got linux!
 

i've finally decided on my main os for my computer: ubuntu linux 6.06! i'm kinda new to linux, as you may see in the number of posts i have.

it runs great, especially since all the hardware was detected perfectly!

there are just some questions i have to get it customized for me :D

there's a perticular startup sound i'm looking for, but i can't find it. i think i heard it in xandros. its a kde startup sound. i think it was called startup3?? if someone could post it, that'd be great.

next, how do i install a program (for example, zsnes)? i have no idea. lol.

lastly, how do i put recycle bin on the desktop? it's on a panel right now, and i don't know how to get it on the desktop. it's stuck.

thx everyone!

Can't help you with the sound or the recycle bin, but I can help you with installing packages. It can be done by using apt-get on the command line. Many people prefer to have a graphical frontend though. My favourite package manager is synaptic. I think this might be installed by default in Ubuntu 6.06, but in case it's not, you can install it by using the command 'sudo apt-get install synaptic'. To install packages, just run synaptic and then select the packages you want to install.

By default Ubuntu only has one repository enabled. You may well want to add other repositories, such as the "universe" and "multiverse" repositories. Just edit the file /etc/apt/sources.list. There are plenty of instructions on how to do this on the net.

Hope it helps.

There will already be a graphical package manager installed. You don't need to get a new one and you don't need to use the command line (yet). I haven't used the Gnome flavour of the new Ubuntu (I use kubuntu) but in the old one it was in the system menu - probably synaptic. In kubuntu it is Adept.
Everyone here will swear that their favourite package manager is the best, but in my experience, the one that has been included in your distro is the best.

apt-get was the standard for Debian, the distribution that ubuntu is based on.

Enabling repositories can also be done with the graphical package manager - you don't have to edit a text file (yet).

Have a look at the ubuntu forum site - they're a bit twee (those stupid coffee beans), but the information is very specific to ubuntu:
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/

thx everyone! got my program installed. i think i'm getting the hang of this terminal stuff!

there is only one more thing i need: that startup sound. where can i find it?

That would be a nice demo of why you would use apt-file. If it wasn't broken ATM, that is:

So you should install either kdebase-data or kcontrol (it seems). See if anything shows up in /usr/share/sounds/.