How to install gbrainy game on Zorin OS

Gbrainy is teaser game, that means, it aims to improve user's memory, attention, and, generally, to increase mental skills.

For non-Linux users and curious linuxists, there is a way to play gbrainy online (requires signing up using an account on one of the major social networking sites).

But this blog post aims to show step by step, with images, how to install gbrainy on Zorin OS using the Software Center app. This is how I have installed the game on my system.

Follow the path:

Start - All Programs - Accessories - Software Center

This will open the Ubuntu Software Center, as we can see in the image bellow. Once open, click on Games.

Open the Sotware Center and click Games

In order to find gbrainy directly and faster, we can just type its name in the search bar. But when I started all this, I wasn't exactly sure what game I want to install, I was just searching for something interesting.

So, I preferred to click on All...

Click on all games

...Scroll down a lot (there are over 900 games listed). Find gbrainy, click on the Info, in order to see details related to the game.

Once the game found, click on More Info to see more

The description looks interesting, so... click Install

Read the description of the game and click Install

In Zorin OS, installing any app, even a tiny game as this one, requires the administrative privileges. That's Linux way to do things! Asking for password even for the smallest things, is a security measure. I would say, that's a small price to pay for using an operation system that's more secure than Windows.

But I tend to digress. Write the password in the field and click Authenticate.

In order to install the game write the password

The game installs...

gBrainy during the installation process

Once installed, it can be seen the path that can be followed in order to open the game.

Start - All Applications - Games - gbrainy

And this is the game! gbrainy is in fact, a collection of tests: logic puzzles, mental calculations, memory trainers and verbal analogies. All to improve mental capabilities.

gbrainy game

That's it! Enjoy the game!

Software Center in Zorin OS

One of the most obvious thing I have saw as a fresh Linux user is the easy way to install anything on Zorin OS. Before, in my "Windows times" every time when I needed a piece of software I had to do a google search, ask my friends, install, discover is not good, unistall and try another, etc.

...And, of course, I thought thinks will be the same in Linux. Well, no, they are not! In fact, as I see, in Linux, specifically in Zorin OS (the distro I use), it is a lot easier to install an app if I need one. And it is also a lot easier to evaluate the apps and to give feedback to the community.

And all this thanks to Software Center! No more google searching! Most of the useful apps are already here, in the Software Center, ready to be installed. Those people who have an android smartphone or a tablet are quite familiar with the concept, because Google Play is very much similar with the oftware Center.

Zorin OS Core v6.04 is based on Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, so, the Zorin OS Software Center is, in fact, Ubuntu Software Center.

Now, before going further, I have to make some important observations. Zorin OS being Ubuntu-based, theoretically, most of those apps from Software Center should work fine on it.  But, (and I speak from my bad experience) before installing anything it should be kept in mind that Zorin OS has also a Gnome environment. So, when installing something, we should look for apps destinated to Ubuntu LTS and Gnome environnment.

Any "missplacement" can create problems. I give here an example from my own experience. One day, I have installed Deluge torrent app. Fine till now. But, in my naive lack of experience, I have installed the KDE version and the result was that the app after a short while became a real problem as it had quite an erratic behaviour. At the end, I had no solution but to unistall it. Then I came across to the Gnome version of Deluge and I got one idea... So, I have installed this app, tested it, and... it works fine! :-)

So, any app destined to Ubuntu versions higher than 12.04, KDE, Unity or any other thing that souds too alien to Zorin OS's "nature" are to be avoid. In order to do that, it is necessary to read the info and comments about every app, not just install it blindly.

So, what is Zorin OS Software Center?

In lay-men words, is the place to get (almost) everything you need for your Zorin OS system.  Here you can find apps to install and you can also unistall those you don't like or need anymore.

According to Ubuntu Wiki, Software Center is: "a utility for installing, purchasing, and removing software in Ubuntu, a major part of Ubuntu’s overall software handling." To study more about it, see this link about Software Center on Ubuntu Wiki.

How to launch Zorin OS Software Center?

