Recipes for Ubuntu linux on a Toshiba laptop

I started this section in March 2009 after installing Ubuntu 8.10 on a Toshiba Portégé R600 laptop to replace a MacBook Pro I didn't like.   Summary: the Portégé R600 is a great machine except for its noise, and a better daily companion than my MacBook Pro.  Ubuntu works very well on it.   The basic installation was easy, but many applications needed laborious nontrivial fine-tuning; adaptation to my preferences and habits took weeks of heavy googling.   I posted the details here to make such a job easier.

In December 2009 I added hard-learned recipes how not to sudo-cide Ubuntu, how to revive it if you do, and how to undo an Ubuntu update.