This is just an outline, not a full detailed explanation. I still consider XFCE the best desktop, but it is quite demanding on users migrating from Windows if you don’t have an acquaintance with the Unix approach to computers. KDE is more fully integrated. I confess it is still a tad buggy and always will be, but so is Windows in every version sold. My point here is that KDE comes the closest to the Windows pattern of use without actually being Windows.
I’ve noted in my free Debian books that there are some differences between the 64-bit and 32-bit versions. It depends on how you intend to use the computer whether it makes much difference. If you really need to run Windows stuff on it, WINE is very easy on 32-bit, but convoluted and challenging on the 64-bit version. I’ve already stated my recommendation that you run a virtual machine for the Windows stuff on 64-bit; it’s not that hard once you get it running.
In order to make the KDE installer fit on a CD, Debian folks had to make some tough decisions what to cut out. I don’t blame them that we need to add some of that back in after installing. I’ll cut to the chase and simply list here first the package names as you would find them using Synaptic or apt:
- ufw
- bleachbit
- ntpdate
- kde-config-gtk-style
The package ufw is the simplest firewall you can get. Once installed, you’ll need to log into a terminal window (Konsole in KDE) with your root credentials (“su root” and blindly typing the password) to activate the firewall with two commands:
ufw enable
ufw default deny
That’s it; it’s highly unlikely a typical desktop computer needs any further refinement on the firewall.
Bleachbit I’ve yakked about often enough as your browser cache and cookie cleaner. Ntpdate keeps your system clock updated to Internet time; just install and it takes care of the details itself. The last package is so you can set the appearance for things like Iceweasel (Firefox in disguise) and any version of Chrome/Chromium browser. If you have a laptop, I suggest you also install “kde-config-touchpad” because KDE won’t even find it otherwise. However, once installed it is pretty intelligent about the capabilities of the hardware.
Chances are you won’t have to mess with the sound or screen resolution. I do suggest you add your Windows fonts through the System Settings application, and you’ll probably want to enable “full” hinting. A primary complaint for folks coming over from Windows is that there are simply way too many options that you never got with Windows when it comes to all the crazy details. Worse, the default settings are unlikely to be comfortable. In general, you can follow the instructions I wrote for Kubuntu on the desktop configuration, covered in chapters 6, 7, and 8 for details. You can also add your own wallpaper or use Synaptic/apt to discover that KDE has an artwork package that includes a lot more.
If you like ebooks, you’ll want Calibre (notice the spelling) and it will require a little setup, but the defaults usually work fine. It displays almost every format you ever heard about, so you can download them to your Debian computer and read to your heart’s content.
A point of contention is browsers and email. If you can handle Thunderbird, then Debian calls it Icedove. If you are a masochist, install and try configuring Kmail. There are other clients available, so using a search engine and including terms like “debian email client” will load you up with lots of reading. However, I recently decided to stop supporting Chrome/Chromium browsers. I actually think you’d be better off with something like Slimjet from Flashpeak. Scroll down and take the generic packages, because the ones they claim are for Debian seldom work right. You’ll have to use the commandline to unzip it (unxz) and untar, and then move the folder to your Home. You’ll need to launch it from the commandline once (run the executable “flashpeak-slimjet” in that folder) and supply your root credentials to activate the sandbox — a security measure for browsing. Once that’s done, you’ll have to either create a launcher on your desktop or edit the K-menu to add it there. Basic principles are the same for any Linux desktop, so if you check my previous posts on Debian configuration in XFCE, it’s virtually identical in KDE. Learn to investigate things with right-click.
Also, every time Slimjet updates (they do the Flashplayer for you automatically), you have to delete your previous folder and replace with the new one, and run that sandbox thing again.
You can get Opera for the 64-bit version, but for 32-bit, you can only get the obsolete version. It still works, but it’s getting rough on some sites. For both Opera and Chromium, you’ll need to install Debian’s pepperflash Flashplayer. For use with Iceweasel, Firefox or Seamonkey, you’ll need the older style flashplugin package. You’ll have to learn how to update both versions manually because they are handled separately from the standard Debian packages. See this page for details; extrapolate if you have pepperflash by noting the package naming convention and the commands.
Notice that just about anything you download from outside the Debian system can be run from a folder in your Home directory, if it works at all. Sometimes you simply can’t get what you need from Debian, nor made for Debian. For some crazy reason you can’t get the Bibletime package yet for Debian 8. I recommend the Java version called Bible Desktop. It comes with a launcher script, but for any other Java application, both on the commandline and in your launcher, most Java apps are packaged primarily as a Jar file. This is the Linux incantation:
java -jar something.jar
For example, I like jShisen (a tiles game you can download free). With KDE you have the option of setting the working directory as you could with Windows, so it can save you some heartache when an executable file goes hunting for it’s supporting files, as jShisen tends to do. Keep your config and scores in the same folder with the game. Also, anything you download that includes a file ending in “.sh” is likely a Unix/Linux type script that probably makes it run without you having to figure out too much. Learn about permissions and making files executable scripts; it’s covered in several of my books and here on the blog, just search for “permissions”.
If your computer can handle SD cards, you’ll need to install a couple of packages for the exfat file system (exfat-utils and exfat-fuse). For external jump drives, you’re already covered, as is the case for most external hard drives, even NTFS. As often noted here, during installation of Debian, make sure you still have access to another system to download extra firmware files that may be missing from the standard Debian kernel packaging. On one laptop that was a RealTek (rtl) package and something for Atheros Bluetooth. After you’ve gotten it installed, try this command in a terminal window and see if the boot comments mention anything missing:
dmesg | grep firmware
That’s “dmesg” to display the boot messages, a “pipe” character (double upright stick looking thing), “grep” to search through the dmesg output so you don’t get a ton of useless details, and the word “firmware” as the key what you want it to find. You may get a line starting with numbers in square brackets followed by something about missing firmware. That’s your clue on using a search engine for Debian packages. If it says the firmware was loaded, then no problem.
Ask questions; you can post here in the comments or email me at any of several accounts. I check the Cox account most often.
