Avoiding Problems Means No Time Spent Fixing Them
As a Linux user, you’re probably familiar with the frustration that comes with troubleshooting a stubborn issue or optimizing your system for better performance. But what if you could sidestep those frustrations altogether?
In this article, I’ll share some alternative Linux setups that help me avoid common pitfalls and make the most of my Linux experience. From browser segregation to custom application launching, I’ll cover the methods I use to keep my systems running smoothly.
Tip #1: Install the Brave Browser for Casual Browsing
If you’re using OpenSUSE Tumbleweed, you might have noticed that Firefox doesn’t play nice with YouTube videos. Instead of wasting time searching for solutions and installing missing codecs, I also install the Brave browser.
Not only does Brave play YouTube videos out of the box, but it also offers a range of privacy features that make it my go-to application for casual browsing. Plus, by using a separate browser for non-essential tasks, I practice browser segregation and keep my online banking and web design work hidden from trackers and other potential dangers.
Tip #2: Use Keyboard Shortcuts to Launch Custom Applications
Recently, Thunderbird released a new preview of their latest offering. After installing OpenSUSE, I downloaded the Thunderbird package, extracted it, and launched the new version to see how it performs. My first impression was positive, so I decided to keep it. However, since the software wasn’t installed via the native repos, it didn’t show up in the menu, requiring me to launch it by finding the app icon and clicking on it. But there’s a smarter way to do this.
To set this up, I open Gnome Settings > Keyboard and add an application shortcut. Then, I provide the path to the application’s executable and choose the shortcut keys. Since I use Ctrl + T to launch the terminal, I chose Ctrl + M to launch Thunderbird. With this setup, I can quickly and easily launch custom applications without having to navigate to their directories every time I want to start them.
