Installing Songbird in Ubuntu 7.10

I know it's putting the cart before the horse, but I needed a success with Linux. It was my goal to have my Wireless Network card running before I installed Songbird, as an internet connection is needed to download Songbird. However, after a week of working on getting my Wireless NIC running, with no luck, I needed a smaller project. As it turns out getting Songbird downloaded and installed is not that difficult.

Step 1: Downloading Songbird

• On a computer with internet access, go to 'http://www.songbirdnest.com/download', and download the latest version of Songbird. Songbird_0.5_linux-i686.tar.gz, is the version that I downloaded, so I'll use that file name is this document. Your file name may be different.

• Copy this file to your Ubuntu Linux computer. You can use a flash drive, or if you're like me and your Ubuntu computer is also your Windows computer, just reboot into Linux and access the Windows drive from there. I copied the file, Songbird_0.5_linux-i686.tar.gz, to /home/username/Downloads, but you can copy it to where ever you like.

Step 2: Installing Songbird

• Copy Songbird_0.5_linux-i686.tar.gz to the /opt directory.
  - In a terminal enter, 'sudo mv Songbird_0.5_linux-i686.tar.gz /opt'
  - If you want to know what the commands sudo, and mv do, there's a list of all the commands used in this procedure at the end of this document.

• Go to the /opt directory, and extract the files in the file Songbird_0.5_linux-i686.tar.gz
  - Enter, 'cd /opt'.
  - Enter, 'tar xzvf Songbird_0.5_linux-i686.tar.gz'.

• Change owner permissions on Songbird directory
  - Enter, 'sudo chown -R username:username Songbird', replace username with your username

Step 3: Installing the GStreamer packages

• In order to hear audio from Songbird it is necessary to install the GStreamer packages. To install the GStreamer packages you first need to enable some additional software sources in Ubuntu.
  - On the Ubuntu desktop click System > Administration > Software Sources
  - In the Software Sources window, make sure that the main, universe, restricted, and multiverse check boxes are selected (checked), then close the Software Sources window
  - Now open the Synaptic Package Manger, click System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager
  - Click the Search button in the Synaptic Package Manager window, enter 'GStreamer' in the Search field then click the Search button
  - You will have to manually search the list of available packages and select the following:
  
  libgstreamer0.10-0
  gstreamer0.10-x
  gstreamer0.10-gnomevfs
  gstreamer0.10-plugins-base
  gstreamer0.10-esd or gstreamer0.10-alsa (depending on your audio setup)
  libgstreamer-plugins-base0.10-dev (Ubuntu 7)
  libgstreamer0.10-dev (Ubuntu 7)
  gstreamer0.10-plugins-good
  gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad
  gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly (for mp3 playback)
  gstreamer0.10-ffmpeg
  gstreamer0.10-fluendo-mp3 (alternate for mp3 playback)
  gstreamer0.10-plugins-bad-multiverse
  gstreamer0.10-plugins-ugly-multiverse
  
  After all packages have been selected click the Apply button, and after all packages are installed close the Synaptic Package Manager window

Step 4: Running Songbird

• To start Songbird you need to naviage to the /opt/Songbird directory and run ./songbird
  - At a terminal enter, 'cd /opt/Songbird'
  - Enter, './songbird'

Commands used in this procedure

sudo - allows a permitted user to execute a command as the superuser or

another user, as specified in the sudoers file

mv - move (rename) files

tar - the GNU version of the tar archiving utility

x - extracts files from and archive

z - filters the archive through gzip

v - verbosely list files processed

f - specifies the filename to extract

chown - change file owner and group

R - Recursively change ownership of directories and their contents

References

1) http://www.ubuntugeek.com/install-songbird-music-player-in-ubuntu.html

2) http://publicsvn.songbirdnest.com/wiki/SettingUpGStreamer

Ease the Transition To Ubuntu With a Cheat Sheet (on Lifehacker)

Here's a link to a Lifehacker story that includes a a pdf Cheat Sheet with some Ubuntu Linux commands that may make the switch from Windows a little easier.

Wii Play - A Don't Buy

I recently picked up Wii Play for the Nintendo Wii. I was talked in to by the guy behind the counter at GameStop. I needed a second Wii Remote ($40.00), and Wii Play ($50.00) comes with a Wii Remote and few games, so why not spend ten more dollars?

Here's why: Wii Play is terrible. The games aren't fun, and there's no replay value. Wii Play is meant to be a tutorial on how to use the Wii Remote, so if you've already been playing a while, there's no need to play this game. Even if you haven't played at all, the controls are simple to figure out, and most games have there own tutorials built in.

If you find yourself in my position, just get the Wii-mote, and save your $10.00.