Parent: Guides to software installed by default in Ubuntu 8.04 | Discuss this page
Introduction
The System Tools menu contains standalone utilities for managing your Ubuntu system.
If you are interested in learning how to configure and manage your system, you might want to learn about the options found in the Administration and Preferences sections of the System menu. SystemAdministration also contains lots of advice on how to maintain your system.
Default Applications
The System Tools menu shows no applications by default in Ubuntu 8.04, and is in fact itself hidden from view. By editing the Main Applications Menu with 'System > Preferences > Main Menu' you can unhide the default applications listed below.
Configuration Editor
"Configuration Editor - Directly edit your entire configuration database." The Configuration Editor is often referred to as "GConf".
"The GNOME Desktop and many applications use GConf to store user preferences and system configuration data. GConf provides a central storage location for preferences, simplifying configuration management for users and system administrators. More information about GConf can be found in the GNOME System Administrator's Guide." (Configuration Editor Manual, Introduction, Version 2.8)
See also: Gconf-editor's Wikipedia entry,
Floppy Formatter
"Floppy Formatter - Format floppy disks"
"GFloppy formats floppy disks for Linux. New floppy disks might need to be formatted before they can be used." (Floppy Formatter Manual, Introduction, Version 2.1)
GDebi Package Installer
"Install and view software packages"
"gdebi lets you install local deb packages resolving and installing its dependencies. apt does the same, but only for remote (http, ftp) located packages." (gdebi man page, Dec 23, 2005)
New Login
"Log in as another user without logging out"
New Login in a Window
"Login as another user in a window." Any currently logged in users will not be logged out.
Report a problem...
"Report a malfunction to the developers"
'Report a problem...' is a graphical front end for https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Apport Apport.
Root Terminal
"Opens a terminal as the root user, using http://www.nongnu.org/gksu/ gksu to ask for the password"
Installing Additional Software Tools
The easiest way to browse and install additional software tools is through the Add/Remove Applications tool, which is found in the main Applications menu. After starting Add/Remove Applications, simply select System Tools from the list in the left hand column. For more information on installing software, see InstallingSoftware.
Other Applications
This page only lists applications installed by default to help new users get started. There are many thousands of other applications available for download or with expansion CD and DVDs. To see some of them run 'Applications > Add/Remove Applications' and select one of the options below beside the label 'Show:'
All available applications will "Show all applications including ones which are possibly restricted by law or copyright, unsupported by Canonical Ltd. or not part of Ubuntu."
All Open Source applications will "Show all Ubuntu applications which can be freely used, modified and distributed. This includes a large variety of community maintained applications"
Supported applications (the default) will "Show only application which come with full technical and security support by Canonical Ltd."
Third party applications will "Show only applications that are provided by independent software vendors and are not part of Ubuntu"
Installed applications only will "Show only applications that are instaled on your computer."
If you wish to see the full selection of packages available launch 'System > Administration > Synaptic Package Manager'.
Help and Support
You can start Yelp by selecting 'System > Help and Support'. The Yelp documentation can be found by searching for 'Yelp Help Browser' in Yelp.