So it's a tutorial where the goal is to be able to take a screenshot, post to Reddit, and feel cool. There are a few pieces of good information, but it's for people learning Linux (how to install, run a package manager, etc), not power users, which I would define as someone who understands a lot of the OS and takes as much advantage of the system at hand.
I feel as if I'd qualify as a power user, who has used Windows since the 3.1 days, who has used MacOS since the Tiger days, and who has been using various Linux distributions since 1999 -- I definitely wasn't the intended target audience of this article.
With a title of "Linux Guide for Power Users," I was hoping for some interesting scripts or relatively unknown applications that might be fun to tinker with. I always love to learn something new that I didn't know before (an example: recently I discovered TimeShift which is really a fancy wrapper around rsync and BTRFS, but it's a pretty nice GUI to help create and restore snapshots that I wasn't aware of before).
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 Firefox be a snap package (which broke my workflow), but that it would require me to go well out of my way to solve that, Gnome decided that I wanted a touchscreen layout (I custom compile gtk+ to remove the 'search on type' behavior in file>open dialogs, most major packages seem to default to nouveau which while a great movement seems to totally break critical path regularly.
How the hell have we gotten to a point where Linux closely reflects the instability of the Windows ecosystem. I'm not afraid of change, but I feel like the large majority of changes that are made cause me problems to the point where I now fear upgrading my distro to latest.
I'm not sure where this affirmation comes from. Do you have "systemd-sysv" installed? What happens when you do run `init 0´?
init(1)[0] says:
For compatibility with SysV, if the binary is called as init and
is not the first process on the machine (PID is not 1), it will
execute telinit and pass all command line arguments unmodified.
That means init and telinit are mostly equivalent when invoked
from normal login sessions. See telinit(8) for more information.
telinit(8)[1]:
The following commands are understood:
0
Power-off the machine. This is translated into an activation
request for poweroff.target and is equivalent to systemctl
poweroff.
> ipconfig isn't a command anymore
are you sure you're not mixing up the Windows command ipconfig[2] with the still ubiquitous ifconfig[3]?
Even though it's considered deprecated in favor of iproute2's[4] "ip" command, I don't know any distro which has ceased making net-tools available, let alone unusable.
> systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me
I agree systemd has been pretty disruptive, but it has made me a lot more productive. Writing a unit file is dead simple, and it is capable of doing a lot of very interesting things. Hardening a unit is quite easy, for instance. You might already be aware of all that, but if not, I can drop some links on another reply.
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.
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 are practical but 2 specific ones I'd note:
"ip" has been the tool you wanted to use since even the mid 2000s - ifconfig wouldn't even show you every IP on an interface since then unless it had an alias. Something that may help you make the transition is the "-brief" (-br for short) switch which gives a very compact simple output that is a little easier to visually parse. If you're using a systemd-networkd system, "networkctl status" is also handy.
For systemd, I have never been bitter about it, but while it has changed many commands and interfaces or ways you work, if you just dig a tiny bit below the surface it has SO many modernsations and conveniences that more than make up for it. Make your own rosetta stone for your top commands, but then look around at all the other things systemctl, etc, offer and find some pluses to make the pain worth it :)
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."
I have a feeling the BSDs could be the answer to that, but I think at this moment what makes me reluctant to migrate is hardware support (could be mitigated by buying specific hardware but I prefer to use what I already have) and virtualization (evolving but not as great as KVM). It is mainly the amount of packages available on Debian-like distros and the slow update cycle that makes me stick to them.
I tried to use OpenBSD for a while at home, and it mostly worked out, but making my VPN work with it looked so complicated that I went back to Debian.
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.
Spend a week (seriously it will take that long, especially if you've been doing this for a long time and want to customize everything and also haven't been in the gentoo scene for a while) and switch [back] to Gentoo. (don't go all the way to Funtoo, yet, even though syncing and profiles are probably superior)
if you know what `init 0` is then you'll be able to pick up on Gentoo and it'll be the new distro for the rest of your life. another excellent option is Void or Alpine (both of which I prefer on servers, but Gentoo makes a better desktop because it's incredibly flexible).
>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 input field. I wish someone could explain. It just feels asinine. Every time.
