Linux is installed & running nicely. Here's what I need to figure out now

Discussion in 'all things UNIX' started by bellgamin, Dec 28, 2021.

  1. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    I was leaning toward Solus with Budgie but, because of a MX-splendid review by @Mrkvonic I went with MX Linux instead. MX installed like a dream. As suggested by @Brian K -- During installation, I had MX erase a messed-up Windows version that came with my brand new Dell Laptop. Now MX is on that shiny new laptop all by itself.

    NEXT: I plan to download all the personal data files from my daily-use Windows laptop onto a USB stick. Then I want to load all those data files onto Linux.
    WHAT I'M TRYING TO FIGURE OUT: (1) Can Linux work with Windows data files (.txt & .rtf)? (2) Where in Linux's file system do I put those data files?

    AFTER THAT: On Windows I have a neat macro-maker app. I use it to make my own macros of keyboard shortcuts for quickly entering frequently-used names, addresses, phones, dates, & other text. I also use macros for accessing frequently-used apps & files.
    WHAT I'M TRYING TO LOCATE: Is there a Linux app to make my own macros?

    AFTER THAT: time will tell :rolleyes:
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    ==>Any & all suggestions/comments will be very much appreciated!!! :-*
     
  2. wat0114

    wat0114 Registered Member

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    Hi bellgamin,

    congrats on getting MX-21 installed. I can only answer your first question:

    yes, Linux can work with .txt and .rtf files. You can use the already included KWrite (assuming you use KDE Desktop) or my personal favorite, Geany, which can be installed from the MX Package Installer.

    You can put those data files pretty much wherever you want, most likely within your Home folder such as Documents.

    Good luck!
     
  3. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    What are Macro-maker & macros? TY.

    Is it this?: Macro Recorder captures mouse events and keystrokes like a tape recorder, allowing you to automate tedious procedures on your computer.

    Because I still don't understand.
     
  4. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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    I wouldn't call txt Windows data file. It is just a regular, simple text file. Even file extension is a little bit controversial, because you can call them .log.
    Generally it is not OS as a whole, but rather editor question.
    Major problem with txt is that new line character (line break) is different. It is (symbolically - you don't see these characters just their effect)
    • \n on Linux and macOS
    • \r\n on Windows
    Apart from that usually there are no other problems with txt files.

    User's home directory: /home/<accountName> i.e. /home/bellgamin
    Externally mounted drives are usually in /mnt/<driveDirectory> or /media/<driveDirectory> depending on distro
     
  5. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @wat0114 -- I'm using XFCE GUI. I'll d/l & give Geany a go. Thanks for the suggestion.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    @zapjb -- I use THIS macro maker ("Clavier" -- it's free but I donated).

    As you know, hitting CTRL+c is a Windows shortcut that causes Windows to copy whatever text is highlighted. By the same concept, here are examples that I created using macro app Clavier:
    (1) if I hit WIN+ALT+L it automatically goes to my daily log file at C:\data.t\PolyEdit\Log0708-present.rtf

    (2) if I hit WIN+SHIFT+= it automatically goes to "C:\Program Files (x86)\Accesories\Moffsoft FreeCalc\MoffFreeCalc.exe" & loads/executes my calculator app

    (3) if I hit WIN+CTRL+B it automatically prints an email address for my user name of bellgamin.

    (4) If I hit WIN+CTRL+v it automatically prints a daily Bible verse that I append to certain correspondence.

    I have a total of about 80 macros that I use to make my work faster & more free from typos. ==>I hope to locate an equivalent macro app for Linux.<==
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    @reasonablePrivacy -- you wrote...
    Does that extra \r mean that my txt files on Linux won't have line breaks?
     
    Last edited: Dec 28, 2021
  6. zapjb

    zapjb Registered Member

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    TY

    10char
     
  7. fblais

    fblais Registered Member

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  8. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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  9. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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  10. moredhelfinland

    moredhelfinland Registered Member

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    As a distrohopper, i do like Solus. My old laptop uses Nvidia Optimus/Intel IGP gfx chipset which is notorious for many distros out there.
    Solus supports Optimus/Intel IGP out of the box(no basic noveau driver). No terminal nightmare to install proper(340) nvidia driver. It does have an ability to switch between Nvidia/IGP
    Fedora supports Optimus too out of the box. Just watch Full HD youtube video with intel IGP enabled and then with Nvidia Optimus enabled.
    Pop OS also supports Optimus too
     
  11. Sampei Nihira

    Sampei Nihira Registered Member

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    @bellgamin

    Hi,:)
    I have 2 questions:

    1) Is the Pc faster than Windows?
    2) Which browser will you choose?

