3 ms·
> Most of the time we work on a single maximized application, otherwise we have some windows side-by-side to see both and so on. With a few caveats (some small
by dspillett 3y ago
> Most of the time we work on a single maximized application, otherwise we have some windows side-by-side to see both and so on.
With a few caveats (some smaller floating windows, always on top, occasionally for reference or playing a video I'm half paying attention to) I'm with you there. Under windows FancyZones is my current tool of choice, effectively splitting my 32" screen into two (or occasionally three) by various proportions, I don't use Linux on the desktop ATM but last time I did tiling window managers were my preference.
Though given how I keep lots open from various trains of thought, particularly browser tabs, spread over a few virtual desktops, I'm starting to think nested virtual desktops might be a thing to look for and try…
While we are here: if anyone can recommend a good tabbed file manager for Windows I'd be happy. Dual-pane works for some things but not otherwise. I've tried a few over the years, some that wrap Explorer, some that are entirely their own thing, and they've all proven unstable, take an age to start or open new windows, or are very leggy in response to any input, or some mix of all three of those problems (yep, more buggy and unresponsive than explorer itself!).
- kkfx 3y agoWell, IMVHO you just look at Eclipse perspectives for desktop, meaning something to save and restore a set of apps in a relevant layout. Virtual desktops are the poor man's handcrafted solution for that. Try to visualize EXWM|a fullscreen Emacs, where you just call a function and get three windows, your code debug layout, than another for your mail reading routine and so on. Do you really need "virtual desktop visual"? You just call, search&narrow style or with some keybindings, a dedicated function. Personally I use my keyboard function keys for that, for instance F7 open my mail reading setup (notmuch + org-mode/org-capture notes), F10 open my Firefox and so on. Being in Emacs running "an app" (i.e. a window) or a set of apps is no difference, it's just a bit of elisp to be run. This allow MUCH more than simple virtual desktops with much less effort everyday. Oh, sure you have to craft and evolve your desktop, but thanks to the user-programming concept Emacs have it's damn easy. It's hard only because X11 apps are not made that way, but try looking a Pharo (Smalltalk) demo and you'll understand. About file management: I can't suggest a proper file manager but I can tell how I manage my files, as org-mode attachments accessed via search&narrow styles. I have notes about almost anything, let's say one about EDF (the utility provide me electricity) in the note I have all relevant contracts infos, invoices etc. Well, if I look at a specific invoice just hitting a key (org-roam-node-find) and typing EDF offer me the main note and many other "sub-notes", a simple title textual match. I can tab/enter to se the main note and find anything in it, or I can add some text like "november" to get results for all EDF stuff with november and add 22 to mach 22, they I get the EDF invoice for November 2022. Since it's free form text I can place it in other notes, also (limited, unfortunately) transcluding it elsewhere. For instance I have a note for my home, witch contains anything relevant, electricity contracts and bills as well. This way you made all your "views" without any GUI limit and without taking care of crafting an maintaining a file-and-folders taxonomy. File get attached, you can access then via text, you can craft org-ql queries to see different results, it's just a graph of textual nodes, fully searchable with ripgrep, files are just a backend storage stuff. Oh, and you can use it in Windows as well. It's a kind of Paperless-ngx without paperless rigid structure and limitations. Quick archiving of recurrent things, like an utility bill, can be automated via scripting.