Navigation and basic shortcuts
In Ubuntu the alt key moves windows. Change that at System/Preferences/Windows. If you are using GL Desktop (Compiz) you might also change that there (System/Preferences/GL Desktop).
To navigate on the viewports: http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Blender_3D:_Noob_to_Pro/The_3D_Viewport_Window
The defaults, resumed are:
MMB: rotate
Shift+MMB: pan
Ctrl+MMB or scroll wheel: zoom
The rotate view feels completely different from Max/Maya because the default option is View rotation as Trackball instead of Turntable. You change that on the Preferences menu, dragging the top panel down a bit, so you can change this options:
Basic views can be changed on Numpad:
