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1500 questions
242
votes
11 answers
How to delete file(s) in secure manner?
Is there a way to make sure that a deleted file can not be recovered?
As you know, deleting a file by pressing shift-del or using trash doesn't mean that file is gone forever. It resides somewhere in the computer.
In day to day life, law…
user20296
242
votes
8 answers
How do I add a user to the "sudo" group?
In /etc/sudoers I see this:
# Allow members of group sudo to execute any command after they have
# provided their password
# (Note that later entries override this, so you might need to move
# it further down)
%sudo ALL=(ALL) ALL
So how do I add a…
coffee-grinder
- 4,005
242
votes
9 answers
What is the command to run System Settings from a terminal?
System Settings can be run from the launcher (pinned by default), the Dash, or the power cog. But what command would I enter in a terminal window if I want to run it from there?
Knowledge Cube
- 14,781
242
votes
24 answers
Do I need to have antivirus software installed?
I thought that there was no need to scan for viruses either in Ubuntu or any Linux distros until I found virus scanner packages clamtk and klamav in Ubuntu software center yesterday.
This leads to the following questions:
How do viruses differ…
Vinay
- 3,641
241
votes
10 answers
Terminal 'incognito mode'?
I use Terminal a lot, and sometimes I am running commands, which aren't things I don't want others to see, but more commands that if I accidentally arrowed up to and accidentally executed would cause a lot of trouble.
So I am wondering if there is,…
user364819
241
votes
4 answers
What does an "exec" command do?
I have seen exec command used inside scripts to redirect all output to a file (as seen in this). But in simple words, what does it do?
a06e
- 13,223
- 26
- 70
- 104
241
votes
20 answers
Running a .desktop file in the terminal
From what I can gather, .desktop files are shortcuts that allow application's settings to be customized. For instance, I have lots of them in my /usr/share/applications/ folder.
If I open that folder in nautilus, I can run these applications just…
Malabarba
- 10,196
241
votes
6 answers
How to create an empty file from command line
How can I create an empty file from the command line?
NES
- 33,195
240
votes
8 answers
How do you test the network speed between two boxes?
I have a gigabit network set up in my house and a few Ubuntu based boxes. Out of complete curiosity I would like to check the speed between the two boxes.
I am not having any problems with speed or anything, it really is just the geek in me that is…
Jacob Schoen
- 5,075
240
votes
22 answers
What to use to quickly cut Audio/Video
If just need to crop Audio/Video from a longer track, what can I use? I tried OpenShot, but I find the export video slow, perhaps its compling all the "layers" into a new movie? Perhaps I just need a simple "crop" tool for audio/video will surfice?
Jiew Meng
- 10,347
240
votes
9 answers
Screen Resolution Problem with Ubuntu 14.04 and VirtualBox
Environment: Lenovo T530 running Windows 7. Have installed Ubuntu 14.04 on a virtual machine using VM Virtual Box. Have installed all the updates from both Virtual Box and Ubuntu.
Problem: While in Ubuntu's desktop and other Ubuntu initiated…
user3341257
- 2,501
- 3
- 12
- 3
240
votes
7 answers
What is "umask" and how does it work?
I believe that umask is something that controls file permissions, but do not fully understand it.
After running umask 0644 in a terminal, I cannot read the files I create with the command-line text editor nano. I noticed that the permissions of that…
Lekensteyn
- 174,277
240
votes
5 answers
How can I retrospectively create a default home directory for an existing user in terminal?
I created a user without a home directory and now I want to create a home directory for them. Not just a folder called /home/new-user, but a complete default home directory with all the normal folders and hidden files, etc.
How can I do that?
Jo Rijo
- 2,535
240
votes
9 answers
Is it possible to get a list of most recently installed packages?
Is it possible to get a list of packages that were most recently installed through apt-get?
Olivier Lalonde
- 58,691
239
votes
4 answers
How to create an animated GIF from MP4 video via command line?
I want make an animated .gif from an .mp4 video. I would prefer to do it from the command line, so please only list command line tools.
Maythux
- 84,289