There are 4 ways to do that. In order to learn about them all, please, see the link  above. On this post I will discuss only about two, I'd say main, ways to launch Software Center:

- Directly
- From the command line

How to launch Zorin OS Software Center directly

Personally, I have noticed two ways to do that.

• With the cursor go to Start - All Applications - Ubuntu Software Center 

Like in the image below.

Launch Zorin OS Software Center directly

•  Or, you can choose even a shortest way like in the image bellow.

Another direct way to launch Zorin OS Software Center

Once launched, the app will look something like this.

Zorin OS Software Center

Note that on the left side you can see all the apps catalogued on categories, so it is very easy to choose what you need. Some of the categories are already present on the freshly installed Zorin OS system, but other categories (like Programming or Science) will appear once the user gets to install the first app from that category.

For example,  I had no Science category in my "launch menu", but it appeared by itself after I have installed Cellestia app.

In Zorin OS Linux all and every app has its own category

If you click on "Installed" tab in Software Center window you can see all the apps that are allready installed on the system. This is something like "Add-Remove Programs" in Windows Control Panel, but is even better because you can see the apps in categories not just an alphabetical list of them.

Categories of instaled apps in Zorin OS

 And if you click on one of the categories, you can see every installed app.

Installes apps in Zorin OS

And if you want to see what apps are there to be installed, go to "All Software" and choose one categories. You'll see the subcategories of apps and/or the apps. In the screenshot bellow, I explore "Graphics" folder/category.

Graphics category in Zorin OS Software Center

How to launch Zorin OS Software Center from command line

Again, there are two ways.

• Press Ctrl (Control)+Alt+T keys (together) to open the Terminal and write this command line:

software-center

  This comand will launch the app.

Launch Software Center via command line

Note: As a result of this command line you'll most probably see a lot of so-called "errors" in the Terminal window. Don't panic, stay calm. :-P I was puzzled too when I saw this for the first time. But then, I have posted a question about it on AskUbuntu and got a lot of interesting and relieving answers. In short, those "errors" are not a reason to worry. They are interesting only for developers, not for common users like you and me. :-)

•  Open the Terminal and write this command line

nohup software-center &

This is the second command line that will open the app. Only that in this case, those weird "errors" will not be seen in the Terminal window.

Another command line for launching SC

Well that's all  about Software Center!

Zorin OS is both very criticized by old Linux users for its Windows looks and it is seen with a lot of suspicion by loyal Windows users (for being after all, a Linux distribution underneath the Windows appearance). But in my humble opinion, this distro takes the best parts from both its "parents" and is the best for fresh Linux users.I know that I love it! :-)

How to connect Zorin OS to a "cable" Internet?

Fine, I admit that this is not the most inspired title, but I simply couldn't find any other to be more concise and non-geeky in the same time. The proper title would probably sound like this: "How to connect your Linux (Zorin OS) PC to the internet using a DSL connection, etc, etc". Does DSL sounds more interesting and misterious? Yes, it does. Does it illuminate you? Nope! Me neither. LOL So, I think we will drop the geeky language, OK? OK!

About two weeks ago, after a long and agonizing lack of internet connection and other technological miracles of our century, and after an unexpected and blessed help, I could set up again my home Internet connection. Well, only in theory. Because, practically, I had to make the Internet connection by myself without much help from my Internet provider. (Today I still don't have Wi-Fi connection, by the way).

But let's stop rambling. So, here I was, having one notebook with Zorin OS installed on it, one internet cable and one ZTE modem. And the internet provider: RDS-RCS.

If you have the same provider like me, and you are in my situation, I hope that my article will spare you of the long numerous and annoying conversations with the one-neuron-ed girl from their help desk who always tells - in a polite way, of course - that everything is fine with your connection but you are stupid enough not to see that; and in order to get some help to make the proper settings for your connection you'll have to pay (something that you already paid for!).

So, here is how I did and I tell you to do if you desperately need an internet connection and your only option for the moment is the good old cable way.

