I hate Microsoft and Windows, I want to choose better AND more importantly, see what all this fuss about Linux being awesomest is about

  • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
    2·
    3 days ago

    How is PopOS in the context of being able to do most things through a GUI or at least menus that don’t involve terminal usage, or hotkeys I have to constantly look up?

    PopOS is hotkey dependent, for certain, but its really only the ‘option’ key that you need. The option key, which gives you access to many things, including what I consider its greatest feature, which is the multi window desktop view.

    Its extremely intuitive. And it gives you something that if you’ve been on windows for a long time, you haven’t experienced, which is like a “many desktops” view of the world. I have a desktop view with my programs I’m running for utility purposes (terminal, system monitor, and a text editor.) I have another desktop set up with my work firefox windows and tabs. I have another with my communications (signal), and another with lemmy, and random stuff for shit posting/ entertainment. I hit the option key and scroll to get to any one of the desktops. If I need a program, I just tap option and start typing the programs name.

    • Nefara@lemmy.world
      1·
      3 days ago

      Thanks for the info :) That does sound nice, but often I find myself using my computer with a drawing tablet in a weird position, which means getting to my keyboard can be a hassle. I can program some hot keys into my tablet but it’s limited. If it’s just one button to press to bring up menus that’s fine, but if it’s option+a key per function I need, I wouldn’t have enough buttons basically. I guess I’m looking for a user experience that would let me do all of my everyday functions using only a cursor or a mouse, and maybe 5-8 hotkey combinations/macros.

      • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
        1·
        3 days ago

        So I run a 2-1, and I like the 2-1/ tablet form factor (I actually just ordered this for my new machine) and will 100% be running PopOS on it. You don’t need any hot keys and its tablet mode is dreamy. I have a bit of criticism on the onscreen keyboard (it should be bigger and easier to get to).

        You will need to learn the gestures (three fingers swipe up), but I found that easy enough to learn. I would actually say that the PopOS tablet mode is among the best, maybe even better than windows. I use it about an hour to two a day in this way.

        • Nefara@lemmy.world
          1·
          3 days ago

          Thanks! It’s a drawing tablet which uses a stylus, rather than touch or fingers, so it behaves more like a mouse. Would that mode still work?

          • TropicalDingdong@lemmy.world
            1·
            3 days ago

            So I’ve never used a drawing tablet before, but there is a tab in the settings panel for a ‘wacom tablet’ / ‘stylus’. You might want to check reviews specific to that use case. I’ve just never tried it that way and don’t know very much about stylus.