkpad x230

This is mostly for myself, but perhaps someone else might get some ideas from it..

Note that you can execute lines from vim by selecting a range and then typing :w !bash, which will show up like :'<,'>w !bash. See :help w_c for more details.

First steps

First and foremost, go ahead and remove passwords for sudo:

sudo bash -c "echo '$(whoami) ALL=(ALL) NOPASSWD: ALL' \
        | tee /etc/sudoers.d/$USER-nopasswd \
        && chmod -v 440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USER-nopasswd"

And get rid of the ungodly mess that is tracker:

sudo aptitude --assume-yes --without-recommends purge tracker

Also, we should have a suitable swap file for hibernation but not use it for swap (bad for ssd).. So set swapiness to 0 to only use in an emergency:

sudo sysctl -w vm.swappiness=0  # temporary
# set it permanently
grep --silent vm.swappiness /etc/sysctl.conf \
    && sudo sed -ie 's/vm.swappiness.*/vm.swappiness=0/' /etc/sysctl.conf \
    || sudo bash -c "echo 'vm.swappiness=0' >> /etc/sysctl.conf"

Update and install software

Next we'll install all the software that we want to use and set up a couple more things:

# get updates and reboot
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get -y dist-upgrade

# install additional packages
sudo apt-get -y install \
    acpi-call-dkms aptitude arj cabextract curl ecryptfs-utils exfalso \
    fdupes geda geda-examples geda-gattrib geda-gsymcheck geda-utils \
    gerbv gimp git gitg gitk gnome-gmail gnome-icon-theme-extras \
    gnome-icon-theme-gperfection2 gnome-icon-theme-nuovo \
    gnome-icon-theme-suede gnome-icon-theme-symbolic \
    gnome-icon-theme-yasis gnome-mplayer gnome-system-monitor gnucash \
    gparted gparted gtk-recordmydesktop inkscape iotop libav-tools \
    libreoffice lm-sensors lunzip lzip mosh mplayer nmap openssh-client \
    openssh-server p7zip p7zip-rar pandoc pbzip2 pcb pigz powertop pv \
    quodlibet rar rdfind rsync ruby-bcat screen tlp tp-smapi-dkms unace \
    unrar uudeview vim-nox

# set up some stuff
sudo update-alternatives --set editor $(readlink -f $(which vim.nox))
sudo tlp start  # start tlp right away to save power
ecryptfs-setup-private  # setup the encrypted '~/Private' dir

Some other interesting packages to checkout:

• vim-scripts
• vim-doc

Change terminal settings from command line

For some reason, setting terminal preferences with gsettings doesn't seem to be easy or possible. However dconf seems to do it just fine. The first thing to do is to get the terminal profile id so that we can dump/load dconf values from/to it:

dconf dump /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/ \
        | grep -oe '[-0-9a-f:]\{37\}' | head -n1

This gives us the default profile id that we need to put at the top of our configuration list that we send to '/org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/' with dconf load. We can then change individual settings with dconf like so:

dconf write /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/$(dconf dump \
        /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/ \
    | grep -oe '[-0-9a-f:]\{37\}' \
    | head -n1)/background-transparency-percent 15

Or use dconf load to import many at once:

echo "[$(dconf dump /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/ \
            | head -n1 | grep -oe '[-0-9a-f:]\{37\}')]
        background-color='rgb(0,0,0)'
        background-transparency-percent=20
        font='Monaco 10'
        foreground-color='rgb(170,170,170)'
        scrollbar-policy='never'
        use-system-font=false
        use-theme-colors=false
        use-theme-transparency=false
        use-transparent-background=true
        visible-name='Darksparent'
        " \
    | dconf load /org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/

In order to get the settings to set in the first place, you can manually adjust them and then run dconf dump with the path ('/org/gnome/terminal/legacy/profiles:/' for the terminal prefs) to get the values to feed back into dconf load.

Gnome Shell Settings

Here's all the settings I've found so far that I like:

gsettings set org.gnome.Terminal.Legacy.Settings default-show-menubar false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.datetime automatic-timezone true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.input-sources xkb-options "['caps:escape', 'compose:ralt']"
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-show-date true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface monospace-font-name 'Monaco 12'
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.lockdown disable-lock-screen true  # ???
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.media-handling automount-open false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad natural-scroll false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.peripherals.touchpad tap-to-click true
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.screensaver lock-enabled false
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.session idle-delay 0  # disable curtain, nope
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.thumbnail-cache maximum-age 30  # 30 days
gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.thumbnail-cache maximum-size 64  # 64Mb
gsettings set org.gnome.mutter attach-modal-dialogs false
gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences always-use-location-entry true
gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences sort-directories-first true
gsettings set org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.media-keys www '<Super>w'
gsettings set org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser clock-format 24h
gsettings set org.gtk.Settings.FileChooser sort-directories-first true

Gnome Shell Theme

This just fixes the spacing in the top bar. Check out this blog post for how to extend and modify themes.

