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Linux Rig

Desktop Linux for Everyone

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What’s the Best Productivity App? Your Own Personal System

Steven Ovadia December 22, 2020

My father loves buying tools. Shopping for them is his only vice. His idea of a perfect weekend is a trip to a good, or even not-so-good, hardware store, and buying an esoteric tool because a new project requires one.

Sadly, despite his best efforts, I lack his real-world handiness. My apartment building super actually pays me some rent, because he’s up here so much. And my toolbox is mostly filled with old Halloween candy. But my dad managed to teach me the importance of choosing tools based upon need.

It’s a smart, disciplined way to work, even for people like me, who only use their hands to type. I apply his philosophy to my own writing and professional work and don’t use a new tool unless there’s a need for it. No matter how many reviews tell me how great it is. I love a new digital tool, especially something free and open source, as much as the next person. There’s something exciting about creating a new login, clicking around, and learning how an app works. But if it doesn’t fill a need and make my work easier, what’s the point?

Instead, I prefer to think and work within systems, not tools.

Tools are the things you use to accomplish your work. They can be anything from a digital to-do list to a notebook to a full-blown project management platform.

Systems are how you use your tools. When you put something on a to-do list, you’re using a tool. When you transcribe something from email onto the to-do list and put a due date on your calendar, you’re working within a system.

Working in systems means thinking about your workflow. Start with your ultimate goal and work backward, considering your steps along the way.

When I have a workflow challenge, I start by examining my existing tools. Working with something you already use isn’t as fun as trying something new, but it’s a good way to figure out your system. And once you understand your system, choosing a tool, new or existing, is much easier.

Let’s say you want a place to capture writing ideas, a standard subject of tool reviews. You’ll find tons of tools that allow you to capture and save information. And the Internet will recommend complex writing organization tools that promise to make you a better writer. Some people will be fine with the former and some people will thrive with the latter. The important step is to figure out which person you are, if either.

Returning to the capturing writing ideas example, if you’re using something like Dropbox, start putting your writing ideas there and see what happens. Maybe you’ll realize that the issue isn’t about a place to write down ideas, so much as it’s about forgetting to go back and review them. That’s a problem that most note capture tools won’t address, so you need to create something in your system that reminds you to check your ideas folder. That could be a tool already in your arsenal, like a calendar, or it could mean you need something new. But now you have a clearer picture of what you’re looking for; perhaps something that captures notes and sends reminders to look at them.

Working backward this way, out of systemic needs and into individual tools, makes sure you have the functionality you need.

Why people like new tools

Why do so many people start with tools for workflow challenges? There are a few reasons.

They’re a fresh start

There’s something fun about a new tool. It’s shiny. It’s unknown. You can tweak visual elements. It’s like unwrapping a present except you’re staring at a screen, typing, instead of taking something out of a box. You get an endorphin bump from the clean slate.

They’re a time out

While you’re learning to use a new tool, there’s no expectation of getting anything done. It’s a way to take a break from whatever’s blocking your ability to work while making you feel like you’re working. And playing with something new can help you to figure out new and better systems. It’s not wasted time, but you need to be mindful of what you’re doing (and not doing) when you pivot to exploring something new. The line between exploration and procrastination is razor-thin.

‘They’re going to fix everything!’

New tools can seem like the answer to all of your problems in the same way that first dates can feel like they’re presenting you with your soul mate. It’s very easy to put all of your hopes and dreams onto something (or someone) you don’t really know, but neither ever works out. A tool won’t answer all of your work problems until you have a system to slot it into. A project management app won’t make you effective until you understand what you need to be effective. Just like a saw won’t cut anything unless you apply it to wood. Or so I’m told…

The Only Thing That Will Save You is Yourself (and Your Systems)

If your work feels stuck or if you feel like you’re not on top of what you need to be, the only thing that will save you is yourself. Here are some questions to consider when trying to figure out what your systemic workflow issues are:

What’s getting lost?

This is usually the simplest thing to figure out. Most people go looking for tools because things are slipping through the cracks. The question is, what are the things and what are the cracks? Are you missing deadlines? Are you losing emails? The more you can delve into the specifics, the easier it is to see what your system might look like.

What’s blocking you?

