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The Linux Thread

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Narekatsi

Narekatsi

Oriental Orthodox
I've attempted to use Linux as my main OS several times in the past, including a one year streak on a desktop. As I've been mostly using laptops, I have tested distros on and off to find the right candidate to replace Windows. The problem I'm encountering is the lack, or the weak implementation, of high DPI support. Most laptops these days have high resolution screens, so proper fractional scaling is a must to make it usable. Whereas I can set it to 150% or 200% on Windows and everything looks fantastic; even with some fractional scaling options on different Linux window managers, it somehow manages to give me a headache within 15 minutes of use.

I've tried scaling, lowering the resolution, changing refresh rates, copying system fonts from Windows and using those as Linux fonts, but for some reason, nothing seems to help. The second anything leaves the native resolution and default 100% scaling, instant headache.

Has anyone found a "golden distro" (or window manager) that just does a wonderful job at handling high resolution screens and high DPI environments?
 
What are you currently using as a distro and DE/WM?

I have had no issue with Arch linux on screens ranging from 4k down to 1366 x 768. Using arandr as a GUI frontend to xrandr makes it tremendously easy to manage screen res.
 
I'm currently back on Windows. Most recent attempt was with Linux Mint + Xfce. Before that, I've tested the Cinnamon variant of Mint, MX (also Xfce), Manjaro (KDE), and elementary (this one was just awful in terms of config options).

I've done a lot of terminal-based messing around with xrandr (in the process, breaking things), and I manage to set resolutions just fine. The aftermath isn't easy on my eyes. I seem to be fine with scaling on Windows, and scaling on Android (mobile tablets and devices).
 
I have used my fair share of Linux OS's to avoid my money going into bill gate's hands.

Debian, Mint, Fedora are often named for those new to the scene, but I have found PopOS to be the best by far - https://pop.system76.com/

I found it after I saw some videos on YT by Linus Tech Tips, works great out of the box, easy to get apps, runs games well.

To your point about DPI and scale, I have a 4K screen and have it at 200% scale and all looks just fine.
 
Don't bother changing distros for one issue or one app, OP. I had terrible issues with NVidia drivers on Arch, but then I realized Arch is a terrible distro. I switched to a minimal Debian testing install and used the same package from the Debian repos, then never had an issue again. more than half a year running testing and not a single time where an update broke Xorg or dumb stuff. Don't fall for meme distros since half of them are Debian with more software installed by default. I suggest this site, which helped me in the past.

Babbies First Linux - InstallGentoo Wiki

wiki.installgentoo.com wiki.installgentoo.com

For your issue, I'd recommend messing around with the settings on an easier distro with more settings, like Mint. Do it on a live ISO if you don't want to install Linux again just for that. Also check your own monitor settings or if your laptop is even supported on Linux. Never had an issue on my ChinkPad or main desktop monitor.
 
I'm starting to think maybe it's just my eyes. Apparently they can only handle one kind of scaling algorithm.
 
I am currently looking for a way to adjust my audio settings via command line. For volume, it's pactl -- set-sink-volume 0 100% , which changes the volume slider to 100%, so far, so good. Stupidly, this sets the balance to center, which I dislike. The options to change the balance, however, set the desired volume back to 100% (I need more than 100%, though, hence the action.

Does anyone know a tool that offers the possibility to change volume and balance at the same time, alternatively volume and balance separately, but without changing the other setting again.

myaudio.png
 
Bird said:
I am currently looking for a way to adjust my audio settings via command line. For volume, it's pactl -- set-sink-volume 0 100% , which changes the volume slider to 100%, so far, so good. Stupidly, this sets the balance to center, which I dislike. The options to change the balance, however, set the desired volume back to 100% (I need more than 100%, though, hence the action.

Does anyone know a tool that offers the possibility to change volume and balance at the same time, alternatively volume and balance separately, but without changing the other setting again.

myaudio.png
Click to expand...
Do you use Pulse Audio? Pavucontrol is perfect.
1698791925440.png
 
currently using fedora. quite satisfied so far, but having a couple of issues with Opera browser lagging and some vidoes (for example twitter or telegram) not playing on opera, but playing on firefox.
 
