Refining my OpenSuse experience

Current Desktop
Current Desktop
current desktop

Every day I find new ways in OpenSuse that make my work environment more pleasant.

Today I changed my desktop background. It was easy. I just right-clicked on the photo I wanted in Dolphin and there was an option to set it as wallpaper. It couldn’t get easier. Also, I removed the taskbar from my primary monitor. That sounds strange unless you have been reading my earlier articles.

The reason I don’t want a taskbar on my primary laptop monitor that is built in is that I don’t use it as my main desktop. It is the secondary monitor on my main computer. I am using a projector as my main monitor, so my primary desktop is on that monitor and there was no need for a secondary taskbar.

Now just to be very clear here. With a secondary output like the HDMI-connected projector, the second screen on my primary computer is where I want to work. There is no need to have a secondary taskbar that mirrors the taskbar that is being displayed on the projector. I have tried to live with it for the last week and it just doesn’t work. It slows me down because it is a place where apps will show in addition to showing on my main desktop which is the projector.

I understand most people don’t have multiple screens at home. However, for those who do, being able to control how it looks and functions goes a long way to making technology an enabler instead of a distraction and burden. Having output on devices that the vendor can’t test is a matter of faith. You trust that it will work and sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn’t. Most of the time external monitors have worked for me but I have also had many bad experiences with external monitors and if you go down this road you will spend some money.

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The biggest problem that I have had with any Operating system is to make it efficient. Even IT people feel like we are sometimes fighting the computer to get the work done. It is such a pleasure to have an idea like I want to get rid of a taskbar and be able to do it.