User facing tools have always been changing in Linux but that doesn't mean a regression in functionality, usually quite the opposite. ipchains became iptables which became netfilter. chroot and su evolved into namespaces and capabilities (yes, I know these existed since forever but no one cared back then).
I would agree with you on Gnome. It aped+ the macOS UX poorly and as a result, it feels like several random efforts thrown together with no cohesion or plot.
"This guide is meant as a loose inspiration for a poweruser looking to switch to Linux."
It's your guide, but as a non-technical Linux power user of over 2 decades, I don't think I would recommend Windows or Mac power users make the immediate shift to the (Neo)vim and i3 "metaphors" (if that's the right way to express it). I'd recommend KDE for Windows PUs and Pop? Peppermint? (I forget which disto aspires to the MacOS look and feel.
I started using Emacs for Org because I don't program, and I gradually added email, file management, irc, gopher, roam, and other "functionality" as I became more proficient. I finally switched any key binding I could anywhere to Emacs, but I would never suggest Emacs to a Windows or Mac PU unless they already used it, let alone modal editing if they never used it and didn't live in a text editor.
When I started using Org there were not many decent open source plaintext information managers that could also do agendas, to-dos, etc. I mostly used Zim prior. Not all PUs live in text editors, program, or edit configuration files in a modal editor. Why would someone who uses a text editor primarily to edit configuration files do so in a modal editor unsteady of Gedit or Kate or even nano or micro?
Today, I would likely recommend Joplin for a PU who wants open source plain text information management plus a multitude of plugins on any platform and any GUI text editor with good syntax highlighting and customization and a Desktop Manager. It would allow for more gradual transition because being a PU on Windows or Mac means making significant changes would actually be more difficult.
But you can have my Emacs when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.
I feel exactly the same. Not going down this route around the same time I probably would've gone Windows 7 -> Windows 10 -> Windows 11 and had to deal with all that brings with it.
Instead going fully Linux had its pain points, but the learning, exposure to everything and the experience was well worth it. Looking back, so many of the issue I ran into ~10 years ago barely exist today - at least I rarely run into those kind of hurdles either due to more experience or the ecosystem just being quite stable and mature now.
I have the same experience. In my case everything worked fine out of the box (after several test installs of Arch).
The best distro for a new Linux user is actually the same distro your best friend uses. When things get dire it's good to have a direct help (Arch Wiki is great but one needs to know how to extract most or its knowledge).
Why would you install Arch-based Manjaro? Why not just go with a flavor of Ubuntu to start becoming productive from like minute 5? And if you're really trying to become a super-user why not NixOS?
NixOS is not an obvious choice if you want to become a "Linux super-user." It takes a very unconventional approach to package management, building and configuring your system. All great for what it is but not going to teach you the conventional Linux way of doing things.
I don't know if this is still the case but when installing Arch, it used to be that you would start with a very basic set of essential packages and then build everything up from scratch. That is a great way to become a power user. However I thought the whole point of Manjaro was that it's an Arch variant which does a bunch of that for you, so Manjaro's a weird choice for this guide.
Personally, the biggest appeal of Arch is the great wiki, a large number of up to date packages without snap/ppa whatever else Ubuntu makes you do, and the AUR for anything else that isn't available in the regular package repos.
I've only used Ubuntu for work, and typically the versions of things are quite out of date. Where as Arch, for all it's warts and costs (setup, maintenance etc) gives you those things for free.
I haven't found Arch that much more difficult to work with. For 2 years I used it on a work laptop without issue. Only recently messed up something while updating firmware drivers which requires more than 5 mins/week/month to diagnose.
Personally, if I'm recommending something for daily use (as in, you plan to do more than just work on this device) I could only recommend a rolling release where your software is always up to date. You'd usually want and expect software to be up to date (at least for software that isn't trying to screw you ;)) and if something you are using has a bug, waiting for the next Ubuntu release is unreasonable. Also, if your packages update regularly (and you update them regularly :)), it is much easier to debug when things go wrong since you can more easily keep track of recent changes.
