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Joined 1 year ago
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Cake day: June 14th, 2023

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  • Yes, I used a hardware KVM with a laptop (Dell with a dock) and a desktop, it makes a lot of wires, but it works. You may need a high end KVM if you want to switch dual-monitor, 4K+ monitor, etc

    But having both system at the same time is a must, so at one point I used RDP (windows->linux or linux->windows) from a screen.

    But for ~3 years now I’m using a software “KM”, meaning my desktop is connected to a monitor, my laptop is connected to the second monitor, and I share the keyboard/mouse (hence KM) in software using InputLeap (formerly Barrier). It is seriously pretty good, when my mouse exit monitor #1, it enters monitor #2, and whatever you type is entered in the system where your mouse cursor is. It is fantastic, I cannot live without this now.




  • Now that we have BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) I’m pretty sure it is better than USB dongle. I have a BLE keyboard and a BLE trackball and never used the dongle so not sure how to compare.

    Plus it saves 2 USB outlets on my PC :)

    chatGPT says:

    Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) typically offers better power efficiency than USB dongles for keyboards and mice, especially when both are battery-powered.
    
    Here’s how BLE compares to USB dongles in terms of power consumption for these devices:
    
    Power Efficiency:
        BLE is designed specifically to use minimal power, especially in low-data-transfer devices like keyboards and mice. It uses an efficient sleep-wake cycle and keeps the radio off most of the time, which conserves energy.
        USB wireless dongles, while not as power-hungry as other wireless technologies, are usually less efficient than BLE because they often keep a more consistent connection with the device.
    
    Battery Life:
        BLE devices typically offer longer battery life. A BLE-enabled keyboard or mouse can last from months to even a year or more on a single charge or set of batteries, depending on usage and the device’s power management.
        USB wireless peripherals, in contrast, may require more frequent charging or battery changes, although they are still relatively efficient.
    
    Sleep and Wake Latency:
        BLE is optimized to quickly reconnect after sleep, so devices wake up quickly with minimal delay. Some USB wireless devices can also wake fast, but the energy consumption during idle periods is generally higher.
    
    Compatibility and Usage:
        BLE is widely supported on modern devices (laptops, tablets, smartphones) without needing a USB port. USB dongles, however, need a USB-A or USB-C port (with an adapter) and are mostly used with PCs.
    
    In general, BLE is better for devices where power consumption is critical, like battery-operated keyboards and mice. However, for some gaming or high-precision tasks, USB dongles may offer lower latency, which some users prioritize over battery life.
    

  • I have tested multiple distro, in the beginning was mostly hack of multiple things and almost LFS, downloading floppies images from usenet… I then started to use Debian early 00, then used Ubuntu for years, but I don’t like snap/flatpak and lots of changes Ubuntu made so I switched to Mint Cinnamon, but hated it, often broken, glitches, etc, so I switched to MX because it is Debian based, always up to date (like latest FF and latest Xserver with last night CVE fix etc and always native .deb, no snap/flat). I also always loved minimal DE so Xfce is perfect and light. Also I mainly develop in Linux, no games.


  • I’m old, I come from old X11R4 time, motif, mwm, twm, fvwm, things from previous century. In modern Linux I used mostly gnome, and Cinnamon for a few years and tried to love it but cannot, I finally went back to Xfce because it works, it’s simple, neat, nice, I have no icon on my desktop, I have a kind of windows 3 setup: a startup menu (and some quick launches), the window bar, the notification area with time etc

    I’m using MX Linux for maybe 8 years now with Xfce

    updated screenshot: