Using Linux Created Documents in Android

We are now living in a digital age where more people are consuming content on mobile devices because it's convenient, for one. I remember the days when I worked as a Field Engineer traveling all over the U.S. I had to carry a heavy laptop and printer to major airports and get through the hassle of security before the days of 9-11. Being petite, it was a struggle to have to deal with carrying those two heavy items, my suitcase and purse. Then once I got to a company office, I had to hook up my laptop and printer with cables to crunch numbers on an Excel spreadsheet with massive amounts of data.  These Excel spreadsheets were used to determine staffing levels or how to rearrange freight at specific doors at a break-bulk dock.

Due to huge improvements in technology, my job executing those studies would be so much easier today. If I were using Canonical's Android phone concept, I could just plug in my phone to the hotel television and use LibreOffice's Calc to change formulas on spreadsheets equivalent to Excel. I could even view these spreadsheets on an airplane, whether I was using Canonical's phone or an Android tablet downloading them from either Dropbox or Google Drive.

Today, I'm going to show you that you can take documents created in LibreOffice on a Linux desktop, store them on a cloud drive, retrieve and edit them using apps on my Android phone, upload them to the cloud drive and review the Android edited documents on a Linux desktop again. What you will be witnessing is the magic of inter-Linux collaboration. Now, it is possible to collaborate with a MAC or a Windows device using the documents stored in the cloud, assuming they share the same common format like .doc, .ppt, pdf, .xls, etc. Remember, LibreOffice is capable of opening, editing and saving Windows documents. Yes, there are some exceptional cases where complex formatting may experience issues in LibreOffice. However, there should be no problem, whatsoever, viewing in PDF format. That's about as universal as the language of "English" spoken to conduct business all over the world.

Here is a summary of the collaboration scenario I executed:

Devices used for collaboration - Ubuntu 12.04 Toshiba laptop, Moto X smartphone with Android KitKat and Linux Mint 17 HP Pavilion laptop.

Cloud Storage Provider - Dropbox



Wordprocessor - LibreOffice Writer on Linux: OpenDocument Reader on Android



Presentations - LibreOffice Impress on Linux: QuickOffice and Impress Remote on Android



Spreadsheets - LibreOffice Calc on Linux: QuickOffice on Android



What I was able to do successfully is take each type of document above, whether it was a wordprocessor, presentation or spreadsheet, create it on Ubuntu 12.04 and upload it to Dropbox. Then I was able to retrieve the document on my Moto X, edit the document on Moto X and save the revised document to Dropbox. Finally, I downloaded the document from Dropbox to Linux Mint 17 and viewed or edited it.

Please note that the Android app "OpenDocument Reader" can read and edit .odt and .ods format pretty easily. However, the .odp format does not completely work. I get the headings of each slide but not the details on each slide. A potential workaround is to save the presentation in .pptx format and use the Android App "QuickOffice" to modify the presentation file. Then save the presentation file onto your smartphone and upload it to Dropbox. Once in Dropbox, you can rename the presentation file to the original filename.

If you plan to review a presentation on your Android device, you can use the Android App "Impress Remote". You have to be using LibreOffice Impress 4.3 on a Linux desktop with the presentation file opened. The app "Impress Remote" will display the name of the PC on the same WiFi network as your Android device. Before you click on the name of the PC, it will prompt you to enter the PIN number displayed within LibreOffice Impress on your Linux desktop. Then it will display the presentation file slide by slide on your Android device. You will be able to swipe through each slide on Android, which will be "mirrored" on the Linux desktop, you're viewing it from. That's a pretty cool way to train an employee or present to a customer while you're doing the controlling from your Android device.

Transitioning from Windows Vista/XP/7 to Ubuntu

Here's a list of common tasks you routinely perform in Windows, followed by a detailed description of the how to perform each task in Linux, if applicable.  (This is based on Ubuntu 12.04.)

1. How do I log off/shut down?  You will find the last selection "Log Out" within the Menu on the lower left hand corner of your desktop.


2. 
   

   Where is the Start menu?  In Linux Mint, the Start menu is simply called "Menu" on the lower left hand corner of the desktop.

   
   


3. 
   

