2022-02-07 14:54

Things to do after installing Debian - for your grandma

ver. 22.02_grandma Desktop Workstation

Introduction

— writing — writing — writing —

Installation medium

Preferred: Debian 11.2 Gnome Live non-free:

Download and flash the .iso image to USB thumb-drive, using Ventoy or Etcher and navigate through regular installation process.

Initial configuration

Remove default LibreOffice installation (deb) before upgrading

(we will install LibreOffice Flatpak at the later stage)

sudo apt remove --purge libreoffice*

Remove default games

sudo apt remove iagno lightsoff four-in-a-row gnome-robots pegsolitaire gnome-2048 hitori gnome-klotski gnome-mines gnome-mahjongg gnome-sudoku quadrapassel swell-foop gnome-tetravex gnome-taquin aisleriot -y

Remove Firefox-ESR

sudo apt remove --purge firefox*

Upgrade the system

sudo apt update

sudo apt upgrade -y

sudo apt dist-upgrade -y

sudo reboot

sudo apt autoremove && sudo apt autoclean

Create a user for your granny

You are creating user without sudo rights

sudo adduser [USERNAME]

Replace [USERNAME] with your granny’s username

Install SSH

sudo apt install openssh-server -y

Install and configure Uncomplicated Firewall (ufw)

sudo apt install ufw

sudo ufw enable

sudo ufw default deny incoming

sudo ufw default allow outgoing

sudo ufw allow ssh

sudo apt install gufw

for more configuration options visit: Debian Wiki

Additional software installation

Install essential apps

sudo apt install wget git curl neofetch mc ncdu tmux inxi htop thunderbird audacious audacity gimp inkscape krita darktable -y

Install Vivaldi Web browser

wget https://downloads.vivaldi.com/stable/vivaldi-stable_5.0.2497.51-1_amd64.deb

sudo apt install ./vivaldi-stable_5.0.2497.51-1_amd64.deb

…also, consider switching to Brave Search Engine.

Here’s why: https://search.brave.com/help/independence

Remove default games

sudo apt remove iagno lightsoff four-in-a-row gnome-robots pegsolitaire gnome-2048 hitori gnome-klotski gnome-mines gnome-mahjongg gnome-sudoku quadrapassel swell-foop gnome-tetravex gnome-taquin aisleriot -y

Install Microsoft Base Fonts

for the basic Microsoft Font pack:

sudo apt install -y ttf-mscorefonts-installer fonts-crosextra-carlito fonts-crosextra-caladea

…or, if you have an access to Windows OS you can copy C:\Windows\Fonts' directory for the **full** *Windows 10* default fonts directory, download following: [Windows 10 Font Pack](https://pixeldrain.com/u/DJYYa8E9). Create .fonts` directory in your home location and copy your Windows fonts.

Make sure printer support is installed

sudo apt install skanlite cups cups-client cups-filters hplip printer-driver-hpijs

sudo adduser [USERNAME] lpadmin

sudo systemctl enable --now cups

Replace [USERNAME] with your username

Install build-essential

It’s a package that includes many dependencies commonly used by different apps so it’s always good to have it installed. We all need it sooner or later.

sudo apt install build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)

Install restricted-extras

sudo apt install rar unrar libavcodec-extra gstreamer1.0-libav gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly gstreamer1.0-vaapi

Install Flatpak

sudo apt install flatpak

sudo apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

sudo reboot

Install LibreOffice flatpak version

flatpak install flathub org.libreoffice.LibreOffice

flatpak install --reinstall flathub org.freedesktop.Platform.Locale/x86_64/21.08

remember to change formats to Bulgarian in Language Settings

Automate flatpak updates

(yes, without sudo)

crontab -e

add the line on the end: 15 12 * * * flatpak update -y > /home/[USERNAME]/Documents/logs/flatpak-update.log Replace [USERNAME] with your username (the log destination is custom, the directory must exsist)

Install Syncthing

Add the release PGP keys:

sudo curl -s -o /usr/share/keyrings/syncthing-archive-keyring.gpg https://syncthing.net/release-key.gpg

Add the “stable” channel to your APT sources:

echo "deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/syncthing-archive-keyring.gpg] https://apt.syncthing.net/ syncthing stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/syncthing.list

Update and install syncthing:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install syncthing

Enable syncthing at system boot:

sudo systemctle enable --now syncthing@[USERNAME].service

Replace [USERNAME] with your username

Edit line 59 in config.xml file, and replace 127.0.0.1 with 0.0.0.0

nano /home/viking/.config/syncthing/config.xml

sudo systemctl restart syncthing@[USERNAME].service

Replace [USERNAME] with your username

Now, Syncthing is accessible under http://localhost:8384 and in the local network.

Install NoMachine

version from 2022-02-03

wget https://download.nomachine.com/download/7.8/Linux/nomachine_7.8.2_1_amd64.deb

sudo apt install ./nomachine_7.8.2_1_amd64.deb

Install ZeroTier One

curl -s https://install.zerotier.com | sudo bash

sudo zerotier-cli join [YOUR-ZEROTIER-NETWORK-ID]

Install OpenConnect and OpenVPN

sudo apt install -y openconnect network-manager-openconnect network-manager-openconnect-gnome

sudo apt install -y openvpn network-manager-openvpn network-manager-openvpn-gnome

Install AppImage Launcher

wget https://github.com/TheAssassin/AppImageLauncher/releases/download/v2.2.0/appimagelauncher_2.2.0-travis995.0f91801.bionic_amd64.deb

sudo apt install ./appimagelauncher_2.2.0-gha74.10c226a+bionic_amd64.deb

Install TOR

enable the usage of https in sources.list:

sudo apt install apt-transport-https

add the Tor repository:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://deb.torproject.org/torproject.org $(lsb_release -sc) main" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/tor-project.list'

download the latest keyring .deb package from the link below:

wget https://deb.torproject.org/torproject.org/pool/main/d/deb.torproject.org-keyring/deb.torproject.org-keyring_2020.11.18_all.deb
ls

install the keyring .deb package:

sudo apt install ./deb.torproject.org-keyring_2020.11.18_all.deb

update repos and upgrade your system:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Install Tor:

sudo apt install tor

Check the status of the service (should be active):

systemctl status tor

is it dead? enable and run tor as service

sudo systemctl enable --now tor

Install Tor Browser:

sudo apt install torbrowser-launcher

Install Wine and dependencies

sudo dpkg --add-architecture i386

wget -nc https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/winehq.key

sudo gpg -o /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/winehq.key.gpg --dearmor winehq.key

sudo add-apt-repository 'deb https://dl.winehq.org/wine-builds/debian/ bullseye main'

sudo apt update

sudo apt install --install-recommends winehq-staging

winecfg

Install “Bottles”, a brand new wine manager

flatpak install flathub com.usebottles.bottles

Extend the Battery Life

If you have Debian installed on your laptop, you can squeeze more battery juice by installing tlp (power management tool).

sudo apt install tlp

finishing up

sudo apt autoremove

sudo apt autoclean

.

Optionally

Add locale

preferably, do it before installing any apps

sudo locale-gen bg_BG.UTF.8

sudo update-locale LANG=bg_BG.UTF-8

sudo locale-gen

bg_BG.UTF.8 used as an example

If, for some reason that method doesn’t work, uncoment your locale from /etc/locale.gen and then:

sudo locale-gen

Don’t forget to change language, time and locale settings in the GUI system settings + add BG keyboard layout

Install tweaked Linux Kernel

curl 'https://liquorix.net/add-liquorix-repo.sh' | sudo bash

sudo apt install linux-image-liquorix-amd64 linux-headers-liquorix-amd64

Need some Apps?

flatpak install flathub net.cozic.joplin_desktop

Joplin is a free, open source note taking and to-do application, which can handle a large number of notes organised into notebooks. The notes are searchable, can be copied, tagged and modified either from the applications directly or from your own text editor. The notes are in Markdown format.

flatpak install flathub org.telegram.desktop

Pure instant messaging — simple, fast, secure, and synced across all your devices. One of the world’s top 10 most downloaded apps with over 500 million active users.

flatpak install flathub io.freetubeapp.FreeTube

FreeTube is an open source desktop YouTube player built with privacy in mind. Use YouTube without advertisements and prevent Google from tracking you with their cookies and JavaScript.

flatpak install flathub com.stremio.Stremio

Watch videos, movies, TV series and TV channels instantly.

flatpak install flathub org.onlyoffice.desktopeditors

Create, view and edit text documents, spreadsheets and presentations of any size and complexity. Work on documents of most popular formats: DOCX, ODT, XLSX, ODS, CSV, PPTX, ODP, etc. Deal with multiple files within one and the same window thanks to the tab-based user interface.

https://flathub.org/apps/details/com.belmoussaoui.Decoder

Decoder is a fancy yet simple QR Codes scanner and generator.

flatpak install flathub org.gnome.Solanum

Solanum is a time tracking app that uses the pomodoro technique. Work in 4 sessions, with breaks in between each session and one long break after all 4.

https://flathub.org/apps/details/fr.romainvigier.MetadataCleaner

Metadata Cleaner allows you to view metadata in your files and to get rid of it, as much as possible.

flatpak install flathub com.github.tchx84.Flatseal

Flatseal is a graphical utility to review and modify permissions from your Flatpak applications.

Install WebApp Manager and add any website as a standalone system App

(working best with Chromium engine based web browsers)

wget http://packages.linuxmint.com/pool/main/w/webapp-manager/webapp-manager_1.1.9_all.deb

sudo apt install python3-pip

pip install pillow

sudo apt install ./webapp-manager_1.1.9_all.deb

Better Apperance

sudo apt install git && git clone https://github.com/vinceliuice/Tela-icon-theme.git

cd Tela-icon-theme

sudo ./install.sh -a

sudo apt install materia-gtk-theme

…and apply those changes in Gnome Tweaks

Using legacy Nvidia Geforce GPU?

sudo apt install nvidia-legacy-390xx-driver

.

Reference:

https://wiki.debian.org

https://packages.debian.org/bookworm/nvidia-legacy-390xx-driver

https://www.linuxcapable.com/debian

Don’t break your Debian!

https://wiki.debian.org/DontBreakDebian#Don.27t_make_a_FrankenDebian