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Daffa Haj Tsaqif
Daffa Haj Tsaqif

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Using Linux Full-Time 2 years later

This is just me gonna expose how addicted I am with Automation

So I've been using Linux for nearly 2 years now, and I love it, I love it so much, so much so that I've been addicted to bash scripting and automation in general.

Why did I use Linux anyway? Doesn't Windows have WSL if you need one?

Compared to YouTubers or other tech bros my reasoning is kinda of more pragmatic, some YouTubers I saw use privacy and security as the reasons, or because it is "Open Source" something that many software engineers love. me? simply because the HDD that I still used started to act up and Linux is gentler.

It's not always sunshine and rainbows

Back when I first started to commit myself to "full-time Linux" I experienced stuff that many others had which was Decision Fatigue due to the amount, I mean the AMOUNT of choices of distros that I can use is nuts, and I stick to the so-called "gamer OS" which is Pop!_OS and my experience isn't really nice, especially with the experience of updates that sometimes a bit...outdated, also the software I use is limited that is just sudo apt install <STUFF> and I don't even know Flatpak back then so its kinda skill issue in my part, is it the correct word, so I left for a few months back to Windows, BRUH!

The No-Turning Back Moment

In 2022 I joined Bangkit Academy which is a sort of free bootcamp sponsored by Google Indonesia and GoTo(Unicorn in ID) and there I learned about Bash Scripting, SSH-ing remote PC, and other Linux stuff which made me try to dive again but not in Ubuntu based and instead Fedora 36, because it updates more frequent than Ubuntu, and I learn about zsh, oh-my-zsh which oh my god I love it carried my work in the terminal, and version manager like pyenv(I don't really like conda okay, I'm sorry), and I LIKE IT!! I LIKE MY EXPERIENCE and the bash scripting course I took in Coursera which is part of Google IT Automation with Python Professional Certificate teaches me more about bash scripting, something that I never touched before.

My Journey Towards Automation

My first love of automation began when I saw a video from Fireship about dotfiles.

and I was like "Oh my god why did I never know this" coz I remember the pain of migration, login, setting up, etc, then I tried the tutorial there, but I wasn't really comfortable with Symlink simply because I was not familiar, so I search for an alternative method, like stow and others then I found Chezmoi.

by the time I was using Chezmoi, I was starting to tired repetition of adding files, moving to the git repo, adding files on git, commit the git, and push to remote. The next step is to let robots take our jobs of course.

Then I applied my learning from the Google IT course to my own needs.

after automating my dotfiles, I want to automate my installations, after that I want to make my terminal easier to use so I add OMZ with many plugins, after that, I try to automate the backup of my setting on my Gnome but failed, then try using git-lfs for my big files but it turned out to be idiotic moves, bla bla bla many try and fail.

I was happy, but as life goes on, and human nature has dissatisfaction, I want more.

I Use Arch, BTW

That word, oh my god that word! TBH Arch was on my wanna try list back when I still learning Fedora but I was scared, due to the installation, and I know I had to follow the manual, but I'm lazy, that's the main point I want something like Arch, but easy to install.

Choices are there, but I narrowed it down to 4 popular option

  • Manjaro
  • Garuda Linux
  • EndeavourOS
  • Arco Linux

And I ended up picking EndeavourOS, Why? Manjaro had a bad reputation at the time of my research and the package holding back, Garuda has too much eye candy in the fresh install that bugs me, Arco... has 4 ISO choices which confused me and the website sort of turns me off.

so I picked EOS, with KDE Plasma because I found something called Konsave and they said KDE Plasma is the most customized DE, so I'm sold.

Why Arch-based distro you might ask

simple, AUR, it amazed me, simple as that.

Fast Forward >>

Now, I'm addicted, how bad you ask? well see by yourself

GitHub logo dhupee / dotfiles

My personal dotfiles on my linux machine, managed with https://www.chezmoi.io/

dotfiles

Repository containing my config files, scripts, and bunch of stuffs. Not fancy by any means it's just stuffs I used mostly.

This dotfiles used Chezmoi as it's manager.

Since I use EndeavourOS with KDE I can say that "I use Arch, btw". Pretty sure it will work with any Arch-based install, not sure about Manjaro though since they holding back Pacman iirc.

I also use Parrot sometimes so I made versions for debian, but I plan to deprecate it since I decided to use distrobox instead of VMs

WARNING

This Dotfiles is for me and I only make this for me, so if you want to used it or maybe fork it be careful, it might auto-update everyday, it might have a different script next day, it might break.

I don't take any consideration for someone's idea because this dotfile is for me, but if you want to fork…

Well, I'm still not like your Luke Smith level guy, I'm still using VScode, I'm still using Desktop Environment, etc. But I won't deny that using Linux elevates my knowledge in computing and programming as a whole.

and I don't have trouble in gaming, and this is my current rice if you interested

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Cheers.

