# List your suite of desktop apps!



## Deleted member 67862 (Feb 12, 2022)

The great thing about being a user of FreeBSD (or other FOSS operating systems) is that we have _so many_ desktop applications. Not everyone uses the same ones and there's endless combinations, so in this thread tell us what desktop apps you use. A desktop application can be something like your sound mixer, image viewer, terminal, file manager, email clients/web browsers, and pretty much anything else essential to the desktop experience. Here's mine:

*Audio/Multimedia*
Volume Icon - audio/gvolwheel
Mixer - audio/gtk-mixer
Music Player - multimedia/audacious + multimedia/audacious-plugins (compiled without Pulse or ALSA)
Video Player - multimedia/vlc

*System/Security*
Terminal - sysutils/lxterminal
Clipboard - deskutils/parcellite
System Monitors - sysutils/htop, x11/xfce4-taskmanager
Screensaver - x11/xscreensaver
File Manager - x11-fm/pcmanfm (Also used for the desktop background and pinboard)
Password Management - security/keepassxc

*Text Editing / Word Processing / Office*
IDE - devel/geany
Text Editors - editors/jed, ee
Office Suite - editors/libreoffice

*Graphics*
Image Editors - graphics/gimp, graphics/inkscape
Image Viewer - graphics/gpicview
Screenshooter - deskutils/lumina-screenshot

*Network*
BitTorrent Client - net-p2p/qbittorrent
Web Browser - www/firefox
Email - mail/claws-mail


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## grahamperrin@ (Feb 12, 2022)

I'm feeling quite lazy (sorry) so here's a screenshot of A–C:




To the left, the _Favourites_ are not truly my favourites. I sort of mis-use this area for some things that are less often used.

Most of my true favourites appear as recent applications in the dashboard. The shortlist: Code - OSS, Dolphin, Firefox, Gammy, GKrellM, GNU Image Manipulation Program, GTK-Mixer a.k.a. Audio Mixer, KCharSelect, Konsole, LanguageTool, Okular, Recoll, Spectacle, Thunderbird.

For links please see <https://forums.freebsd.org/posts/547372>, ta.


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## Argentum (Feb 12, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> The great thing about being a user of FreeBSD (or other FOSS operating systems) is that we have _so many_ desktop applications. Not everyone uses the same ones and there's endless combinations, so in this thread tell us what desktop apps you use. A desktop application can be something like your sound mixer, image viewer, terminal, file manager, email clients/web browsers, and pretty much anything else essential to the desktop experience. Here's mine:


Many, but some of my favorites:

deskutils/cairo-dock and deskutils/cairo-dock-plugins
x11-clocks/cairo-clock
deskutils/freeplane
www/firefox
mail/thunderbird
sysutils/gnome-system-monitor
x11/mate-terminal
graphics/atril
graphics/gimp-app
net/wireshark
editors/libreoffice
graphics/shotwell
graphics/darktable
deskutils/gnome-screenshot
multimedia/minitube
audio/shortwave
multimedia/obs-studio
databases/pgmodeler
games/kblocks
games/aisleriot
multimedia/vlc
x11-fm/caja
security/keepass


etc...


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## hruodr (Feb 12, 2022)

xterm
xclipboard
xeyes
xwd
xcalc
xclock
xedit
xload
xfig
xpaint

(All bound to the left mouse button on twm)

How nice to have a new thread on Desktop!!!!

There are endless combinations, as OP said. I hope this thread will be also endless.


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## vermaden (Feb 12, 2022)

Mine.

*Audio/Multimedia*
Volume Level - *VOL=$( mixer -s vol | awk -F ':' '{printf("%s",$2)}' )* @ DZEN2 bar
Volume Control - Mouse Buttons 6 and 7 @ Logitech M720 + Physical Volume Buttons on ThinkPad W520
Music Player - *multimedia/deadbeef*
Video Player - *multimedia/mpv*
Music Editor - *audio/audacity

System/Security*
Terminal - *sysutils/xterm *+ *sysutils/urxvt* +* sysutils/sakura*
Clipboard - plain X11 SECONDARY and PRIMARY buffers without any additional software
System Monitors - *sysutils/htop* + *gstat(8)* + *top(1)*
Screensaver - *x11/xlockmore*
File Manager - *x11-fm/caja* + *x11-fm/thunar* (used mostly as *Bulk Rename* tool)
Password Management - *security/keepassxc

Text Editing / Word Processing / Office*
IDE - *devel/geany*
Text Editors - *devel/geany *+* editors/leafpad *+* editors/vim* +* vi(1)*
Office Suite - *editors/libreoffice *+* editors/gnumeric*
Calculator - *math/galculator*
Calendar - *ncal(1) *+* cal(1)*
PDF - *graphics/mupdf* + *print/pdftk* + *sumatra 2.5.2* @ WINE

*Graphics*
Image Editors - *graphics/gimp* + *graphics/inkscape*
Image Viewer - *graphics/viewnior* + *www/firefox* (for **.webp *images) + *xnview* @ WINE
Screenshooter - *graphics/scrot

Network*
BitTorrent Client - *net-p2p/transmission-gtk*
Web Browser - *www/firefox* + *www/chromium*
Email - webmail @ *www/firefox *+* mail/thunderbird*
Network Management - *network.sh*

Regards.


