Easily Install Google Earth, TeamViewer, Dropbox, IBM Lotus Symphony And Many More In Ubuntu 10.10 Using The Super OS Repository

Super OS 10.10, a modified version of Ubuntu has been released today and with it, the Super OS repository I was telling you about a while back has also been updated to support Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat.

You can use the Super OS repository in Ubuntu (without installing Super OS) and you'll get access to a lot of applications, all in just one repo. Among the applications available in the Super OS repository are: Amazon MP3 Downloader, Adobe AIR, Flash and Reader, Boxee, FrostWire, Dropbox, IBM Lotus Symphony (Office suite), Google Chrome, Google Desktop, Google Earth (which has been removed from the Medibuntu repository in Ubuntu 10.10), GoogleCL, Hulu Desktop, Nero Linux, Opera, PeaZip, Google Picasa, Real Player (also removed from Medibuntu in Ubuntu 10.10), Remastersys, Skype, SpiderOak, TeamViewer, TrueCrypt, UCK, VirtualBox (non-free) and others - all in a single repository (so to use them all, you don't have to add a huge list of repositories but only 1). A complete list of applications available in the Super OS repository can be found HERE.

Add the Super OS repository to Ubuntu 10.10 Maverick Meerkat

To add the Super OS repository to your Ubuntu sources.list, simply download and install this .deb file - it will add the repository and also install the key. Then, update the software sources using the following command:

sudo apt-get update

The note I made the last time I wrote about the Super OS repository, stands: there is no guarantee that this repository is safe to use. But just like it is with the PPAs, you can choose to trust the maintainer or not, it's up to you.

If you want, you can of course directly install Super OS instead of Ubuntu 10.10.

Thanks to Ubuntips for the heads up on the new Super OS release.

Super OS Repository For Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx Comes With Adobe Air, Spideroak, TrueCrypt And Lots More

Super OS (formerly: Super Ubuntu) is a modified version of Ubuntu 10.04. But this post isn't about Super OS but about the amazing repository it comes with and which you can of course use on a regular Ubuntu 10.04 installation or any Ubuntu 10.04 based Linux distribution/remaster.

What's so great about the Super OS repository? Well, it comes with some applications which are not available in any other repository as well as other applications which are scattered between lots of PPAs or repositories - all in one place.

The Super OS repository includes applications such as: Adobe AIR, Adobe Reader, DropBox, IBM Lotus Symphony, Spideroak, TrueCrypt, Hulu Desktop, VirtualBox (the proprietary version), the latest WINE 1.2, Reconstructor, Google Earth, Google Desktop, Google Chrome, Picasa, codecs and others. You can find a list HERE - the versions in the list have not been updated, however the packages in the repository are the latest stable version. Unfortunately, a few of the above mentioned applications are only available for 32bit. A complete list of 64bit packages in the repository can be found HERE.

Add the Super OS repository to Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx

To add the Super OS repository to Ubuntu 10.04 Lucid Lynx, all you have to do is download and install THIS deb - it will add the repository and also install the repository key.

Then power up Ubuntu Software Center or Synaptic and search for the application(s) you want to install.


How secure is the Super OS repository? I can't really tell you but since many of you use PPAs, think of it as a PPA - they are not official and you can either trust the repository maintainer or not.

Thanks to Miguel Ferreira and Gerald Young in the comments for the updated .deb link!

SpiderOak: Cross Platform Cloud Back-up Solution

We already covered SpiderOak, but only on a quick test, because back then, I didn't see the need for another tool like Dropbox. Read on to see why Dropbox might actually not be enough!

In case you don't know, SpiderOak allows you to back up your system with the needing any cloud server hosting plans. It's an online backup, sync, sharing, access & storage solution for Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, SUSE). They offer 2 GBs of space for free and you will be enjoying all of the features SpiderOak has to offer. By referring 3 friends, you can get 3 more GB of free space (1GB per person referred).

Why both Dropbox AND SpiderOak?

Firstly, because SpiderOak has a built-in automated backup system. With Dropbox, you had to either create symbolic links or run a back-up application to do the backup, but SpiderOak can do it all in just one app.

For instance, I am synchronizing my Firefox profile for my home and work computers and also transfer some files without using an USB pen drive and so on, by just placing the files in my Dropbox. With SpiderOak, I back-up my system / config files.

So if you want to simply sync files, use Dropbox, if you also want to backup important files, give SpiderOak a try.

Note: one way to use Dropbox for both file sync AND backup could be to use 2 different Dropbox instances (and accounts).

Another interesting SpiderOak feature is the way sharing works:

Even though all your data is stored encrypted, you can carefully and selectively allow portions of your SpiderOak Network to be shared (or become public) to family, friends, colleagues, or clients. You can create a ShareRoom by choosing any number of folders from several of your computers. A ShareRoom may be accessed as a unique web URL or by entering a user's ShareID and RoomKey on the SpiderOak homepage – easily allowing people you invite to view your documents, pictures, movies, and so on.

Additionally, as you make additions or edits to the folders within a ShareRoom (no matter what computer those changes are made on), the changes are automatically viewable to those who have access to the ShareRoom. This process is definitely more efficient than having to constantly upload new changes to an FTP site or resend big files via e-mail.

In my tests, SpiderOak was kind of slow on Windows, but then again I use Windows only at work and the PC configuration isn't that good (1GB RAM with a AMD 2800+ processor). On Linux, it seems to run pretty smooth.

If you are considering using SpiderOak, you can use my referral link: you will get 1 GB of extra space for free (I will also get 1 GB) - only works for the first 3 accounts created using this link.