Step 1 - Convenience / Basic Environment setup

For the most comfortable interacting with the system, I use/suggest several tools and programs.

• vim
  Here is my custom vimrc: To apply this config system-wide, execute:

  root@yourmachine # wget " http://andre.bytesare.us/goodies/vimrc " -O - > /etc/vim/vimrc

  To apply this config for your user only:

  fritz@yourmachine $ wget " http://andre.bytesare.us/goodies/vimrc " -O - > ~/.vimrc

• zsh
  Here is my custom zshrc.
  To apply this config system-wide, execute:

  root@yourmachine # wget " http://andre.bytesare.us/goodies/zshrc " -O - > /etc/zsh/zshrc

  To apply this config for your user only:

  fritz@yourmachine $ wget " http://andre.bytesare.us/goodies/zshrc " -O - > ~/.zshrc

  As a java developer, I also like the maven zsh completion:

  root@yourmachine # wget " https://raw.github.com/Echos/maven-zsh-completion/master/_mvn " \
          -O /usr/share/zsh/functions/Completion/Base/_mvn

• tree
• zip
• unzip
• gzip
• unrar
• rsync
• xmllint (package: libxml2-utils in ubuntu)

Set the correct terminal encoding and keyboard layout

If you want to change the terminal and keyboard settings, simply use the dpkg-reconfigure commands and follow the gui instructions:

root@xubuntu ~/Desktop # dpkg-reconfigure keyboard-configuration
root@xubuntu ~/Desktop # dpkg-reconfigure console-setup

Limit sudo to a single group

Allow members of group chucknorris to execute any command after they have entered their password

root@jiffybox # groupadd chucknorris

Make sure the line

%chucknorris ALL=(ALL) ALL

is contained in the /etc/sudoers file.
Finally, add the desired user(s) to the group:

root@jiffybox # usermod -a -G chucknorris testuser