Computer OCDs

[jamieh]

Is there anything you feel you "have" to do with your computer?

Here are mine:
- My keyboard needs to be parallel to my monitor.
- When I leave my Ubuntu desktop, all windows must be closed, and no icons can be selected on the desktop.
- When I leave my computer, I have to turn the backlight off on my internal fan speed controller.
- About a year ago, the fan on my PSU died. Ever since I replaced that fan, I have to reach around to the back of the case to make sure it still works, even though the fan monitor says it is spinning.
- The Trash has to always be empty.
- When I leave the computer, it always has to be on Desktop 1.
- If I change the brown theme to another color, EVERYTHING must change to that color, splash, login screen, bootup screen, EVERYTHING.
- The desktop icons must be spaced evenly.
- I bounce between GNOME and KDE about every two weeks.

I'm sure I have many more....

What do you have?

[LaRoza]

Is there anything you feel you "have" to do with your computer?


I don't use messy desktop environments like KDE and GNOME, so I don't have to worry about disorganization that way (I use wmii).

I don't really have any habits that don't make sense. I typically turn my LCD monitors off when I leave for a while. I keep the computer on during the time I am home (I turn it off at night, and if I leave for more than a short time).

[jaithehulk]

OCDs
- I HAVE TO shift+del evrything...permanently
- The caps lock shld ALWAYS be off....use only shift keys.
- My PC shld nvr be off!!! only when i go outside..
- Thrash MUST be emtpy.
- No extra Start-up items....

[kimmp12]

My keyboard cannot be disgusting. At work I share a computer with other shifts, I cannot stand it.
I used to be the type that always had to empty the trash, I guess I'm getting lazy in my old age.

Although this doesn't apply to my particular computer, but if I am at a computer with a ball mouse then I must clean it. I've tried to use too many that didn't work very well because of all of the crap in them.

[OutOfReach]

-I always make sure that no icons on the desktop are selected
-When im not listening to music, I always mute the volume.
-There can never be a desktop icon thats out of place, they are always aligned.
-I never close my laptop lid, even if the computer is off.
-Everytime I leave my computer for something, I lock the screen.

[Barrucadu]

If I change one item of the theme, it all changes (GTK, Xcursor, GDM, Openbox, Wallpaper, Icons, et cetera)
I must change the theme every 6 or 7 days, otherwise I get bored and frustrated.
All my commonly-used software must be the absolute latest version, even if that means using SVN builds.
If program B is even slightly better than program A, which I have been using for a long time, program A is gone, program B is installed, and I think "How could I ever have liked A?"

[Achetar]

I must bash OpenSuse whenever possible for using the horridly slow RPM system accompanied with the lack of decent HostAP drivers
I must install vim on any computer I use
I install a new distro every time I have 10GB free space in my steadily declining WinXP partition
NUMLOCK must be ON at all times
all software from repos or svn must always be the absolute latest, unless it takes more than 1hr to compile
CAPSLOCK must always be off

[Joeb454]

NUMLOCK must be ON at all times


Except on laptops :)

[lisati]

Stay up ridiculously late if something's not working quite right, even when it can probably wait until the morning.

<rant>I feel a rant coming on about @#$%^& Windows not being able to connect with WPA encryption on a wireless adapter that Ubuntu can handle without any problems and having to temporarily switch back to WEP. Aaaah that feels better</rant>

[jamieh]

Stay up ridiculously late if something's not working quite right, even when it can probably wait until the morning.

That is SO me!

[ComputerGeek31618]

Desktop Icons are arragned on the desktop, not splattered around in that ridiculous stack on the left.

Mouse speed and acceleration (when availible) MUST be set just right.

Stereo speakers must be same distance from center and same distance from ears.

(This may not count, but it's a good idea) I HATE loose cord mayhem. Unused lengths are twist-tied, cords are routed and grouped (through cardboard tubes, like paper towel rolls) by type to keep out of the way of me and each other.

[GreyShadow]

I'm anal about cables too. I even keep-hoard the special black twisty ties that come with a new device to neatinize and color match the tidy cord arrangements behind my computer.

[Chr0mis]

I have to...
check my email
lock the screen when I leave (the cat might type sudo rm -rf / and my password)
secure my network
turn off the screen when I leave for more than 15 minutes
turn off the pc when I leave the pc for more than 3 days alone

[Ptero-4]

Mines are:
Always lock the desktop when I'm away.
Use a Mac-like GUI setup (menubar, leopard dock and no icons on the desktop).
My background is permanently set to a photo of Elizabeth Harnois.