   Where is My Computer?  In Windows, you normally go to My Computer to view your different directories like A:/ or C:/ drive.  In Linux Mint, the equivalent is called File System.  In Linux, there is no drive A:/ to view CD's, DVD's or attachable hard drives.  Instead you will see the icon with the name of the CD, DVD or attachable hard drive.  There is a folder called "media" at the top (or root) level of the Linux filesystem where you will find the removable media mounted.  There is no C:/ drive in Linux either.  The root level of the Linux filesystem is almost equivalent to the C:/ drive in Windows but not the same because the "media" file is a subset file of the root level and not a separate root file system.  For example, in Windows media is viewed in the A:/ drive which is completely separate from the C:/ drive where all the main program files are stored.

   
   


4. 
   

   Where is the Control Panel?  In Linux Mint, think of the Control Panel as 2 categories.  There's "System" to perform typical System Administration tasks.  Then there's "Settings" to configure the appearance of the desktop.  Both of these categories can be found in the "Menu" at the lower left hand corner of the desktop.

   
   


5. 
   

   Where is All Programs?  By going into the "Menu" you have the ability to view all loaded programs by category except if you executed a custom install of special programs in your /home directory.

   
   


6. 
   

   Where is Device and Printers?  To configure Devices, click on "Menu".  Then click on "Settings" and select "Removable Drives and Media".  To configure Printers, click on "Menu".  Then click on "System" and select "Printers".

   
   


7. 
   

   Where is My Documents?  The Linux equivalent is called "Documents" and can usually be found by clicking on the File System icon, which will bring you to the top level directory of the Linux file system, which is also called the root.  You will find folders which store program files and configuration data similar to Windows program files or system folders.  However, to find the location of the "Documents" folder, you would have to find the Home folder.  The Home folder stores all the data and programs related to particular user accounts.  In it, you will find folders for each username.  Within each username are standard folders Documents, Music, Pictures and Videos.  Depending on your distro, you can click on shortcut icons on the desktop to get to the "Documents" folder.  To find "Documents" in Linux Mint, click on File System/home/(your username)/Documents OR Home/(your username)/Documents OR at the bottom left icon called "Places" in the picture below.  Hovering over the grey square icon will display the name of the icon "Places".

   
   


8. 
   

   Where is Pictures?  See explanation in #7.  Usually, you can find this folder as an icon on the desktop.  If it's not on the desktop, you easily create a shortcut icon for it on the desktop.

   
   


9. 
   

   Where is Music?  See explanation in #7.  Usually, you can find this folder as an icon on the desktop.  If it's not on the desktop, you easily create a shortcut icon for it on the desktop.

   
   


10. 
    

    Where is Games?  "Games" will be a folder located as a category for programs within your Linux distro menu.

    
    


11. 
    

    How do I Add/Remove Programs?  There are 3 methods to adding and removing programs within Linux. Chances are if you have a distro which is tailored for non-geeks, there will be an easy-to-use tool where you just use your mouse to point and click.  In Linux Mint, the name of this tool is Software Manager, which can be found as the fifth item from the top in the Menu.The second method is to use Synaptic Package Manager, which allows you to use your mouse to point and click your selections.  However, the programs are at a package level which can be too technical for a non-geek to deal with.  The third way is like executing DOS commands to run programs in Windows without the GUI.  It's called Command Line Interface (CLI) or Terminal Emulator prompt.  You simply type commands specific to your distro.  If your distro is Debian based, you will be using apt-get commands.  Since Linux Mint is a derivative of the Ubuntu distro, which is based on Debian, you will be using apt-get commands to install packages from the Terminal Emulator prompt.

    
    


12. 
    

    How do I add Shortcut Icons?  Depending on the distro, you can usually right click your mouse and find the menu item that allows you to add a shortcut icon to the desktop.  In Linux Mint, right click your mouse on the desktop and select Create Launcher.  You can then select which program to launch in the drop-down menu displayed after you type into the "Name" field.

    
    


13. 
    

    How do I check disk usage?  To find out where in Linux Mint, click Menu|System|Disk Usage Analyzer.

    
    


14. 
    

    Do I need to install an Anti-Virus program?  You don't really need one because there aren't that many viruses that execute on Linux and in order for a downloaded program to execute on Linux, you would have to specifically grant it permission as the Systems Administrator of your Linux OS.  However, if it makes you feel more secure having one, install Clam AV.

    
    


15. 
    

    Do I need to defrag Linux?  No.  The Linux filesystem does not store data non-sequentially like Windows does, which causes fragmentation.

    
    


16. 
    