    Th.
     
  12. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @fblais -- Thanks for the link. I shall give autokey a test run in a fortnight or so.

    @moredhelfinland -- I like Solus a lot, too. So far I have experienced that MX does more hand-holding of a newbie, so I will stay with it until I'm less of a neophyte. Then I shall try Solus, as well.

    @Sampei Nihira --
    Q1- It takes longer to load than Win7 but, once loaded, MX is a hair faster.
    Q2 - I will choose a Chrome clone. If there is none for MX, then I will reluctantly use Google Chrome.

    ==>Happy 2022 to all you denizens of Wilders. Thanks for being THE best forum folks in the entire Solar System (and that does include Mars -- I took a poll). :thumb::thumb::thumb:
     
  13. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    1 MX takes longer than most distros to boot up because by default it boots without systemd. But you can change that behavior if you want. If you boot with systemd, the purists will boo at you, but it will boot faster, and be able to do more things, such as run snap apps (which many people anyways detest).

    2 If you are on the flagship Xfce version of MX, you surely have a built-in PDF reader, but if you want a more full-featured one, consider installing Okular. It is in the repo.

    3 Your rtf files should open with LibreOffice, which is pre-installed.

    4 Where to put personal files? just open your file manager (thunar, it is called) and you will see in your Home directory a bunch of familiar-looking folders such as docs, pics, music...

    5 Any Windows file with a txt extension should open automatically when you click on it, in any normal Linux distro. There are many different apps for such files, it doesn't really matter so much which app you use.
     
  14. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @shmu26 -- Excellent info! Thanks a lot.
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    I run KeepPass Password Manager on both of my Windows laptops. I was pleased to find that there is a Linux version of KeepPass. I have installed KeepPassX on MX & now I plan to copy my password file from my Windows computer to my MX computer. I hope it works with MX's KeepPass. :doubt:
     
  15. Feandur

    Feandur Registered Member

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    Hi bellgamin:
    Been a follower of your posts for some time. (not being creepy!).

    On this rare occasion, may I be of some (off topic) help-
    (1) Distrowatch is a good place for news. See here https://distrowatch.com also https://distrowatch.com/packages.php
    (2) Sandboxie for linux is called firejail. See here https://firejail.wordpress.com also https://firejail.wordpress.com/download-2/

    In Debian (Ubuntu-budgie, Mint) you install firejail by going to permissions > properties > and tick the box "allow executing file as program"
    Not sure how its done in MX.

    my 2c's worth.
    feandur
     
  16. Feandur

    Feandur Registered Member

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    Regarding browser -
    I use vivaldi. It installs well in debian, and puts in its own ppa's so it will update along with firefox. Also is seems to run a tad better in firejail (less error flags) than firefox.
    cheers
     
  17. sdmod

    sdmod Shadow Defender Expert

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    re #17
    I'm a Linux newbie
    I use Firetools which is the graphical user interface in Linux Mint Cinnamon latest version.

    'Firetools is the graphical user interface of Firejail security sandbox. It provides a sandbox launcher integrated with the system tray, sandbox editing, management and statistics. The application is built using Qt5 library. It is released as part of Firejail project under GPLv2 license.'
    ...........................................
     
    Last edited: Dec 30, 2021
  18. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Security is somewhat less of an issue for linux desktop users who are careful where they install their software from. I am not saying it is a non-issue, but I am saying that linux malware will usually target servers, not desktop users. That's what I see in the security news, anyway.
     
  19. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @Feandur -- You are far from being "off-topic" -- I appreciate all the help I can get.

    Thank you for the DistroWatch link. Good reading!

    As for Vivaldi's browser -- it is superb. So, also, are Vivaldi's 4 Seasons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aryDMAP6oug--
    ear candy for the soul. :-*

    As for firejail -- I'm very happy to learn of it. I shall pass that info on to my Linux friends here in Hawaii. I personally do not use Sandboxie-type apps. My real-time security consists solely of 2 apps (firewall & anti-exec) plus imaging plus *due diligence* -- these have kept me up & running for many years. Either (a) that security is appropriate to my specific computer usage, or (b) I have been flaming lucky. :p

    I Googled to get a translation of your sig: Nai Iluvatar le tiro. No success. Is that in Elvish language? Please translate it for me. (^_^)
    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
    @shmu26 -- You wrote in part...
    Yes (emphasis on careful)! However, I would like to find an anti-execution/default-deny app for MX. Is there one?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 31, 2021
  20. imdb

    imdb Registered Member

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    the name of the concept is sandbox, not sandboxie.
     
