Linux: We’ve featured one way to mount your Google Docs library as a drive in Windows, but blogger Martin Owens has created an application to do the same in Ubuntu, so you can edit and save to Google Docs from your desktop.

It’s a very simple, almost more proof-of-concept app than anything else, but it does the trick quite nicely. Now, instead of having to open up your browser and use Google Docs to edit or upload documents, you can edit them in your favorite word processor and save them to a virtual drive in Nautilus. Any documents you save there will automatically show up in Google Docs, and you can drag any documents off of the drive to save them locally on your computer. Just install the program and head over to Applications > Accessories > Google Docs Connection to mount the drive. You'll have to enter your username and password every time, but overall it's a small price to pay if you're not a fan of Google's webapp. Hit the link to try it out.

Google Doc Mount is a free download, Ubuntu 10.04 only.

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We love Linux, and want to make it easier for others to do so, too. This first edition of the Lifehacker Pack for Linux includes our favorite apps that get things done and make your desktop great.

Linux isn’t quite like Windows or Mac, as there are many, many distributions, usually running on one of two desktop systems (GNOME or KDE). We’ve chosen to write this list up from the perspective of a standard, GNOME-based Ubuntu user. Ubuntu is what the Lifehacker editors use, it’s what most of our Linux-leaning readers use, and it's generally popular and frequently updated. Many of these apps can be downloaded and installed on other Linux systems, of course—check the Download link, or search out its name in your own system's package installer.

If you are using Ubuntu, you can also install these apps by clicking the "Install in Ubuntu" link after each item. It's a link that prompts your own Ubuntu system to search out and install an app from its own repositories—with your permission, of course. You may be asked on your first install to allow your browser to open up an Ubuntu app to handle the link, but go ahead and agree with it, and you'll be installing apps with one click after that. We've also placed aggregated installer links at the bottom of each section, and a mega-installer at the bottom of the post, so you can install multiple apps at once.

Some other apps (Chrome and Dropbox) require a download, some are pre-installed in Ubuntu, and others may require the enabling of an extra repository or two for certain third-party apps, but we’ve explained how to do so in a previous Ubuntu feature (short version: open “Software Sources” from the System/Administration menu).

Now let’s get straight to the goodies:

Productivity

GNOME-Do: If you’re familiar with Quicksilver, a key element of our Lifehacker Pack for Mac, you’ll have a sense of why application launcher GNOME-Do is so handy and great. But GNOME-Do does much more than object-verb launching. It comes packed with a host of plug-ins that can launch chats, upload or open Google Docs, shorten a URL or send a tweet, and on and on. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

OpenOffice.org or GNOME Office Suite: We are not in love with OpenOffice.org, by any means. The internet is full of places where you can read what people dislike about Sun Microsystems' open-source alternative to Microsoft's Office suite—slowness, toolbar overload, a few features that are essential to certain trades. Still, for all its shortcomings, OpenOffice does get the job done in most cases, most of the time, and it's robust in ways that are hard to imagine for entirely free software. If you want a lighter, faster alternative for simply opening files and cranking out work, the offerings in the GNOME suite—AbiWord, Gnumeric, and so forth—will suit you fine. Or just use Google Docs or Zoho. [Download: OpenOffice, GNOME Office] [Install Gnome Office in Ubuntu]

gedit: It’s built into nearly any Linux OS that runs on GNOME, and some that don’t. It’s a compact but customizable text editor, one that’s great for jotting down quick notes, editing system files, writing code outside a full-fledged development environment, or otherwise editing straight-up text. It can be made up with plug-ins to auto-complete, snap open files, and otherwise work like TextMate, but even on its own, it’s a good tool to keep handy. [Download]

AutoKey: Text replacement gives you the power to type five letters—like kpadd—and fill in a whole mess of repetitive or hard-to-remember text—like "Kevin Purdy / 123 Mayfair Lane / SomeTown, NY 12345"—wherever you happen to be typing. AutoKey isn't a pure equivalent of Texter for Windows or TextExpander for Mac, but it has its own features to recommend it. Users can pick a hotkey, text snippet, or tray menu shortcut for each expansion they create, and learn a rudimentary scripting language to insert customized text. Just like Linux itself, AutoKey is an open book. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

[Install the Productivity pack in Ubuntu] (GNOME-Do, Gnome Office, Autokey)

