fixing broken Ubuntu Unity

I must have clicked something naughty in Compiz Config Settings Manager, because I lost the top and left side panels, and generally there was not much more than just the desktop background.  I was stumped on how to fix this.

Then I found:
  http://www.tuxgarage.com/2011/04/missing-top-and-side-panels-in-unity.html

Very good walkthrough for fixing Unity.

In the end, I executed the "Reset Compiz" section, and things are back to normal.

fixing headphone config on Acer Aspire One

From:
  http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1070212

add this line:
options snd-hda-intel model=acer_wmi
to the end of /etc/modprobe.d/alsa-base

This has now changed. Put the above line in /etc/modprobe.d/sound

Notes from Ubuntu 11.04 install on Acer Aspire 522 - BZ499

• C-50 Ontario processor is 64-bit, so we'll use the 64 bit image: ubuntu-11.04-desktop-amd64.iso
• installed image onto USB stick using: 'sudo usb-creator-gtk' command
• make sure BIOS is configured to read from USB stick before HDD
• note: ubuntu kept hanging on me (mouse cursor/throbber frozen)... from posts on Net I suspect it is due to wireless driver
• solution: install with wired connection plugged in; this allowed me to do install no problem
• this link sounds relevant: http://fossplanet.com/f10/[bug-775034]-[new]-natty-freezes-due-acer-aspire-one-522-wireless-148584/
• suspend and hibernate work right out of the box with this (tested both)
• clicking on Additional Drivers in top bar, it seems we are already using Broadcom STA wireless driver (hence could conflict with other one)
• now able to use wifi (w/o wired plugged in) using following:
• add in /etc/modprobe.d/blacklist.conf this line: "blacklist atl1c"
• "sudo update-initramfs -u"
• suspend still works
• outstanding issues:
• (non-proprietary) video driver has poor YouTube playback, etc.
• after resume (from Suspend?) the Ubuntu top and left bars stop updating visually (Ubuntu One compiz component; switch to "Ubuntu Classic" in GDM and all is well)
• attempting ATI/AMD proprietary FGLRX gfx driver install...
• resume from suspend no longer working... can't even ping the machine (but did not check earlier that I actually could)
• went back to non-proprietary video drivers

console-kit-daemon x60

If you run 'htop' you might see over 60 processes named 'console-kit-daemon'.  This seems to be a bug. On a mostly-single-user system one might as well uninstall 'consolekit' package (seems to be used for fast user switching).

For more see:

http://ubuntuforums.org/showpost.php?p=3609863&postcount=10

P.S. Alas, some other packages depend on 'consolekit'; not removing for now.

fix for slow mouse scrolling in Total Commander

http://www.ghisler.ch/board/viewtopic.php?p=144994

As the above post indicates, the slow scrolling in Total Commander (and likely most other Windows' listboxes) can be fixed by:

Deactivate smooth scrolling for listboxes in control panel/system/advanced/bla.