Yet another version of Ubuntu Tweak released. It’s 0.5.2!

It doesn’t introduce any new feathers, but I recommend that everyone should update.

This version mainly fixed a lot of bugs.

And I’ve add the highlight support for the new items in Application Center and Source Center.

Here’s the screenshot:

As you see, after a  successful  sync. Ubuntu Tweak may adds new cool applications. How can you find it? Yes, with unread count in category and “New!!!” in application title.

I think you will like this minor improvement.

Now update to the Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.2: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu-tweak/0.5.x/0.5.2

If you have new application or source and want to share with others, don’t forget to submit to Ubuntu-Tweak.com!

Enjoy!

jonolumb joined the development, and help to improve the English.

You can see our cooperation here: http://github.com/tualatrix/ubuntu-tweak/commits/master, he corrected a lot of  English words, at the same time, I fixed some bugs. Thanks very much to him.

It is very meaningful that Ubuntu Tweak is developed by more than just one person, especially as a open source project.

So if you’re intertested in Ubuntu Tweak development, don’t hesitate to join in.

The guide is here: http://wiki.github.com/tualatrix/ubuntu-tweak/get-involved-with-ubuntu-tweak-development, I will continue to improve the guide.

Of course, to help with Ubuntu Tweak, develop isn’t the only way, transition is important too.

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!

Here is the guide.

First of all, UTCOM is slight different from normal application, it is website application powered by django, mainly consists of three parts: appcenter, sourcecenter and utcom.

You can start translate by choosing one “series”, by default it is “utcom series”, but “appcenter” and “sourcecenter” need to be translated too.

If you can’t find your language, you need to set which language translation will be available for you. Visit this link to set: which languages you want to work with

Finally, You can start the translation. I will merge your work to the website regularly.

Thanks all the contributors! For more details, you can visit: Launchpad Translate Help

It’s a very important version of Ubuntu Tweak, it has new fresh interface, the ability to sync data from the website and lots of new options added.

Let’s go and see what’s new with Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.

First, let’s see an overview changes:

As you see, Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 only supports the current Ubuntu 9.10 Karmic (later will support Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid).  Because maintain the old version spent a lot of time in testing and verifying, make the development of Ubuntu Tweak slow down.

So I decide dropping the support of old distributions. Of course, It supports the distribution who based on Karmic, such as Linux Mint 8. But I haven’t tested, so the report from you is welcomed.

Now see some screenshots.

Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 comes with native icon and interface, so all the icon will load from the system theme. So it will be more beautiful.

This is Ubuntu Tweak with the default system theme.

And this is Ubuntu Tweak with elementary themne. Which one do you like?

Here’s is the important feature of Ubuntu Tweak 0.5: Application Center. It is improved from the old Add/Remove, but the data is synced from the UTCOM.

So the applications data will keep up-to-date. You can always get the popular applications in Ubuntu Tweak without updating the UT itself.

If you’re the first time run Ubuntu Tweak 0.5, after open Application Center, it will display the message (According to your network connection, maybe take some seconds): New application data avaiable, would you like to update.

Of course,  you should choose “Yes”

Then it will start download data from UTCOM. After downloading, all data is latest now.

Another change is: Source Center, it is improved from the Third-Party Sources. It is almost the same to Application Center, with sync data ability.

You like to try the latest and new applications from other sources, the Source Center will allow you to do that.

It contains a lot of third-party sources, some will provide application which does not include in the official source.

And it will be updated frequently, you can also help to submit the source online.

The new “Update Manager” may related to the Application Center and Source Center.

It has a easy to use interface with the readable application information.

By the screenshot, you can easily know which important application in the updates: it’s GNOME Shell.

The Session Control is improved too.

If you’re an advanced user, You may want to change the default desktop components: File Manager, Panel or Window Manager.

It’s very easy to do that. E.g. You like PCmanFM more than Nautilus, just install pcmanfm, than change the File Manager from “nautilus” to “pcmanfm”, after restarting your session, the change will be applied.

You can also disable the User List in GDM here.