Similarly, I wouldn't recommend Ubuntu to beginners because the dist-upgrade process is very scary and unreliable (in fact, I don't think I've ever seen dist-upgrade succeed fully without errors or manual intervention), so I wouldn't want to have that unpleasent surprise waiting for them when they aren't ready for it. The situation around snap is also likely to leave a sour taste in their mouth ("Why am I being nagged to close Chrome 2 weeks from now? And why am I still nagged after I just closed and reopened it?!" not to mention "Why can't I open this file in Chrome?").
I still don't know what a "power user" is supposed to be, after seeing the term for like 30 years. Seems to describe a range from "able to leap tall spreadsheets in a single bound" to "the person in the office who knows how to fix things".
In my experience, most long-term unix nerds today seem to end up using (a) whatever is in front of them or (b) vanilla Debian.
This appears to not be for an audience of software engineers.
When I was young, I had a Compiz-enabled cube desktop (maybe with conky running) and it was super cool and stuff and I enjoyed it, so this is in that realm.
Nice of author to share his setup, though. It's often the case that explicit instructions like these help me when I'm searching for something so I always support the writing of them. I don't think this should have been posted here, though.
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. Create a panel to use as a start menu/taskbar/clock.
6.2. Create a panel to use as a dock. Make the icon size larger and make it autohide. Add multiple "Launcher" items to it with the programs you regularly use.
7. Install more stuff
# The most similar terminal to iTerm2
sudo apt install tilix
# Similar to Alfred on macOS
sudo apt install kupfer
# Install a web browser
sudo apt install firefox
# Webcam software
sudo apt install guvcview cheese
# Flatpak
sudo apt install flatpak
i consider myself as a competent linux user, was a linux activist back in the uni days, even. but the article didn't sell me anything at all. if anything, this kind of article is what would drive me away from linux if i were not a linux user.
consider my position, a 9-5 computer guy who lost almost all of my interest in operating system. i just want to get my job done, be it writing software for my employer or redeploy some containers on aws or what you have. in order to do that, i'd need a decent set of toolchains and other things. i wouldn't want to tinker with my graphic driver or any drivers if that matter either. if you want to convince me to use linux fulltime, you'd need to give me a guarantee that i can just sit down, install the damn os including drivers, and the dev. toolchains in less than an hour. but no! the article shows how to be "THAT LINUX GUY".
[+] [-] ulkesh|2 years ago|reply
I feel as if I'd qualify as a power user, who has used Windows since the 3.1 days, who has used MacOS since the Tiger days, and who has been using various Linux distributions since 1999 -- I definitely wasn't the intended target audience of this article.
With a title of "Linux Guide for Power Users," I was hoping for some interesting scripts or relatively unknown applications that might be fun to tinker with. I always love to learn something new that I didn't know before (an example: recently I discovered TimeShift which is really a fancy wrapper around rsync and BTRFS, but it's a pretty nice GUI to help create and restore snapshots that I wasn't aware of before).
[+] [-] iueotnmunto|2 years ago|reply
How the hell have we gotten to a point where Linux closely reflects the instability of the Windows ecosystem. I'm not afraid of change, but I feel like the large majority of changes that are made cause me problems to the point where I now fear upgrading my distro to latest.
[+] [-] claviola|2 years ago|reply
I'm not sure where this affirmation comes from. Do you have "systemd-sysv" installed? What happens when you do run `init 0´?
init(1)[0] says:
telinit(8)[1]: > ipconfig isn't a command anymoreare you sure you're not mixing up the Windows command ipconfig[2] with the still ubiquitous ifconfig[3]? Even though it's considered deprecated in favor of iproute2's[4] "ip" command, I don't know any distro which has ceased making net-tools available, let alone unusable.
> systemd changed the whole subsystem from underneath me
I agree systemd has been pretty disruptive, but it has made me a lot more productive. Writing a unit file is dead simple, and it is capable of doing a lot of very interesting things. Hardening a unit is quite easy, for instance. You might already be aware of all that, but if not, I can drop some links on another reply.
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.
[+] [-] lathiat|2 years ago|reply
Some of your complaints are practical but 2 specific ones I'd note: "ip" has been the tool you wanted to use since even the mid 2000s - ifconfig wouldn't even show you every IP on an interface since then unless it had an alias. Something that may help you make the transition is the "-brief" (-br for short) switch which gives a very compact simple output that is a little easier to visually parse. If you're using a systemd-networkd system, "networkctl status" is also handy.
