[clug] anyone keen to talk at March CLUG, Thursday 24th - Suggested Topic: "Using Linux for your personal computer"

[Bryan Kilgallin]

Thanks, George:

> If no one has a better topic for our next CLUG meeting (24th March 2016), I would like to discuss "Using Linux for your personal computer".

This is almost my sole usage of it! Though I also include learning for 
its own sake.

> Some of us are using Linux as a Desktop and others mainly for servers.

I got the PC chatting with my phone; that's the limit of it.

> But would you be interested in discussing "Using Linux for your primary personal computer"  ?

Perhaps ideas for various ways of doing this?

> What is the correct term for Gnome, Unity, Xfce, Cinnamon, Mate, KDE, LXDE, etc ?

Most people I deal with, have hardly heard of any of them!

> Most seem to call these "Desktop environments", while I think of them as UI's (user interfaces).

You might talk about these niches.

> I have been using Debian + Xfce as my primary computer now for around six months, and the only issue I have found so far is the inability to successfully edit my DV video files (the output keeps getting corrupted).

I used e-mail software at a community workshop. Which had Debian 
installed. That caused me confusion as terms like "Iceweasel". And the 
begrudging nature of peer-support just made me frustrated!

> Though as yet I have not found a suitable UI method for searching for specific filenames, and/or files that contain specific text.

I try to be rational with file organisation.

> The main issues in discussing "Using Linux for your personal computer", is;
> 1) that there are many distros, and many UI's and many configurations.
> I don't have time time to try them all.

A friend panics when asked to consider anything other than Windows!

> 2) I have personal preferences that others would not have, nor understand, just as others will have personal preferences that I would not see any value in.

Perhaps you might start with an on-line literature review.

> There is so much choice that one can get lost just thinking about or discussing the variations.

My personal approach was to ask a help-desk worker for advice. And then 
stick with it: "If it ain't broke...".

> One of my personal preferences is that I don't like (or want) any Desktop Environment that has a menu which covers or removes my view of my desktop where I have various applications open, and have carefully positioned each of their windows, either overlapping or beside each other (or a combination).

This doesn't bother me at all, as I am a minimalist!

> I don't want my view of this layout to be obscured, just to start another application (which is what I use a Desktop Environment's menu for).

Get a bigger monitor?

> I recall that Paul once said to me that he wanted people to be able to fully use Linux without having to open a Terminal or run a terminal command.

This to me isn't practical. Although I have a relatively ignorant of and 
distasteful towards the command-line.

> I did not agree at that time but now I see the point of his comment.

I like the relative security. Though I admit to nostalgia for OS X' 
cuteness!

> I wonder if it would be possible to discuss "Using Linux for your personal computer", without getting lost in tangents, or in pointless debates on personal likes?

My friends think that Linux is a tangent!

> Maybe a number of people who do use "Linux for their personal computer", if it was a laptop, could do a 5 minute demo while explaining why they like their configuration and favourite applications?

I don't have a laptop. But I use Ubuntu 12.04 LTS, because my hardware 
is too crummy to upgrade! I have already spoken about Web browsers. But 
I could chat about other Launcher icons, and utilities and games.

-- 
www.netspeed.com.au/bryan/
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