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## kpedersen (Feb 12, 2022)

My main home desktop machine is:

mutt
irssi (and a shed load of bridges for whatever hype webchat people use today)
tmux
(n)vi +hacks
git & cvs (for general backup, not just software. The scripts are possibly a bit cheesy )
rtorrent
bash
texlive (in a jail because it is fairly messy)
xpdf (in X11)
mplayer (in X11)
Custom sdlvnc (in X11) + Bhyve (Recently migrated from VirtualBox) + Win7, Acrobat 9 Pro, Photoshop CS6, MS Office 2003, Rational Rose 7 and Firefox. Reverts each boot to keep clean / security.
My work machine is similar but with an assortment of Jails containing development tools and libraries.


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## grahamperrin@ (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> Volume Icon - audio/gvolwheel



I'm interested, however <https://github.com/Junker/gvolwheel#readme> there's no screenshot and I can't tell whether it will work OOTB. 

Please, can you share a shot?


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## drhowarddrfine (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> we have _so many_ desktop applications.... and there's endless combinations


And this thread won't end until every single one of them is posted multiple times.


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## Geezer (Feb 13, 2022)

In no particular order:

www/firefox
ftp/filezilla
www/chromium
mail/thunderbird
graphics/atril-lite
graphics/feh
archivers/file-roller
graphics/fraqtive
net/freerdp
sysutils/fsearch
devel/geany
graphics/geeqie
graphics/gimp
deskutils/gnome-screenshot
deskutils/gucharmap
graphics/inkscape
editors/libreoffice
math/mate-calc
editors/mousepad
multimedia/pwcview
math/qalculate
graphics/ristretto
multimedia/smplayer
print/system-config-printer
net/tigervnc-viewer
multimedia/vlc
games/aisleriot
games/xshisen
games/gnome-mahjongg
games/gnome-mines


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## Geezer (Feb 13, 2022)

With too many ports to know, this is a great thread for ideas of what to use.


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## hruodr (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> essential to the desktop experience


Perhaps you are confusing FreeBSD with a video game console?


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## drr (Feb 13, 2022)

I use KDE-Plasma desktop and KDE applications. In addition, I also use Firefox, Libreoffice and VLC.


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## grahamperrin@ (Feb 13, 2022)

hruodr said:


> Perhaps you are confusing FreeBSD with a video game console?



hruodr perhaps you're in the wrong topic.


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## Deleted member 67862 (Feb 13, 2022)

grahamperrin said:


> I'm interested, however <https://github.com/Junker/gvolwheel#readme> there's no screenshot and I can't tell whether it will work OOTB.
> 
> Please, can you share a shot?







It's the best tray volume button I know. I used to use dsbmixer but you couldn't just use the mouse wheel on it like you can with this. It also lets you choose the mixer for the "Mixer" button.


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## Deleted member 67862 (Feb 13, 2022)

hruodr said:


> Perhaps you are confusing FreeBSD with a video game console?


Why would I be?


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## grahamperrin@ (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> … choose the mixer for the "Mixer" button.



Please, how so? I see this, in the package message (after installing): 



> You could adjust which mixer you wish to use with
> 
> GVolWheel / Preferences / Default mixer



– but I can't guess how to get a preferences dialogue. I experimented with right-click in various contexts.


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## Deleted member 67862 (Feb 13, 2022)

grahamperrin said:


> Please, how so? I see this, in the package message (after installing):
> 
> 
> 
> – but I can't guess how to get a preferences dialogue. I experimented with right-click in various contexts.


Odd, you should be able to get a "Preferences", "About", and "Quit" option if you right click.


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## fernandel (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> View attachment 12981
> 
> It's the best tray volume button I know. I used to use dsbmixer but you couldn't just use the mouse wheel on it like you can with this. It also lets you choose the mixer for the "Mixer" button.


I am using dsbmixer on Openbox very long time and I can use mouse will on it.


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## hruodr (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> Why would I be?


Also before internet, it was fascinating to navigate in the file system and see what files and programs were there.


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## fernandel (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> View attachment 12981
> 
> It's the best tray volume button I know. I used to use dsbmixer but you couldn't just use the mouse wheel on it like you can with this. It also lets you choose the mixer for the "Mixer" button.


I am using audio/volumeicon and it works very good.


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## grahamperrin@ (Feb 13, 2022)

hunter0one said:


> Odd, you should be able to get a "Preferences", "About", and "Quit" option if you right click.



