There is VPN connectivity built in to Ubuntu, but that seems to be limited to basic PPTP (point-to-point tunneling protocol) connections. I need the Cisco AnyConnect client, and I need it set up with the appropriate licensing and such for PCWorld. So, I went to the PCWorld tech guys and had them hook me up with the Linux client for Cisco AnyConnect.

The problem is that what I got was compressed TAR file with the AnyConnect client software, and so far I haven't figured out how to make it install. I went to the Ubuntu Forums, and I found plenty of guidance there on unpacking TAR files and working in Terminal to install the contents, but much of the information seems to be outdated, and none of it seemed to help me.

So, if any of you can point me to the instructions that will help me get this set up in Ubuntu, I think that will take away the only reason I have right now that I have no choice but to switch to Windows each day (well-that and , but that is not a daily issue and not likely to happen any time soon).

Instead of walking through setting up and using the Cisco AnyConnect VPN client, I decided to check out some of the tools that were recommended in the -starting with because I use Twitter and Facebook a lot and I need to be able to interact with them. I prefer to use a tool and consolidate social networks rather than visiting each Website separately.

I thought I would be all slick-following the guidance I have received thus far-and I went to the Ubuntu Software Center and typed Gwibber in the search field. That is when I found out that the package was already installed by default with Ubuntu Linux, so I already had it.