Lage.tech

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Arch

Arch Linux is an independently developed, x86-64 general-purpose GNU/Linux distribution that strives to provide the latest stable versions of most software by following a rolling-release model. The default installation is a minimal base system, configured by the user to only add what is purposely required. — ArchLinux.org Wiki

Personal setup

This setup is a style of favorite applications, services, and drivers. It ignores everything related to the initial Arch linux setup.

Manual

Offline access to a manual of all your CLI tools.

man dwm # Manual page on DWM, ie keyboard shortcuts

Mod1 is the alt key on the US keyboard layout

Helpful Wiki

Shell

First, installed Zsh then added Oh-my-zsh. Went with the Cloud theme.

oh-my-zsh plugins:

  • git
  • nvm

Windows Tiling Manager

Replace (or use with) a Desktop Environment. The primary objective is automating the layout of application windows, however, many go beyond in building interactive User flows that mostly increase speed of which one interfaces a typical desktop computer. For example, use keyboard short-cuts to “tile” windows on screen to keep your hands on the keyboard.

Trying out dwm. Recommend you install it manually by building it locally. I’ve had more success with patches when cloning 6.2 specifically, than just using the latest Master i.e.

git clone -b 6.2 git://git.suckless.org/dwm

Currently, using a bash script executable, from a Desktop Entry, to launch dwm along with other things (such as feh for restoring the wallpaper)

/usr/local/bin/custom-dwm-start

#!/bin/bash
~/.fehbg &


exec /usr/src/dwm/dwm

/usr/share/xsessions/dwm.desktop

[Desktop Entry]
Name=DWM
Type=Application
Comment=Custom DWM Session
Exec=/usr/local/bin/custom-dwm-start

Don’t forget to give executable permission to the bash script:

chmod +x /usr/local/bin/custom-dwm-start

Apps

  • launch applications, create dynamic menus dmenu
  • set a background wallpaper feh

Patches

Learn how to use Patches

Trying out:

  • pertag unique layout per tag & more
  • ru_gaps with special patch for Fibonacci layouts
    • I had to custom apply the patch by following the main Fibonacci patch notes but using the ru_gaps patch code

Also, changed the Mod1 key from the left Alt key to the Super/Windows key, following these instructions. Now keyboard shortcuts for Visual Studio Code (like moving multiple high-lighted lines of code up or down) can be used without change.

Tried:

  • fullgaps gaps between windows (replaced with ru_gaps for Fibonacci layout support)

CLI Tools

Given how fast shell based Windows work in dwm, having CLI alternatives for GUI apps can expediate your work-flow.

Trying out the following:

Wifi

Arch does not include a DHCP client in the bare-install. I ended up having most success with dhcpcd to get an IP. After determining my wireless card’s chipset, I was able to find a driver that supported it. Also, it’s possible to find the driver through the hardware’s device-id. After the driver was installed, the wifi interface showed up on ip link. Then, I was able to form a wireless connection to my home Wifi network with encryption using iwctl.

Helpful links:

Nvidia

Trying out the Nvidia driver for Geforce 1060 6GB card.

Docker

Installation Guide

Start service:

systemctl start docker.service

Steam

Valve officially supports Ubuntu.

Deal with missing libraries/dependencies (resolve with this guide). My setup required an additional font & 32bit lib packages.

My computer streams on local Wifi to a networked Steam Link better, when running Arch, as opposed to Windows. 💪🤩

Helpful links:

Chat

Slack has the slack-desktop package in the package-manager. Recommend you use pacman to install instead, instead of manually installing it from their website, to let pacman manage updates for you.

Apps:

todo Zoom

Discord client app freezes were fixed by disabling Desktop Notifications

Emoji’s

Express yourself with a font that has emoji’s like noto-fonts-emoji (guide).

Keyboard Volume Control

Use Xbindkeys with pamixer to bind effects to various keys in the keyboard.

Reload with latest configuration changes:

xbindkeys -p

Take screenshots

scrot is a CLI tool for generating screenshots, including thumbnails i.e.

scrot -t 20 -d 5

The file is png with a dated filename. The flags are:

  • -t Thumbnail percentage size from original i.e. 20%
  • -d Delay in seconds before taking the screenshot i.e. 5 seconds

Clock (Date/Time)

Update the system clock with timedatectl.

NTFS support

Support NTFS partitions (i.e. Windows file-systems).

Install the ntfs-3g package. Then mount the corresponding file-system partition(s), i.e.:

sudo ntfs-3g /dev/sdd2 /mnt/windows

TODO