diff --git a/src/assets/blog_posts/windows_to_linux/dwm_flexipatch_screenshot.png b/src/assets/blog_posts/windows_to_linux/dwm_flexipatch_screenshot.png index 64b24d2..ff6046b 100644 Binary files a/src/assets/blog_posts/windows_to_linux/dwm_flexipatch_screenshot.png and b/src/assets/blog_posts/windows_to_linux/dwm_flexipatch_screenshot.png differ diff --git a/src/blog_oryx_pro_review.html b/src/blog_oryx_pro_review.html index 39bef26..b668e93 100644 --- a/src/blog_oryx_pro_review.html +++ b/src/blog_oryx_pro_review.html @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@

System76 Oryx Pro 7 Review

-

Updated on August 27, 2021

+

Updated on December 7, 2021

@@ -160,8 +160,8 @@ target="_blank" >btrfs - rather than the default (ext4 I think) so I could take snapshots and - backup my data with + rather than the default (ext4) so I could take snapshots and backup + my data with Timeshift. @@ -191,18 +191,25 @@ href="https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/system76-power/" target="_blank" >system76-power AUR package, now works. I eventually decided on Garuda because it implements a - lot of the customizations I usually do in my vanilla Arch installs - anyways (e.g. btrfs, zen kernel, chaotic-aur, backups w/ timeshift, - easy options to enable gaming tweaks, etc.). The + >), now works. I eventually decided on Garuda because it implements + a lot of the customizations I usually do in my vanilla Arch installs + anyways (e.g., btrfs, zen kernel, chaotic-aur, backups w/ timeshift, + easy options to enable gaming tweaks, etc.). +

+

+ I started with the GNOME - edition immediately ran into crashing and system break issues, so I - tried the KDE Dragonized edition. It looks pretty nice and uses + edition since I was used to it from Pop!_OS. Unfortunately, I + immediately ran into crashing and system break issues. This led me + to try the KDE Dragonized edition because it looks pretty nice and + uses KDE plasma - instead of GNOME. After still encountered freezing issues, I - switched to the + instead of GNOME. After running KDE for a while, I felt like I + wanted something that is more easily customizable and lightweight. I + decided to dive into the realm of standalone window managers with + the i3 edition, but replaced i3 with Xmonad @@ -211,8 +218,50 @@ replaced it with dwm-flexipatch. Now, performance is amazing and I haven't encountered the major - freezing issues that I had with GNOME and KDE. + >. Now, performance is amazing and I absolutely love the keyboard + based workflow I have configured. +

+ +
+ +

+ Reducing Fan Noise & Application Freezing +

+

+ One major complaint I had with the laptop was the loud fan noise and + random application freezing. After some experimentation and + searching, I finally found a solution. Switching to the performance + profile using + system76-power + immediately resolved both issues. Just run + sudo system76-power profile performance in a terminal + or use + gnome-shell-extension-system76-power + if you are running GNOME. +

+

+ I also found that using a custom kernel improved general system + performance and thermals. I'm currently using the + linux-tkg + kernel with PDS scheduler which is available as a pre-compiled + binary in the + chaotic-aur + package + linux-tkg-pds.

@@ -239,11 +288,10 @@ >.
  • - Gaming performance is amazing! Recently got Yakuza: Like a Dragon - on Steam. It runs at around 70 to 80 fps with all the settings - turned up to the max. I love that I can use my favorite operating - system without having to compromise too much on gaming - performance. + Gaming performance is amazing! I can run Yakuza: Like a Dragon at + around 70 or 80 fps with all the settings turned up to the max. I + love that I can use my favorite operating system without having to + compromise too much on gaming performance.
  • Love the keyboard backlighting and color changing on the fly. @@ -297,25 +345,14 @@ Battery life is really bad when the discrete graphics card is on (as expected). Maybe a little more than an hour a time, sometimes more depending on how willing I am to lower CPU frequency and - stuff. As a desktop replacement, that is to be expected through. + stuff. As a desktop replacement type laptop, that is to be + expected through.
  • - Mouse click buttons are not great. Regularly left click on - something in GNOME and nothing happens. "Tapping" with the - mousepad works very reliably though. -
    • -
  • - Fans can get really loud at times, especially when gaming. I often - have to turn up my speakers or wear noise cancelling headphones. - This is an understandable limitation with gaming laptops though. - Using a custom kernel solved a lot of my complaints with the - thermals and fan noise though. Now the fans don't turn on as - often. When they do, they don't ramp up to the maximum speed, so - noise is kept to a reasonable level. -
    • -
  • - Random freezing is kind of an issue, but is generally resolved by - using a custom kernel. + Fans can get really loud at times, especially when pushing the GPU + in games. I often have to turn up my speakers or wear noise + cancelling headphones. This is an understandable physical + limitation of thin and light gaming laptops though.
  • While the display itself is great, I really wish the hinge would @@ -330,16 +367,16 @@

