Linux: A Rebel Yell!

I was bored so I changed my desktop on my laptop, shaggy, again so it sort of more suited the wallpaper I had chosen for the background. I was pleased with the effect I got as it certainly went together well or so I think but hey that is the most important thing.

It also got me thinking that Linux allows people like myself can create desktops we are comfortable with rather than large majority of Windows Users who are given a desktop by Microsoft with no ability to change it other than colours and positions of tiles in the case of Windows 8.

Basically Microsoft forces the users to accept their desktop regardless of the fact most users cannot use it or dislike the desktop they are provided with by Microsoft.

You might say Linux Users like myself cry a Rebel Yell against the desktop fascists like Microsoft and Apple by creating our own customised desktop in a small defiance to their attempt to control the minds and souls of the computer users!

The following is the current desktop of the laptop in question which will change when I fancy a change:

Falling in Love with Crunchbang Again!

Recently I decided to reinstall Linux back on to my laptop after I tried out a number of things on the Laptop which resulted in the previous Linux, Linux Lite, being corrupted. So I decided to try the current test copy of Crunchbang 11 which last time I tried on the same Laptop failed and much to my surprise it worked first time out of the box.

If anything Crunchbang worked even better than the previous Linux Lite which I always found to be a bit slow and resource heavy as it’s desktop was Gnome 2 based. I should not of been surprised by this as I have always found Gnome desktops to be slow on most of the computers I have used.

It looks like that both Crunchbang and Debain have progressed a lot in the last year as now both Linux’s load on newer hardware so much easier and result in a more stable operating system on said modern computers.

So now I have Crunchbang on all my computers at home both Crunchbang 10 and Crunchbang 11 all with customised openbox desktops and once again I am falling in love with Crunchbang Linux as I am finding it a very pleasant, stable and easily fixable Linux to use. Though as I have said before it is not best Linux for new user of Linux but most definite one of the better Linux’s for the more experienced users or someone who really wants to learn more about Linux in general.

The following is the current desktop of the laptop in question which will change when I fancy a change:

Scrappy-Doo Gets a Makeover!

It has been a while since I tweaked my Linux Desktops and because I have to sit in front of the Linux Computers because I have to stay in the office in the house because it is only room we can keep warm I thought it was high time I did.

So I have been busy with a few minor changes to the desktop itself and some of the packages running on the Linux Computer itself for packages which suit my needs and likes more. The biggest change being an application menu on the left end of the tint2 panel on top of the menu using a little trick I got from the Crunchbang Forum. I found I needed it because it useful when I have a number of windows open as the normal right hand click menu only works on a free space on the desktop.

As for the Linux Packages on Crunchbang I have replaced the file manager with Nautilus and the Terminator terminal with Gnome Terminal as it allows me to open a terminal in Nautilus. Over the next few weeks I aim to update other packages as I don’t really need to update the base Linux as such as it still does what I need.

What does come out of this just how flexible Linux desktops are as I can mix Gnome and other desktop packages with Openbox and get a working desktop more to my liking. Such flexibility puts another nail in Windows coffin here was Windows never gave me ability to really customise the desktops and base packages to how I actually use the desktop.

So the following is the resulting tweaked desktop which looks slightly different to previous one.

Once Again to the Crunchbag!

Once again I have been setting up two Desktop PC’s one of which has turned out to be the replacement to my main PC both of which now use Crunchbang Linux as their operating systems. My old Windows XP PC has had Windows removed as I finally got fed up of the constant niggling problems associated with the Microsoft Operating systems.

At least with Linux, if I avoid doing stupid things, will be far more stable and after I have set up both desktops and loaded the software I need on each PC will be far more user friendly.

So far I have just finished off my first Crunchbang Linux desktop which looks like:

Please Note: If want to view my Second Life Journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Please Note: If want to view a Second Life Wikipedia then go to the Encyclopedia Umbra Machina.