Bird said:
Well, the idea is to not use a graphic interface, just command line.
Click to expand...
Why on that specifically? I use a lot of stuff on command line, but I find that impractical. Why open up a command line and type out a long command when you can just click twice and be done with it? I also have some keys bound to change volume or move music player songs, since they're things I use a lot.
I mostly use pavu when the keyboard bugs out and makes one side louder than the other.
 
God's lonely asperger said:
Why open up a command line and type out a long command when you can just click twice and be done with it?
Click to expand...
Are you familiar with CTRL + R to search through your bash history? You rarely have to type out a long command once the history is long enough. I have greatly lengthened my history file in the .bashrc as it makes the CTRL + R feature more powerful.
 
God's lonely asperger said:
I use aliases for a lot of stuff but it's still pointless in that case.
Click to expand...
Aliases and scripts are where it's at for this kind of thing. Scripting ways to edit videos even at this point, it's crazy you don't learn about the power of the command line in computer class...
 
Need to install Linux on a laptop again. The issue comes with the time consuming process of copy pasting config files from main computer, to pen drive, to laptop. Along with installing everything manually just to then configure everything.

I've distrohopped and had fresh installs, but I'm wondering if anyone has a better way to do what I described here.
I would have just installed Mint or something on that laptop, but I can pretty much only use i3 due to battery. i3 is unusable to me with the default binds and most of the other default settings.
 
God's lonely asperger said:
I've distrohopped and had fresh installs, but I'm wondering if anyone has a better way to do what I described here.
Click to expand...
Do you have everything in the one partition?

My reinstaling is relatively painless each time, happens about once every 2 years.

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't most config files live in the /home/myuser directory in various hidden subdirectories which start with a dot such as /home/myuser/.thunderbird

There's also /home/myuser/.config and /home/myuser/.local that seems to contain some stuff.

When you reinstall linux all the config files sit where they are and wait and it's just the operating system that gets replaced. I've even switched distros from mint to debian and changed (human) languages and it has been smart enough to deal with it. Should be like changing a lightbulb. Am guessing though that this is if you stick within the Debian family which includes Ubuntu, Mint. If you go to the Arch derived I would not know whether this still works.

Have at least / and home/ mount points for partitions with gparted.
 
God's lonely asperger said:
Need to install Linux on a laptop again. The issue comes with the time consuming process of copy pasting config files from main computer, to pen drive, to laptop. Along with installing everything manually just to then configure everything.

I've distrohopped and had fresh installs, but I'm wondering if anyone has a better way to do what I described here.
I would have just installed Mint or something on that laptop, but I can pretty much only use i3 due to battery. i3 is unusable to me with the default binds and most of the other default settings.
Click to expand...
I generally keep my config files on my self hosted git server, so that when I spin up a new computer, I can git clone them down to it, and it takes about 5 minutes maximum to put them where they need to be for me to have a fully comprehensive system.
 
stadtaffe said:
Do you have everything in the one partition?

My reinstaling is relatively painless each time, happens about once every 2 years.

Correct me if I'm wrong but don't most config files live in the /home/myuser directory in various hidden subdirectories which start with a dot such as /home/myuser/.thunderbird

There's also /home/myuser/.config and /home/myuser/.local that seems to contain some stuff.

When you reinstall linux all the config files sit where they are and wait and it's just the operating system that gets replaced. I've even switched distros from mint to debian and changed (human) languages and it has been smart enough to deal with it. Should be like changing a lightbulb. Am guessing though that this is if you stick within the Debian family which includes Ubuntu, Mint. If you go to the Arch derived I would not know whether this still works.

Have at least / and home/ mount points for partitions with gparted.
Click to expand...
Not sure. I have a lot of Steam games that take up a total of 200 gigs on my disk space currently. I think my laptop is only 240 gigs.

Thefinalepic said:
I generally keep my config files on my self hosted git server, so that when I spin up a new computer, I can git clone them down to it, and it takes about 5 minutes maximum to put them where they need to be for me to have a fully comprehensive system.
Click to expand...
I got a lot of my Debian stuff from a git installation Debian video like that.


I can't really self host however. Never used github.
 
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