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  3. What computer life hacks are your most used?

What computer life hacks are your most used?

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  • T [email protected]

    Are you serious? arrow keys instead of clicking? let's take it further:

    shift+arrow highlights letters
    ctrl+arrow skips entire words
    ctrl+shift+arrow highlights entire words
    home/end jumps to start/end of line
    ctrl+home/end jumps to start/end of text box
    ctrl+shift+home/end jumps to start/end of textbox and highlights it
    um, do you need me to explain what ctrl+xcv do? or ctrl+zy? or ctrl+asdwerfgop?

    isn't this just basic typing? didnt yall learn this in the 90s??? how are you all on the internet right now

    wait til you hear about how i swipe texted all this

    N This user is from outside of this forum
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    wrote last edited by
    #111

    I'm with you but the snark is a bit much

    T 1 Reply Last reply
    1
    • M [email protected]

      Is there a non-digital version of a finger trap? đŸ„

      N This user is from outside of this forum
      N This user is from outside of this forum
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      wrote last edited by
      #112

      đŸ€Ł

      There is an answer, tho.

      Stars Eric André and Lil Rel Howery shuffled into an Atlanta barber shop seeking scissor-cutting help as their characters (best friends Chris and Bud) announced their groins were stuck together in a Chinese finger trap.

      1 Reply Last reply
      0
      • T [email protected]

        Are you serious? arrow keys instead of clicking? let's take it further:

        shift+arrow highlights letters
        ctrl+arrow skips entire words
        ctrl+shift+arrow highlights entire words
        home/end jumps to start/end of line
        ctrl+home/end jumps to start/end of text box
        ctrl+shift+home/end jumps to start/end of textbox and highlights it
        um, do you need me to explain what ctrl+xcv do? or ctrl+zy? or ctrl+asdwerfgop?

        isn't this just basic typing? didnt yall learn this in the 90s??? how are you all on the internet right now

        wait til you hear about how i swipe texted all this

        K This user is from outside of this forum
        K This user is from outside of this forum
        [email protected]
        wrote last edited by
        #113

        They tought us on typewriters in the 90s. Wait until you hear about how I changed an ink ribbon, son.

        L slvrdrgn@lemmy.worldS C 3 Replies Last reply
        8
        • K [email protected]

          They tought us on typewriters in the 90s. Wait until you hear about how I changed an ink ribbon, son.

          L This user is from outside of this forum
          L This user is from outside of this forum
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          wrote last edited by
          #114

          I miss crunchy keyboards that fought you every time you hit the carriage return. These modern ones all feel weak and listless to me.

          1 Reply Last reply
          0
          • E [email protected]

            Linux is the easier to install, less headache to run, less configuration needed, better to game on platform compared to windows.

            That's my life hack. Get over the Stockholm syndrome.

            K This user is from outside of this forum
            K This user is from outside of this forum
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            wrote last edited by
            #115

            I don't know shit about Linux but I've been using Mint for the last year with no problem. It's pretty idiot-proof and I haven't had any issues with software since gaming is largely solved on Linux and Adobe can eat my ass.

            E T 2 Replies Last reply
            0
            • J [email protected]

              Yay, nobody said my favorite hack.

              While browsing on the web and you want to "open link into a new tab", click using the mouse wheel like it's a regular left or right click.

              It's great for researching.

              N This user is from outside of this forum
              N This user is from outside of this forum
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              wrote last edited by
              #116

              Very recently, I have adopted Shift+LMBclick to open a link in a new browser window.

              I use this primarily for accessing one link in favorites bar.

              I would love to figure out a non-extension way (curse you, draconian IT policy!) to set this behavior in the favorite/bookmark...

              1 Reply Last reply
              2
              • tehbamski@lemmy.worldT [email protected]

                Mine is using the arrow keys to navigate typed text while writing and editing. It helps speed things up, versus having to move your hand to the mouse to navigate.

                Use the Up and Down Arrows to move/jump vertically.

                Left and Right Arrows to move/jump horizontally.

                Combine Left or Right Arrow with Shift to be able to select text. Use Up or Down Arrow with Shift to quickly select whole/nearly whole sections of text.

                Combine Control with Left/Right Arrow to jump whole words to more quickly move to where you want to type.

                K This user is from outside of this forum
                K This user is from outside of this forum
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                wrote last edited by
                #117

                My grub boot loader is pretty hacked together at this point. Really should probably do a fresh install at some point. Want to get a 4TB SSD at some point though.

                M 1 Reply Last reply
                2
                • tatterdemalion@programming.devT [email protected]

                  Use a tiling window manager like sway.

                  Get some big HDDs and self host your own file storage on zfs. Same for media servers like jellyfin. You can also host qBitTorrent web client so it's accessible from anywhere.

                  Set up a VM in Hetzner cloud and host vaultwarden.