The desktop icon settings is the basic feature from the Ubuntu Tweak 0.1, for some reason I removed “Show Desktop Icons” in the Ubuntu Tweak 0.4, now it’s back again.

GNOME Settings comes with two new options: Enable the icons in Menu and Button!

The default GNOME desktop of Ubuntu 9.10 has no icons in menu and button, some people may prefer enable icons, so here you can easily get it back.

Advanced Powermanager Settings give you two options to set the brightness of LCD when different battery mode, the laptop users will like it.

The last, as a request, I add the “Change Hostname” option in Computer Details.

If you don’t know how to change  hostname in command line, here it’s easy to do that.

That’s the main changes that Ubuntu Tweak 0.5.

It has a significant improvement with Source Code, now it is more friendly to the developers.

Do you remember the post of “Mockup of Ubuntu Tweak 0.6“?

As I said before, Ubuntu Tweak 0.6 supports plugin-system. Although the UI desgin of 0.6 is much more different from 0.5, but it will be based on Ubuntu Tweak 0.5’s source code. Hope it will come before Ubuntu 10.04’s release.

After Ubuntu Tweak 0.5’s release, there will be some bug-fixed release: 0.5.1, 0.5.2. And the data in UTCOM will continue to add and improve.

Everyone can take part in adding Application or Source to UTCOM. You can see this article: How to help UTCOM grow up

And I will continue to develop UTCOM too, soon a road-map of UT and UTCOM will be published.

Now download Ubuntu Tweak 0.5

Visit the laucnhpad link to download: https://launchpad.net/ubuntu-tweak/0.5.x/0.5.0

Don’t forget to report any problems! And give your support by donation or join to UTCOM. Thanks!

Enjoy!

After the online of UTCOM 0.1, there’s still many things to do. The first thing is to improve the website, the team behind UTCOM have already done a lot of things. The second is to add more applications and sources to UTCOM. So that later the Ubuntu Tweak will get it.

So at this post, I will show you what’s the rule between the user, UTCOM and Ubuntu Tweak.

The user (You!)

UTCOM is user-orientated website, everyone can register to be a member, submit your application/source, rating application/source. Of course, to keep the data correct, we will review the data before make it public.

After several times of successful data submits, you will have chance to become the group member who has permission to add data directly.

By the group growing up, more and more useful applications and sources will included in UTCOM.

Here’s how you start to add an application:

Frist, you should be a member of UTCOM and login, it’s fast to join in: Visit here.

Then come to the app or source page, you will see a “Add Application”, or “Add Source” button. Click it

Now fill with the basic information of the application, the most important is the “Package” name, it will tell Ubuntu Tweak how to install it.

Click “continue”, you will get a message about “successful added”. If you know a version information about it, you can also add, but it’s not so important.

At last, we will review whether your data is right, and open it to public.

All data will be associate with the publisher, to thanks everyone who contribute data, the future site will have a contributors list.

That’s the workflow to add an application, it’s easy, right?

Let’s submit/rating your favorite application/source!

The UTCOM and Ubuntu Tweak

So how we determine the data is useful and can be include in the Ubuntu Tweak?

That’s the rating system comes.

UTCOM comes with a powerful rating system. Every rating must be submitted by a user, and user can change the rating at any time(By the applications become more and more powerful).

Ubuntu Tweak will only include the top-rated applications, it is said: the featured.

If an application is featured, the right-bottom corner will have a UT logo,  or the logo will be grey. It will look like this:

We will update the featured list frequently. So that’s how Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 will come with an always up-to-date information about applications and third-party sources.

I plan to release Ubuntu Tweak in one week, it depends on the UTCOM.

Another important things is “Translation”, everyone can translation the Application/Source’s summary, so Ubuntu Tweak will be friendly to every language.

That’s how you can help to make UTCOM grow up. And don’t forget to report problem or ask question here.

Thanks everyone!

In China, now it’s Jan 1, 2010, and I’m proud to announce the online of UTCOM 0.1: The web side application and source share platform!

In the future, UTCOM will be the center to share a lot of useful things, and use Ubuntu Tweak to easily get them.

Just visit: http://ubuntu-tweak.com/

I’m tired and should go to bed now, more details will post later.

