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Linux guide for power users (2022)

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Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#101

My recent gripe is that I've used Linux for more than half my life and I'm well into my 30's. I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_, Debian no longer accepts 'init 0' as a command, ipconfig isn't a command anymore, systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me, ubuntu/snap decided not only to litter+bloat my filesystem with needless duplicates but also that not only would I prefer…

> I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_

I've been using Linux since 1995, and I'm completely lost sometimes. The manpage for `ip` is frustrating compared to the `ifconfig` one.

If only the Mac UI wasn't so spectacularly primitive, or Windows wasn't so impressively anti-user, I'd probably switch.

Thankfully I don't share many of your UI woes because I'm on Mate.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#102
post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Debian 12.1 out of the box, I'm sure there's a workaround, but I had to google 'How do I shutdown my computer. s/ipconfig/ifconfig/ > Overall, from the one of your reply, I have the impression that you might be happier switching to a less opinionated distro like Void Linux or Gentoo. Something as curated as Ubuntu isn't a good fit for you. I agree, but I work in infosec. Nobody ever got fired for running Ubuntu, part…

> Edit: And the reason I hate whatever is responsible for the 'ip' command is that it's virtually impossible to google specifically for that command (y'know, because 'ip' was a protocol not a command, convoluting things unnecessarily)... Oh, absolutely. It could be forgiven if the documentation wasn't so spectacularly useless. The man page just covers that there are OBJECTs you can call, and that you should do for in…

> The man page just covers that there are OBJECTs you can call, and that you should do for instance 'ip address help' to see what you can do.

Amen. I just replied to the upthread comment with the same example of uselessness before reading this comment.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#103
post #74

My recent gripe is that I've used Linux for more than half my life and I'm well into my 30's. I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_, Debian no longer accepts 'init 0' as a command, ipconfig isn't a command anymore, systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me, ubuntu/snap decided not only to litter+bloat my filesystem with needless duplicates but also that not only would I prefer…

You sound about the same era as me. I'm 35 now, have been using Linux since 2001 until now. Just remember, that when you started using Linux, it was about 10 years old. It's now been 20 years since then - double the time has passed since you started, compared to what came before it. Some stuff is going to change. Sure some of those commands come from older Unixes but the point still stands :) Some of your complaints…

`ip --json ${object} | jq` takes the guesswork and the awful regexps that would be required to otherwise half-ass parse ifconfig output (that is not trivial, otherwise no one would need https://github.com/kellyjonbrazil/jc ).

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#104

My recent gripe is that I've used Linux for more than half my life and I'm well into my 30's. I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_, Debian no longer accepts 'init 0' as a command, ipconfig isn't a command anymore, systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me, ubuntu/snap decided not only to litter+bloat my filesystem with needless duplicates but also that not only would I prefer…

Such is the nature of technology. For me, I can't see how anybody actually used/managed linux systems before they standardized the api for creating/managing daemons. A simple convenient api layer for saying to a machine "I want this program running always."

The interface was standardized; sysv initscripts services are supposed to change status depending on ${1}: start, stop, reload, force-reload, status.

The shell script cosmic horrors underneath to implement the interface were not.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#105

My recent gripe is that I've used Linux for more than half my life and I'm well into my 30's. I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_, Debian no longer accepts 'init 0' as a command, ipconfig isn't a command anymore, systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me, ubuntu/snap decided not only to litter+bloat my filesystem with needless duplicates but also that not only would I prefer…

> I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_ I've been using Linux since 1995, and I'm completely lost sometimes. The manpage for `ip` is frustrating compared to the `ifconfig` one. If only the Mac UI wasn't so spectacularly primitive, or Windows wasn't so impressively anti-user, I'd probably switch. Thankfully I don't share many of your UI woes because I'm on Mate.

I've been using linux since 1992, and find 'ip' far far easier to use for unexpected situations than memorising the bizarre ifconfig incantations.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#106
post #99

My recent gripe is that I've used Linux for more than half my life and I'm well into my 30's. I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_, Debian no longer accepts 'init 0' as a command, ipconfig isn't a command anymore, systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me, ubuntu/snap decided not only to litter+bloat my filesystem with needless duplicates but also that not only would I prefer…

>I custom compile gtk+ to remove the 'search on type' behavior in file>open dialogs, This "feature" never fails to amaze me and I stumble over it _every_ time I use the file picker. And for the life of me I do not understand why someone would implement it this way. What bugs me most is that file name in the name field is already highlighted but instead of inserting text there when typing it starts to fill in another…

Where can this be reported or an existing requested be upvoted? This irks me too no end.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#107
post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>I custom compile gtk+ to remove the 'search on type' behavior in file>open dialogs, This "feature" never fails to amaze me and I stumble over it _every_ time I use the file picker. And for the life of me I do not understand why someone would implement it this way. What bugs me most is that file name in the name field is already highlighted but instead of inserting text there when typing it starts to fill in another…

Where can this be reported or an existing requested be upvoted? This irks me too no end.

> Where can this be reported or an existing requested be upvoted? This irks me too no end.

You can't. From what I've seen GTK / Gnome devs are incredibly unaccommodating to functionality that they don't agree with. https://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=754302

The patch I'm using:

https://pastebin.com/cdkH8uXg

https://pastebin.com/Ek1tTcsm - this is 'file-chooser__typeahead.patch' which I sourced from a github somewhere

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#108

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think there are just as many reasons to avoid Manjaro and Arch as there are to avoid Ubuntu, maybe even more for Ubuntu. Ubuntu is a mess.

What are your reasons to avoid Arch, out of curiosity? For me it would only be System D, really, that and that I like Void and Alpine more.

Systemd is part of it, I flat out just don't use systemd unless I'm forced to, but there are other reasons.

At best Arch is something like "Gentoo with training wheels", but I see it more like "Ubuntu Minimal but different". I mean its whole marketing thing is "OMG Arch is super duper customizable, make your own choices!!!", but it falls short of Gentoo in that regard.

To me it seems like it's made specifically for the r/unixporn crowd; people who just want to customize the look of the OS and specific programs without much regard for the underlying things.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#109

My recent gripe is that I've used Linux for more than half my life and I'm well into my 30's. I feel like my ability to navigate a system has gone _backwards_, Debian no longer accepts 'init 0' as a command, ipconfig isn't a command anymore, systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me, ubuntu/snap decided not only to litter+bloat my filesystem with needless duplicates but also that not only would I prefer…

Have you considered void? ip and ifconfig are both things, services are runit scripts like in 2008, snaps aren't installed by default, your firefox will never be replaced by a snap, you don't have to use gnome, and configurations are by default lean?

Keep in mind that availability of software is not as good as Ubuntu although you can use flatpak if nobody has created a package for something and you don't want to.

Re: Linux guide for power users (2022)

#110

A much simpler guide if you are not a terminal fiend 1. Install Xubuntu 2. Start your session 3. Run sudo apt update sudo apt install pocillo-icon-theme materia-icon-theme fonts-clear-sans 4. Go to the Appearance properties. Under style select "Materia-dark-compact", under Icons select "Pocillo", under Fonts select "Clear Sans". 5. Remove the default desktop wallpaper, use something else. 6. Edit the XFCE panels 6.1.…

Even this seems a few steps too many, perhaps catered to your needs?

Ubuntu or debian with KDE already has equivalents to all of those things. It's just 1. Install Kubuntu/Debian/KDE Neon 2. Start 3. Skip the installs, firefox is already there, KDE already has a good terminal and search 4. Keeping the default layout is fine because its already windows-ish but better 5. Don't install flatpak because it's not necessary for getting started, if ever

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