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Arch Linux: The Easy OS, No Joke, Not a Meme

Feb 8, 2024 · 4 min read · Prattle Linux

Arch Linux often does what Ubuntu tries and fails at. I started with Arch due to a simple problem; every so often I'd read on some cool new program I wanted to check out, then feel disparaged as I read over the instructions. 1sudo apt update 2sudo apt install lib-xyz kitchen-sink python3-kitchen-sink In the early days …

Distribution Beats Encryption

Dec 12, 2023 · 3 min read · FOSS

XMPP can be a nightmare to operate, but I still think it provides better long-term benefits than Signal, because XMPP without any encryption gives all the benefits of distribution, which grant better protection than encryption, overall. XMPP is a Nightmare My journey with XMPP so far has been: Use OTR encryption. Ask …

Photoshop Makes Bad Users

Nov 17, 2023 · 3 min read · FOSS

Every time Adobe does something horrible, hordes of Adobe Photoshop users attempt to migrate - generally to either GIMP or Inkscape. They arrive and start a standard string of complaints: This UI is bad (it should be like Photoshop, but it's not) GIMP can't do vector graphics properly. Inkscape can't do bitmaps …

Reality Check on Why People Don't Use Linux

Nov 5, 2023 · 2 min read · Prattle Linux

I cannot fathom why anyone debates this topic, because the answer sits plainly in front of you. Shops Schools Advertising Games Precedent Before you use a computer, you must buy it. You buy it from a shop. The shops have no Linux laptops. Linux laptops only come from new and obscure computer manufacturers. If people …

Why IT People Rarely Unionise

Oct 31, 2023 · 3 min read · Prattle Politics

I've seen this question come up a few times, so here's my collection of reasons which makes sense to me: It's new Film has been around for a century, so those people have had plenty of time to unionise. Linux has only existed for 20 years, so 'Linux sysadmins' have only had 20 years of experience, and that's an example …

Learning Programming Languages

Oct 17, 2023 · 3 min read · Languages Learning

When learning computer languages, order matters a lot, and I think I got lucky by learning them in roughly the best possible order. Just like a linguistic ladder, it's better to take many small steps than a couple of big steps. bash Bash is a great first language because you can start instantly, and do regular things …

The Zen of i3-gaps

Oct 12, 2023 · 2 min read · Prattle Linux

I feel that the i3-gaps window manager perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance. If you haven't read it, I won't repeat it, but perhaps this will make sense anyway. For a perfectly Romantic desktop environment, we have the classic Mac (and please picture every stereotype you think …

Markdown GUIs

Sep 29, 2023 · 4 min read · Review FOSS

'Organizers', 'wikis', 'note-taking apps', et c. - these apps are mostly Markdown with an attached GUI. Today, I'm trying each of them out for twenty minutes apiece. AnyType Site: anytype.io Size: 383 MB AnyType comes encrypted, meaning you can't easily grab the raw markdown notes and stick them in a Git, or do much …

Distasteful Preaching

Aug 31, 2023 · 4 min read · Prattle Philosophy

I feel an unstated agreement among disparate civil society that one shouldn't preach. Breaching the preaching rule quickly looks like hypocrisy, because everyone has more work to do on themselves. Easier Said than Done Someone - usually young - preaching about veganism, trans-rights, the effects of aeroplanes on …

Open Source is the Best Term

Aug 25, 2023 · 2 min read · FOSS

I once met a man who, having talked to some FOSS-enthusiast, felt moved, and told me he was sure to use 'free' software, but not that 'open source', software. His attempts, of course, would be futile, because the words refer to the same software. The Free Software Foundation (could they not at least have called …