https://whynothugo.nl/tags/desktop/Recent content in Desktop on WhyNotHugoHugo -- gohugo.ioenTue, 09 Apr 2024 11:11:46 +0200https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2024/04/09/darkman-portal-configuration/Tue, 09 Apr 2024 10:33:42 +0200https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2024/04/09/darkman-portal-configuration/Since early 2022, darkman supports exposing the dark mode / light mode preference via the appropriate xdg-desktop-portal API. While this works quite well, it’s been a constant source of questions, since setting it up and actually understanding how it works is far from trivial. The xdg-desktop-portal is a kitchen-sink service1, which implements dozens of unrelated functionalities mashed together. Some of these features are implemented directly in the portal, while others are delegated to portal implementations.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2024/01/06/extended-usages-of-the-primary-selection/Sat, 06 Jan 2024 00:50:20 +0100https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2024/01/06/extended-usages-of-the-primary-selection/When some text is selected, it becomes the primary selection. Other applications can then access this primary selection. The most common usage is to paste it by middle clicking elsewhere, but that’s really the full extent of the interactions that are currently available1. There is a lot of unexplored potential in this feature. For example, it is perfectly feasible to have some desktop-wide special menu with actions that apply on it.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2023/11/19/setting-up-an-alpine-linux-workstation/Sun, 19 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2023/11/19/setting-up-an-alpine-linux-workstation/In the upcoming months I will travel to visit family and friends. I intend to work remotely during some of those weeks (and will take some other weeks off too). In preparation for this, I’ve set up a new1 ThinkPad T14s Gen 2i laptop that I’ll be using to work remotely. This article covers the steps that I take when setting up Alpine on this device. It is not intended to cover all possible installation options, but is a reference of my particular setup.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2022/10/26/systemd-locking-and-sleeping/Wed, 26 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2022/10/26/systemd-locking-and-sleeping/Locking the system[permalink] logind (part of systemd) emits events when the system is about to be locked or go into sleep. Typically, one can configure logind so that closing the laptop lid triggers a “lock the session” event. However, this just emits a D-Bus signal and doesn’t provide facilities for running any screen locker. One needs a separate process listening for this event, and this process itself needs to run a screen-locker and any other similar actions.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2022/10/21/how-the-clipboard-works/Fri, 21 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2022/10/21/how-the-clipboard-works/Reading how copy-paste works from the Wayland specification is non-trivial unless you understand a lot of how desktop computing works and Wayland internal. It took me quite a while to figure it all out, though once you get there, it seems quite obvious. Here’s my attempt at explaining how it works for mere mortals. Terminology[permalink] Let me clarify that what we usually call “clipboard” is actually called a “selection”. I’ll use the term “clipboard” here anyway to keep this friendly, but keep in mind that it’s not the actual technical term.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2022/02/25/introducing-darkman-v1.0.0/Fri, 25 Feb 2022 00:00:00 +0000https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2022/02/25/introducing-darkman-v1.0.0/I’m pleased to announce the release of darkman 1.0. Darkman is a session service that transitions a desktop environment between colour schemes. It switches to dark mode at sundown, and back to light mode at sunrise. This small project started in 2020, out of frustration with dark mode being too hard to read during sunny days, and light mode being blinding at night-time. Darkman runs as a session service. It sets a timer for the next sunrise/sundown based on the current location and sleeps 99% of the time.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2021/09/03/how-disk-encryption-works/Fri, 03 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2021/09/03/how-disk-encryption-works/Note: this article avoids being too technical and is rather geared towards non-technical users. Without disk encryption[permalink] Historically, computers used to ask you for a username and password after you turned them on. This was mostly an authentication mechanism to prevent strangers sitting in front of your computer from using it. However, they could still open the computer, remove the disk, and access all your information without further obstacles. The password prompt was a soft protection, akin to a security guard outside the entrance to a room with an open window on the other side.https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2021/06/16/my-desktop-wide-microphone-mute-toggle/Wed, 16 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000https://whynothugo.nl/journal/2021/06/16/my-desktop-wide-microphone-mute-toggle/I use a global hotkey (Super1+m) to toggle my microphone between muted and unmuted. It’s been very handy so far. Different videocall applications all have different hotkeys to mute / unmute oneself, and this avoids me having to keep a mental map of all the different mappings. It’s also been super handy when pair-programming; I can mute while typing and unmute when I need to talk, saving my co-programmer the pain of hearing my rather loud keyboard.