First of all, you have to know that in Zorin OS your connection status is shown in the down-right part of the screen, near the sound, clock, and other stuff, like in Windows, and if you are not connected you will see a little white "x" on a red dot.

Connection, sound, clock and date in Zorin OS

That is the Network Connections app. You can open it by right-clicking on the icon or by following the path:

Start - All Applications - System Tools - Preferences - Network Connections 

See bellow on my screen.

How to open the Network Connection app in Zorin OS

Once opened, you'll see a window like the one bellow. If you see any "Auto Ethernet" connection, ignore it, you don't have anything to do with it. On the other hand, I know that you might be tempted to connect by using the "Wired" connection. This is how I did at first, assuming that this is the correct choice (after all, I was dealing with a cable, wasn't I?). But I was wrong, so don't repeat my mistake. Just go to the tab labelled "DSL" and click on it.

Open Network Connections and click DSL tab

After you open the DSL tab click the "Add" button in order to create the new connection which will be automatically named "DSL connection 1".
Note: in the image bellow there is already a connection because I took a picture from my own system, but for the sake of pedagogy, let's pretend that there isn't any connection. So, as I told you, click on "Add"...

In the DSL tab click on Add button to create a new connection

After that, a new window will open with four tabs. In the first one, called DSL, write your username and your password given to you by your Internet provider (this data are in your contract). Don't write anything near "Space" and also keep untouched the other tabs. After that, make sure that you click on the "Save..." button.
Note: In my example here, I clicked cancel because it was a bogus connection - see the DSL connection 2 label. But you click on "Save...".

Write the username and password given by the provider and click Save

And then click "Close".

YOu've created the connection. Now Close!

Now, you have created the connection but you have to enable it and connect to the Internet, in order to actually start using it. So, as I have already told you at the beginning of this post, go to the connection icon and right click on it and then click on "Enable Networking", like in the screen-shot below.

Right-click on connection icon and click on "Enable Networking"

The icon will change its shape, showing you that the computer is trying to connect automatically. Don't rely on that as it is mostly useless. Once again, right-click on the icon and choose "DSL connection 1".

Right-click and then click on "DSL connection 1"

After the connection will be established, you will be announced in the nicest visual way on the right-top of the screen.

You are announced that now you are connected

And that's it! Now you can surf on the internet! If, in the future you want to edit the connection or, for some reason, you want to see the connection settings, you can see them either by following the path showed at the beinning of this post, or by right-clicking on the connection icon and choosing "Edit Connections...". See below.

It's easy to see the connection setting.

That should be all! These are the steps you have to take if you wont to connect, if your Internet is provided by RDS-RCS company and your laptop / netbook / notebook runs Zorin OS.

The information provided here is not meant to be applicable in all the situations. If you have a different provider or a different modem, things could be different. I am explaining here only what it did worked for me in my particular case.

Easiest way to find out if you have a 32-bit or a 64-bit OS

I need to install an app but, like in many cases, I need to find out if my Zorin OS is a 32-bit or a 64-bit. I used to know but I have forgotten. So what do you do if you are in my situation? Here is how I did.

Firstly, I did a google search and find out on a quite similar question on Ask Ubuntu forum. By the time I am writing this blog post, there are already 12 answers. But to be frank, none of them appeals me. I didn’t wont complicated and sophisticated operations and I certainly don't wont to install an app just to find out if I can install a certain app. It already sounds crazy.

No, I just want something quick, simple and clean. And a terminal command line is the answer. I have found it thanks to a fellow chatter from the Ubuntu & Linux chat.

So, here it is:

Open Terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and write the following line exactelly as it is:
getconf LONG_BIT
And then press Enter

The needed result appears instantly.

Here is it how it looks in my Terminal window.

The easiest way to find out if you have an 32-bit or a 64-bit OS Architecture

How to update PlayOnLinux from command line (first part)

I will assume that you have Zorin OS linux installed on your PC like I have. In case you don't have, I hope that my articles dedicated to this linux distribution, that I intend to write on my blog, will convince you to try it, or, at least, it will help you just to make an idea of how Zorin OS works.

