Software
Basic
I use Artix Linux (runit) with LARBS as a meta-distro.
On Artix, xorg-server can be replaced by xlibre-xserver.
Utilities
- lf – File Manager
- neomutt, mutt-wizard – Mail Client
- nsxiv – Image Viewer
- mpv – Video Player
- mpd, ncmpcpp – Music Player
- zathura (mupdf) – Document Viewer
- newsboat – RSS Reader
- transmission-cli – Torrent Client
See the email, torrent, & browser pages for more on those.
Production
- markdown/groff – Document Writing
- sc-im – Spreadsheet Editor
- ffmpeg – Video/Audio Editor
- imagemagick/GIMP – Image Modification
I don’t really use sc-im or calcurse, rather I create spreadsheet-like markdown tables & keep dates & notes with vimwiki.
Other
These are also either installed by or compliment LARBS:
- calcurse – Calendar
- pass – Password Manager
- dmenu – Scripts Menu
- slock – Screen Lock
- wireplumber (pipewire-pulse), pulsemixer – Audio Controller
- pywal/xrdb – System Colors
- htop – System Monitor
- dunst – Notifications
- neofetch – System Information
- cronie – Cronjobs
- task-spooler – Command Queue
- fzf – File Search
- rsync/syncthing – File Transfer
- lynx – HTML Viewer
- urlview – Outputs URLs
- yt-dlp – Video Download
- bmon – Network Monitor
- geoip – GeoIP Lookup
- hugo – Website Generator
- poppler – PDF Editor
- pandoc – Markup Converter
- maim – Screenshoting
- tesseract – OCR Engine
- zbar – Bar Code Reader
- ueberzugpp – Image Previews
- gtkwave – Wave Viewer
- setxkbmap – Keyboard Layout
- simple-mtpfs – Android Mounting
- sane – Scanner Controller
- sdcv – Dictionary
- screenkey – Key Press Display
- shellcheck – Script Analyzer
pandoc & shellcheck are available as pandoc-bin & shellcheck-bin on Artix.
Further, I personally use these in addition:
- ufetch – System Information
- nethogs – Network Monitor
- bluez-utils, bluetui – Bluetooth
Hardware
I use old Thinkpad models, currently I only have a T400 but used to have a X200 as well. They’re durable, easily repairable, & list for cheap on eBay—around $100 or $200. Get one Librebooted if you can, or do it yourself.
Most parts may be replaced for a cheap price from eBay &c. If a part, e.g. the palm rest, has a hole for another part which you do not want or need, e.g. the fingerprint scanner, it may easily be ordered without it.
If you need to replace, e.g., the CMOS battery, but don’t have the foam tape, use electrical tape wrapped around to be double-sided instead.
For paint repairs use automotive spray paint or vinyl wrap in a “dead matte black” color. See this blog post.
Upgrades
- Wireless Card
- The factory provided wireless card is probably proprietary & will not work with certain distributions with the Linux-libre kernel, e.g. Parabola. Get an Atheros WiFi Card (models AR5B95/AR9285). If you’re using a model later than the X220/T420, you will need to Libreboot it.
- 2nd SATA Adapter
- The optical disc drive can be replaced with a SATA to SATA adapter, enabling the connection of another HDD or SSD. It can be taken out easily with the switch & pull tab. The bezel of the optical drive can also be easily popped out & attached to a SATA adapter. If it doesn’t fit & you don’t plan to re-attach it to the optical drive, break of the pegs & put a layer of electrical tape over where the bezel will mount to & attach it with hot glue.
- ExpressCard
- A SD card adapter may be inserted into the ExpressCard slot. ThinkWiki recommends the SanDisk ExpressCard Reader/Writer (models SDAD0-109 & SDAD-111).