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Community Documentation page to access a number of videos on using and installing Ubuntu. Each video is created with the aim of educating new users of Ubuntu. Each video is available in three sizes, large, medium and small, and two formats, OGG and Flash.

The following is an example of a screenshot from a video on installing applications:

Figure 9.6: The Screencasts Page

These screen casts are licensed under the Creative Commons Attributions-Share Alike 3.0 License. You are free to modify, share, sell or distribute these screencasts as long as the attribution to Ubuntu is intact.

9.4 Community Support

The vast and ever growing Ubuntu community also offers a range of free support options for your Ubuntu desktop. Apart from the community documentation, the Ubuntu community provides support through:

•Mailing lists

•Web Forums

•IRC Channels

•LoCo Teams

•The Ubuntu Team Wiki

9.4.1Mailing Lists

To get help on a specific problem, all you need to do is to send your query through e-mail to the relevant mailing list and you will get a quick response from the team.

You will need to subscribe to the mailing list first by visiting the Ubuntu Mailing Lists Web site at https://lists.ubuntu.com/. The Mailing Lists page displays all the public mailing lists to which you can subscribe and their topic.

The following screenshot displays the Mailing Lists page:

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Figure 9.7: The Mailing Lists Page

To get help for your Ubuntu desktop, you should go to the Community Support and select the ubuntu-users mailing list. This will take you to a page like the following:

Figure 9.8: Subscribing to Ubuntu-users Mailing List

You need to provide your e-mail address, your name and a password in the appropriate boxes and then click the Subscribe button.

When you subscribe to a mailing list, a confirmation mail is sent to your provided e-mail to verify that it is your address. To activate this mailing list, you need to first open your e-mail account and then click the link provided in the confirmation e-mail.

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Figure 9.9: Confirmation Mail

Clicking this link takes you to the Confirm subscription request page, where you can verify the details of your subscription request and subscribe to the selected mailing list by clicking the Subscribe to list ubuntu-users button.

Figure 9.10: Confirm Subscription Request Page

Finally, you will receive a confirmation message saying that your subscription request to the selected mailing list has been confirmed.

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Figure 9.11: Confirmation of Subscription Request Page

Soon after, you will receive a welcome mail containing the mailing address of your selected mailing list and you will then be able to send e-mail messages to this list. Before sending your first query, it is good practice to read a bit of the archive, as the topic may have already been covered. The archive will also give you an idea of how much volume to expect from a list and get a "feel" of others who are active on the list.

It is possible that you will be flooded with many responses to your posting. The level of emails received can be controlled by adjusting your preferences on the UserCP (User Control Panel). You can use this panel to customize your profile and preferences too.

The mailing lists archive is an excellent resource of information, as quite a few questions have been discussed on the lists already. The archive can be seen as a memory for the mailing lists expertise.

9.4.2Web Forums

Note:

Web forums are often an easier and more immediate alternative to mailing lists as you can receive help on various issues without subscribing to a high-traffic mailing list. They are easier to use, available in a Web browser and are an ideal way for you to meet other Ubuntu users and developers.

The following screenshot displays the home page of the Ubuntu forums Web site:

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Figure 9.12: Web Forums

To access the Ubuntu forums, go to: http://ubuntuforums.org/ or http://www.ubuntu.com/community/forums.

The Ubuntu forums are entirely maintained and moderated by volunteers and are available in many languages such as Chinese, Dutch, German, Finnish and French.

The following screenshot displays a view of the Ubuntu French forum:

Figure 9.13: Ubuntu French Forum

You need to register on the forum to be able to post messages and get support. To do this, click the Register link displayed on the home page which will lead to the following page: