[lug] Efficiency prioritized Linux desktop

[Steve Litt]

On Fri, 17 Apr 2020 17:46:44 -0600
Maxwell Spangler <lists at maxwellspangler.com> wrote:

> On Mon, 2020-04-13 at 23:48 -0400, Steve Litt wrote:
> 
> > My desktop greatly emphasizes the keyboard over the mouse,because
> > usually the keyboard is much faster.
> > What the preceding did for me is now (after restarting Openbox),
> > when Ipress Shift+Ctrl+semicolon, it pulls up a vertical list of
> > everyexecutable on my executable path. As I type in characters, it
> > narrowsthe list. When the list gets to a length of one, or when I
> > press Enterwhile the highlight is on a list item, the highlighted
> > list item isexecuted. Dmenu rules out all list items except those
> > having the stringyou typed in, and it sorts items *starting* with
> > that string on top. Inother words, I run a program using four or
> > five keystrokes, includingthe final Enter key: This is much quicker
> > than anything I could do withthe mouse, assuming I started and
> > ended back up in keyboard home keyposition.  
> 
> Thanks for sharing, this was interesting.
> 
> I use much of the same setup on Fedora using Gnome 3.
> 
> * I launch programs with WindowsKey + type part of the name to narrow
> down + ENTER.
> 
> * I've created custom desktop launchers for things like terminal
> windows so I can do
> 
> WindowsKey + 'right' + ENTER == launch a terminal, of a set size and
> position it at a known location. (Top right, primary monitor).
> WindowsKey + "test' + ENTER == launch a terminal, set size and
> position on the aux monitor to the left where I normally run programs
> to test what I'm coding on the primary.
> 
> Like you, I prioritize keyboard over mouse. There is a hidden dock but
> I never use it.  Gnome provides a visual browse of icons to launch
> things but I don't use that either.  I've completely switch (like you)
> to WindowsKey + name of program + ENTER.  
> 
> This makes the GUI environment feel like a 'super terminal'.  It's a
> GUI, but its not mouse to the menu, navigate, click, mouse to the app,
> point, click, point click.  Mostly.
> 
> * I'm using the Gnome 3 'gTile' extension to program custom window
> sizes. This lets me change window's size and position between several
> pre-programmed spaces and sizes using the keyboard.  It's all about
> maximizing screen usage and avoiding the need to grab the mouse and
> carefully reposition and resize windows.
> 
> * I created some scripts that reposition and resize windows, too. This
> works in X but not Wayland.  So if I do WindowsKey + "work" + ENTER.
> It will
> 1. Run a desktop launcher called work.desktop
> 1.1 Runs a script called position.
> 1.1.1 Position reads a config file and executes 'wmctrl' to send
> messages to apps to change their position and size.
> This puts specific windows like KeepassX and Evolution email in
> specific places and sizes.  It also sets window manager attributes
> like 'show KeepassX on all desktops'.
> 
> * I like using the trackball or trackpad ( I have both ) occasionally
> in order to select things on the screen.  I use mouse focus so I can
> swing the cursor into a new window and give it focus.  I could do this
> with keyboard, but in an affort to prevent RSI, I think its good to
> get your hands away from the keyboard and slow down, sometimes, in
> order to get some additional muscle actions while you type so much.
> 

:-)

It sounds like we're using the same computer but favored slightly
different hotkeys.

SteveT

Steve Litt
March 2020 featured book: Troubleshooting: Why Bother?
http://www.troubleshooters.com/twb