4Pane and Arch Linux

Today I have installed file manager 4Pane (also new for me) from AUR in my Arch Linux. There is problem with installing, makepkg fails in compilation with error: /usr/bin/ld: 4Pane_MyFrame.o: undefined reference to symbol 'gtk_settings_get_default' /usr/bin/ld: note: 'gtk_settings_get_default' is defined in DSO /usr/lib/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0 so try adding it to the linker command line /usr/lib/libgtk-x11-2.0.so.0: could not read symbols: Invalid operation collect2: ld returned 1 exit status make: *** [4Pane] Error 1 In result of googling I try to run next command LDLIBS="-lgtk-x11-2.0" makepkg But nothing changed. Next I read generated Makefile and added option directly in it, but it was useless as Makefile generated automaticaly on every run of makepkg. And then I see inside of configure and find next lines: LIBS libraries to pass to the linker, e.g. -l<library> CPPFLAGS (Objective) C/C++ preprocessor flags, e.g. -I<include dir> if you have headers in a nonstandard directory <include dir> CXX C++ compiler command CXXFLAGS C++ compiler flags CXXCPP C++ preprocessor Seems that I found not right environment variable and after changing LDLIBS to LIBS this error disappeared but appeared new very similar to it and final command that fixed all problems was: LIBS="-lgtk-x11-2.0 -lgobject-2.0" makepkg

Linux and dual monitors

I have a laptop and external monitor. In my previous installation of linux I didn't any special settings for automatic switching between dual and single monitors configurations. Because of it I have to switch it manually after connect or disconnect external monitor. In KDE I used GUI settings for it in OpenBox I used xrandr command, but both ways was not very fast and little annoying. In my new installation I decided do it something for it.
First I tried to find way to automatic switching by connecting monitor, but I haven't find this quick and may be it's not very good way. Finally I bind xrandr commands to global keys in awesome and seems that it works fine for me. There is lines that I added to rc.lua:
-- {{{ Key bindings globalkeys = awful.util.table.join( ... awful.key({ modkey, }, "s", function () awful.util.spawn_with_shell("xrandr --output VGA1 --mode preferred --left-of LVDS1") end), awful.key({ modkey, "Shift" }, "s", function () awful.util.spawn_with_shell("xrandr --output VGA1 --off") end ) )
Its adds bindings to Win+s and Win+Shift+s first change configuration to dual monitors second to single. Hope it will be useful and not annoying in future

Returning to linux

After a year of pure Windows I decided that it's time to return to linux. In time of decision there was Gentoo linux installed on my laptop, but it was very messy and I want to try something new.
First step to choose good distro. I want something lightweight and simple enough for me. And first in the list of distros was Ubuntu. I have tried this distro previously, and wasn't satisfied with it, but I think may be they do something with all small problems in it. So I installed ubuntu (for x86_64 with Unity): it was really simple and first impression was "Whau!". But after short time I have noticed that simple task like browsing internet sometimes made my system freeze (even mouse pointer) for about half a minute. It's annoying and that not normal behavior for modern operating system. Well it's sad but seems that nothing changed in global with ubuntu.
Next is Arch Linux. Installation of basic system is fast and simple. Then some difficulties with setting up wi-fi(I have broadcom), but arch wiki and man pages of pacman helps me with these. For windows manager I wanted to try also something new(previously KDE and OpenBox) and decided to choose Awesome.
I finished installing Awesome(e.g. base system with GUI) approx. on 30 december 2011
By now I want to stay on it.