Today I wont to talk a little about PlayOnLinux. If you don't know yet, PlayOnLinux is an app that gives you the opportunity to run on Linux the programs that you like to use under Windows. For example, you can run popular games, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, etc. I am not going to talk today about how to actually do that because it is a vast subject.

Today I just wont to talk about how to update this app by using the comand line. Yes, that means writing an abracadabra line in Terminal :). In order to illustrate that, I will use my own experience with it (be it good or bad – the experience I mean).

Ok, so, after installing Zorin on my netbook, after updating and upgrading it, I have decided to give a try to PlayOnLinux. For my puzzling surprise, I saw that on startup of this app, I was prompted by a message telling me that there is a newer version of PlayOnLinux. Apparently, the usual update and upgrade of Zorin wasn't enough to upgrade PlayOnLinux to the next version. That made me wonder why and how could I fix it. After a google search I have found some (not so important) explications on a forum, and also, and more important, advices related to the actual way to update PlayOnLinux from command line.

I have followed the advices and here is how I did and happened...

First, I went to The download page of PlayOnLinux. Then, in the list I clicked on Ubuntu (Zorin being based on Ubuntu), and then, I have selected the code lines under the "For Precise version" title (Zorin being based on Ubuntu LTS Precise Pangolin). Then I pressed Ctrl+C

To update PlayOnLinux on Zorin OS, just select and copy the codes for Ubuntu Precise Version in PlayOnLinux download page

Then I open my terminal (Ctrl +T) and do right-click and paste. (Note: I don't know why, but I have observed that in Terminal doesn't work Ctrl+V!)

Paste the code into the Terminal with right-click + paste, not with Ctrl+ V because it will not work!

Then I press Enter and write the password (asking for the password for every change is something specific to Linux, and if you have installed Zorin on your system, you know what I mean!). Note: When you start typing the password, the text will not show itself, so don't worry if you don't see any letters or dots on the screen!

Press Enter and type the password. The password will remain invisible.

After that, a bunch of lines are scrolling rapidly in the terminal. At a certain point, I am informed that playonlinux will be updated. I press enter when I am asked to. All this ends when inside the terminal window appears the last line.

These are the screeshots.

PlayOnLinux updating...

PlayOnLinux updated

And that's all!  Well, almost. In the next article I'l tell about some other problems related to PlayOnLinux. Sorry, but right now I don't have the time to write about it.

Only one interesting observation:

Before the update, you can find PlayOnLinuxby following the path:

Start - All Applications - Wine

But after the update PlayOnLinux will be found on:

Start - All Applications - Games

Don't ask me why it migrates this way. It's a mystery for me too! :)

PlayOnLinux logo and icon

How to find the Terminal in Zorin OS?

First of all, I must say that Zorin OS is a Linux distribution based on the popular Ubuntu, so, it works very similar like its "parent". When I have problems with Zorin OS I turn to the Ubuntu and Linux Mint community for suport and advices. (Linux Mint is a "cousin" of Zorin OS, very popular among Linux users.)

As a new Linux user, the first thing I was confronted with (after successfully installing a linux distro) was the question: "What the hell is the Terminal and where am I suppose to find it?". At that time, I was exploring Ubuntu Quantal Quetzal, so, the answer was a little more complex due to the hated Unity Desktop Environment, but now I am using Zorin OS and things are, in my opinion, much easier.

So, what is the Terminal in Linux and how or why to use it? I think that the information about Using Terminal in Ubuntu, given by Distrogeeks.com is more accurate that what I could ever hope to write.

How to open the Terminal in Zorin OS?

There are two ways:

1. Simultaneously press the combination of keys:  Ctrl + Alt + 4  

2. Follow the path with the cursor: Start - All Applications - Accessories - Terminal


Here is how it looks the Terminal in my Zorin OS desktop :)

Default look of the Terminal in Zorin OS