Linux Mint 17.2 Rafaella (XFCE) checklist on the T60p

Some notes I took  on the configuration afterwards the installation of Linux Mint 17.2 XFCE on a T60p.

1- Install updates
Since this is a new, fresh, release there are not that many updates available, arond 157 MB of files or so.
Then reboot the lappie.

2- Turn the damn Caps Lock key to work as a tab
See this Oesediez post
Via Settings > Session and Startup > Add
Logout and back in to activate

3- Install the first batch of extra software:

sudo apt-get install openvpn openssh-server rar unrar emacs23-nox gip wine evolution

4- Set screensaver
Set to blank screen (after 10 minutes) and Lock Screen after 11 minutes
Logout and back in to activate (?)

5- Suspend
Test the suspend & resume of the lappie

6- Get the mouse cursor icon
Copy "basic-goofy-black+" to the directory /usr/share/icons/ and then goto
Settings > Mouse and Trackpad > Thene and select "basic-goofy-black+"

7- Sync files from backups
First from the script "sync.local.dillinger-small-ssd.sh" (create the targets dirs first!)
Then from the script "sync.local.dillinger-hdd.sh"

8- Change the login window
System > Login Window
Change from "Mint-X" to "Linux Mint".
Goto Option and un-check "Automatically select  the last logged in user".

9- Global Emacs key kindings
See this Oesediez post
Set thru: Settings > Settings Editor
Select the Channel called xsettings
Select any item on Gtk, and then click on New, and enter the values as on the screenshot.

That is, a new string, with the value Emacs, it is very important to type:
KeyThemeName

After the "/Gtk/" bit on the Property box.

A Subtle Mouse Theme

I love this mouse theme called Basic. There is certainly nothing basic nor goofy about it...
I specially love the set called "basic-goofy-black+" that has the inverted arrows, pointing toward the right.
The whole theme seems nice, and the icons are slightly smaller than the regular one, the one called DMZ-White or Black, which makes it look more elegant to me.

The Left Party Mouse

Moved the cursors from my Ubuntu box to the left.

Even tho I'm not left handed I've always loved left pointing mouse cursor icons, guess it comes from the old Netscape, which had left pointing cursor for the menu option selection.
Besides, I have a mouse cursor shape fetish going on for years...

Basic

I'm using specifically the one called "basic-goofy-black+".
Of course since I hate the text selection cursor, called "xterm" in Gnome, had to do this:

sudo cp xterm xterm.ORIG

sudo cp left_ptr xterm

Other related posts:

• Fade to black


• Adventures in Ubuntu Land: Mouse cursors

The Unity Desktop

Installed the Ambiance Touch for Willy theme on my Thinkpad W530.
 I like it, it is flat, the decorations and the windows are tiny, and it looks rather nice, spiffy and modern.

One thing tho, by default, the theme is called "Ambiance", and since I don't like to install themes under "~/.themes", I have renamed it as "Ambiance-Touch" and installed it on the global/ for all users location, on "/usr/share/themes/".
I d'loaded and extracted the tgz file on "~/Downloads", renamed the original directory "Ambiance" to "Ambiance-Touch" and then cd onto it, and edited the files:

• Ambiance-Touch/index.theme
• Ambiance-Touch/metacity-1/metacity-theme-1.xml

The index.theme file looks like this: (using my custom cursor!)

[Desktop Entry]
Type=X-GNOME-Metatheme
Name=Ambiance-Touch
Comment=Ubuntu Ambiance Touch theme
Encoding=UTF-8

[X-GNOME-Metatheme]
GtkTheme=Ambiance-Touch
MetacityTheme=Ambiance-Touch
IconTheme=ubuntu-mono-dark
CursorTheme=basic-goofy-black+
ButtonLayout=close,minimize,maximize:
X-Ubuntu-UseOverlayScrollbars=true

INTOH, on the metacity-theme-1.xml file, all I did was simply changing the name on the name tag, line 5.

Skype + Cinnamon: Mouse Cursor Shape Shenanigans

Cinnamon's own mouse pointer theme, accessed thru System Settings > Themes > Other settings > Mouse Pointer, it is the de facto way of setting those the way that you want it.
No matter if you edit the file:

/usr/share/icons/default/index.theme

If you fail to set the mouse pointer theme thru the Settings GUI, you are screwed.

That is why, after setting up the mouse pointer theme I like (basic-goofy-black+, of course!), I've noticed that, even tho the mouse shape was the correct ones all over the place, Skype simply didn't honoured the mouse pointer theme.
It changed it to something else, not the default, the white one, but a black version...
So, to correct that, and the theme all across the board, the way it should be, I had to edit the index.theme file mentioned above, and then logout and back in, and presto, problem solved.