Ubuntu users advice appreciated

[Ange]

I know I know - this should be posted on a Ubuntu forum and not on a canal forum, but I'm sitting on a boat dangling off a dongle so I think I'm allowed

 

I'm a very new user of Ubuntu after a failed attempt to use it when we first moved aboard (my son, who is a Ubuntu evangelist commented that the faults that he'd never heard of before could only happen to me after he'd spent hours convincing me to go for it!!)

 

Anyways I'm back on it with a much more positive attitude and enjoying the learning curve (using the terminal reminds me very much of my DOS days, before the IT Administrators stopped me from watching what they were doing and saving myself the trouble of calling them out by doing it myself next time!)

 

My biggest problem at the moment is that every time I boot up for the first time the cursor dances away from me, opens random windows, etc. I chase it around, so far I've always caught it and re-caught it long enough to restart the computer, after which it behaves impeccably.

 

Any ideas?

 

Also, any recommendations of Ubuntu forums (or is that fora?) that would be very gentle with me if I joined as a clueless newby?

 

Thanks folks

[kerching]

http://ubuntuforums.org/

[Ange]

http://ubuntuforums.org/

Thanks for the linky - I'll register with them. I thought i'd ask on here as I know there's a few Ubuntu users on CWDF

 

[Smelly]

The forums courtesy of the ubuntu home page have rarely let me down Ange. I've fixed the reluctant dongle issue today with a quick search.

[RupertG]

I know I know - this should be posted on a Ubuntu forum and not on a canal forum, but I'm sitting on a boat dangling off a dongle so I think I'm allowed

 

I'm a very new user of Ubuntu after a failed attempt to use it when we first moved aboard (my son, who is a Ubuntu evangelist commented that the faults that he'd never heard of before could only happen to me after he'd spent hours convincing me to go for it!!)

 

Anyways I'm back on it with a much more positive attitude and enjoying the learning curve (using the terminal reminds me very much of my DOS days, before the IT Administrators stopped me from watching what they were doing and saving myself the trouble of calling them out by doing it myself next time!)

 

My biggest problem at the moment is that every time I boot up for the first time the cursor dances away from me, opens random windows, etc. I chase it around, so far I've always caught it and re-caught it long enough to restart the computer, after which it behaves impeccably.

 

Any ideas?

 

Also, any recommendations of Ubuntu forums (or is that fora?) that would be very gentle with me if I joined as a clueless newby?

 

Thanks folks

 

I've had very similar problems with one of my Ubuntu laptop boxen, and it turned out to be a rather flaky touchpad. I never bothered to find out whether it was the driver or the hardware, as I disabled the thing and switched to using a mouse - problem solved.

 

For lots of reasons, this may not apply to you. But it caused me some moments of misery and I was happy to nail it. Since then, other similar incidents have been due to user-induced stupidity and leaving a beer can or other mildly metal object on the touchpad.

 

R (a very happy Ubuntuist of some years now)

[Ange]

I've had very similar problems with one of my Ubuntu laptop boxen, and it turned out to be a rather flaky touchpad. I never bothered to find out whether it was the driver or the hardware, as I disabled the thing and switched to using a mouse - problem solved.

 

For lots of reasons, this may not apply to you. But it caused me some moments of misery and I was happy to nail it. Since then, other similar incidents have been due to user-induced stupidity and leaving a beer can or other mildly metal object on the touchpad.

 

R (a very happy Ubuntuist of some years now)

Hi Rupert

Thanks for that. I doubt whether it's he touch pad as it only happens when I first sign on - once I've chased the pointer around enough to restart the lappy it behaves impeccably every time!

 

We've somehow lost our menu on the top panel when it went silly last time (where you can get applications,etc). I don't suppose you know how I get it back?

 

Thanks for the help

Ange

 

Edited cos I put when instead of where

Edited March 15, 2010 by Ange

[Guest]

Ange - for the first time ever I have no bloody idea what you are on about......

[Ange]

Ange - for the first time ever I have no bloody idea what you are on about......

I take it you're not a Ubuntu user Martin

[Guest]

I take it you're not a Ubuntu user Martin

 

Only on the sabbath and then when facing south with my right index finger in my left nostril while standing on one leg.....

[Ange]

Only on the sabbath and then when facing south with my right index finger in my left nostril while standing on one leg.....

I'm lost for words (and that doesn't happen very often)!

[Guest]

I'm lost for words (and that doesn't happen very often)!

 

I agree, it's not a pretty picture....

[ymu]

We've somehow lost our menu on the top panel when it went silly last time (where you can get applications,etc). I don't suppose you know how I get it back?

Right click the panel and you will get various options to reposition it and add various standard items, one of which should be the standard menu.

[Robin2]

My biggest problem at the moment is that every time I boot up for the first time the cursor dances away from me, opens random windows, etc. I chase it around, so far I've always caught it and re-caught it long enough to restart the computer, after which it behaves impeccably.

 

I think I read about this somewhere else and as far as I remember it is because the operating system confuses something plugged into a usb port as a mouse. I think the problem was caused by an internet broadband dongle. Try starting the pc without USB things connected.

 

I'm very fond of Ubuntu - it deals with my broadband dongle and my freeview tv dongle much better than Windows.