EDIT: Grammar me sucks, nggak bisa bahasa enggres

Top comments (15)

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manofthelionarmy profile image
Armando Leon

I started using linux after having issues with Windows. I always got the same problem with different computers from windows 8 and 10. For some odd reason, on startup the disk will skyrocket to 100% usage. God forbid if an update had to happen on top of that. If so, the startup time would be 3 hours. I'm not sure what background process it was. I turned off a lot of apps on startup, disabled indexing and tracking. To no avail, the startup time was still horrible and it was the straw that broke the camel's back. I wanted to just startup, and get started on personal projects or learn something new. I then dual booted ubuntu on my personal computer and it was the best thing. I got fast startup, and it was easy to setup my computer the way I wanted. Speeding up, I bought a system 76 laptop and it was one of the best decisions I've made. I stuck with pop os and I don't think I'll use another os. I have everything I need, and I'm happy. Oh, and I appreciate the transparency by seeing all the processes that are consuming cpu and memory.

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epsi profile image
E.R. Nurwijayadi

Bro Daffa, have we met somewhere? Looks like I know you, but I can light the candle in my mind.

It is cool that you have manage to use linux for two years. Well done. Continue the good job.

We have dotfiles_id at telegram so that you can share your configuration files. Tou will find countless friend over there. So CU there.

You might also consider to enjoy one of my four blogs, at epsi-rns.github.io.

Bravo to your post.

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dhupee profile image
Daffa Haj Tsaqif • Edited

I'm pretty bad at remembering either, so either fellow Bangkit Cohort, or you saw me somewhere on Twitter, or you are in UGM.

It is cool that you have manage to use linux for two years.

I've no need to use Windows at the moment, even for gaming, if only exe exist either light VM or Bottles suits my need

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dreamhollow4219 profile image
Ian

I love Linux and use Debian as my main system.

I have a dualboot system because there are just some products on the Windows side I still need for my own work related purposes, that Linux still just hasn't caught up with yet; like music production. (There are some good Linux workstations they are just difficult to use!!)

I adore Arch as well, but I never ended up using it as my main system because I kept trying to create a really barebones system with the Blackbox window manager and self-configured audio and video settings.

I highly recommend Linux as a main system for developers, it's like a dream come true for programming.

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dhupee profile image
Daffa Haj Tsaqif

Hey thanks for commenting on this post

I understand the struggle that requires you to dual boot, I am fortunate(or rather just happen) not to need Windows at the moment, back then the only thing I really struggled with was the ECU Manager back when I was still in Formula Student, I just use VM for it.

Yeah I also like Arch, mainly thanks to their massive wiki and AUR, but I'm lazy so EOS it is hehehe

Thanks again so much for the reach out

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thebuzzsaw profile image
Kelly Brown

I was dual booting for a long time, but I have finally had enough of Windows and its antics. Windows 11 won't even install onto my machine as it doesn't qualify. So, I ordered a System76 desktop. Going all in on AMD/Radeon for optimal desktop experience. No more Windows.

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dhupee profile image
Daffa Haj Tsaqif

I havent even try Win11 just yet, mine also all AMD but after I learn ML i have bit of a regret haha, so i guess i need nvidia machine later in my life

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loudmx profile image
Lou

Good read. I have dabbled with Linux since my first 386 pc. Mostly ever used it as a server until I then had my Linux laptop i.e. my old Windows laptop. Finally this month my new laptop is a 2yr old Lenovo T14 laptop with 40 GB RAM and 2tb with latest PopOS LTS . I still have my windows devtools running thanks to VMWare. Took me a bit to get it all right, but I won't be back to windows!

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dhupee profile image
Daffa Haj Tsaqif

Holy damn, that's a history longer than my lifetime wow

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cjsmocjsmo profile image
Charlie J Smotherman

Windows XP service pack2 is the last time I used Windows. Installed Debian and never looked back.

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dhupee profile image
Daffa Haj Tsaqif

I don't think I finished elementary school when that transition of yours happened

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cjsmocjsmo profile image
Charlie J Smotherman

Yea I'm an old fart :)

The service pack2 upgrade ended in the famous blue screen of death. Out of frustration I made the switch, and I'm so glad I did. Linux actually helped to teach me how to program ;)

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zxenxi profile image
Zxenxi

aowkaok mantap bg saya pake linux mint juga dah hampir setahun sekarang posisj dual boot sama wintottt

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dhupee profile image
Daffa Haj Tsaqif

wow commenter bahasa indo, ku kalo bener bener butuh ya pasti pake sih, mungkin ke VM atau apa

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