When will the new website and Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 comes? I plan to make it online at the the last day of 2009: I don’t want to take this task to the new year, because I’ve been developed for them over half year!

If you don’t update the RSS feed yet, just update!

And here’s another picture about Ubuntu Tweak 0.5, it runs under Xfce desktop with some specific feature to tweak Xfce!

It’s cool, right?

How are you these days? Recently I’ve been busy with daily work, but I still continue to develop Ubuntu Tweak and its new website. And the progress seems ok.

Before the Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 and new website’s release, there’s still many works to do. I will let you know the current status.

The first step is move the current site, it will be moved to http://blog.ubuntu-tweak.com, so does its rss feed address.

So please update your feed to this new address: http://feeds.feedburner.com/ubuntu-tweak, the new subscriber will use the new address automatically.

Now lets talk about the Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 and future site again.

First let me reply some of your questions.

At last post (Mockup of Ubuntu Tweak 0.6), I was glad to see that you like it. Here’s the answers:

Will it support Kubuntu?

Of course. Ubuntu Tweak 0.6 supports dynamic plugins system, all plugins will be specified by some metadata, such as desktop information. It means Ubuntu Tweak will load plugins only can be used under current desktop. So when Ubuntu Tweak run under different desktop environment, the interface will be different.

The GNOME desktop settings will not be displayed under Kubuntu, And vice versa.

So just develop the Kubuntu plugins, Ubuntu Tweak can work correctly under it.

When does it release and will it be in Lucid?

As you know, it’s just a mockup. The current focus of work is Ubuntu Tweak 0.5. I plan to release Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 at the end of 2009, and Ubuntu Tweak 0.6 will target to release around March 2010, before Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid’s official release.

Recently I and a member of MOTU was working on take Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 into the universe repository of Ubuntu 10.04. So the best result will be: Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 in the official repository of Ubuntu 10.04 before Ubuntu’s feature freeze. And You can still install Ubuntu Tweak 0.6 from the third-party source.

Is it posible to develop Debian Tweak?

I don’t have extra energy to develop another tweak utility for other distribution. Maybe others can hack on Ubuntu Tweak and make the Debian Tweak.

Ubuntu Tweak will one day become so bloated if develop the plugin system!

Thanks Exsecrabilus’ suggestion. Your suggestion is useful, and I should tell you why I need to develop the plugin system.

As a lot of users give me suggestions about tweak many things, but I can’t make all out, so the plugin system will help me to do that.

It won’t be bloated, because the core part of Ubuntu Tweak will keep small. And user will choose what plugin to use to tweak.

Just like Firefox.

No matter what, Ubuntu Tweak 0.6 is still under discuss, let’s focus on 0.5 at first.

Now let me show you some screenshots about Ubuntu Tweak 0.5, more tweak options has been added (Some ideas come from you! Thanks!)

This screenshot show the tweak option for your session components. Yes, you can easily use your favourite file manager if you want to change it!

New options to show icons on menu and button again.

Change hostname is possible with Ubuntu Tweak 0.5

The last picture, is the detail page of one application in the future website of Ubuntu Tweak.

You can rating an application, or submit your translation for it. So Ubuntu Tweak will collect data, and give the most popular application to the users in short time!

How about it?

I’m going to sleep now. See u!

How about the new design?

There will a new toolbar to switch between main category of functions, and the sub-functions will locate at the right-sidebar.

Why design like this?

Because the Ubuntu Tweak will support plugin management (The “My Apps” in pictures). As the development going on, I found that there’s always a lot of features need to be developed, why not design a plugin-system to let other developers to develop various kinds of features? So I can focus on the core part, and make Ubuntu Tweak more and more powerful and flexible. That’s the point of  Ubuntu Tweak 0.6.

As you see, there’s “Sign in” in the interface, it means Ubuntu Tweak will have full-featured network ability. It is still under discuss.

And the Welcome page  will be replaced by some of the status of your system, you can get the overview of your Ubuntu!

OK, just give you a mockup, I still have to make the Ubuntu Tweak 0.5 out at first.

See u soon!