    What if my screen is frozen?  You will need to execute commands to close the Windows manager specific to your Linux distro.  To find out where in Linux Mint, click here.

    
    


17. 
    

    How do I install operating system updates?  Click on Menu|System|Update Manager.  Or click the Blue Badge icon at the bottom right hand corner of your desktop.

    
    


18. 
    

    Where is Outlook?  Mozilla's Thunderbird comes pre-installed on some popular distros while Novell's Evolution is a worthy equivalent.

    
    


19. 
    

    Where is MS Office?  You can pay for Cross-over or use Wine emulator for free to run MS Office programs.  Or you can use LibreOffice, which I found very capable of doing a lot things I used to use MS Office for.  LibreOffice comes pre-installed with Linux Mint.

    
    


20. 
    

    Where is MS Word?  LibreOffice Writer is what I use in place of MS Word.  You can find it by clicking Menu|Office|LibreOffice Writer.

    
    


21. 
    

    Where is MS Excel?  LibreOffice Calc is what I use in place of MS Excel.  You can find it by clicking Menu|Office|LibreOffice Calc.

    
    


22. 
    

    Where is MS PowerPoint?  LibreOffice Impress is what I use in place of MS PowerPoint.  You can find it by clicking Menu|Office|LibreOffice Impress.

    
    


23. 
    

    Where is MS Access?  LibreOffice Base is a bit too basic to fully replace MS Access.  (You can find it by clicking Menu|Office|LibreOffice Base.)  However, since most businesses are becoming more web-based, your best bet is to use a database built for the web like PostgresSQL, MariaDb or MySQL.  If you plan on using any of the web-based databases, you can develop custom front-ends based on Python, PHP and RubyonRails languages.

    
    


24. 
    

    Where is Paint?  LibreOffice Draw can perform functions similar to Paint.  (You can find it by clicking Menu|Office|LibreOffice Draw.)  It can also be supplemented by Gimp and Inkscape for more advanced functions.  Gimp is like Adobe Photoshop while Inkscape is like Adobe Illustrator, handling 2 dimensional drawings.

    
    


25. 
    

    Where is Accessories?  Linux does have an Accessories category for programs.  You can find it by clicking Menu and then Accessories.

    
    


26. 
    

    Where is NotePad?  I've been successfully using Gedit in place of NotePad for several years now and I haven't missed a beat as far as functionality.  You can find it by clicking on Menu|Accessories|gedit.

    
    


27. 
    

    Where is the Command Prompt?  To find it in Linux Mint, click on Menu and Terminal Emulator at the top of the menu.

    
    


28. 
    

    Where is the Calculator?  It will be located in the Accessories folder of your Linux distro like Windows.

    
    


29. 
    

    Where is the WebCam?  For the most part, Cheese has been able to do the job adequately.  If it's not installed on your PC, find it in the Software Manager and install it.  Once it's installed, click on Menu|Multimedia|Cheese.

    
    


30. 
    

    Where is Windows Media Player?  Banshee Media Player or Rhythmbox can be used as a replacement for Windows Media Player.  To find it, click on Menu|Multimedia|Banshee.

    
    


31. 
    

    Where is Windows DVD Maker?  Brasero can be used to make DVD's.  To find it, click on Menu|Multimedia|Brasero.

    
    


32. 
    

    Where is Windows Fax and Scan?  Linux Mint comes pre-installed with Simple Scan for scanning capabilities.  You may need to download drivers and execute some commands using the Terminal prompt to configure your Scanner, depending upon the Manufacturer.  To find it, click on Menu|Graphics|Simple Scan.

    
    


33. 
    

    Where is Windows Live Movie Maker?  I've been using OpenShot Video Editor for creating and editing simple personal videos.  OpenShot is not pre-installed with Linux Mint.  Therefore, you must find it from the Software Manager and install it.  Once it's installed, you can find it by clicking on Menu|Multimedia|OpenShot Video Editor.

    
    


34. 
    

    Where is Windows Live Photo Gallery?  In Linux Mint, Ristretto Image Viewer displays images stored on your PC.  Shotwell can be used manage your photos.  You can download it from the Software Manager and install it.

    
    


35. 
    

    How do I transfer Android files to my desktop?  If you're lucky, some distros enable you to do this with their File Manager without installing extra software and performing additional configuration.  Some distros, especially older versions of their OS, will require additional software and configuration.  See ADB File Manager.