This can be harder to understand. Once you’ve identified what’s getting lost, you need to figure out why. Are work emails piling up because your inbox is too full? Or do you not like your job? Or are you not getting enough sleep? Each block has a different system and tool-related answer. And often the answer is a larger life issue, rather than a software feature.

Are you being kind to yourself?

I read a fair amount of productivity articles because I’m always curious about how people work and organize themselves. It’s both fascinating and upsetting how many people conflate effectiveness with asceticism. Accomplishing your goals isn’t about punitively taking everything away from yourself until you’re done working. Hating yourself won’t improve your output.

If you miss something important, which everyone does at some point in their career, give yourself a break. Then, with a compassionate orientation toward yourself, look at why that happened and figure out how to seal the crack.

Next steps

New things, including tools, are fun. People love starting a new notebook because it’s full of possibilities. But the work doesn’t end when you crack it open. It’s actually when the work starts. Tools aren’t going to get you to your goals, but the way you use them will. When a new service or app catches your eye, don’t reflexively ignore it, but also don’t think it’s going to rescue you. Instead, think about how you currently do things and how you can improve that process. Tools and office supplies won’t do your work for you and won’t organize your life. They’ll only make things easier and provide a way for you to organize yourself. So before you put something new in your arsenal, make sure there’s a place for it. Imagine my father in a hardware store, looking at all of those beautiful tools, but thinking about what he will use once it’s in his toolbox.

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This is 25

Steven Ovadia December 15, 2020

GIMP turned 25 in November! Which feels amazing given how software comes and goes.

GIMP has also become a pandemic hero for me, since I’m now working with a lot of PDF forms. I’ve gotten really good at using GIMP to edit them.

Here’s to 25 more years! Of GIMP. Not of digital forms.

This is 25 | GIMP

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What apps and services did I pay for (and love) in 2020?

Steven Ovadia December 9, 2020

I missed the 2019 list, because when you’re a new parent, you often forget anything not directly related to your child. So this is really a 2019/2020 list. I just didn’t want the headline to get too long. But here are the apps and services I’ve paid for this past year (or so…), because I think it’s helpful to spotlight things worth paying for. Especially from a Linux perspective:

  • More Fastmail (referral link): I use a Gmail account for automated notices, like deliveries and orders. But I also used it for handling my music writing. It began out of laziness and convenience, but then continued until I had the bandwidth to grab a new Fastmail account and connect it to a different domain, so the music emails aren’t in my personal email account, but are also out of Gmail. Making the switch was easy. The hard part was emailing everyone and getting them to update their address books. And even that didn’t take too long.

  • TunnelBear: I switched my VPN to TunnelBear because my previous one felt laggy and also seemed to be constantly flagged as sketchy. TunnelBear works fine on my Android phone (there’s an app) and while it doesn’t have a Linux client, it integrates seamlessly and easily with OpenVPN.

  • pCloud: My wife and I both paid for Dropbox and were super sick of it; they charge way too much money for way too much storage. I grabbed a pCloud "lifetime" family account for $400, so if it works for 2 years, it’s paid for itself. It’s not as seamless as Dropbox. The initial file upload takes a while. We never got the client to install on my wife’s Dell XPS 13, which came with Ubuntu pre-installed. However, it worked once she upgraded to Ubuntu 20.04. But the pCloud technical support wasn’t helpful. I’ve also had sporadic issues with the Android client. So there have been bumps that have been resolved, but it’s definitely worth looking at. The more I use it, the less I think ‘This was so much easier with Dropbox.’

  • Otter: This is an automated, browser-based transcription service I use for interviews. It’s not flawless, but most of the time it gets you a good 80-90% of the way there, depending upon accents and speech speed. It’s a tremendous time-saver for me, well worth the subscription.

    TweetDelete: This is a bulk Tweet deletion service. I paid $10 in November 2019 and it’s now $15. One could argue this functionality should exist within Twitter. For free. And that no one should be on Twitter anyway. I agree with all of those points. I’ve been on Twitter since 2007 and while I’m not prolific, I don’t see the need to keep things up forever. I also now automatically purge Tweets after 90 days.

  • Zoom: I paid out-of-pocket for this for work before my institution got a subscription. It’s neither free nor open source and there are lots of privacy issues, which hopefully the Keybase people will address (acknowledging it’s a tall order). But it’s easy and it works and people know how to use it.

