this post was submitted on 08 Feb 2024
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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Literally what I use virtual desktops to solve
That and using multiple instances of the browser instead of one instance with many tabs helped me a lot. If i have to switch tasks i go to a new workspace and only open the software related to that task there. Once I'm done i just close everything in the workspace and move back to the previous one that is the same way it was before i switch.
Kde activities should suit this well since it's integrated to the level of the file viewer.
So you keep a project open in the Virtual Desktop and then boot it up when you are working on it?
Virtual desktop =/= virtual machine
I think gnome calles them workspaces. This article is old and gnome-specific, but it gives you a good idea of what they are.
https://www.maketecheasier.com/how-to-work-with-workspaces-gnome/
They're not talking about a virtual machine. There is no "booting up".
You can have multiple desktops in linux, I personally use three, which you can switch between using a keyboard shortcut (or widget/ taskbar item).
It's kinda like turning one computer into multiple computers that you hop between on demand.
I have one for gaming and entertainment, one for work, and a third for personal projects.
How does resource management work for desktops? Is the computer running all of the processes in the background as though they are just minimized?
Yes. Or out of focus. If you have one monitor, three virtual desktops would be like having three monitors. Looking at a different one, doesn't stop anything running on another. You can also "send" a window on one desktop to another, equivalent to dragging a window from one monitor to another when using two or more.
KDE Activities is a similar feature, but it can actually suspend everything running in a certain "activity" when you switch to another, if that's something you want.
Ah KDE activities might be what I'm looking for then. I am planning to transition from Gnome to KDE very soon.
It's essentially the same as having more monitors, except you can only see the active ones. Nothing changes except what your displays are showing.
Ah thanks for the clarification. I never did manage to use Virtual Desktops effectively but it sounds like the problem was me trying to use them within the workflow rather than for different projects. I always found it difficult to switch compared with just having an extra monitor.
I do worry it might be quite resource intensive just sitting loads in the background though.
I'm going to give it a try!
QubesOS is this on crack
Is it possible to "save" those sessions between reboots? That would be awesome.
I do with KWin rules. It's not elegant but it doesn't require coding
Thank you, I will look into KWin.
Turns out, it is awesome and does more than I need. I already move a lot of my applications with xdotool to prediscribed positions and sizes, via hotkeys, which start some scripts. Now I found out, it also can move them across virtual desktops. Nice :)
distrobox too