For systemd, I have never been bitter about it, but while it has changed many commands and interfaces or ways you work, if you just dig a tiny bit below the surface it has SO many modernsations and conveniences that more than make up for it. Make your own rosetta stone for your top commands, but then look around at all the other things systemctl, etc, offer and find some pluses to make the pain worth it :)
See also: https://github.com/certsimple/rosetta-stone
[+] [-] jppittma|2 years ago|reply
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."
[+] [-] flusensieb|2 years ago|reply
> I'm not afraid of change
If that minor issue is a reason to recompile a whole ui-toolkit, then I guess you should just stop applying any os update at all...
[+] [-] jwrallie|2 years ago|reply
I tried to use OpenBSD for a while at home, and it mostly worked out, but making my VPN work with it looked so complicated that I went back to Debian.
[+] [-] michaelmrose|2 years ago|reply
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.
[+] [-] lelanthran|2 years ago|reply
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.
[+] [-] gunapologist99|2 years ago|reply
if you know what `init 0` is then you'll be able to pick up on Gentoo and it'll be the new distro for the rest of your life. another excellent option is Void or Alpine (both of which I prefer on servers, but Gentoo makes a better desktop because it's incredibly flexible).
[+] [-] mlry|2 years ago|reply
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 input field. I wish someone could explain. It just feels asinine. Every time.
[+] [-] Steltek|2 years ago|reply
I would agree with you on Gnome. It aped+ the macOS UX poorly and as a result, it feels like several random efforts thrown together with no cohesion or plot.
+: Subtle pun for old timers
[+] [-] frantathefranta|2 years ago|reply
> * containing a fully configured system (yes bloat, idc its a beginners tutorial)
So is it for beginners or power users? Or can that be the same person? Choice of Manjaro is also curious, considering its history.
[+] [-] freedomben|2 years ago|reply
Reasonable and good question. I tend to see that as orthogonal (but with some overlap) as "power user" is more of a mindset to me.
[+] [-] bil7|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] dingnuts|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] artisanspam|2 years ago|reply
Can you elaborate?
[+] [-] vcg3rd|2 years ago|reply
It's your guide, but as a non-technical Linux power user of over 2 decades, I don't think I would recommend Windows or Mac power users make the immediate shift to the (Neo)vim and i3 "metaphors" (if that's the right way to express it). I'd recommend KDE for Windows PUs and Pop? Peppermint? (I forget which disto aspires to the MacOS look and feel.
I started using Emacs for Org because I don't program, and I gradually added email, file management, irc, gopher, roam, and other "functionality" as I became more proficient. I finally switched any key binding I could anywhere to Emacs, but I would never suggest Emacs to a Windows or Mac PU unless they already used it, let alone modal editing if they never used it and didn't live in a text editor.
When I started using Org there were not many decent open source plaintext information managers that could also do agendas, to-dos, etc. I mostly used Zim prior. Not all PUs live in text editors, program, or edit configuration files in a modal editor. Why would someone who uses a text editor primarily to edit configuration files do so in a modal editor unsteady of Gedit or Kate or even nano or micro?
Today, I would likely recommend Joplin for a PU who wants open source plain text information management plus a multitude of plugins on any platform and any GUI text editor with good syntax highlighting and customization and a Desktop Manager. It would allow for more gradual transition because being a PU on Windows or Mac means making significant changes would actually be more difficult.
But you can have my Emacs when you pry it from my cold, dead hands.
[+] [-] thatcherthorn|2 years ago|reply
All of the rough edges I've encountered (usually) have resulted in a better understanding of how software actually works.
[+] [-] frfl|2 years ago|reply
Instead going fully Linux had its pain points, but the learning, exposure to everything and the experience was well worth it. Looking back, so many of the issue I ran into ~10 years ago barely exist today - at least I rarely run into those kind of hurdles either due to more experience or the ecosystem just being quite stable and mature now.
[+] [-] Corsome|2 years ago|reply
The best distro for a new Linux user is actually the same distro your best friend uses. When things get dire it's good to have a direct help (Arch Wiki is great but one needs to know how to extract most or its knowledge).