My Journey with Crunchbang

Well it’s been over a month since I installed and started to use it seriously with little or no real problems unlike Bodhi Linux and Microsoft Windows. It has certainly proved to myself that a Linux distribution based on Debain rather than Ubuntu are more stable. I have had less problems with Crunchbang than Bodhi Linux and certainly a lot for stable than Microsoft Windows which to be fair is not hard.

It does sort of begs the question in less than 20 years Linux Developers have moved forward more than Microsoft with Windows in 30 years. It certainly shows that the lack of real competition and innovation in companies in general in using alternative operating systems and software has meant Microsoft has been very lax in its development and the industry as a whole really has suffered.

At least now with Open Source Software both myself and a user and companies now have real alternatives to Microsoft Windows which are far more stable and usable. This hopefully will inject a new life into the Information Technology Industry and beyond which is long over due.

It has to be said I now have a laptop which runs purely Open Source Software which cost me nothing. On top of this the laptop as a whole does exactly the same job as my main Microsoft Windows XP desktop but its far more stable, user friendly and customisable without all excess baggage Windows comes with and the need to actually worry about security.

The Crunchbang Linux certainly panders to my creative side especially the very customisable desktop which it looks like it will be a while before the laptop’s desktop finally is finished. Then add to this I still have to set up Crunchbang Linux and it’s desktop on my old PC it is certainly going to keep myself busy and occupied for a long while.

This does keep my hand in with computers, software and my intellect active which is much needed at the moment.

The following is my personal desktop on my Crunchbang Linux Laptop as of 12th September 2011:

Please note: If want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

Wonders of Crunchbang!

Over the last week or so I have been having fun of playing around and tweaking my Crunchbang Linux desktop to a point I liked it’s look. In the process I have learnt a lot about Conky, Openbox and Linux in general which will be very useful indeed. Plus I got to be a geek for a week just what I needed at the moment.

I do really like the fact than Crunchbang Linux really allows you to customize your desktop to your own needs not to what a third party thinks you need.

The following is my personal desktop on my Crunchbang Linux Laptop as of 7th August 2011:

Please note: If  want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.

In with a Crunchbang!

After a lot of messing around with various Linux distributions on my old 10 year old PC mostly because I’m being my usual self exploring and trying things out I finally stumbled upon a British Linux distribution called Crunchbang.

Much like Bodhi Linux it is a light weight Linux distribution which uses a desktop front end called openbox rather than Enlightenment 17. In addition like Bodhi Linux it uses very few resources on the computer so it means the whole Linux runs very quickly on both newer and older computers which frankly is a pleasure after Microsoft Windows and other more heavier Linux distributions on the same said computers.

Crunchbang Linux, like Bodhi Linux, has a highly customizable desktop which a user can, with a bit of knowledge, come up with a desktop they can use and feel very comfortable with indeed. If anything Crunchbang Linux is far more easier to customize the desktop than Bodhi Linux in so much all the tools you need are included from the start off the main menu on the desktop itself and if anything a lot easier to use than in Bodhi Linux. If anything Crunchbang Linux is far more intuitive to use than Bodhi Linux once you have got used to the fact that it’s a bare essential Linux in so much customization involves nothing more than the editing of text configuration files.

Though like Bodhi Linux you really need a good knowledge of Linux itself and computers in general to use Crunchbang as it’s initially looking at Crunchbang out of the box as it were is very daunting indeed. This is not helped by poorly maintained documentation on the Crunchbang Linux web site itself so I would not recommend it to anyone just starting off with Linux. It is definitely a Techie/Geek Linux which suits me down to the ground though saying that it is still a very usable Linux by so called normal users once a desktop has been set up.

In conclusion Crunchbang Linux much like Bodhi Linux with a bit of knowledge and knowhow you can come up with some eye candy of desktops to please the geeks out there in land of the Internet or just plainly create usable desktops for so called normal users. Despite this it is still a very usable Linux distribution which I would recommended like Bodhi Linux.


Please note: If  want to see my second life journal then go to the Journal of a Spectral Traveller.