Eight Things To Avoid In Ubuntu

          

         Ubuntu is clearly one of the most popular Linux distributions right now! While we know what to do with Ubuntu, many don't know the things to avoid in Ubuntu. Have a look..

1. Don’t use installation scripts – Installation scripts like Ultamatix, Ubuntu Tweak, Ubuntu Sources List Generator or Ubuntuzilla are quite risky as they are third party scripts. Listed below are a few of the most dangerous scripts you must avoid -

a) Ultamatix – This is the most harmful of the lot as it can lead to irreparable damage to your system by uploading all sorts of unstable versions of the application. It uses forced permits which include --assume-yes and –force-yes. The only solution to this problems is reinstalling a new version of Ubuntu.

b) Ubuntu Tweak and Ubuntu Sources List Generator – Using these can lead to addition of many PPA's and third party software. There is no clarity regarding where each one comes from and if there is a verification key.

c) Ubuntuzilla – This can lead to bizarre malfunctions in Firefox as the Ubuntuzilla version of Firefox is "original upstream software" that is not totally adapted to and tested for your Ubuntu version.

2. Don’t use cleaning applications – As per sites.google.com, cleaning applications like Computer Janitor or Bleachbit can damage more than you desire. They are not reliable as without you getting any clue about it they will end up removing a lot thereby damaging the system.

3. Avoid using PPAs – The software that is sourced from PPA's (third-party repositories) are not tested in your Ubuntu version. These can cause harm and destabilize your system. Also, it leads you becoming dependent on the sole- owner of the PPA who is not going to be checked.

4. Be careful of using .deb files - The files that have extension .deb are separate installers similar to .exe installers for Windows. They can be downloaded from certain websites by double clicking on them. You will be asked to enter your password and these will be automatically installed in your system. These files are not checked and not verified. They might damage your system as they may have n malware which include spyware etc.

5. Don’t trust Firefox and Chromium/Chrome extensions – You cannot trust these extensions blindly as the more the number of extensions are installed by you the slower Firefox and Chromium/Chrome become. Further, a few add-ons can cause malfunctions with other add-ons or in the browser itself.

6. Avoid mixing desktop environments – Installing Unity/Gnome and complete KDE desktop will convert your PC computer into a mess affecting performance and causing instability and malfunctions. To ensure your operating system’s efficiency install either Ubuntu (Gnome/Unity) or Kubuntu (KDE).

7. Don’t Remove Any Default Application of Ubuntu – The reason being that the default installation is a linked system that depends on shared supporting files accounting for the smooth running of the operating system.

8. Don’t Use Your Production Machine for Experiments – Only experiment on play boxes or dedicated testing machines as it might result in you landing up with an unusable computer. The best thing to do is to only upload LTS versions of Ubuntu on production machines as they are much better and reliable. You can divide your computer chores into three -

- Work horses - Install LTS versions;

- Play boxes - Install newest version of Ubuntu every six months;

- Testing machines – Carry out experiments and bug hunting.