I'm not sure how well it compares to iTerm2, but check out terminator.
Yeah, Terminator seems to be the most feature-implemented GUI terminal so far.
Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
51–60 of 169 posts
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#52I made the switch. YMMV. However, with all the bumps I went through, I'd rather have the minor issues I have now and then instead of going back to OS X. I switched for the same reasons, but the lynchpin was the constant issues installing native rubygems with the Xcode toolchain. It was always an issue I was dealing with.
My laptop runs Ubuntu 14.04. I don't care about the window manager much, other than the occasional lazy file-browse and notifications, since I am mostly in Emacs/Terminal/browser and use Synapse to switch applications.
My work computer is a Mac, but do most work in an Ubuntu VM. Since I am writing lots of JavaScript, I should feel compelled to a random test now in then within Safari and IE (in another VM). The company paid for the computer, otherwise I would not spend the money on one.
I like XFCE terminal, but I don't have a compelling reason why. I use multi-term in Emacs and screen within that for development.
The only long term problem is that printing has always been flaky. But, I have little to print, so it doesn't bother me. I just use my wife's Mac if I need to print something.
I do miss the Emacs-style keybindings in OS X. But, I imagine that things can be configured. I never did; I just dealt with it (even though I like Emacs keybindings better :))
Again, YMMV. I'd commit to working it in a VM first.
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#53I use Manjaro[0] because it's got all the advantages of Arch (rolling release and AUR for pretty much any package you'd need) with none of the setup time. I use the XFCE version, which, if you weren't aware, is one of the most stable DEs ever. I've yet to have it crash on me in the three years I've been using it. Also, all the keyboard shortcuts are modifiable, so you shouldn't have any problems with it.
To replace Alfred, I use Synapse[1]. It doesn't have as many features as Alfred, but it does allow for shell commands to be run from it.
iTerm2 is the gold standard when it comes to terminal emulators. TBH, no console really comes close to it. In my experience, the only one that is even comparable is Konsole, which is for KDE. Installing it on a non KDE DE requires a lot of other KDE packages and looks like garbage in it, so I wouldn't recommend do that. I find that Terminator[2] is perfect for my needs when paired with Tmux.
[0] https://manjaro.github.io/ [1] https://launchpad.net/synapse-project [2] http://gnometerminator.blogspot.com/p/introduction.html
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#54For compatibility, I use Ubuntu but without Unity. I've switched Unity out for i3wm[0]. I've set up Terminator[1] to handle multiple profiles and to handle Copy and Paste better.
[0]: https://i3wm.org/ [1]: https://launchpad.net/terminator
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#55Try one of the ubuntu flavours. http://www.ubuntu.com/about/about-ubuntu/flavours I'm currently working with Xubuntu. I have no idea about replacements for your applications.
I notice Bodhi Linux have recently released 3.0, I'd been using an older release. I'm a sysadmin command-line person, I like bash and a good terminal. Bodhi had visually appealing features, separating them from the Windows95 feel most other desktop Linux has. I switched to XUbuntu recently as while Bodhi and Enlightenment and Terminology are slick, they were missing critical features like copy/paste between applications and some functions needed a mouse. For their challenging the dull GUI status quo, i applaud them. I have recently been satisfied, like you, with Xubuntu and I am not using any jazzy or alternative terminal emulator.
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#56I'm a big fan of XFCE for your DE/WM. It allows you to set loads of keyboard shortcuts for various WM activities like launching programs, switching workspaces, moving/resizing windows. As far as non-WM activities, look elsewhere in this thread for program recommendations. The only Linux distro I can stand is Arch Linux. It will require you to become a sysadmin (comfortable with a shell, editing a few config files her…
My experience with Arch and updates is exactly opposite. Specifically, if I boot up a computer with Arch on it that has been sitting in a corner for a month or so, updating is almost guaranteed to break everything. I think this is just because of frequency of Arch updates. If you update every day, then it's probably no big deal. But then I find the same is true for other distros (go too long without updating software…
Arch is arguably worse than most about this, because their rolling repositories dump versions after a couple of updates are available. So if you wait too long to update, it can't even figure out how to get started, because it no longer has the slightest idea what the packages you have installed even mean.
Don't get me wrong, I like Arch a lot, and I've been using it as my main Linux distribution for the past five years at least. But if don't do a full "pacman -Su" at least once a week, it's absolutely going to shit the bed at some point.
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#57Being an OS X user myself I would lie if I said the thought hadn't hit me to switch to another Unix or Unix-like OS. Most notable candidates for me were: Elementary OS Looks great and Ubuntu based so there's a thriving community around it. Sort of. Crunchbang Linux Looks interesting. Didn't look into it much more than just click around on their website. FreeBSD My weapon of choice for servers. I bed it'd make a mean…
> Crunchbang Linux looks interesting...
I thought I should point out the core developer of Crunchbang linux has ceased development[0].
0) http://crunchbang.org/forums/viewtopic.php?pid=416493#p41649...
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#58You're absolutely right about Linux Mint. You can think of it like a curated Ubuntu. I'd recommend going with the Cinnamon UI. I've been using this combination for a few years now. About once or twice a year, I fire up a few other distros on one of my spare laptops at the house just to see where they're at. Mint is just a step ahead of the rest. For your "mini-command-line" utility, I'd recommend picking up Guake ter…
Another Mint fan here. After years of trying various distos and being decidedly each time, Mint was a very pleasant surprise.
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#59I switched a few weeks ago because I was tired of OS X, too. I tried every distribution out there and the one I've kept is Debian Jessie. Debian is great in that it's a simple and stable Gnome experience. Linux can be much more dangerous than OS X in terms of applications crashing badly, so I like the fact that I have an OS that I have thoroughly tested, fixed, and that won't move much in years. And I can get both that and a few up to date packages thanks to package pinning.
Alfred is the tool that I was afraid I couldn't have. I tried a few solutions but they just didn't do it for me. Gnome's default search bar is hard to customize and the various launchers out there either installed huge libraries or weren't hidpi enabled. I ended up writing my own launcher. When I hit Win+Space, a terminal opens and runs a script of mine who relies on the fuzzy finder fzf by junegunn. I use it to open files, search the web, log me into websites automatically with KeePassX, handle the music that's being played, etc.
I actually wrote an article on this but I haven't had the time to create the blog I wanted to put it on. If you're interested, give me your email and I'll send it to you with the code I actually use.
Re: Ask HN: Switching from OS X to Linux
#60Gnome3 is also nice http://i.imgur.com/8ZxohmT.png :) [x] - I yet to have see terminal emulator shipped with ubuntu that doesn't wrap text [x] - Gnome 3 has Alfred like search over files, apps, windows... also mutate ( https://github.com/qdore/Mutate )
What are you using to browse HN? I would love to have a "fold" option for browsing comment threads.