While cleaning through some data to free up an external drive I found a collection of screenshots from around 5 years ago. I spent a pleasant few minutes paging through them, remembering what my desktop and workflow used to be like.
Then
Then I used Slackware Linux, running Fluxbox. I used Eterm as my terminal emulator, primarily for it’s transparency and other graphical effects. Mozilla was my browser – I suspect this may have been before Firefox was included in most Linux distributions. At this stage, I was compiling Mozilla from source to get a later version than was included in the Slackware 8 distribution.
The entries in my menu launcher were hand-written, and I used XMMS as it could directly output to /dev/dsp without insisting on a sound server. I used very few graphical applications – XMMS, Mozilla, Gaim and Eterm. I had a lot of spare time to tweak my desktop.
I was surprised to remember how appearance focused most of my older workspaces were. I’m definitely guilty of prioritising eye-candy over usability here – although, who knew IceWM was capable of looking this gorgeous?
Now
Now, when I run Linux I run Ubuntu. I use Gnome desktop environment and Firefox as my browser. I don’t compile from source any more unless I really need to for an obscure utility. My usual software set has grown to include KeepassX, Dropbox, Tweetdeck, , and VMware Workstation. I’m still using a Mozilla-based browser (Firefox) and a Gaim based IM client (Pidgin). One thing that hasn’t changed is that I’m still running my IRC under a screen session on a remote server with IRSSI. Some habits will never die.
I have a lot less time these days. Full time work and home commitments mean I lean more toward options that will work with little tweaking. I’ve also found, like many people do, that working with a technology every day at work makes me less likely to want to ‘play’ with it at home. Where previously I prioritized having a clean, lean system that I had molded by hand, now I look for a solution that’s going to give me what I need out-of-the-box.
In spite you banned me on twitter ;) (tnx a lot), I keep reading your blog. Regarding: “I’ve also found, like many people do, that working with a technology every day at work makes me less likely to want to ‘play’ with it at home” and “Where previously I prioritized having a clean, lean system that I had molded by hand, now I look for a solution that’s going to give me what I need out-of-the-box” nobody give you what you want and need spend some time to tweak the system to your needs. And I know some people who work and play at home with technology. Sure they don’t have the personal life. But they really enthusiasts.