Linux is very flexible and can be configured however you like, with such flexibility however comes complexity ... many different files/programs and configuration options dotted all over the place.
Personally I like to keep things as simple as possible and on top of a basic Linux system (cli) I add xorg, jwm and pcmanfm as the base gui desktop that I can build upon.
The other day we had a bird in the house. Situation of me chasing the cat who was chasing the bird. As part of that it would appear that something got into the back of the 32" 720p TV that I had been using as a monitor. At least that's what I'm assuming as yesterday the TV just suddenly died after some fizzing noises. Anyway as a interim I've reverted back to a old acer monitor.
It struck me whilst re-jigging the settings so as to look reasonable, just how many things need tweaking, even for my simple setup, and how confusing/difficult that might seem to a noob. Fundamentally programs might be gtk2, gtk3 or qt based and each have their own defaults and look, so when you run different programs they look different ... for instance menu options when highlighted might have different coloured backgrounds around that, depending upon whether they're gtk2, gtk3, qt4 (or in the case of more recent versions of vlc even qt5).
Anyway, I've created a relatively short pdf document of my own tweaks/configuration, stored here pdf document
(EDIT: documents excludes that you might also add export QT_STYLE_OVERRIDE=GTK+ to your .profile so qt5 also picks up gtk3 style theme i.e. the likes of more recent vlc player program)
I like to use LibreOffice Calc as a initial base to work from when setting the choice of screen size (resolution) and dpi setting ... and expand from there. My own choice of using a relatively lean setup isn't the most attractive look by far, but its functional for me.
My settings for a consistent look and feel
My settings for a consistent look and feel
Last edited by rufwoof on Tue 24 Oct 2017, 15:19, edited 2 times in total.
Thanks for the information!!
First rule of manufacturing.
If you build it so it will never break.
You will only build it one time.
Only way to fix it is take the back off the TV and see what you can find.
If it made fizzing noises should be something that looks burned.
There may be an actual fuse in there someplace.
That fizzing noise is the part they designed into the TV to fail after using the TV for so long.32" 720p TV that I had been using as a monitor. The TV just suddenly died after some fizzing noises.
First rule of manufacturing.
If you build it so it will never break.
You will only build it one time.
Only way to fix it is take the back off the TV and see what you can find.
If it made fizzing noises should be something that looks burned.
There may be an actual fuse in there someplace.
The things they do not tell you, are usually the clue to solving the problem.
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected
YaPI(any iso installer)
When I was a kid I wanted to be older.... This is not what I expected
YaPI(any iso installer)
Ah, there you have it...buy cheap, buy twice.rufwoof wrote:It was pretty inexpensive, one of those spur of the moment purchases at something like < £100.
And I'm inclined to agree that manufacturers generally build in a "fatal flaw" designed to fail.
But that's on their less expensive models methinks; the top of the range items have no such flaws, to force you to pay more for reliability.
I like to avoid the "cheap" models.
That has always served me well.
And "if a thing is worth doing, it's worth doing well".
Examples:
a. A small portable Hitachi TV that lasted 1 or 2 decades.
b. My present Sony Bravia smart TV, bought around 2010 [£300?], and not a single glitch so far, and everything working like new.
c. Our old Philips fridge/freezer worked for 20-yrs with never a glitch.
d. Our new Hotpoint fridge/freezer is so far working flawlessly.
e. Our new double ovens [GREAT] and induction hob [FABULOUS] and washing machine [SMOOTH] [all expensive models by "John Lewis"] are functioning flawlessly, with no glitches.
f. Our central heating combi-boiler by "Worcester Bosch" is so far working flawlessly, following....
When our new Out house was being fitted, a plumber disconnected a radiator, and put it out on the rear lawn in the rain with water still in the bottom [causing rust].
I got the joiner to help me lift it into the garden shed, BUT...
I think the rust in the radiator blocked the boiler's stainles steel heat exchanger once re-connected and circulating.
Worcester Bosch replaced the exchanger at no cost, but say I only get 1 for free and that was it.
I had tried to convince my plumber who fitted the new central heating system and boiler to fit a magnetic rust filter [that would have prevented the problem with the heat exchanger], but he advised me not to saying it cost too much.
I've since had one fitted, and there is almost no [black (rust)] residue collected on since then, which is a good sign.
g. One of our new double glazing interior glass sheets imploded with a "BOOM".
It was within its 5-year warranty, and they replaced it within 2-weeks with "no fuss, no muss".
h. At the moment our complex push-button toilet flush mechanism [Geberit 340 methinks] has failed.
When we had our bathroom/plumbing re-done the hot-water-storage tank was removed, but I kept the cold water storage in the loft to supply the toilet and bathroom sink cold, separate from the mains hot and cold to the shower.
I suspected the toilet flush seals were impeded by dirt in the water.
Sure enough, the cold tank [now cleaned/flushed by me] had sediment in the bottom.
Turned off the supply from there to the toilet & sink; shower not affected.
Managed to clean the outlet seal by spraying all over the drained mechanism with bathroom cleaner.
New water inlet seal [cost £1.50] escalates to £10 due to the cost of sending by courier from Germany.
Found a Russian video on Youtube showing how to replace it.
i. 20-watt halogen bulb in one of the 7 under-cabinet lights failed.
Had replacements ready to go, but guess what, a new bulb doesn't fix it.
I may need to pay my friendly electrician="Mark-the-spark" to fix it.
j. Light in the hall went "POP".
Plastic bulb-holder crumbling and failing to correctly hold a UK-style bayonet bulb.
I'll need to wire in a new fitting, or pay Mark to do it.
I have a solid brass fitting [with ceramic internal] that would NEVER fail, but it's old and no longer shiny.
All the other fittings are shiny white plastic.
All a pain-in-the-neck for this 70-year-old.
nevermind, it's friday-
spiritwild
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Cheap doesn't always equate to better. In certain cases, they may use the same invertor boards and diodes .
Tv's are disposable now, like everything else. Everyone wants their share of the market. cheaper suppliers, less quality parts, more profit.
It's usually the brightness of the screen that causes problems.
Internal breakers trips and ....blackness.
As of lately, some have been catching on fire. That's a treat!!
Tv's are disposable now, like everything else. Everyone wants their share of the market. cheaper suppliers, less quality parts, more profit.
It's usually the brightness of the screen that causes problems.
Internal breakers trips and ....blackness.
As of lately, some have been catching on fire. That's a treat!!