Unfortunately not. I wondered whether the context menu was hidden as a result of side placement of the panel where I have the system tray. I temporarily created a widget with the system tray, still, no context menu: 





It responds to a normal click, but not right-click. 

I killed it, used KRunner to start it – `gvolwheel &` – no improvement. It's OK, I'm happy without it


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## roper (Feb 13, 2022)

x11-wm/xfce4
x11/xfce4-terminal
www/qutebrowser
www/iridium
www/firefox-esr
multimedia/mpv
mail/sylpheed
net-p2p_qbittorrent
graphics/gimp
audio/gvolwheel
accessibility/redshift

Is mpv a desktop app? I have gvolwheel but gave up the mouse in favor of a trackpoint. I don't recall use of it since. I just set mixer volume from a terminal.


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## Deleted member 67862 (Feb 13, 2022)

grahamperrin said:


> Unfortunately not. I wondered whether the context menu was hidden as a result of side placement of the panel where I have the system tray. I temporarily created a widget with the system tray, still, no context menu:
> 
> View attachment 12984
> 
> ...


Hmm, I havent used Plasma in a long time so Im not sure. Unfortunately there isnt even a CLI option to access the Preferences menu. Might be issue-worthy. Glad to help


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## grahamperrin@ (Feb 13, 2022)

roper said:


> … a desktop app? …



For what it's worth, I took the phrase *desktop apps* quite loosely. 

Like, I never open a window to Gammy, it simply does what's required, just rarely (maybe once or twice a week) I use its content menu to quit and set pure gamma. It's less a desktop application, more a thing that's excellent for my _*desktop environment*_. 

HTH


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## tuxador (Feb 14, 2022)

- multimedia : MPV, Gwenview, mod, strawberry.
- texte editor : Emacs (doom) for my work and vim for rapid editing.
- office suite : Libre Office , xournal
- text processing : LuaMetaTex (newest version of ConTeXT)
- file manager: Dolphin , NNN
- Archive manager: Ark
- web browser: brave , Firefox.
- gaming: Dolphin  emulator


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## hruodr (Feb 14, 2022)

kpedersen said:


> texlive (in a jail because it is fairly messy)


I cannot confirm that.

TeX live is gigant, but it contains, as far as I know, only TeX and TeX package.
TeX is a very small, well written program. And what will be the problem with the packages?


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## kpedersen (Feb 14, 2022)

hruodr said:


> I cannot confirm that.
> 
> TeX live is gigant, but it contains, as far as I know, only TeX and TeX package.


If you need to use templates provided by different publications and conferences, these tend to over-consume every package out there. You need the full distribution of texlive or you will be wasting your time (unless you dripfeed dependencies from the internet? I avoid that kind of thing like the plague)

Plus, pdflatex alone is absolutely necessary but drags in a heap of mess.



hruodr said:


> TeX is a very small, well written program.


This does truely seem to be the case but I just don't see it personally. My experience of Tex is that it is a mess in practice, full of side effects. I have been using it for decades and there really is nothing better to replace it but... ugh.

So Donald Knuth through TeX has increased my productivity but also damaged my soul


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## hruodr (Feb 14, 2022)

kpedersen said:


> My experience of Tex is that it is a mess in practice, full of side effects. I have been using it for decades and there really is nothing better to replace it but... ugh.


Here I have the same experience and almost the same opinion. The small difference
in opinion is just a little recognition: the side effects are not side effects, 
but strict compliance with the rule for people with the intelligence of Donald Knuth.

As far as I know, pdflatex, and since a while latex self, is only a format for 
pdftex, and pdftex is not far away from TeX.


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## tuxador (Feb 14, 2022)

I've ditched LaTeX years ago for a monolithic, consistent and elegant alternative wich is ConTeXT


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## kpedersen (Feb 14, 2022)

hruodr said:


> The small difference in opinion is just a little recognition: the side effects are not side effects, but strict compliance with the rule for people with the intelligence of Donald Knuth.


Haha. To be fair, you could be very right. Though nothing more frustrating than using a standard conference template, only to be asked to "use a package" to highlight any citations in the review submission, only for the TOC page to suddenly (and seemingly randomly) glow in every color imaginable because the template happened to use some special "fancy TOC links" package which happens to "interact" with that additional highlight package. (all 1 day before the call for papers submission deadline!) XD

Very likely I am not as smart as Donald Knuth, that part is quite clear to me. But annoyingly neither is the poor guy that was tasked with creating the conference template and all the bizarre requirements it seems. I can almost feel his pain trying to make the template work well with all common packages any author might use.



tuxador said:


> I've ditched LaTeX years ago for a monolithic, consistent and elegant alternative wich is ConTeXT


It looks promising, but isn't this just a revived LuaTeX? I am not convinced that adding Lua into the mix is a good idea if you want portable .tex files. Does it not also have compatibility issues with conference templates because they test exclusively on texlive? I could be wrong.


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