    
    


36. How do I backup my data or entire OS?  Linux Mint has APTonCD to backup just the packages installed on your OS.  Click on Menu|System|APTonCD to find it.  For data, click on click on Menu|System|Backup Tool.  If you want to reliably back up the entire OS, including the data, I recommend downloading and installing Clonezilla on a USB stick.  To use Clonezilla, you would insert the Clonezilla USB stick into your PC and insert a hard drive that's large enough to store the backup into your PC as well.

 

Ubuntu Phone To Be Released in 2015 But Maybe Earlier

Just when you thought the Smartphone market was essentially reduced to a duopoly dominated by Samsung and Apple, along comes Canonical to give us, consumers, more choices.  What Canonical is attempting to do is differentiate itself from the other smartphones with its concept of "convergence".  Convergence is the notion of using the same operating system across multiple devices such as the desktop, tablet, smartphone and even the TV.  To some degree, we've seen how this occurs when we can use a Samsung Galaxy smartphone to operate a Samsung TV.  Or Microsoft launching Windows 8 to work on its tablets and PC's.  However, none of those products have brought "convergence" into a solution as elegant as Canonical's user interface as demonstrated in the video below.



With the development of the Ubuntu Touch operating system, the ability to use your smartphone as a PC is appealing, particularly if you are an enterprise mobile user.  I used to work as an Industrial Engineer for a major Transportation company which required me to travel across the United States to work on Engineering projects at majors hubs.  I can tell you how cumbersome it was for me, being petite in stature, to have to lug around my suitcase, my portable printer and heavy laptop.  My arms would be screaming at my body for mercy especially having to take mile long treks within the Dallas-Fortworth airport hub to reach my outgoing flight gate.  If I had had an Ubuntu Phone which turned into a desktop or a lightweight Chromebook which could VPN to a corporate network, my arms would have been thanking me during that period of my life.

In the Detroit area, the Northamerican International Auto show displays the "concept" cars of the future just as the CES show in Las Vegas displays new "concept" electronics and computers.  Ubuntu came out with their "concept" product in the form of the Ubuntu Edge which they tried to bring to market through crowdfunding last July.  Here is what it was supposed to look like.



Although the crowdfunding efforts failed to bring Ubuntu Edge to market, it was more of a "high end" concept of their convergence philosophy anyway.  Rest assured, Ubuntu Phone will eventually be produced for consumers like me who are awaiting such a device.  The Ubuntu Phone will based on the Ubuntu Touch operating system which has been in "unstable" release for developers and tech enthusiasts to play with on the Galaxy Nexus and Nexus 4 phones since October 17, 2013,  The first full release is scheduled for release April 17, 2014, which should work on both tablets and phones certified by Canonical.

The Community Manager for Ubuntu has reportedly said he doesn't expect to see an Ubuntu Phone to be shipped by major OEMs and Handset Carriers before 2015.  However, there is the possibility that smaller OEM's who serve smaller markets will bring Ubuntu Phone to market sooner.  One rumored OEM is Chinese Manufacturer Meizu, displaying photos of Ubuntu Touch running on their MX3 model.  Here is what it looks like so far.  Wish this preview showed a more in depth look of the features highlighted by Mark Shuttleworth in the previous videos above.



For those of you who are Android lovers, keep in mind that Ubuntu also has the Ubuntu for Android operating system in development.  One of the future possibilities of convergence, is using your existing Android phone when you are operating in phone mode and later dual booting it into Ubuntu to use as a PC when connected to a monitor, mouse and keyboard.  Just thinking of the possibilities as demonstrated by Ubuntu, gives us, consumers, a lot to look forward to in the Ubuntu world.

Use Playonlinux to Run Windows Programs

A few days ago, I received a request to fill out an on-line survey which required me to possess either a PC or MAC.  As some of you may be able to tell from past posts, I currently use Linux Mint 14 and Ubuntu 12.04 in a dual boot situation on my 2008 Toshiba Satellite laptop.  I used to have Windows 7 on my 2009 HP Pavillion netbook but I wiped it out completely with a Linux distro and was unable to re-install Windows 7 with my startup disks.

