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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- With a little bit of effort, you’ll be able to elevate Linux’s desktop effectivity.
- The following tips will not value you a penny and the outcomes might be game-changing.
- You will not must be a Linux specialist to make use of the following tips.
I’ve labored with practically each working system at present available on the market (and a few not with us). Of all these working methods, one stands method above the others within the class of effectivity.
Do not get me improper, each OS excels in one thing, however with Linux, you can also make it excel at nearly every little thing. Once I take into consideration every OS I’ve used, I can truthfully say that the one one I’d ever select when effectivity was a prime precedence is Linux.
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Arms down.
Some Linux distributions (and/or desktop environments) are fairly environment friendly out of the field, however there may be all the time room for enchancment.
However what are you able to do to make the Linux desktop much more environment friendly? Loads. Let’s check out my 10 favourite modifications/additions you can also make.
1. Keyboard shortcuts
To say that is strictly a Linux factor could be improper. Even so, you hear of extra Linux customers working with keyboard shortcuts than with most different OSes. In reality, most Linux desktop environments permit you to simply create customized keyboard shortcuts out of the field. And with Linux, you’ll be able to create some environment friendly keyboard shortcuts, equivalent to these for managing home windows, shifting home windows, window focus, launching apps, display locking, logging out, taking a screenshot, opening the terminal, operating a command, opening particular apps, and a lot extra. You can even create customized shortcuts for much more effectivity.
2. Tiling window supervisor or window snapping
One difficulty that usually will get in the way in which of being as environment friendly as attainable is managing your open apps. Most desktop working methods supply window snapping (for instance, dragging an app window to the left fringe of the desktop to snap it to the left facet of the show).
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Linux takes this one step additional and presents tiling window managers that mechanically place home windows for you. By using a tiling window manager, you not have to fret about the place to put a window within the optimum location, as a result of the tiling window supervisor does that for you. And since most tiling window managers additionally embody keyboard shortcuts, you would create a desktop the place you hardly ever have to the touch the mouse or trackpad.
3. Use Workspaces
Workspaces have been out there to Linux since I began utilizing it within the late ’90s. Workspaces make it simple to prepare your desktop (and an organized desktop is an environment friendly one). For instance, you would have one Workspace devoted to writing, one for basic internet searching, one for productiveness, and one for multimedia. With the assistance of a helpful keyboard shortcut, you’ll be able to swap between these desktops with ease. Which distribution you utilize will decide how you utilize workspaces.
4. Automate bash scripts
Sooner or later, you will get curious concerning the command line, which could lead you to write down your first bash script. As soon as you’ve got created your first bash script, you will then wish to automate it. For instance, you would possibly write a bash script that handles backups of sure directories to an exterior drive. Why not use cron to automate that script, so you do not have to recollect to run the script every day, weekly, or month-to-month? Cron is a really easy-to-use instrument for automation on Linux.
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5. Customise your desktop
Almost each Linux desktop surroundings is customizable. A few of these customizations are aesthetic, whereas others concentrate on effectivity. For instance, in Xfce, you would create a panel on the highest, backside, left, and proper. Dedicate one panel to app launchers, one to info, one to folder shortcuts, and one to interacting with the primary menu. You are able to do this with a number of desktop environments, however on condition that Xfce is the reigning champ of customization, it was the plain alternative. You can even customise the right-click context menu of your file supervisor to make it simpler to do issues like share folders, compress information, and extra.
6. Study the command line
People who find themselves new to Linux will more than likely maintain off on studying the command line. Finally, nevertheless, you would possibly discover that utilizing the CLI is rather more environment friendly than utilizing the GUI. For instance, I might create a keyboard shortcut to launch my terminal app, after which difficulty the command mkdir ~/ZDNET to create a folder named ZDNET, after which run the command exit to shut the terminal. That’s rather more environment friendly than opening your file supervisor, navigating to the placement that may home the brand new folder, right-clicking any area, naming the brand new folder, after which closing the file supervisor. Work smarter, not tougher.
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7. Set up the proper software program
This one ought to be fairly simple, nevertheless it’s essential to put in the proper software program for the job. On prime of that, be certain that to put in software program that makes the job simpler. Here is a easy instance: You put in the AbiWord phrase processor, hoping that it contains AI help, solely to understand it doesn’t. You then set up LibreOffice and discover that including AI is a bit too sophisticated. You lastly uncover that ONLYOFFICE Doc Editors has built-in AI, so that you go along with that. As a substitute of spending all that point, do a little bit of up-front analysis, so you already know what apps will fit your wants.
8. Higher handle information and folders
I see this one on a regular basis. Open somebody’s file supervisor, and you will find their directories are nothing however chaos. There is not any rhyme or motive why information are the place they’re. As a substitute, be certain that to prepare your folders rigorously. For instance, throughout the ~/Paperwork folder, you would possibly create sub-folders for Faculty, Work, House, and Creativity. Inside these folders, you would possibly create a folder for the yr (2025). Contained in the 2025 folder, create folders for every month and save the information accordingly. The sort of file system structure has saved me extra time than I might have imagined.
9. Make use of LAN-based file sync
As a substitute of going with Google Drive or OneDrive, you would possibly take into consideration deploying a file-sync service in your LAN. You would possibly deploy Nextcloud and use it as your inner Google Workspace alternative. This may be extra environment friendly as a result of you’ll be able to add the options you need and eliminate these you do not. And, must you lose contact with the exterior community, you’ll nonetheless have entry to your inner cloud storage.
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10. Use a strong keyboard launcher
Lastly, use a strong keyboard launcher, equivalent to Albert. With these launchers, you hit a key in your keyboard to open the instrument, kind what you are in search of (equivalent to a file or an app), use your up or down arrow keys to pick out what you wish to open, and hit Enter in your keyboard. Chances are you’ll not imagine this, however shifting your hand from the keyboard to the mouse and again to the keyboard can eat away at your effectivity. On prime of that, keyboard launchers make it a lot simpler to seek out the information you are in search of.