    Conclusions

    - It may seem that the cons outweigh the pros, but this is only in - number and because I am really nitpicking. The things this laptop - get right (e.g. gaming, refresh rate, switchable graphics, general - performance) are much more important to me than the other things. - Regarding price, you are definitely paying a premium for first-class - linux support, but it is well worth it in my opinion. I do not want - to use Windows anymore and I am happy to pay extra if it means - supporting a company that promotes and sells Linux computers and - having a device that can be easily upgraded down the line. Overall, - I am very happy with my purchase. + It may seem that the cons outweigh the pros, but this is only + because I am really nitpicking. The things this laptop gets right + (e.g., gaming, refresh rate, switchable graphics, general + performance) are much more important to me than the other things + (e.g., mic / webcam quality). Regarding price, you are definitely + paying a premium for first-class linux support, but it is well worth + it in my opinion. I do not want to use Windows anymore and I am + happy to pay extra if it means supporting a company that promotes + and sells Linux computers and having a device that can be easily + upgraded down the line. Overall, I am very happy with my purchase.

    diff --git a/src/blog_windows_to_linux.html b/src/blog_windows_to_linux.html index 2871fe6..ef1e998 100644 --- a/src/blog_windows_to_linux.html +++ b/src/blog_windows_to_linux.html @@ -26,7 +26,7 @@

    Switching from Windows to Linux

    -

    Updated on August 27, 2021

    +

    Updated on December 7, 2021

    @@ -136,16 +136,15 @@ like the best option because I could literally build my OS from the ground up. I essentially have complete control over which packages get installed on my system. This means there is a steep learning - curve and things can break if you are not careful, but the - ArchWiki - is possibly the greatest Linux resource I have ever seen. The main - reasons I decided on Arch are: + curve and things can break if you are not careful. If you can get + over the initial difficulties, you will find an amazing Linux + desktop experience. The main reasons I decided on Arch are:

    • Rolling Release: I don't have to re-install my OS every 6 - months. My system and the kernel get updated through my package - manager. + months. My system and the kernel get updated through a simple + package manager command.
    • Package Management: Pacman and AUR helpers (e.g. @@ -164,21 +163,30 @@ snap, flatpak, or AppImage. While - these are great in that they can run on any Linux distro, they - don't integrate into the system as well as I would like. AppImages - have to be updated manually and don't integrate well with the - desktop experience by default. Flatpaks are sandboxed - applications, which means they require manual intervention to - access certain parts of the OS. The main issue I found here was - with theming. For lots of open source applications, they may not - have a snap, flatpak, or AppImage package, but they almost always - have an AUR package. This means it is extremely rare to have to - manually install any application or program on my system. + these universal package formats are great in that they can run on + any Linux distro, they don't integrate into the system as well as + I would like. AppImages have to be updated manually and don't + integrate well with the desktop experience by default. Flatpaks + are sandboxed applications, which means they require manual + intervention to access certain parts of the OS. The main issue I + found here was with theming. For lots of open source applications, + they may not have a snap, flatpak, or AppImage package, but they + almost always have an AUR package. This means it is extremely rare + to have to manually install any application or program on my + system.
    • - Customizability: Everything on my system was either - installed by me or a dependency for something I installed. There - is little to no bloatware. + ArchWiki: The + ArchWiki + is by far the best source of linux documentation I have found on + the internet. It has clear and well written information on pretty + much any topic you may be interested in and any issue you may + encounter. On other distros, you generally have to resolve issues + yourself or search for solutions on random message boards without + really understanding what the different components of your OS do. + By reading the ArchWiki, I feel like I have gained a much better + understanding of how my computer works and how to approach + resolving any issues I may have.