Debian, i3wm. From scratch. Slighlty tuned.
Caveat emptor: driving linux on manual required for the initial mise en place and for daily usage.
USB tether with a smartphone that has internet access. Helps with the Wi-Fi setup headaches in some cases. Sort out the Wi-Fi setup later.
For Mac machines, use the mac iso.
Install the base system and only the standard system utilities.
# nano /etc/apt/sources.list
Add contrib non-free to buster main.
Nano editing tips: Alt+A start marking text, Alt+6 copy marked text, Ctrl+U paste.
# apt update && apt upgrade - y
# apt install sudo
# visudo
Mark and copy the root ALL... line. Paste below and change root with the user name you created.
# apt install unzip
# cd /tmp
# wget http://github.com/itmitica/debi3n/archive/master.zip
# unzip master.zip
# cd debi3n-master
# ./apps.sh
# ./files.sh <user>
Reboot. Login. startx. Practice the keybindings. Enjoy.
When necessary, drive linux on manual: learn about new commands.
$ sudo apt-key adv --keyserver hkp://keyserver.ubuntu.com:80 --recv-keys CB2DE8E5
$ sudo nano /etc/apt/sources.list
Add deb https://download.onlyoffice.com/repo/debian squeeze main source.
$ sudo apt update
$ sudo apt install onlyoffice-desktopeditors
$ sudo apt install snapd
$ sudo snap install core
$ sudo snap install acrordrdc
$ snap run acrordrdc
Win+Shift+E is now an exit menu.
Win+Z keybinding for focusing a child container. In relation to Win+A, focus parent keybinding.
Other normal i3wm keybindings, e.g. Win+Shift+Space to toggle floating for active window, Win+Space to toggle focus from floated windows to tiled windows and back.
Win+D is now rofi.
Shift+ → Shift+ ← to cycle through rofi screens.
w to quickly preview the selected file.
F3 to preview the selected file
F4 to edit the selected file.
F5 to copy selection to the other pane.
F6 to move selection to the other pane.
F7 to create a new directory.
Del to delete selection.
Other normal vifm keybindings.
CTRL+R start search
CTRL+G cancel
CTRL+C kompakt mode.
CTRL+F open file.
CTRL+U open URL.
CTRL+S stop.
CTRL+X exit.
1, 2 contrast control.
3, 4 brightness control.
R, T subtitle positions shift.
Z, X subtitle delay shift.
Other normal SMPlayer keybindings.
~/bin/pm.sh to park the mouse.
~/bin/rsr.sh for a quick status report.
~/bin/kbden.sh to change the keyboard layout to English US.
~/bin/kbdro.sh to change the keyboard layout to Romanian.
Run SoG utils from rofi combi screen: Win+D, start typing pm. until file is highlighted then press ENTER.
Run SoG utils from rofi run screen: Win+D, Shift+ →, start typing pm. until file is highlighted then press ENTER.
$ sudo gufw
$ xrandr --props
$ ...
$ HDMI1 connected ...
$ ...
$ xrandr --output HDMI1 --auto --set "audio" on
$ ip link to list interfaces.
$ sudo nano /etc/network/interfaces to edit interfaces.
$ lsblk to check dev and mount points.
$ pmount /dev/sdc to mount.
$ lsblk to check if /media/sdc mount point has been created.
$ pumount /dev/sdc to unmount.
$ lsblk to check if unmounted successfully.
$ udisksctl power-off -b /dev/sdc to safely remove.
Add exec entry to i3 config file.
Start with lxappearance and choose a theme; then choose it in gtk-chtheme. In qt4-config, there is a dropdown menu setting to make qt take the GTK+ settings. Credits: https://askubuntu.com/a/600946.
My personal favorite fonts: Cantarell, size 13 and JuliaMono Medium, size 13.
With xrandr on my Macmini Late 2012 i3wm installation, the bash scripts 2h.sh and 2v.sh will arrange my two monitors horizontally or vertically, while 1h.sh and 1v.sh will arrange my two monitors in a single virtual monitor spanning horizontally or vertically.
I found out that normal user activity prevented fluid full screen rendering in VLC on a different workspace on the second monitor. Playing around this issue, I decided to "fuse" the two monitors in a single virtual monitor: ~/bin/1v.sh. I started VLC, Terminal, then used Mod+e to position each on half the virtual monitor, each on a physical monitor, in fact. I then used Mod+h while on Terminal to create a new container. I then opened Chromium and I rearranged Terminal and Chromium by way of Mod+w, for a tabbed layout, while the VLC container remained master on the other half of the workspace. I chose a minimal interface for VLC and played it as such, no fullscreen. The difference with such a layout is that a new window on a new workspace can span on both physical monitors. I doubt it is of any use spanning VLC window, but with other stuff it may be desireable to get double the content at a glance.
I ended up uninstalling VLC and I now use SMPlayer in Kompact mode: CTRL+C.
With i3wm, one may experience poor video rendering: tearing, artefacts. A compositor is nedeed in this case: xcompmgr, compton, picom. Still under consideration, at this point.