[|{urse]

Default themes drive me insane! It's the first thing to go as soon as I install, especially fedora.

[Bubba64]

I don't really care how my computer is when I leave it. Sometimes I will do a update on my desk top and forget to close the update manager, sometimes I leave Thunderbird in the alltray. I have never had a problem with the way my computers are left, my laptop which I spend most of my time on I just turn off.

[starcannon]

I have to clear the coke cans, whiskey bottles, moldy coffee cups, and other brick brack away at least once a year whether it needs it or not. I'm just fussy like that :)

Otherwise, I can't stand any piece of hardware to not work, I will futz with it, and mess with it, and pick at it, until I either put it in the techno art piece (also known as the scrap heap) and replace it, or it works... whichever comes first :)

*glares over at the everex cloudbook*

[abhilashkumar]

i have to keep display brightness at 50%
i have to mute sound when not listening to music
i have to open gmail messages in a new window
i have to put external speakers behind the laptop

[skip mcshwang]

Monitor and keyboard centered on the table.
Chair pushed in and centered when I leave or go to bed.
Speakers equal distance apart.
If the phone and pens aren't in their place the earth may spin off it's axis
If I leave the computer nothing can be selected or highlighted
Desktop icons equal distance apart.
Columns in list boxes must be just the right width
Trash always empty

[skip mcshwang]

Also text files, the last line must end with a newline

[misterhead]

Don't want to damage the hard drive by turning it off

[jamieh]

Don't want to damage the hard drive by turning it off

Well leaving it on will damage it too.... :D

Kind of like the whole "Thermal stress vs Wearout" argument.

[Squid Tamer]

I NEVER turn my computer off, except when I'll be gone for more than a day/ or when a bad storm is coming.

If either of the two reasons above happens, I must unplug EVERYTHING from the grid. (except for the internet cable, which is too hard to get to)

The screen must only turn off WHEN I WANT IT TO. The hard drive must never stop spinning.

I keep my mouse UNDER my keyboard, in that keyboard slide out thing. The keyboard stays up top, unless I don't need it.

The first thing I do when I get back from vacation is turn on my computer.

I MUST check my E-mail every five minutes.

[Joeb454]

The first thing I do when I get back from vacation is turn on my computer.

That's usually the first thing I do in the morning (I have a laptop so it gets turned off at night)

[scragar]

let's see:
I must have the panels system montior ap in the middle of the top panel
All updates must be installed as soon as they are available, even if it's for programs I don't use(ekiga, evolution, open office etc)
Computer must be locked when not in use, even if I'm sat infront of it, but watching TV
Desktop must have a max of 5 icons, 2 of which are my second HD and second partition.
pidgin MUST NEVER be maximised, even if it means I have to horizontaly scroll to read.
Trash should not be used, I get a confirmation before I delete, why do I need an undo option aswell?
numlock must be on
caps lock must be off, even when writing in ALLCAPS
speakers must always be turned of unless I'm listening to something.
keyboard has to be turned 90 degree's when not in use
I need to reload my emails on the computer, even though I have instant mail notification on my phone(costs me a little bit, but it's a nice thing to have, instant I get an email I get a text)
box must always be on, even if not in use
no desktop icons(or icons in nautilus at all if it's open) may be selected unless I intend to use them in the next 10 seconds

If I notice myself doing any more I'll let you all know.

EDIT: forgot 2:
All windows must be minimized unless in use.
Nothing can obstruct power light on monitor, even if I have to move it to cover a part of the screen to reveal the power light

[Tim Sharitt]

When I close my laptop, it has to be on desktop 1.
Trash is never used, everything is immediately deleted.
Firefox is always on desktop 1.
Passwords must be an even number of characters.
I can not minimize a terminal while something is compiling, I can move it to another desktop, just can't minimize it.
Thunderbird is one of the first thing I open and stays minimized while not in use until I shut down.
I will play kbounce until I lose on an even numbered level.

[eddVRS]

I ALWAYS lock my computer before I even move the chair to let myself out. Even if I'm just picking up a pencil I've just dropped. (although, my home PC has blueproximity which helps)

CLI commands that are quite verbose MUST to be cleared (alias c for that) before the next command goes in.

NOTHING on my desktop- please... why obscure my lovely background image?

I tend to tap the sides of my keyboard (ususally in paradiddles) while waiting for a busy system to catch up with me.