Ubuntu server minimal gnome setup

If you set up Ubuntu server 10.04 LTS, you may be surprised to learn that it's a command-line system by default. If you'd like to set up some minimal GUI tools you'll need to add some packages.

First a command line cheat sheet:

• apt-get update
• Update the system's list of packages
• apt-cache show package-name
• Show what will be installed
• dpkg -S pathname
• Find out what package supplies pathname
• apt-get install package-name
• Install a package

Get started by installing the basics:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install gnome-core \
                     gnome-themes-selected \
                     xserver-xorg \
                     x-window-system-core

You can now flip into X with "startx" and log out to return to the command line. If you'd also like the graphical login screen, add:
sudo apt-get install gdm
sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

Graphical packages that you may wish to add are:

• gnome-system-tools
• User management
• update-manager
• Update packages
• synaptic
• Find and add packages

Additional information can be found in the dated entry: How to install GNOME on Ubuntu Server