KDE Desktop Management

Avoiding VIM

Change default editor in KDE with the command:

sudo update-alternatives --config editor

Change default editor when opening files in Dolphin:

• Right-click on file, choose Properties
• Click on the wrench to the right of file type
• Click on your preferred editor in the Application Preference Order list
• Click Move Up to move your preference up the list
• Click Apply, then close the properties window.

Apple Keyboard function keys

On recent KDE desktops (11.04+), issue the commands:

sudo sed -i "$ s#exit 0#echo 2 > /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode\n\nexit 0#" /etc/rc.local
echo 2 | sudo tee /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode

Your Apple Aluminum keyboard will work correctly in all programs.

On older Ubuntu and variants, try out commands such as:

# display current keyboard state (1=off, 2=on)
cat /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode
# set keyboard state to 2 (on)
echo 2 | sudo tee /sys/module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode
# make the configuration change permanent
sudo touch /etc/sysfs.conf
sudo bash < <(echo 'echo "module/hid_apple/parameters/fnmode = 2" >> /etc/sysfs.conf')

On Ubuntu 11.10 and later, set the type of Apple keyboard with the following commands:

sudo bash < <(echo 'echo options hid_apple iso_layout=0 | sudo tee -a /etc/modprobe.d/hid_apple.conf')
sudo update-initramfs -u -k all

References:

AppleKeyboard