How to disable touchpad tapping (clicking) with Ubuntu

Update

My original post described how to install the qsynaptic utility to fix this problem, but it turns out that the settings are lost every time you restart your computer, so I have found a much quicker fix to disable touchpad tapping. Just add this line to your /etc/X11/xorg.conf:

Option "TapButton1" "0"

If I get some time I will re-visit this issue to see why the other method doesn’t save.

Broken Method – Doesn’t Save Settings!

One thing that always frustrates me when I install Ubuntu on a laptop, is that the default behaviour for the touchpad is to allow “tapping” as a left button click. Perhaps it’s just me with my fat fingers, but I am constantly clicking by accident. However, thankfully it is easy to fix with 4 simple steps.

  1. Simply edit /etc/X11/xorg.conf, find the labelled “Synaptics Touchpad” and add the following line to the end of that section:
    Option "SHMConfig" "on"
    
  2. Install the qsnaptics utility with
    sudo apt-get install qsynaptics
    
  3. Now you need to load these new settings by rebooting x windows. To do this press CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE simultaneously.
  4. Finally, when you have logged back in, press ALT + F2 to bring up the run window. In this type qsynaptics and then click run. This will load qsynaptics where you can disable tapping on the tapping tab.

Cost of mobile roaming set to fall next week

Thanks to new regulation by the European Commission, the cost of making and receiving a mobile phone call while you are abroad in the EU is set to fall from next week. The following table highlights the new roaming prices that UK operators will charge.

Network Making a call Receiving a call
Three 25p per min 15p per min
T-mobile 38p per min 19p per min
Vodafone 38p per min 19p per min
O2 35p per min 18p per min
Orange 38p per min 19p per min