Internet/Communication

Firefox/Chrome: Firefox's the default in most Linux browsers, and is likely the most tested and stable on Ubuntu and other platforms. But, just as on Macs, Chrome is growing up quickly, offering a very, very fast experience on Linux, and makes strides in integrating with the OS every day. So let's call it a tie—both are easy to love. [Download: Firefox, Chrome]

Thunderbird: Most of you are using web-based mail these days, and Evolution may be deeply integrated into GNOME, but it’s hard to beat Thunderbird as a desktop email client. From its support for Gmail features like archiving to its large library of add-ons, Thunderbird’s got you covered no matter how you manage your email workflow. Even if you primarily use webapps for mail, you can’t go wrong backing up your email through a desktop client, nor accessing it through IMAP when Gmail goes down. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Pidgin: Ubuntu has picked up Empathy as a default messaging program, and, while it’s a stylish, intriguing app, it’s nowhere near as convenient and fleshed out as Pidgin. Pigin gives you total control over multiple chat accounts and your buddy list, can be used with multiple Windows or Linux PCs, and also integrates into Ubuntu’s new “Me” menu. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Skype: Sure, there are a lot of different ways to video chat nowadays, but Skype is by far the most popular, what with its cross-platform availability and, frankly, media hype. But it’s free, works well, and chances are your friends all have it too, so it’s nice to keep around. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Transmission: Transmission is the default BitTorrent client in Ubuntu, and with good reason. It’s not quite as feature-rich as the Mac version, but it’s super lightweight, fast, and still has a lot of convenient features like automatic port forwarding, speed limiting, scheduling, and a handy web UI for when you aren’t near your computer (or, if you’re more a fan of SSH, command-line support). [Download]

[Install the Internet/Communication pack in Ubuntu] (Thunderbird, Pidgin, Skype)

Media

Flash Player: It’s never run quite as well on Linux as on Windows or Mac (and it isn’t so great on those either), but until HTML5 really comes to fruition, it’s necessary for streaming video or using a lot of interactive web pages. Of course, you can keep it’s resource hogging at bay when necessary with FlashBlock for Chrome and FlashBlock for Firefox. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

VLC: Media player VLC was voted the best desktop media player by you guys, and with good reason—not only does it play pretty much any file you throw at it, but it can rip DVDs, stream media to other computers, and even play YouTube videos (and much more). It’s a must-have application for anyone that watches video on their computer. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Handbrake: It doesn’t matter whether you’re throwing some video on your mobile device or ripping that Blu-Ray disc to your media center, open source Handbrake is one of the best video encoders around. Unfortunately, the latest version of Handbrake doesn’t work with the new version of GNOME, and the Handbrake team has yet to catch up, but you can install some (likely less stable) snapshots using this method. [Main Site]

GIMP: Ubuntu recently dropped GIMP, the open-source, full-fledged image editor from its default installations, due to its size and complexity. The thinking went that most casual photo edits could be made with the F-Spot photo manager. Well, kind-of-sort-of-not-really. GIMP may have a dense number of options, but F-Spot’s photo handling and somewhat sparse options make it less than ideal for actual editing—cropping, lasso-grabbing, drop-shadowing, and the like. GIMP has its flaws, but it gets regular improvements, and you'll be glad it's there when you need it. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Rhythmbox: Music players are a very personal thing—that's why there are so many, after all. We can see why Linux users would variously love them some Banshee, Exaile, or even Songbird, discontinued for Linux development but living on in the Nightingale project. But when it comes down to what loads, syncs, and plays your music, offers extensibility, and fits nicely into a GNOME/Ubuntu desktop, we have to go with the default Rhythmbox. Beyond basic functionality, Rhythmbox now has a very nice built-in music store, one that automatically syncs your purchases to a free Ubuntu One cloud service. Like iTunes for Mac, it’s not a perfect product, but it probably works for the widest number of uses. [Download]

[Install the Media pack in Ubuntu] (Flash, VLC, GIMP)

Utilities

Dropbox: If you have more than one computer (or tend to use other computers often), Dropbox is a must-have. It adds a Dropbox folder to your user folder, which will be constantly synced to Dropbox’s servers. Thus, any files you add to this folder (or folders you link to it) will be synced to your Dropbox folder on other computers, as well as be accessible from the web. Nowadays, most smartphone platforms also have a Dropbox client from which you can download your files, so it’s pretty useful for pretty much anyone with files to access, among its many other clever uses. [Download]