  • iReal Pro: My guitar teacher recommended this. It’s chord sheets and backing tracks so that you can play along with songs. The library is huge and you can change the key and the tempo. It’s perfect for practicing. At first, the $14 for a phone app seems high, but once you use it, it seems cheap.

  • L.A. Times subscription: I find the New York Times, especially their political coverage, hyperbolic. I switched to the L.A. Times, which has beefed up its reporting, and I’ve been happy with them, except they recently became problematic for me in their unequal treatment of some of their writers. I’m locked in for a year, though.

  • Trello Gold: I paid for this again. I’m not sure why. I go through Trello phases and I was within one when I upgraded. It’s a good tool, but it doesn’t work as a stand-alone answer for me. I was using it to track writing projects because AirTable can feel very busy to look at, but I ultimately decided to tweak an AirTable view so it looked like Trello. Trello is useful but I probably won’t renew.

Things I Paid For and Still Love

  • Remember the Milk
  • Newsblur
  • WordPress.com

Previous Installments:

  • 2018
  • 2017
  • 2016

You can follow me on Mastodon here, follow me on Twitter here and subscribe to the feed here.

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Making the Switch to elementary OS

Steven Ovadia December 1, 2020

Scott Nesbitt on switching to elementary OS. You can see his 2014 set-up here.

Scott’s post talks about elementary’s own apps, which I’m not sure I knew about. It looks like Quilter, the elementary Markdown editor, is even in the Fedora repositories.

I love that elementary encourages users to pay for apps and I think it’s nice that the price points are reasonable, but also suggested.

Making the Switch to elementary OS | Open Source Musings

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Linux desktop: The one moment in 2020 that is key to its success

Steven Ovadia November 24, 2020

For years, Linux users have been accustomed to purchasing hardware and having to install their operating system of choice–often struggling to get everything working properly. Although Linux hardware support has come a very long way (I rarely have issues installing Linux on modern hardware), for the average user, installing an operating system is well beyond their pay grade and knowledge–especially when issues with wireless chips come into play. With Lenovo, that ends. Linux users can purchase hardware without having to install an operating system and knowing that everything will work out of the box, which is guaranteed by the Linux Certification that Lenovo is attaching to the hardware.

That guarantee is a big jump ahead for Linux, and one that wouldn’t have happened without Lenovo putting its support behind the open source platform.

I’m not sure I agree. I think the average user can install Linux; they just don’t have any interest in it. So I think that same average user probably won’t go for pre-installed Linux, either. It’s just not on their radar.

Which is fine. Linux is always there for the interested user. It doesn’t depend upon the grace of hardware manufacturers, although it’s nice to see Lenovo taking an interest.

Linux desktop: The one moment in 2020 that is key to its success | TechRepublic

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Origins of the youtube-dl project

Steven Ovadia November 18, 2020

This is another youtube-dl takedown post, this one explaining how youtube-dl is an essential tool for people with inconsistent bandwidth and/or Internet access.

Luckily, youtube-dl’s GitHub repository is back online!

Origins of the youtube-dl project | Geek Blight

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November 2020, “Community Choice” Project of the Month – Pidgin IM

Steven Ovadia November 12, 2020

I miss Pidgin! I’m glad it’s still around. I wish more people used any of the old chat services (I know IRC is still going strong, but I always found it tough to use with Pidgin).

November 2020, “Community Choice” Project of the Month – Pidgin IM | SourceForge Community Blog

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Have you considered buying used hardware?

Steven Ovadia November 10, 2020

Yes! I have considered this!

Have you considered buying used hardware? | Christian Ştefănescu

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I am Seriously Considering Going Back to Desktop Computers

Steven Ovadia November 5, 2020

I use a desktop and I love it. It’s more comfortable to use and easier to upgrade than a laptop. And it was way cheaper than one, too. There are obvious limitations, like you can’t walk around with it, but I highly recommend them.

I am Seriously Considering Going Back to Desktop Computers | Miscellaneous Stuff

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On the youtube-dl DMCA Takedown

Steven Ovadia November 3, 2020

Wow. The youtube-dl repositories got pulled down. Many people aren’t happy. Interestingly, you can still download it. And it’s still in the Ubuntu repositories.

On the youtube-dl DMCA Takedown | Codeberg News

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