                  Expose your services over wireguard.

                  N This user is from outside of this forum
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                  wrote last edited by [email protected]
                  #118

                  I was not familiar with Hetzner Cloud until now. I have used VPS found in the $1 & $2 lists at lowendbox, as I am super-cheap.

                  Just be sure to keep local backups, in case the provider evaporates.

                  1 Reply Last reply
                  0
                  • tehbamski@lemmy.worldT [email protected]

                    Mine is using the arrow keys to navigate typed text while writing and editing. It helps speed things up, versus having to move your hand to the mouse to navigate.

                    Use the Up and Down Arrows to move/jump vertically.

                    Left and Right Arrows to move/jump horizontally.

                    Combine Left or Right Arrow with Shift to be able to select text. Use Up or Down Arrow with Shift to quickly select whole/nearly whole sections of text.

                    Combine Control with Left/Right Arrow to jump whole words to more quickly move to where you want to type.

                    I This user is from outside of this forum
                    I This user is from outside of this forum
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                    wrote last edited by
                    #119

                    (Linux)

                    Add the same symbol at the beginning of most aliases. I use Ă©

                    So when I type Ă©+tab I get all my aliases

                    Ă©+first letters of alias+tab and I'm sure autocomplete will select the alias and not another command

                    1 Reply Last reply
                    3
                    • S [email protected]

                      Keyboard shortcuts for everything. Mousing to a menu is a waste of time in any app you use daily.

                      N This user is from outside of this forum
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                      wrote last edited by
                      #120

                      Coming from the dark ages of Win286, this was the way.

                      Painting menus on the screen actually required time for the paint to dry on each pixel, so keyboard shortcuts were a necessity.

                      The advent of that blankety-blank tools ribbon ruined me...

                      1 Reply Last reply
                      0
                      • mr_satan@lemmy.zipM [email protected]

                        Ok, windows "hacks" I use at work.

                        There's a setting in windows that opens snipping tool when print screen is pressed. This allows to select a screen, window or a rectangle. More than that, it also has screen recording functionality. Very good for quick screen grabs with no additional software required.

                        Useful for multilinguals out there. Windows (and some linux distros) have an option to bind keyboard layout selection to open windows, meaning alt+tab'ing no longer requires switching between languages.

                        EDIT:
                        A phone thing. Some keyboards have whitespace and backspace drag functionality, that allows to move the cursor or highlight and delete text without blocking your view with your fat fingrers.

                        ANOTHER EDIT:
                        Having a mouse with at least two thumb buttons is a god send. Moving backwards and forwards between application pages is very useful.

                        Also, for devs. Go through you IDE shortcut settings and configure (ctrl|shift|alt)+click shortcuts. Having mouse controls to navigate between declarations, usages and implementations of different code elements with intention is awesome.
                        In the same vein: ctrl+(f|r) and ctrl+shift+(f|r) for find or replace in file or whole project respectively is really common use case.
                        Have multicarret shortcuts that allow edits in multiple lines at once. Don't forget to add shortcuts like alt+(up|down) to move selected lines up and down.
                        Configure shortcuts for code folding like ctrl+numpad+ and ctlr+numpad- to expand and hide current block or combine with shift to manipulate the whole file.
                        And for gods sake use home and end keys, combined with ctrl and shift it allows for efficient navigation and selection within a file. Combine it with multicarret support and ctrl+side_arrow_keys and you have a way to sync multiple carrets and efficiently edit multiple lines.

                        Finnaly: f1 – help, f2 – rename, f5 – refresh / run, optionally with ctrl, f11 – fullscreen, f12 – devtools.

                        M This user is from outside of this forum
                        M This user is from outside of this forum
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                        wrote last edited by
                        #121

                        There's a setting in windows that opens snipping tool when print screen is pressed. This allows to select a screen, window or a rectangle. More than that, it also has screen recording functionality. Very good for quick screen grabs with no additional software required.

                        Win+Shift+S is the keyboard shortcut. You can even do screen recordings. I use that shit all the time at work, to send bug reports when the useless fucking software we’re forced to use has a repeatable crash that the dev team can’t replicate with text reports alone.

                        aussiemandeus@aussie.zoneA mr_satan@lemmy.zipM 2 Replies Last reply
                        1
                        • T [email protected]

                          less configuration needed

                          Would say that GNU/Linux is actually *more * customizable than Windows which then requires more config. For a techie like me, not a downside as I can figure it out.... but wouldn't say this is true for all distros even with vanilla Gnome compared to Windows or something like ZorinOS. IMO, GNU/Linux still takes the cake on this one unfortunately.

