5 ms·
What kind of apps that a typical Linux programmer would need to run these days? For me, they are - terminal (shell, editor) - web browser (email client, file
by euske 5y ago
What kind of apps that a typical Linux programmer would need to run these days? For me, they are
- terminal (shell, editor)
- web browser (email client, file viewer, etc.)
- clock
With these, I only need a bare minimum window manager (fvwm2 in my case). In my view, KDE/GNOME are made not to scare away beginners and there isn't much productivity gain in using these environments. Once you're used to using Unix/Linux, you can graduate them and start using a more lean setup (while you don't have to, of course). One thing I can see might be handy is the System Settings / Control Panels apps. Other than that (and inertia), what are the reasons that people stick to these environments?
- pjmlp 5y agoYou just replicated my DG/UX experience with IBM X Windows terminals in 1995. Maybe we don't have to be frozen in time and rather use modern tooling?
- bigpeopleareold 5y agoI use KDE now, but not much of it really. I do mostly the same things - terminal/browser/some utilities/text editor. I used lighter WMs in the past and they were interesting, but I didn't have time to sufficiently get past the experimental stage with them. Since I really don't do much, it's easier to just get something with easy and stable defaults with only a few changes I need for a setup.
- jude- 5y agoI have the same question. The longer I've used Linux as my main OS, the less I've needed a desktop environment. My setup for the last half-decade has been basically the same as yours, and I've found it to be more productive than KDE/GNOME (or Windows or MacOS) ever were.
- cortesoft 5y agoDon't you also need to run whatever you are programming? So a compiler/interpreter, REPL, maybe a database, docker, k8s, etc? I assume most devs still want to be able to compile and test locally?
- swiley 5y agoI like to have dvcs and a terminal multiplexer in the VTE. I do email over ssh and pdfs in mupdf which is way lighter than the browser. I also mess with gEDA some. But yeah, gnome etc is overkill if `sudo vim etc/blah` doesn't scare you and you only speak english. My gf does freak out editing networks and such and also needs her thai IME to just work so she runs gnome.
- herbst 5y agoI run atom and terminator (a tiling terminal emulator) in my dev environment. Its rather heavy for 'just' development. On the other side it runs without any issues on my T420. Which is a cheap old laptop. I also love Gnome. For me this is the best, not in your way, desktop environment ever done. For me however :)
- benhurmarcel 5y agoProbably add VSCode and Spotify nowadays.
- AnIdiotOnTheNet 5y ago> With these, I only need a bare minimum window manager (fvwm2 in my case). In my view, KDE/GNOME are made not to scare away beginners and there isn't much productivity gain in using these environments Yeah, everyone who just develops in C and/or web thinks like this. It's one of the primary reasons nobody aside from them uses Linux Desktop.