[+] [-] orliesaurus|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] safety1st|2 years ago|reply
I don't know if this is still the case but when installing Arch, it used to be that you would start with a very basic set of essential packages and then build everything up from scratch. That is a great way to become a power user. However I thought the whole point of Manjaro was that it's an Arch variant which does a bunch of that for you, so Manjaro's a weird choice for this guide.
Edit: Looks like doing a vanilla Arch install is still pretty gangsta: https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/installation_guide#Install_...
[+] [-] frfl|2 years ago|reply
I've only used Ubuntu for work, and typically the versions of things are quite out of date. Where as Arch, for all it's warts and costs (setup, maintenance etc) gives you those things for free.
I haven't found Arch that much more difficult to work with. For 2 years I used it on a work laptop without issue. Only recently messed up something while updating firmware drivers which requires more than 5 mins/week/month to diagnose.
[+] [-] Adverblessly|2 years ago|reply
Similarly, I wouldn't recommend Ubuntu to beginners because the dist-upgrade process is very scary and unreliable (in fact, I don't think I've ever seen dist-upgrade succeed fully without errors or manual intervention), so I wouldn't want to have that unpleasent surprise waiting for them when they aren't ready for it. The situation around snap is also likely to leave a sour taste in their mouth ("Why am I being nagged to close Chrome 2 weeks from now? And why am I still nagged after I just closed and reopened it?!" not to mention "Why can't I open this file in Chrome?").
[+] [-] _jal|2 years ago|reply
In my experience, most long-term unix nerds today seem to end up using (a) whatever is in front of them or (b) vanilla Debian.
[+] [-] PrimeMcFly|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] bluefishinit|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] BillyTheMage|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] nateb2022|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] wetpaws|2 years ago|reply
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[+] [-] renewiltord|2 years ago|reply
When I was young, I had a Compiz-enabled cube desktop (maybe with conky running) and it was super cool and stuff and I enjoyed it, so this is in that realm.
Nice of author to share his setup, though. It's often the case that explicit instructions like these help me when I'm searching for something so I always support the writing of them. I don't think this should have been posted here, though.
[+] [-] 29athrowaway|2 years ago|reply
1. Install Xubuntu
2. Start your session
3. Run
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. Create a panel to use as a start menu/taskbar/clock.
6.2. Create a panel to use as a dock. Make the icon size larger and make it autohide. Add multiple "Launcher" items to it with the programs you regularly use.
7. Install more stuff
8. Go to https://flathub.org/ and install other useful software.9. Install an office suite (for example, https://www.freeoffice.com/en/)
For games, Lutris and Steam are your friends.
[+] [-] lemper|2 years ago|reply
consider my position, a 9-5 computer guy who lost almost all of my interest in operating system. i just want to get my job done, be it writing software for my employer or redeploy some containers on aws or what you have. in order to do that, i'd need a decent set of toolchains and other things. i wouldn't want to tinker with my graphic driver or any drivers if that matter either. if you want to convince me to use linux fulltime, you'd need to give me a guarantee that i can just sit down, install the damn os including drivers, and the dev. toolchains in less than an hour. but no! the article shows how to be "THAT LINUX GUY".
[+] [-] snvzz|2 years ago|reply
Author should have focused on Arch instead. Especially since they use Arch themselves.
I am guessing they are not aware what Manjaro really is, and how it is run.
0. https://github.com/arindas/manjarno
[+] [-] waithuh|2 years ago|reply
> Manjaro
well, acceptable i guess...
> (yes bloat, idc its a beginners guide)
huh
[+] [-] whalesalad|2 years ago|reply
I am quite happy with Debian 12, though.
[+] [-] textread|2 years ago|reply
This isnt good advice for power users.
[+] [-] nektro|2 years ago|reply
quite the contrary, https://github.com/arindas/manjarno
[+] [-] 31b3r3t7|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] BillyTheMage|2 years ago|reply
"People who use Ubuntu know Ubuntu, people who know RHEL know RHEL, but people who use Gentoo know Linux"
[+] [-] nateb2022|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] PrimeMcFly|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] seanw444|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jasoneckert|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] al_be_back|2 years ago|reply
some good info/instructions - liked the virtualbox guide.
[+] [-] user6723|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] ekianjo|2 years ago|reply
[+] [-] cumshitpiss|2 years ago|reply
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