Conky: Much like the more publicized Mac favorite GeekTool, Conky is a super customizable system monitor for your computer. Not only can you put system stats such as CPU, memory, and network stats on your desktop, but you can even add weather updates and mail checkers. It’s a great way to stay productive while keeping track of everything going on behind the scenes. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Wine: Despite your best efforts, chances are you’ll still need to run a few Windows applications from time to time. One of the best ways to do so in Linux is Wine, a compatibility layer that offers support for a number of Windows applications. What’s great about Wine is that it lets you run these apps in your regular window manager as if they were Linux apps, and doesn’t suck up a ton of resources like a virtual machine. However, not all programs work with Wine, but for the ones that do, it’s usually the optimal solution. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

VirtualBox: When Wine can’t run that Windows program you need, free virtualization software VirtualBox will. Since it’s a full Windows environment, it supports almost any Windows program, albeit at the cost of slowing down the rest of your system a bit. It’ll do the trick when you need it to, though, so it’s useful to have at the ready. Note: the download version from VirtualBox offers a few benefits (like USB device handling) over the open-source version installed via Ubuntu. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

Tilda or Yakuake: As modern and user-friendly as Linux has come from its roots (and, believe it or not, that’s a very long way), many users will still need access to a terminal. Tilda and Yakuake are snappy, drop-down terminals inspired by first-person shooter games that you will grow to love. They’re both customizable in shape, size, and appearance, and save you the trouble of having to switch windows when you just want to fire off a quick command or two. Yakuake is built for KDE, and has the edge on looks and sleekness; Tilda’s a bit more utilitarian, but doesn’t require installing extra libraries. [Download: Tilda, Yakuake] [Install Tilda in Ubuntu] [Install Yakuake in Ubuntu]

p7zip: It’s basically 7-Zip for Linux. Install it, and you’ll be able to compress and de-compress pretty much any archive file around, including disk images, Mac OS packages, and the .rar and other segmented files found around the wild web. Best of all, you can just right-click on files to compress or de-compress them, if you don’t want to get your hands dirty in the terminal. [Download] [Install in Ubuntu]

[Install the Utilities pack in Ubuntu] (Conky, WINE, VirtualBox, Tilda, p7zip)

Optional (For Beginners)

Ubuntu Tweak: (Ubuntu only) It doesn’t do things by the Linux book, and some of the things it does to your system might make for a slightly messy situation if you go the upgrade route for the next Ubuntu release. But Ubuntu Tweak makes it really, really simple to do a lot of things Linux beginners are looking to do. Install popular third-party apps and plug-ins (from the app or its online app “store”), make system configuration tweaks that would otherwise require terminal editing, clear up disk space, configure the notoriously obtuse Compiz 3D graphics, and otherwise jump right into using and enjoying Ubuntu. [Download]

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Want the whole Lifehacker Pack for Linux in one click? Here’s a link for Ubuntu: [Install the entire Lifehacker Pack for Linux in Ubuntu]

And here’s a terminal command, for you old-school Linux types:

(Don't worry if you've got some of these apps installed already—Ubuntu will ping you to let you know it's already there, then move on).

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This is our first Lifehacker Pack for Linux, but we expect to read the feedback, hash it over, and run it all again next year. Give us your take on what you consider to be the essential Linux apps for any system in the comments. No tags for this post.

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Today, we’re announcing the release of the updated Bing Webmaster Tools. After the Bing launch, we reached out to the webmaster and SEO communities to see how we could improve the webmaster tools. Your feedback was very consistent: you wanted more transparency to see how Bing crawls and indexes your sites, more control over your content in the Bing Index, and more information to help you optimize your sites for Bing.

So what’s new in the updated Bing Webmaster Tools? Everything. With your feedback in mind, the Bing Webmaster Team decided to hit the reset button and rebuild the tools from the ground up.

The redesigned Bing Webmaster Tools provide you a simplified, more intuitive experience focused on three key areas: crawl, index and traffic. New features, such as Index Explorer and Submit URLs, provide a more comprehensive view as well as better control over how Bing crawls and indexes your sites. Index Explorer gives you unprecedented access to browse through the Bing index in order to verify which of your directories and pages have been included. Submit URLs gives you the ability to signal which URLs Bing should add to the index. Other new features include: Crawl Issues to view details on redirects, malware, and exclusions encountered while crawling sites; and Block URLs to prevent specific URLs from appearing in Bing search engine results pages. In addition, the new tools take advantage of Microsoft Silverlight 4 to deliver rich charting functionality that will help you quickly analyze up to six months of crawling, indexing, and traffic data. That means more transparency and more control to help you make decisions, which optimize your sites for Bing.