  21. Feandur

    Feandur Registered Member

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    @ bellgamin:

    Elvish (mostly Sindarin), translated loosely as Nai (may it be <that>); Iluvatar (Father of all, the One); le (to thee); tiro (watch over). Meaning not just God be with you, but a hope for reciprocal awareness of the creator within and around us. {No wish to impose or offend those of other beliefs}.

    [My references were the appendices in The Silmarillion, and the detailed discussions of language by Prof Tolkien in Donald Swann's "The Road Goes Ever On - a song cycle"]


    @ sdmod:

    Yes, absolutely correct. I have just chosen to keep it simple and only install the firejail app. With that installed, to launch a browser, I simply open a terminal and type firejail <space> vivaldi


    @ imdb:

    Yes, absolutely correct. I was just making a very imprecise analogy to a well know Windows app, purely by way of a ball-park idea. However, a sandbox, or at least a space (container?) of restricted read/write rights, is more precise.
    Apologies for any confusion to others that my ‘rough thinking’ may have caused.

    cheers all.
     
  22. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    PROGRESS -- Today I read all the way through MX Linux's built-in "Welcome" app -- a lengthy text-&-pictures tutorial that is truly excellent for a newbie like me. THEN I used MX Package Manager (MPM) to install Bravo as my browser. THEN I used MPM's "Stable Repo" tab to install Autokey-common, a macro app just like I was hoping for.

    COMMENT -- MPM's app-install process executed fast & smooth. In so doing, MPM gave me a lengthy, detailed list of each & every Linux program step it used in order to install Bravo. Ditto for Autokey. I do NOT need those details but -- to each her or his own. Matter of fact, I wonder who DOES want to know all that stuff?

    UH-OH -- Unlike Windows, MPM does NOT ask you where to install the apps you ask for. It just puts them somewhere and user is give no choice. That wasn't a problem for Bravo -- Bravo appeared instantly on MX's "start-button" list of applications. So I clicked on it & Bravo ran just fine. However, I have NO idea where MPM put Autokey. It does not appear on MPX's start-button list. I re-checked MPM -- it grays out the name of installed apps, & "Autokey" was definitely grayed out. Other than that, MPM offers zero info. Next, I tried finding Autokey with MX's file manager, Thunar, but all the files have cryptic names. Just as I was thinking that Linux was a snap to learn, now I gotta go read some more in my "Linux for Dummies" book. :(

    WHAT I NEED TO FIGURE OUT NOW -- where in MX Linux did MPM put my Autokey app? (I am eager to give Autokey a test run but it's hard to do that if I can't find the executable.)
     
    Last edited: Dec 31, 2021
  23. shmu26

    shmu26 Registered Member

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    Try logging out and then log in again. That will hopefully make Autokey appear in the list of installed apps and also make it easily searchable.
    If that doesn't work, there are ways to manually do this, but it entails getting your hands dirty.
    In the meantime, try opening a terminal and typing the precise name of the app and hitting enter. That should make it run, and then, in the settings, configure it to autostart.
     
  24. bellgamin

    bellgamin Registered Member

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    @shmu26 -- I appreciate your helpful comments. Yes, I tried doing a restart but no joy. I'll try your terminal suggestion tomorrow when I run MX again.

    So far my research of this problem in my Linux books has only taken me to pages & pages of how to use terminal commands to fix this situation. There is NO mention of any Linux GUI help for dealing with "installed but lost" app executables. Maybe I'll find something tomorrow.

    One of the most important things that even Windows 2.0's GUI did was is to make it very simple & easy to locate & execute each & every user app that was on the computer. This leads me to think that Linux's GUIs haven't truly progressed all that far beyond the very early stages of Windows, where every Windows tutorial used to include a couple of chapters about using MS-DOS commands.
     
  25. reasonablePrivacy

    reasonablePrivacy Registered Member

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    I don't use Autkey nor MX, but from brief search of Debian repository it appears this package is just a dependency for frontend.

    https://packages.debian.org/unstable/autokey-common

    Github says:
    https://github.com/autokey/autokey/wiki/Installing

    mxlinux.org says:
    https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php?t=59151
     
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