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Start Menu for Ubuntu  

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This guide explains how to get Linux mint like start menu on Ubuntu.

Ubuntu System Panel

This application is just a gnome panel applet pretending like improved version of windows start menu. So lets get started.

Installation

Ubuntu System Panel is not included in repositories but fortunately its simple to install. First checkout source code.

svn checkout http://ubuntu-system-panel.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/ ubuntu-system-panel

Execute following command to install it. For that first go into the directory ubuntu-system-panel and execute following command.

./usp_update install fresh

Execute following command to reload gnome-panel.

killall -9 gnome-panel

Now right click on any ubuntu panel and add "Ubuntu System Panel" applet.

9 comments

1. pablo.castellazzi  
   August 1, 2008 2:37 AM

   It looks too much like mintMenu, is it a derivated work? mintMenu is the application behind the "start menu" in Linux Mint.
   
   You can see some examples at http://www.linuxmint.com/screenshots.php

2. Lee  
   August 19, 2008 7:20 PM

   It says something like 'no file or directory' when it comes to entering the second command.
   
   I really want to get this working as I like it, but don't want to have to use Linux Mint or OpenSUSE etc to use something like it.
   
   Thanks in advance,
   
   Lee

3. groggyboy  
   August 19, 2008 8:50 PM

   pablo said: "It looks too much like mintMenu, is it a derivated work?"
   
   actually, pablo, it's the other way around. USP existed before LinuxMint ever formed. mintMenu is a forked project of Ubuntu System Panel.

4. shadow  
   August 19, 2008 9:20 PM

   @Leo,
   
   After doing svn checkout you will see a new directory called "ubuntu-system-panel" and execute the command you have trouble with.
   
   Hope it helps.

5. Lee  
   August 19, 2008 9:52 PM

   Hmmm, still can't manage to get it to work. I executed the usp_update, it said everything is up to date, yet I still don't see the menu in the applets window.
   
   I've only been using Linux since February so I'm still not good with things like this -_-
   
   Lee

6. Vadi  
   August 19, 2008 10:40 PM

   The Windows 'Start' menu is one of the most brilliant Windows usability failures, imho. I don't see this taking off in Ubuntu too far save for people who got too used to it.

7. shadow  
   August 19, 2008 11:01 PM

   @Lee,
   
   You have to either kill gnome-panel process or logout and login again. Then you should be able to see it in applet list.

8. Lee  
   August 19, 2008 11:50 PM

   Hmmm, I've restarted and nothing is there. Oh well -_-

9. Lee  
   August 20, 2008 2:14 AM

   Instead of doing that, you might aswell do this:
   
   sudo apt-get install gnome-main-menu
   sudo apt-get install beagle
   
   
   
   Lee Jarratt

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