To get set up for Android App development, I’m following the instructions from Google here.

I installed Eclipse through the Ubuntu Software Center (searched for “eclipse” and clicked install).

Also had to install eclipse-jdt (Java Development Tools) through the Synaptic Package Manager.

Also had to install eclipse-pdt (Plugin Development Tools) through Package Manager.

(Edit 11/11/2010: When going through this process again with Ubuntu 10.4, I used the Ubuntu Software Center instead of the Synaptic Package Manager. Also, I must have meant eclipse-pde - Plugin Development Environment, as I can’t find eclipse-pdt listed as an available package.)

Through Eclipses “Help -> Install New Software” dialog, I had to add the basic software source for eclipse (don’t know why this isn’t set up by default) which is: http://download.eclipse.org/releases/galileo/

and install “WST Server Adapters” which is apparently a prerequisite for the ADT plugin. Learned that from this site.

Now to try installing the android plugin (ADT) by adding https://dl-ssl.google.com/android/eclipse/ to the eclipse list of software sources.

Looks like that did it! ADT is installed… (now what’s next?)

Here’s something I’ve wanted to do for ages in Windows: starting Explorer in a specific directory from a shortcut. The command-line is this:

C:\WINDOWS\explorer.exe /n,/e,c:\somepath

Note that the commas are necessary. Refer to this knowledge base article for info on the commane-line switches.

Found this link about creating a shortcut to launch a VirtualBox machine directly without having to first load the VirtualBox GUI. In short, the linux command-line is:

VBoxManage startvm <your virtual machine name>

Just discovered a website called the Bigisi Project, which provides some really high-quality themes for Gnome/Ubuntu. Check it out.

After mucking around with Amarok for about half an hour, I remembered that by default, Ubuntu doesn’t include support for “non-free” codecs like mp3 or dvd playback. You have to install the ubuntu-restricted-extras package to enable these abilities. Full terminal command is:

sudo apt-get install ubuntu-restricted-extras

It’s easy enough to do, but annoying that this isn’t included by default. Still, it’s a small price to pay to use free (as in speech) software. Especially when it’s also free (as in beer).