mojavelinux.com: Open Source Advocacy

Clipboard Management that Works

May 07, 2005

It is incredible how few Linux users really appreciate the power of the X clipboard. Most people get tripped up using clipboard management in Linux trying to do things the Windows way. By default, the X clipboard captures the current mouse selection rather than waiting for a Ctrl-C command. Because of this feature, most people end up losing their selection prematurely. Another hurdle is that the selection is dropped when the application that created it is terminated.

After hearing a rant on LugRadio about broken clipboard management in Linux, I wrote in with the following response:

I believe that the concern is well founded. Clipboard management in Linux is totally botched. The problem is that once the application holding the clipboard contents quits, the content is flushed from the primary buffer. However, if you are running a super-daemon, such as KDE's Klipper, which is just brilliant by the way, the clipboard content stays alive even after the death of the application. In fact, it can keep up to 25 of the most recent selections. If you have never taken advantage of this feature in Klipper, you are really missing out!

Read More...

Posted at 04:30 PM in Linux | Permalink | Comments (4)

Gnome + KDE: A Bit of Both

May 06, 2005

There are largely two camps of Linux desktop users, those that use Gnome and those that use KDE. (Notice I said largely and not only, as there is a whole host of Linux desktops and window managers from which to choose). Like the emacs vs vi discussions (flame-wars?), there have been many healthy debates about which desktop is better. Ah, better, that ultimate achievement to rub the ego of those who so generously contributed to its success, even if just to rationalize the importance of their existence. Mind you, this is not meant to be taken literally, lighten up! Nope, I am not looking to draw one of those conclusions. In contrast, I am standing forward to say that neither is better. In fact, alone, I dislike them both. Blasphemy! How could I say that? Granted, both desktops are very capable and ship many of the same tools. However, as it turns out, my favorite desktop is the one called Gnome + KDE.

Read More...

Posted at 01:02 AM in Linux | Permalink | Comments (5)