Installing Debian Squeeze

My (somewhat not new) notebook PC

I have a notebook PC, that is, Dell Latitude X1. I replaced its Toshiba 1.8 inch hard disk drive to Compact Flash 64GB 450X (with CF to 50-pin IDE adaptor).

Since it is a good opportunity, I install Debian Squeeze to this machine.

Comments on Squeeze

Since my usual environment is Sid, I have something I don't know for stable distribution. I found that:

  • I don't have (or forgot) some knowledge of installation
  • I don't have (or forgot) some knowledge of initial settings
  • Some packages are not available on Squeeze:
    • splash
  • Some packages are non-free (according to DFSG), although I think it's free:
    • autoconf-doc
    • automake1.9-doc
    • cpp-4.4-doc
    • gcc-4.4-doc
    • gcc-doc-base
    • gdb-doc
    • glibc-doc-reference
    • gmp-doc
    • emacs23-common-non-dfsg
    • make-doc
  • Some packages are non-free:
    • firmware-ipw2x00
    • firmware-ralink
  • Removal of some packages:
    • policykit-gnome

I'd recommend people who always run Sid to install Squeeze, to keep up such kinds of knowledge.

Installation

I install Debian Squeeze in English, with timezone Asia/Tokyo. The locale setting is en_US.UTF-8. I chose : standard "Standard system utilities", desktop "Graphical desktop environment", and laptop "Laptop" tasks.

Even though its keyboard is Japanese one (with double quotation mark above 2), I chose English one (with @-mark above 2). I blind touch in ASCII, I don't see key top.

Initial login

Firstly, I login to the desktop in English, it created directories such as Desktop, Documents, etc. at my home directory.

Packages added after installation

After installation, I added following packages for my Japanese work:

  • anthy
  • openoffice.org-help-ja
  • openoffice.org-l10n-ja
  • otf-ipafont
  • poppler-data
  • ibus-anthy

No, I don't install uim and friends.

I also added:

  • emacs23
  • egg

That's pretty much important for me.

For web browser, I installed chromium this time.

  • chromium-browser

Adding Japanese locale

I add Japanese locale by invoking dpkg-reconfigure:

# dpkg-reconfigure locales

I add ja_JP.UTF-8, and specify its defaults to None.

Second login

Secondly, login in Japanese selecting language at GDM screen. I don't move directories to Japanese text ones, but keep English ones.

Keyboard setup

On GNOME Desktop, I configure:

  • System -> setup -> Keyboard
    • Layout: Option
      • Ctrl Key position
        • Swap Ctrl and CapsLock

It is also possible to configure this by gconftool-2. The path is /desktop/gnome/peripherals/keyboard/kbd/options. Value is "[ctrl ctrl:swapcaps]".

To have same configuration on console, I configure in /etc/default/keyboard:

XKBOPTIONS="ctrl:swapcaps"

Mouse setup

  • System -> setup -> Mouse
    • Touch pad
      • Enable click by tap

Desktop setup

  • add chromuim-browser launcher to panel
  • remove epiphany-browser launcher from panel
  • move three applets (Window List, Workspace Switcher, Show Desktop button) to upper panel
  • remove lower panel
  • clock
    • 24 hours

sudo and use of sudo on Desktop

Create a file to enable my root privilede.

  • /etc/sudoers.d/<YOURLOGINNAME>

The contents should be:

<YOURLOGINNAME>       ALL=(ALL) ALL

Note that the permission should be 0440.

Then, configure the Desktop. I do configure gksu by command line:

$ gconftool-2 -s /apps/gksu/sudo-mode --type boolean true

or by gconf-editor GUI. For ibus-anthy, I do by gconf-editor.

  • desktop -> ibus -> general -> hotkey -> trigger
    • Shift+space

Note that we don't have /usr/bin/polkit-gnome-authorization any more in Squeeze. I add me into sudo group by editing /etc/group. Then, polkit works fine for me.

Non-free

I have to install a non-free package firmware-ipw2x00 for wireless.

GnuPG

I install following packages:
  • gpgsm
  • gnupg-agent

Then, I do:

# mv /etc/X11/Xsession.d/60seahorse /etc/X11/Xsession.d/x60seahorse

so that I can use gpg-agent instead of seahorse-agent.

Using smartcard

I need to install pcscd, libccid, etc. for smartcard. Just apt-get install pcscd , then all other dependent packages are installed.

Since libccid is 1.3.11-2, I need following change (it is already included by newer version).

--- /etc/libccid_Info.plist~  2011-01-22 20:24:18.000000000 +0900
+++ /etc/libccid_Info.plist   2011-04-05 09:48:01.998087967 +0900
@@ -233,6 +233,7 @@
              <string>0x04DA</string>
              <string>0x09C3</string>
              <string>0x0783</string>
+             <string>0x234b</string>
      </array>

      <key>ifdProductID</key>
@@ -366,6 +367,7 @@
              <string>0x117A</string>
              <string>0x0008</string>
              <string>0x0003</string>
+             <string>0x0000</string>
      </array>

      <key>ifdFriendlyName</key>
@@ -499,6 +501,7 @@
              <string>Panasonic USB Smart Card Reader 7A-Smart</string>
              <string>ActivCard USB Reader 2.0</string>
              <string>C3PO LTC31</string>
+             <string>FSIJ Gnuk</string>
      </array>

      <key>Copyright</key>

Git

Yes, I install Git.