To resolve my survey dilemma, I installed Playonlinux on Ubuntu 12.04.  What that enabled me to do was create a Windows virtual directory on my Ubuntu partition, which then enabled me to install a browser *.EXE file to run on that partition emulating Windows XP.  I chose the latest Firefox browser version 26.0.  Firefox was compatible with the requirements for the on-line survey so I was able to complete the survey successfully.  Please don't get confused between the words Playonlinux and WINE. Understand that Playonlinux is the front-end user interface which sits on top of the WINE software, which actually emulates Windows.  Here's a tutorial I created which explains how to install Playonlinux and Firefox on the new Windows virtual directory.

Resolving Ubuntu Issues

This section will help the end user resolve issues that may occur when using Ubuntu.  The following errors commonly occur when using CPU intensive activities (i.e. using multiple applications at the same time) or graphic intensive applications (i.e. playing a video game or using a a video editor).  To alleviate these problems try to use Ubuntu on a partition with enough memory to handle the application or use a stronger graphics card and make sure the drivers are updated.  There are Linux vendors who can make sure you don't experience these types of problems because they certify and configure their hardware and components to ensure they are optimized to work well with your Linux distribution.  I never purchased a Linux laptop so I have run into these issues as a Linux newbie installing Ubuntu on a Windows laptop.

MENU FROZE:

1.  Press keys <CTRL><ALT><F2> simultaneously to exit to the login prompt at a different workspace.  (Ubuntu has the capability of utilizing more than one workspace, which is like having more than screen session at the same time.  I cover this concept in my Youtube video on "Linux Mint Workspaces".)
2.  At the Login prompt, type in your username and press <ENTER>.

3.  At the Password prompt, type in your password and press <ENTER>.

4.  At ~ prompt, type in "sudo stop lightdm" and press <ENTER>.

5.  At the ~ password prompt, type in your password and press <ENTER>.  (After you press <ENTER>, the status will show "lightdm is stopped/waiting".)

6.  At ~ prompt, type in "sudo start lightdm" and press <ENTER>.  (After you press <ENTER>, the computer will reboot as if you pressed the "Restart" option.  Lightdm is a program that manages the windows within Ubuntu.)

 

 

 

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Taking Ubuntu for a Test Drive

BACK UP, BABY! BACKUP!!! - Before you take the plunge with trying Linux on your Laptop, PC or workstation, be sure you either have a spare machine with your Windows OS installed on it and all of your important files backed up. (There's nothing worse than trying something new and having something go wrong during the process of trying something new and not being able to go back to how it was before.)

TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Ubuntu (Download Ubuntu) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) for versions earlier than 13.04 or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)

• What you need to do is download the ISO file of the version of Ubuntu you want to use based on whether your hardware is 64-bit or 32-bit onto your Laptop.


• Then you need to download this program called Universal USB Installer (Download UUI) to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB.


• Follow the instructions of the UUI site to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB OR you can use the Wubi from either the Ubuntu Download site.


• After you are done creating the LIVE CD, DVD or USB. Shut down your Windows Laptop.


• Plug in your CD, DVD or USB.


• Turn on your Laptop.


• Hit whatever key brings you to the BIOS on your Laptop. Mine was <F12>.

The Linux Mascot (aka TUX)

• At the Welcome Screen, select your Language at the left and click on the on Button that says "Try Ubuntu" and...


• Voila!!! You're off and running Ubuntu.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Installing and Configuring Apps in Ubuntu

In Ubuntu, there are 3 ways to install applications:

1. Ubuntu Software Center -This is the easiest way to install most applications on Ubuntu. You can navigate to it by:
   
   
   
   • Clicking on Suitcase Icon
   
   
   
   


2. Synaptic Package Manager - This is another way to install applications at a package component level, which makes it easier for Developers or System Administrators to review software components which are missing and need to be installed. You can navigate to it by:
   
   
   
   • Clicking on Dash
   
   
   • Entering "Synaptic Package Manager" in the Search field (If it isn't there, you may need to install it using the Terminal Emulator.)
   
   
   • Clicking on the Magnifying Glass
   
   
   • Clicking on the Synaptic Package Manager icon
   
   
   
   


3. Terminal Emulator- This is the quickest way to install applications and missing software package components for more Technical users. It is very similar to the DOS Command Prompt in Windows. Users enter commands to execute processes within the operating system, including the installation of software. You can navigate to it by:
   
   
   
   • Clicking on Dash
   
   
   • Entering on "Terminal " in the Search field
   
   
   • Clicking on the Magnifying Glass
   
   
   • Clicking the "X Term" icon
   
   
   
   

• As for configuring applications in Ubuntu, most of the time, you can use the applications within Settings to change how your operating system looks and behaves. You can navigate to it by:
  
  
  
  • Clicking on Gear icon
  
  
  
  Alternatively, it is possible to configure applications by executing commands with Terminal Emulator.

