favorites.txt

Favorite laptop features ( a hardware checklist )
=================================================

None of these are showstoppers. But too many of them lacking will be for me.

- charging port should be usb-C only, and be left and right. No proprietary 'barrel" charger
- mouse pad should have 3 button mouse. sure, middle click works with gestures too.  [lenovo]
- ethernet port, ideally 2.5Gb
- ethernet port should have status lights (k2 and d76 don't)
- there should be standard plug for headphones (mic too?)
- screen should be able to fold flat (180 degrees)   [lenovo]
- batteries should be 70+Wh , ideally easily replacable [system76]
- two slots for SSD 
- simple keyboard, no numeric.   Ctrl-Fn-Win-Alt now the default
- function keys should doing volume, screen brightness etc. without need for Fn  (Lenovo X1 Yoga)
- no fingerprint logon  (legal issues)
- a keyboard that doesn't deteriorate keys (one Dell was really bad)
- SD card slot (microSD still sucks for photography, plus there are adaptors)


Favorite Desktop Features
=========================

- mouse focus fully configurable, i prefer:
  - focus follows mouse (after something lke 500ms delay)
  - scrolling should be not 'natural' but classic "reverse"
- multiple desktops
- windows need to be able to pin to all desktops (e.g my emacs)
- a window should be resizeable from all sides and corners
- screenlock should have configurable timeout (I prefer 10-20 mins)

First rule of comparing desktops:
 "don't be fooled how it feels the first few minutes, how does it keep up when
  you are working in multiple desktops and many windows and apps open"


I've had a long history of window managers

- BeOS (I think I got a 386SX based computer with this pre-installed)
- 3b1
- sunos
- solaris/cde
- twm (that was 1995, both linux and solaris could run it)
- fvwm (solaris still ran this)
- fvwm2
- enlightenment (used that for a while, sad it went, but it's back now)
- xfce4 (wind up never using it, but some of my best friends use it)
- gnome2
- unity (used this until 2017/18?; Ubuntu will kill it off)
- gnome3 (i think it sucks, too configurable, too hard to bootstrap, too many things die)
  - tried out PopOS!, but too close to gnome3
  - upcoming COSMIC-alpha
- kde (my current one)


Favorite Applications:
======================
- emacs (and ec to launch them into emacs)
- bash (yup, I broke up with tcsh)
- vnc (x2go)
- vpn 
- latex
- libreOffice 
- python (anaconda3)
- make/autoconf/cmake
- c/c++/fortran compilers
- various astro tools:
  - ds9
  - casa, carta
  - gipsy
  - nemo
  - miriad
  - karma (might die soon if no source)
  - montage, wcstools
  - topcat, glue, yt,
- gimp, digikam, darktable
- zoom
- thunderbird 
- chrome/chromium/firefox
- rhythmbox (and so many others)


Online tools:
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- rss reader   (feedly)
- github