How to Type Special Characters in Ubuntu

Here I describe a technique to type special characters in Ubuntu with the keyboard if you use a few special symbols occasionally.

  • First, learn the hexadecimal value for the character. One way to do this is to open the Character Map application, find the character and check the unicode value at the bottom of the window. Close Character Map when done. Assuming the character you want to type is é then unicode values is 00e9
  • Type Ctrl + Shift + U, then type the unicode value of the character. You may omit leading zeros. So for é that will be Ctrl + Shift + U + e9. Then press Enter. Note after pressing Ctrl + Shift + U, an underlined u will appear behind the cursor to signify you are in unicode entry mode.

How to Fix Problem With Wireless on Toshiba Laptop Running Ubuntu

In this blog, I will describe a solution if you suddenly find out that wireless connection is not working on your Toshiba laptop running Ubuntu. This fix applies to a Toshiba Satellite to be specific but may work on other makes. While it may not fix all wireless problems, it worked in my case.

Symptoms
The light for wireless is not lit.
When you press Fn + F8 which is meant to switch on/off wireless, the wireless light does not come on.
You are unable to connect to the internet by wireless.

Cause
The problem could be caused by a problem in the hardware.

Solution
Switch off the computer.
Disconnect the power cable and remove the battery.
Press and hold the power button for at least 30 seconds.
Replace the battery.
Start the computer. Wireless facility should now start working.

Source
Jason’s Computer Science Blog – » Toshiba Laptop + Ubuntu, Wireless Switch Problem http://www.jasonernst.com/2012/03/05/toshiba-laptop-ubuntu-wireless-switch-problem/