We have good news for all the veteran users of the Bing Webmaster Tools. Your existing Webmaster Center accounts have been automatically upgraded to the new tools. This means that starting today, you’re already a registered user of the new Bing Webmaster Tools. There’s no need to create a new account, change ownership verification codes, or re-enter site data. If you don’t have a current account, you can easily sign-up and register your sites to begin using the new tools.

This is only the beginning; we have many more features planned for release in the coming months. These are your tools, so send us your feedback, suggestions, and questions to help guide how the tools evolve. As always, you are encouraged to comment here in the blog or post your feedback and questions to the Bing Webmaster Tools & Feature Requests forum.

– Anthony M Garcia, Senior Product Manager, Bing Webmaster Tools

 

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When you think about “information,” what probably comes to mind are streams of words and numbers. Google’s pretty good at organizing these types of information, but consider all the things you can’t express with words: what does it look like in the middle of a sandstorm? What are some great examples of Art Nouveau architecture? Should I consider wedding cupcakes instead of a traditional cake?

This is why we built Google Images in 2001. We realized that for many searches, the best answer wasn’t text—it was an image or a set of images. The service has grown quite a bit since then. In 2001, we indexed around 250 million images. By 2005, we had indexed over 1 billion. And today, we have an index of over 10 billion images.

It’s not just about quantity, though. Over the past decade we’ve been baking deep computer science into Google Images to make it even faster and easier for you to find precisely the right images. We not only finds images for pretty much anything you type in; we can also instantly pull out images of clip art, line drawings, faces and even colors.

There’s even more sophisticated computer vision technology powering our “Similar images” tool. For example, did you know there are nine subspecies of leopards, each with a distinct pattern of spots? Google Images can recognize the difference, returning just leopards of a particular subspecies. It can tell you the name of the subspecies in a particular image—even if that image isn’t labeled—because other similar leopard images on the web are labeled with that subspecies’s name.

And our “Similar colors” refinement doesn’t just return images based on the overall color of an image. If it did, lots of images would simply be classified as “white.” If you’re looking for [tulips] and you refine results to “white,” you really want images in which the tulips themselves are white—not the surrounding image. It takes some heavy-duty algorithmic wizardry and processing power for a search engine to understand what the items of interest are in all the images out there.

Those are just a few of the technologies we’ve built to make Google Images more useful. Meanwhile, the quantity and variety of images on the web has ballooned since 2001, and images have become one of the most popular types of content people search for. So over the next few days we’re rolling out an update to Google Images to match the scope and beauty of this fast-growing visual web, and to bring to the surface some of the powerful technology behind Images.

Here’s what’s new in this refreshed design of Google Images:

• Dense tiled layout designed to make it easy to look at lots of images at once. We want to get the app out of the way so you can find what you’re really looking for.
• Instant scrolling between pages, without letting you get lost in the images. You can now get up to 1,000 images, all in one scrolling page. And we’ll show small, unobtrusive page numbers so you don’t lose track of where you are.
• Larger thumbnail previews on the results page, designed for modern browsers and high-res screens.
• A hover pane that appears when you mouse over a given thumbnail image, giving you a larger preview, more info about the image and other image-specific features such as “Similar images.”
• Once you click on an image, you’re taken to a new landing page that displays a large image in context, with the website it’s hosted on visible right behind it. Click anywhere outside the image, and you’re right in the original page where you can learn more about the source and context.
• Optimized keyboard navigation for faster scrolling through many pages, taking advantage of standard web keyboard shortcuts such as Page Up / Page Down. It’s all about getting you to the info you need quickly, so you can get on with actually building that treehouse or buying those flowers.

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Open-source, web-based administration panel phpVirtualBox helps you more easily manage your VirtualBox virtual machines—starting, stopping, and performing almost any task through any web browser.

Installing the interface will require first installing a web server software that can run PHP and a copy of Virtualbox running along with the included vboxwebsrv utility, but once you’ve got the application up and running you can manage all of your virtual machines through a web interface that works almost exactly like the desktop client.

phpVirtualBox is free and open source, works on any platform that can run PHP scripts. Readers should note that we’ve not yet tested this ourselves, so if you’ve used this before, be sure to leave some helpful notes for your fellow readers in the comments.

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