This post is a dumping ground for useful Ubuntu bits and pieces that aren't worth a full post on their own.

Useful Packages

• Lookit - captures screenshots and upload them to a specified server, then copies the URL to the clipboard - ppa:lookit/ppa

• Teatime - simple timer, in a Unity launcher

• Giver - simple file sharing within the same network - install

• Docky - nice dock - install To get the file browser working nicely with the dock, you need to:

  1. Edit /usr/share/applications/nautilus-browser as root, changing: Exec=nautilus to Exec=nautilus --no-desktop --browser .

  2. Drag "File Manager" from /usr/share/applications to the dock

Useful Commands

dpkg -r <_package>_ remove a package

dpkg --purge <_package> _remove all traces of a package

more at Linux.com: What to do when apt-get fails

Stop the screen from going off when the laptop is shut

Run gconf-editor

Go to  apps-->gnome-power-manager-->buttons ,  set lid_ac and/or lid_battery to "nothing"