About half a month ago, I released Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.0, it’s a major version since the last 0.4.x series. I’m happy you like it.

Now another update of 0.5.x is coming, it’s Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.1, got the support for Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid! If you’ve visted the Ubuntu-Tweak.com , you will find that the UTCOM supports choosing distribution in Source now.

The screenshot of VirtualBox OSE PPA

By the support of UTCOM, Ubuntu Tweak can do that too!

If you’re using Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid, you can easily install Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.1 through add the source of Ubuntu Tweak:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:tualatrix/ppa

Then just play like whatever under Karmic. And I would let you know besides the Lucid support, Ubuntu Tweak continue to improve the features.

Dependencies and Conflicts of source

The dependencies and conflicts of source management was first introduced in 0.4.8, but 0.5.0 changed the source data format and fetch method, the feature was dropped.

Now I’ve re-wrote the part of code, it comes again! It would be very easy if you want to use a very experimental source with other dependencies.

The option of enable the synchronous notification

For some reason, you may not want to receive the “Synchronous Notification”. So now you can turn off the auto-sync feature in the Preferences Dialog.

Of course you can always sync the data manually.

More powerful Window control

With Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.1, you have the ability to control the Window of applications more flexible. A new option is introduced in this version, it’s  ”Window Titlebar Button Layout”.

You can re-arrange the buttons on the titlebar by dragging and dropping, like the screenshot

After your re-arrange, it will like this.

For the user who migrate from Mac OS X,  he will like the new titlebar layout, right?

And the Titlebar Action added two new options: Maximize Horizontally and Maximize Vertically.

What does it do?

It means if you set the “Middle-click” to “Maximize Horizontally”,  the application window will take the full-width of the screen.

It will  help you operate the Window more fun and effective.

Here’s the overview changes for Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.1

* Overview changes:
- Online data supports mirror.
- Add dependencies and conflicts check in Source Center.
- Add more options to tweak Metacity
- Add option to arrange the button layout of Metacity
- Add option to disable the synchronous notification (LP: #510504)
- Add support for Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid
- Translation updates

* Bugs fixed:
- LP: #505544 Ubuntu Tweak crash on start with KeyError
- LP: #505605 [0.5.0] “Manage Templates” produces error message
- LP: #508811 Duplicated item with Unicode option in GNOME settings
- LP: #509961 script-worker not installed with package. Scripts don’t work
- LP: #513310 app center category mistake?
- LP: #509009 Ubuntu Tweak crashes when update because of non-apt-cache

Now download the latest packages for here: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu-tweak/0.5.x/0.5.1

Or update form source.

Enjoy!

The first half month after Ubuntu Tweak 0.3.4′s release, how are you now?

You have so many comments here, and I also have somethings to tell you.

So here comes.

—–

The Spam invade

An interesting thing, after Ubuntu Tweak 0.3.4′s release, there’s so many spam here(it was little before). I think it is attracted by the new features of Ubuntu Tweak. Do you think so?

Of course you can’t see the spam now, because I’ve delete all. But it will come again.

In order to prevent it coming again, I set the “Discussion Settings” to “Comment author must have a previously approved comment”. So your comment may not display at the first time.

Hmm, the Akismet Spam isn’t always useful.

The first donation for Ubuntu Tweak

Oh yes! I received the first donation after the 0.3.4′s release. It was sent by Stoyan Dafov. Thank you very much!

I’m really happy for that, because not only Ubuntu Tweak has so many users, but also many of them like it, they give me the power to make it more better.

About 0.3.4′s security probelm

Thanks of Vadim’s remind. I’ve thought the potential security problem of “Third Party Source” carefully.

Theoretically a people can make a broken package to break the computer,  no matter he is advisedly or not. And I have no way to prevent the thing taking place.(Maybe I can only remove the source)

But the authentication mechanism is really strict to make a package and upload it(in PPA), a virus maker need to create the GPG key and expose his email/name while he make the virus. And the package will be built by Lauchpad first, if it has influence to other package, the build will fail.

So it’s hard to make a broken package(or virus) to break your system.

And the people who use this feature is the advanced users,  they have the experiences to edit the sources or install the third party packages by themselves. The sources I added are tested by myself, I’m not able to guarantee they’ll be safe in the future, but now they are safe. Most of the sources are reliable, they are packaged by MOTU, such as Wine Package.

As you see, many people like this new feature, so that they can use the other source more easily. Another fact is: this feature will never be enabled by default, it’s all depend on users’ choices.

Of course there’s more improvement that I need to do, I need to add the GPG key support, and it should display a warning dialog before users enable a third party source. It will be implemented in the next version.

If you have any other suggestion, I hope to discuss with you.

—–

Ubuntu Tweak 0.3.4 has been downloaded for over 20,000 times so far(Only in the Google Code sites).

I don’t know the exact amount of users, but I know it is increase everytime.

I’ll make it more better, just it!

I’ve seen that some people won’t be able to start Ubuntu Tweak 0.3.2. The condition may like this:

The splash screen is displayed and then nothing.

It’s not a common bug so I wrote this article to tell you how to fix this problem.

—–

Thanks crjackson and the bug reporter Mark Krapivner and Soulou at launchpad:bug#238158

I saw your outputs, and there was nothing  serious  error message that cause the Ubuntu Tweak can’t start.

So I assume that the splash screen cause the problem, now I tell you how to disable the splash, I hope it’ll solve it.

First, open your terminal(gnome-terminal), and type the following command.

sudo gedit /usr/share/ubuntu-tweak/ubuntu-tweak.py

At the line 33, you’ll see “thread.start_new_thread(self.show_splash, ()) “, now you can put an “#” in font of line or delete this line.

So ubuntu-tweak.py will like this:

……..

class TweakLauncher:
def __init__(self):
gtk.gdk.threads_init()
#            thread.start_new_thread(self.show_splash, ())

try:
from PackageWorker import update_apt_cache
except ImportError:
pass

……..

Now save the file and try to start Ubuntu Tweak.

Please tell me the whether it is useful, thanks!

Good luck!

In this version, it still hasn’t been added more tweak options, just one tweak option: the opacity menu with Compiz Fusion. That you can set your menu with 90% opacity by just toggling the check button on!

Other details here.

Ubuntu Tweak 0.2.1 Release Notes:

1. Removed the useless OK button;
2. When you select a father item, it will automate expand the child items;
3. The items and the content is resizable now;
4. The main window is resizable too;
5. Added a tweak option that you can easily set your menu with 90% opacity;
6. Support Brazil language(Thanks to Williams)

OK! Recommend to download.

Debian Package:

ubuntu-tweak_0.2.1-1_i386.deb

ubuntu-tweak_0.2.1-1_amd64.deb

Source Code:

ubuntu-tweak-0.2.1.tar.bz2