MX Linux 18 - suggestions from long time user

[chrispop99]

What old Windows users (any users) are often missing is more flexible attitude to changing habits and maybe learning new things. They should take into consideration that there are habits and there could be even better habits - but must be first tried/acquired.

Windows users coming from Windows 7 to Windows 10, as many will be, will have more to learn than if they transition to a decently set up Xfce machine!

Chris

[dolphin_oracle]

I'm curious about the flat-volumes thing. Any thoughts from other users on that?

[kepler1]

The Super key is often used to bring up the menu, on many distros, & is especially useful if the task bar is hidden, also for those that use the keyboard, this alteration is probably not a good idea.

Correct. The problem is that if you use another shortcut for another program, let's say the File Manager. (SUPER + E).

If you will press the Super + E combination, the Whisker menu will pop-up first and then the File Manager. Is just bad functionality.

[kepler1]

Thanks for the thoughtful suggestions! As you know, we are in early development for MX-19 so this is the perfect time to put something like this out there.

It is my pleasure to express some things I've noticed.

I really like this distro and of course, many of the things I've reported are "personal" customizations but I think an average user will benefit from this.

[Jerry3904]

I'm curious about the flat-volumes thing. Any thoughts from other users on that?

There are a zilliion complaints about that on the web ("pulseaudio flat volumes"). Here is the FreeDesktop discussion:

There is no single well-defined meaning attached to the 100% volume for a sink input. In fact, it depends on the server configuration. With flat volumes enabled, it means the maximum volume that the sound hardware is capable of, which is usually so high that you absolutely must not set sink input volume to 100% unless the the user explicitly requests that (note that usually you shouldn't set the volume anyway if the user doesn't explicitly request it, instead, let PulseAudio decide the volume for the sink input). With flat volumes disabled the sink input volume is relative to the sink volume, so 100% sink input volume means that the sink input is played at the current sink volume level. In this case 100% is often a good default volume for a sink input, although you still should let PulseAudio decide the default volume. It is possible to figure out whether flat volume mode is in effect for a given sink by calling pa_context_get_sink_info_by_name().

[dreamer]

Hello all! I've been using MX Linux 18.3 lately and i got only good things to say about it.

I have some suggestions that I think will improve the user experience in MX Linux.

1. Show Desktop shortcut should be set to Super + D by default. (from the XFCE Window Manager)

Explanation: Many users come from Windows, in which the default shortcut for showing the desktop is Super + D.

OK, makes sense I guess if Super+D is not standard for anything else.

2. Set the window title to a slightly larger font and make it bold. (from the Window Manager)

Explanation: Making the window title larger and bold will make the window title stand out more.

Windows 7 has same size. Windows 8 has larger size. Windows 10 I have forgotten because MX Linux has largely saved me from it.

3. Delete / Disable the shortcut for the XFCE Whisker Menu (from the Keyboard shortcuts section)

Explanation: If you will add any shortcut that will user the Super key in combination with any other key, the XFCE whisker menu will pop-up every time you use that shortcut. (for example add a shortcut Super + E for Thunar. If you use Super + E, Thunar will open but behind the Whisker Menu)

I think this is a bad suggestion because many Windows users press Super and start to type to launch programs. I do the same in MX Linux.

4. Enable compositing by default

Explanation: I have an old rag (e4600@2.4ghz, Radeon 7470) and I have no issues in running with compositing enabled. Also, MX will look better.

I don't know if having compositing by default is a safe option and if it fails gracefully.

5. DISABLE flat-volumes (please!) from Pulseaudio (/etc/pulse/daemon.conf)

Explanation: If you don't want to have ear problems, just disable it. REALLY! Everyone will benefit from this.
Just uncomment flat-volume line and set it to no. (restart pulseaudio after)

I agree. It's potentially dangerous and MX Linux (and Debian) is the only desktop OS I know of that has implemented this behavior.

6. Add Redshift-GTK + geoclue2-0 in to the default installation

Explanation: WE need this. Especially at night.

This would probably be useful for the average user, because it's a little tricky to install and set up. Windows has this by default in Windows 10.

7. Enable desktop icons to be visible by default.

Explanation: Many new users will have problem in finding the way to enable Desktop Icons.

Maybe a good idea.

8. Chromium - Please enable Title Bar to be visible (minimize + maximize)

Explanation: As a user, i would like to have the possibility to minimize, maximize Chromium without additional tweaks.

Good idea.

[jj1j1]

Windows users coming from Windows 7 to Windows 10, as many will be, will have more to learn than if they transition to a decently set up Xfce machine!

Chris

You got that right

I'm curious about the flat-volumes thing. Any thoughts from other users on that?

From what I've read about flat-volume it reminds me of a problem I had on my Dell laptop. It came with Ubuntu installed. From the first boot the volume was always maxed. Turning the volume low right before shutting down didn't matter. It didn't take long before the speakers were fried. I decided to try other OS'es and see if that would help. That was actually how I discovered MX Linux. and the rest is history. I will say that I've not noticed this flat-volume problem in MX, but now that I know the setting to disable it I will be checking that box. I did have a problem keeping it set to Digital HDMI setting for a while, and had difficulty in determining, between alsa, and pulse audio, which controlled volume for laptop.

[jj1j1]

Code: Select all

Thanks for the thoughtful suggestions! As you know, we are in early development for MX-19 so this is the perfect time to put something like this out there. 

I'll just throw this out there...I hadn't noticed it before, but the MX18.3 install has a bench-marking utility for LUKS encryption. That's pretty nice. To build on that; a utility to benchmark the actual hardware, maybe one device, or multiple devices, would be awesome. I remember Windows XP having a utility in its install that would tell you of hardware compatibility issues...

[kepler1]

Regarding the shortcut for Whisker Menu - Super key.

I know that most of the people use this to open the Whisker Menu.

Maybe i was misunderstood :).

The actual issue is the following, for better explanation:

1. Set the Whisker Menu shortcut to default (SUPER key)
2. Set another shortcut for any program but using SUPER key (for example File Manager to SUPER + E)
3. Use SUPER + E to open the File Manager (thunar)

Result:
The File Manager will open, but also the Whiskermenu. Basically every time you release the SUPER key, the Whiskermenu is popped.

[JayM]

Regarding the shortcut for Whisker Menu - Super key.

I know that most of the people use this to open the Whisker Menu.

Maybe i was misunderstood :).

The actual issue is the following, for better explanation:

1. Set the Whisker Menu shortcut to default (SUPER key)
2. Set another shortcut for any program but using SUPER key (for example File Manager to SUPER + E)
3. Use SUPER + E to open the File Manager (thunar)

Result:
The File Manager will open, but also the Whiskermenu. Basically every time you release the SUPER key, the Whiskermenu is popped.

I just verified this. What's happening is that the SUPER key by itself opens Whisker Menu, so as soon as you hit SUPER and before you type the E, Whisker is opening. Per Settings/Keyboard - Application Shortcuts tab, Whisker Menu's shortcut is SUPER L. If I edit the entry and assign SUPER + L to xfce4-popup-whiskermenu it works as expected and SUPER + E to open Thunar no longer also opens Whisker Menu. It may be a bug in the default MX or Xfce settings (or maybe not?)

Rarely having used keyboard shortcuts in MS Windows I don't have any idea what the default keystroke is for opening the start menu (though ISTR that once upon a time it was something like control + alt + escape, wasn't it? That was many, many snows ago, like in Windows 95 days.)