For some applications which are not found in the Ubuntu Software Center, you may be instructed by the Developers who created the applications to use the Terminal Emulator to install their applications.

Using Ubuntu with Windows on a Dual Partition

TRY A LIVE CD, DVD OR USB - Before you install something new to your treasured Laptop, make sure you feel comfortable with the look and feel of using the new OS. Ubuntu (Download Ubuntu) gives you the option of using a Windows installer (Wubi) for versions earlier than 13.04 or an ISO file. The ISO file is a container storing all of the programs necessary to run the OS all compressed in one file that is represented with a Disc image graphically and with the extension .iso (i.e. myfile.iso)

• What you need to do is download the ISO file of the version of Ubuntu you want to use based on whether your hardware is 64-bit or 32-bit onto your Laptop.


• Then you need to download this program called Universal USB Installer (Download UUI) to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB.


• Follow the instructions of the UUI site to create the LIVE CD, DVD or USB OR you can use the Wubi from either the Ubuntu Download site.


• After you are done creating the LIVE CD, DVD or USB. Shut down your Windows Laptop.

The Linux Mascot (aka TUX)

DUAL BOOT UBUNTU AND WINDOWS - You know that CD, DVD or USB you created in the steps ABOVE You can use that same media to install a dual boot of Ubuntu alongside Windows. That way, if you are playing conservative and don't want to end up in the deep end being a newbie and all with Linux, you can at BOOT UP decide which OS you want to use. This allows you to gain some experience in using Ubuntu, its free Office and other applications and see how they compare to Windows and its commercial applications.

INSTALLATION INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Plug in the CD, DVD or USB you created.


2. Turn on your Laptop.


3. Hit the <F12> key or whatever key you need to on your computer to display the BIOS.


4. Select the option that corresponds to your optical device whether it be DVD/CD or USB from the BIOS menu. Hit <Enter>.


5. At the Welcome Screen, select your Language at the left and click on the on Button that says "Install Ubuntu".


6. Ensure checklist of tasks is completed and click on Continue.  (Download Updates and Third Party Software are additional options.)


7. Set up WiFi Configuration now or do it later and click on Continue.


8. Go through and select the appropriate options until you get to Installation Type Window.


9. Select the option "Install Ubuntu alongside (name of current operating system)".


10. Select how much space to allocate to Ubuntu on a separate partition from your Windows OS.


11. Go through the rest of the installation process choosing values specific to your Country.


12. Enter your Username and Password for logging in.


13. When it is time to boot up the computer, you will now have Ubuntu as an option to boot into besides Windows.

 

Basic Navigation in Ubuntu

Navigating in Ubuntu 12.04 is more similar to navigating within a MAC computer as opposed to Windows. The icons are pretty large compared to Windows icons and you don't access the applications in a Startup menu at the lower right hand corner of your screen. Instead the icons are lined up one right after the other from top to bottom on the left hand side of the screen on what is called a Dock Launcher. You access most of the applications using the Dash, which is the first icon on the top of the Dock Launcher.

The Dash is a Search Function that allows you to query applications you need to use either by category or by typing in the name of the application in the Search field. If you choose to search by category click on one of the five icons at the bottom of the screen. The first icon by default looks like a house. It represents a general search. The next icon represents Search Applications. The third icon which looks like a piece of paper represents Search Files & Folders. The fourth icon which is a music note represents Search Music Collection. The last icon which looks like a film negative with an arrow represents Search Videos.

By default, the more common applications will be on pinned on the Dock Launcher such as LibreOffice Writer and Calc, System Settings (Gear Icon), Ubuntu Software Center, etc. UbuntuOne is the Ubuntu's Cloud website which allows you backup and store any data or music files to this site for free if you register for it. You can pin or remove (unpin) applications as you see fit on the Dock Launcher by right clicking your mouse and clicking Unlock from Launcher.

The upper right hand corner will contain status bar information such as date/time, battery usage, wireless and wired status and the login account information. It is very similar to what you will find on the lower right hand corner for Windows 7.