# enable user themes first
gnome-shell-extension-tool -e \
    user-theme@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com

# clean up and install theme
rm -f ~/.themes/compact_panel \
&& mkdir -p ~/.themes/compact_panel/gnome-shell \
&& echo "
    @import url("/usr/share/gnome-shell/theme/gnome-shell.css");
    /* http://rlog.rgtti.com/2012/01/29/how-to-modify-a-gnome-shell-theme/ */

    .panel-button {
        -natural-hpadding: 1px;
        -minimum-hpadding: 1px;
    }
" | sed -e 's/^ *//' >.themes/compact_panel/gnome-shell/gnome-shell.css \
&& echo "
    { 
        "shell-theme": {
            "name": "TheFekete", 
            "author": "thefekete.blogger.com", 
            "version": "0.1",
            "type":   "custom",
            "url": "thefekete.blogger.com" 
        }
    }
" | sed -e 's/^ *//' >.themes/compact_panel/gnome-shell/theme.json \
&& gsettings set org.gnome.shell.extensions.user-theme name compact_panel \
&& echo "You may need to perform a <alt><f2>r to reset the shell" \
&& echo "Or run: gnome-shell --replace & disown"

Gnome Shell Extensions

Install and enable extensions with gnome-ext-install script:

echo "CoverflowAltTab@palatis.blogspot.com
    Hide_Activities@shay.shayel.org
    TopIcons@phocean.net
    battery_status@milliburn.github.com
    disconnect-wifi@kgshank.net
    drive-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
    drop-down-terminal@gs-extensions.zzrough.org
    dynamic-panel-transparency@rockon999.github.io
    focus-my-window@varianto25.com
    freon@UshakovVasilii_Github.yahoo.com
    mediaplayer@patapon.info
    openweather-extension@jenslody.de
    places-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
    refresh-wifi@kgshank.net
    todo.txt@bart.libert.gmail.com" | xargs gnome-ext-install

Then make sure the ones you want are enabled:

echo "
        CoverflowAltTab@palatis.blogspot.com
        Hide_Activities@shay.shayel.org
        TopIcons@phocean.net
        battery_status@milliburn.github.com
        disconnect-wifi@kgshank.net
        drive-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
        drop-down-terminal@gs-extensions.zzrough.org
        dynamic-panel-transparency@rockon999.github.io
        focus-my-window@varianto25.com
        freon@UshakovVasilii_Github.yahoo.com
        launch-new-instance@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
        mediaplayer@patapon.info
        openweather-extension@jenslody.de
        places-menu@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
        refresh-wifi@kgshank.net
        system-monitor@paradoxxx.zero.gmail.com
        todo.txt@bart.libert.gmail.com
        user-theme@gnome-shell-extensions.gcampax.github.com
    " | xargs -r -n1 -I{} gnome-shell-extension-tool --enable-extension={}

system-monitor

The system-monitor extension needs to be manually installed before we can use it:

# first delete any previous version
rm -rf ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions/system-monitor@paradoxxx.zero.gmail.com
sudo apt-get -y install gir1.2-gtop-2.0 gir1.2-networkmanager-1.0 \
&& git clone git://github.com/paradoxxxzero/gnome-shell-system-monitor-applet.git \
&& mkdir -p ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions \
&& cp -a gnome-shell-system-monitor-applet/system-monitor@paradoxxx.zero.gmail.com ~/.local/share/gnome-shell/extensions \
&& rm -r gnome-shell-system-monitor-applet \
&& gnome-shell-extension-tool --enable-extension=system-monitor@paradoxxx.zero.gmail.com || true \
&& echo "
        [system-monitor]
        battery-show-text=false
        fan-sensor-file='/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon1/device/fan1_input'
        center-display=false
        icon-display=false
        compact-display=true
        move-clock=false
        net-show-text=false
        fan-show-text=false
        freq-display=false
        net-graph-width=40
        memory-graph-width=40
        thermal-sensor-file='/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon2/temp1_input'
        thermal-display=false
        thermal-style='digit'
        freq-style='digit'
        memory-show-text=false
        battery-display=false
        fan-style='digit'
        thermal-show-text=false
        cpu-graph-width=40
        fan-display=false
        cpu-show-text=false
    " | sed -e 's/^ *//' | dconf load /org/gnome/shell/extensions/ \
&& echo "You may need to perform a <alt><f2>r to reset the shell" \
&& echo "Or run: gnome-shell --replace & disown"

Extension Settings

echo "
    [system-monitor]
    battery-show-text=false
    fan-sensor-file='/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon1/device/fan1_input'
    center-display=false
    icon-display=false
    compact-display=true
    move-clock=false
    net-show-text=false
    fan-show-text=false
    freq-display=false
    net-graph-width=40
    memory-graph-width=40
    thermal-sensor-file='/sys/class/hwmon/hwmon2/temp1_input'
    thermal-display=false
    thermal-style='digit'
    freq-style='digit'
    memory-show-text=false
    battery-display=false
    fan-style='digit'
    thermal-show-text=false
    cpu-graph-width=40
    fan-display=false
    cpu-show-text=false

