The "I can't figure out how I lived before discovering this" thread

[Keyper7]

Probably a duplicate, but just from the title I didn't find anything...

I'm curious about the applications or concepts that were really game-changers on the way you use the computer and nowadays you are scared to death of the possibility of losing them. Here's mine:

- multiple desktops

- compiz' scale plugin

- connect actions to screen corners

- glipper

[speedwell68]

GNU/Linux itself, that and virus free computing.

[MikeTheC]

Breathing.

[MaxIBoy]

I like how modular and non-obfuscated everything is. Instead of having a whole mess of executables and DLLs with names like DLSDO876DSF plus a whole mess of registry entries, you get neatly-named executables and SO files, and neatly-named configuration files in /etc. It's designed to be easily modified. I can't believe I survived without this for so long.

[Bungo Pony]

Compiz. The transparency combined with point to focus really makes a difference when you need to read something while you're typing up a document based on what you're reading. The desktop zoom feature is the best thing in the world.

[DeadSuperHero]

The day I got a Playstation.

[magmon]

The internet. My mind has benefitted, and computers are the future of business. Knowing about them and what connects them can only benefit me.

[lisati]

I'm surprised how well the Lisati household coped with dial-up and only one phone line, but I wouldn't go back to dial-up unless I had to.

[hyperAura]

i think the answer in that question for me is google.. also can some1 tell me what is glipper please?? cause it might be useful for me 2.. thnx..:)

[lisati]

<snip>

Presumably the <snip link>.... remember this forum aims to be family friendly.....

[hyperAura]

@szymon_g (http://ubuntuforums.org/member.php?u=227825) if u r a boy it doesnt take u that long to discover..:)

i am talkin about the drink ofc as more bartenders tend to be men.. ahaha

[Barrucadu]

Books.

[JT9161]

Linux
Internet
Firefox
Conky

[szymon_g]

remember this forum aims to be family friendly.....

well...

"(..)Importance of female orgasm. While it is well-known that male orgasm is linked to getting pregnant, female orgasm is also relevant to a couple’s chances of successfully getting pregnant. When a woman experiences an orgasm during sex, it helps to draw the semen into the cervix, thereby resulting in a higher chance of pregnancy.(...)"

http://www.gettingpregnant.co.uk/fertilitytips.html

so yes, I am, proudly speaking, pro-family ;)

[Giant Speck]

breathing.

+1

[benj1]

probably quite a few things

windows 3.1 - you could actualy click on things to make them work

cdrom drive - no more having to mess around with 15 floppy discs to install something, and you could actually play music on your computer.

a computer actually powerful enough to play quake - remember when id used to release software that wouldn't actually work very well on the current available hardware?

playing videos on a computer - remember the weezer video on the windows 95 cd?

i could of course live without all of these now but at the time they were pretty cool

[philcamlin]

+1

+2 :) and my computer :popcorn:

[unknownPoster]

Gentoo ;)

[windows-killer]

ubuntu

[PhoHammer]

Recently: "wrap workspaces when the pointer reaches the screen edge"-- makes multiple
workspaces worthwhile and xubuntu even more wonderful!

OT:

Gentoo ;)

So do you guys really compile everything? Does that take a lot of time and CPU power?

[unknownPoster]

So do you guys really compile everything? Does that take a lot of time and CPU power?

That is completely dependent upon your hardware...even so, you could have a fully operational system in a weekend (or less if you know what you're doing.) For example, on my laptop, a fully working Gentoo install up to my standards (Xorg, firefox, custom kernel, etc.) only takes me about 5-7 hours, most of which is just waiting.

[PhoHammer]

That is completely dependent upon your hardware...even so, you could have a fully operational system in a weekend (or less if you know what you're doing.) For example, on my laptop, a fully working Gentoo install up to my standards (Xorg, firefox, custom kernel, etc.) only takes me about 5-7 hours, most of which is just waiting.

5-7 hours?
... I guess I'm too spoiled on *ubuntu's installation process...:(

[Giant Speck]

5-7 hours?
... I guess I'm too spoiled on *ubuntu's installation process...:(

Hell, that makes me spoiled on Window 7's installation process, where I just click yes a couple times and then zone out for half an hour.

[ghindo]

Gnome-Do
Gnome-Do
GNOME-DO

[unknownPoster]

Well, the joy of Linux is using what works for you...

[doorknob60]

Firefox. I first found out about it 3-4 years ago because my school had it. For some reason I didn't like it and I went out of my way to use IE6...then halfway through the school year I gave it a fair chance, and then after that it immediately went on to all my home computers, and the rest is history.

[dragos240]

Compiling from source,
majority of software for linux is open source,
Gnu Network Object Model Environment,
Compiz,
WINE,
the internet,
and the ubuntuforums.

[K.Mandla]

Clonezilla, screen, rsync, nfs, ssh. Maybe a few others, but those are the top picks.

[koleoptero]

Coffee.


Metal music!


Sex.

[running_rabbit07]

Ubuntu and Linux in general, because I am glad I don't have to start up then wait ten minutes for the system scan and updates to complete and tell me I have to restart.

A little more than 30 seconds and I am computing or at least the system is ready to compute.

[liamnixon]

Slackware - The simplicity and stability can't be beat. Plus, I've never broken it that badly, as things are generally easy to fix.

Multiple desktops - Dear god, I miss this when I use Windows. Helps keep the clutter down.

KDE - Took me a while to warm up to it, but I've found KDE (3 and 4) to be vastly superior (for what I do) to every other DE/WM out there. Nothing else allows me to just get on with my work without fuss like it. Especially the 4 series (I'm using 3.5 at the moment, though).

[Edgeworth]

Multiple Desktops
Gnome-Do, especially with Docky
Laptops, I love being able to take my computer and work wherever I want.

[PhoHammer]

Well, the joy of Linux is using what works for you...

You've definitely got that right!!:P

[bjschuma]

Arch and Python for me.