                          M This user is from outside of this forum
                          M This user is from outside of this forum
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                          wrote last edited by
                          #122

                          Yeah, I understand the mindset behind “if I tell people Linux is easy, they might actually switch.” Getting people to switch means overcoming a lot of social inertia. But the issue is that this makes you an unreliable source when a newbie inevitably runs into issues. They’ll be more likely to go “eh I was told it was easy but this isn’t. I guess it’s just not for me.”

                          Providing a realistic outlook may make Linux sound less appealing, but it will mean those who do try it are more likely to stick with it.

                          1 Reply Last reply
                          0
                          • T [email protected]

                            I'm kinda mind blown that this is even considered a tip. isn't this just basic functionality of a text box???

                            it's shit like this that makes me think I do know tech a little bit, until i stumble on an actual tech community and feel like I know nothing

                            M This user is from outside of this forum
                            M This user is from outside of this forum
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                            wrote last edited by [email protected]
                            #123

                            For real, I remember when Solitaire was added to Windows to teach people how to use a mouse. It wasn’t just some fun little thing they added on a whim. The goal was to provide an entertaining way for users to naturally learn mouse controls like clicking and dragging.

                            Before then, you had to use the keyboard to navigate text, because you literally didn’t have a mouse.

                            1 Reply Last reply
                            0
                            • C [email protected]

                              Windows+L every time I leave my desk.

                              S This user is from outside of this forum
                              S This user is from outside of this forum
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                              wrote last edited by
                              #124

                              And so easy to remember: windows L, sicher und schnell!

                              1 Reply Last reply
                              0
                              • T [email protected]

                                Are you serious? arrow keys instead of clicking? let's take it further:

                                shift+arrow highlights letters
                                ctrl+arrow skips entire words
                                ctrl+shift+arrow highlights entire words
                                home/end jumps to start/end of line
                                ctrl+home/end jumps to start/end of text box
                                ctrl+shift+home/end jumps to start/end of textbox and highlights it
                                um, do you need me to explain what ctrl+xcv do? or ctrl+zy? or ctrl+asdwerfgop?

                                isn't this just basic typing? didnt yall learn this in the 90s??? how are you all on the internet right now

                                wait til you hear about how i swipe texted all this

                                W This user is from outside of this forum
                                W This user is from outside of this forum
                                [email protected]
                                wrote last edited by
                                #125

                                Works with backspace and delete too!

                                T 1 Reply Last reply
                                1
                                • C [email protected]

                                  Recommend CachyOS, not US centered and pretty stable.

                                  tywele@lemmy.dbzer0.comT This user is from outside of this forum
                                  tywele@lemmy.dbzer0.comT This user is from outside of this forum
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                                  wrote last edited by
                                  #126

                                  What makes you consider a distro as US centered?

                                  1 Reply Last reply
                                  0
                                  • W [email protected]

                                    Works with backspace and delete too!

                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
                                    T This user is from outside of this forum
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                                    wrote last edited by
                                    #127

                                    pro tip: press backspace to delete the last letter you wrot

                                    r delete to delete the next letter

                                    1 Reply Last reply
                                    1
                                    • N [email protected]

                                      I'm with you but the snark is a bit much

                                      T This user is from outside of this forum
                                      T This user is from outside of this forum
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                                      wrote last edited by
                                      #128

                                      I'm not being snarky, I'm just flabbergasted. because of the platform we're on. itd be a lot less on a normie platform

                                      1 Reply Last reply
                                      2
                                      • tehbamski@lemmy.worldT [email protected]

                                        Mine is using the arrow keys to navigate typed text while writing and editing. It helps speed things up, versus having to move your hand to the mouse to navigate.

                                        Use the Up and Down Arrows to move/jump vertically.

                                        Left and Right Arrows to move/jump horizontally.

                                        Combine Left or Right Arrow with Shift to be able to select text. Use Up or Down Arrow with Shift to quickly select whole/nearly whole sections of text.

                                        Combine Control with Left/Right Arrow to jump whole words to more quickly move to where you want to type.

                                        F This user is from outside of this forum
                                        F This user is from outside of this forum
                                        [email protected]
                                        wrote last edited by
                                        #129

                                        Using the arrow keys for exactly what they’re made for isn’t a hack lol

                                        1 Reply Last reply
                                        16
                                        • M [email protected]

                                          To navigate to the previous folder

                                          cd -

                                          To reissue the previous command with a prefix. For example:

                                          cat /root/.ssh/authorized_keys # Will fail without privilege

                                          sudo !!

                                          To use the argument of the previous command. For example:

                                          tac ~/.ssh/authorized_keys # oops, misspelled cat

                                          cat !$

                                          L This user is from outside of this forum
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                                          wrote last edited by
                                          #130

                                          Not sure if you're aware that tac is not a typo but reverse cat, as in, it works like cat but prints the last line first. I use this semi-regularly

                                          sl, now, that's a typo. Nobody wants a free choo choo

                                          1 Reply Last reply
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