    [battery_status]
    display-mode='time'
    when-full='icon'

    [hide-app-icon]
    hide-app-label=true
    hide-app-icon=true
    hide-arrow=true

    [freon]
    show-decimal-value=false
    group-temperature=false
    drive-utility='udisks2'
    gpu-utility='none'
    hot-sensors=['Maximum', 'fan1']
    position-in-panel='right'

    [openweather]
    weather-provider='openweathermap'
    days-forecast=3
    unit='celsius'
    geolocation-provider='openstreetmaps'
    use-default-owm-key=true
    show-text-in-panel=true
    wind-speed-unit='kph'
    refresh-interval-forecast=1800
    position-in-panel='center'
    translate-condition=true
    refresh-interval-current=600
    city='48.3548077,10.9836535>Friedberg, Landkreis Aichach-Friedberg, Schwaben, Bayern, Deutschland >-1 && 34.1423455,-118.248367>Glendale, Los Angeles County, California, United States of America >-1'
    use-symbolic-icons=true
    wind-direction=true
    pressure-unit='hPa'
    show-comment-in-forecast=true
    decimal-places=1

    [topicons]
    icon-opacity=210
    icon-size=22
    icon-padding=3
    tray-pos='left'
    icon-saturation=0.5
    tray-order=0

    [TodoTxt]
    donetxt-location='/home/$USER/Dropbox/todo/done.txt'
    open-key=['']
    show-delete-button=false
    truncate-long-tasks=false
    priorities-markup={'A': (true, 'rgb(237,212,0)', true, false), 'B': (true, 'rgb(115,210,22)', false, false), 'C': (true, 'rgb(0,153,204)', false, false)}
    group-ungrouped=false
    display-format-string='todo({unarchived})'
    show-status-icon=true
    group-by=2
    style-priorities=true
    show-priority-buttons=false
    todotxt-location='/home/$USER/Dropbox/todo/todo.txt'
    add-creation-date=true
    settings-level=250
    show-open-in-text-editor=true
    " \
| sed -e 's/^ *//' | dconf load /org/gnome/shell/extensions/

Third-party Apps

Chrome Browser

You can go to the Chrome Download Page and click download, then install the .deb package, or do it all from the command line:

wget -q -O - https://dl-ssl.google.com/linux/linux_signing_key.pub \
        | sudo apt-key add - \
    && sudo sh -c 'echo \
        "deb http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/deb/ stable main" \
        >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list' \
    && sudo apt-get update \
    && sudo apt-get install google-chrome-stable

Then go to the NoCountryRedirect app page and install it for use in Deutschland.

VirtualBox

Install VirtualBox from oracle:

wget -q https://www.virtualbox.org/download/oracle_vbox_2016.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add - \
&& wget -q https://www.virtualbox.org/download/oracle_vbox.asc -O- | sudo apt-key add - \
&& sudo sh -c 'echo \
    "deb http://download.virtualbox.org/virtualbox/debian xenial contrib" \
    >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/google-chrome.list' \
&& sudo apt-get update \
&& sudo apt-get -y install virtualbox-5.0 dkms \
&& sudo adduser $USER vboxusers

Dropbox

Download and instal Dropbox:

curl -LO https://www.dropbox.com/download?dl=packages/ubuntu/dropbox_2015.10.28_amd64.deb \
    && sudo dpkg -i dropbox_2015.10.28_amd64.deb \
    && rm dropbox_2015.10.28_amd64.deb \
    && dropbox start -i

Skype

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386 \
    && sudo add-apt-repository "deb http://archive.canonical.com/ $(lsb_release -sc) partner" \
    && sudo apt-get update \
    && sudo apt-get -y install skype

Docker

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install -y \
        apt-transport-https ca-certificates \
&& sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://p80.pool.sks-keyservers.net:80 \
        --recv-keys 58118E89F3A912897C070ADBF76221572C52609D \
&& sudo bash -c '
        echo "deb https://apt.dockerproject.org/repo ubuntu-xenial main" \
        >/etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list' \
&& sudo apt-get update \
&& sudo apt-get purge lxc-docker \
&& sudo apt-cache policy docker-engine \
&& sudo apt-get update \
&& sudo apt-get install -y linux-image-extra-$(uname -r) \
&& sudo apt-get install -y docker-engine docker-compose \
&& sudo service docker start \
&& sudo docker run hello-world
&& sudo groupadd -f docker \
&& sudo sudo usermod -aG docker $USER \
&& echo "You now need to log in/out to run docker without sudo"

Still to do

• arc-theme for gtk
• Fork blur extension, only blur behind terminal?
• Finger print reader
• Interactive Power button
• github dotfiles (?)
• Keepass or other password manager (later)
• Hibernate
• Disable lock curtain