Cross-platform dotfiles (Linux, MacOs and Windows) How to ?

Hello everyone !

As I'm about to start a new Job, I'm thinking about cleaning up my configs files and having everything better maintained in a dotfiles repository.

While I started using `stow` to easily symlink all the files I version in my repo (and it works very well) I had to stop as I won't be able to use the same approach on Windows and therefore maintain multiple ways of installing my config.

I've seen solution like chezmoi or yadm but I'm not sure that's what I'm looking for, I mean, it does what I want, but having a minimalist setup is also important to me, something I could deploy with just a terminal, git and why not a noscript in the repo itself.

I though about writing a simple python noscript and configs files to specify source and destination to make the symlinks, with the differences per OS, but maybe there's better option or good reasons not to do so ?

I'm also concerned about security with the .ssh for instance.

But also configuration from the specific companies, I'd like to have the core, which is MY stuff I use everywhere, maybe stuff I use on specific machines only, but also stuff I use at specific companies too.

And for my nvim config, I have another repo, but my dotfile repo uses a git submodule which as of now is really neat !

Right now I use:

\- MacOs

\- Fedora

\- Rocky Linux 9 / 10

\- Windows 11

\- Arch Linux

\- Linux Mint

https://redd.it/1pr6ap6
@r_linux

Debian adds LoongArch as officially supported architecture
https://lists.debian.org/debian-devel-announce/2025/12/msg00004.html

https://redd.it/1prbtg3
@r_linux

Hey, so is it normal to basically bloat your Linux on your first couple installs?

Let me know if this is the wrong subreddit for discussing this kind of stuff.

I've installed Linux a couple of times at this point, first Ubuntu many years ago just to try it, never ran it after the initial install (which I think was just a live boot, couldn't actually figure it out lmao)

Then Linux mint on a cheap desktop I got, installed it an never used the desktop again. (I am considering using it as a server though since it has a 1tb hard drive)

And then Linux on my main station, just for funsies, installed on like 30gb partition because I wasn't able to allocate more (fuck you windows disk manager), and again didn't use it because of the limited space. This was after PewDiePie made his video.

And then again on my laptop as I probably saw another video about Linux. That was another Arch Linux install, this time I just used archinstall command, cause fuck installing it manually again.

However, now I kind of want to remove that installation and do manual because I've brutally bloated it.

Not only do I have weird situations where WiFi just doesn't work, I did many different fixes to varying degrees of success, but Bluetooth is also difficult.

All these problems are probably because I started out with Hyprland and kde-plasma setup from the archinstall and then removed both and installed Niri compositor with quickshell instead.

However, are these issues normal for my circumstances or have I just kind of screwed up my system by initially installing kde-plasma and then trying to remove it? I still have some kde bloat on the device, like the system settings and stuff I have to remove.

I have since installed Bazzite on my main system instead of the arch Linux that was on here, and yesterday reset my windows and used g-parted to allocated more space and dedicated my old games drive to ext4 instead of NTFS, which is awesome, but Bazzite doesn't mount it like it's a part of the system, so I need to add it to Steam every time I log on, I still need to figure that out.

This is mainly a discussion post, as the flair invites. I am not looking for support with these issues, as I will probably figure it out on my own, but I am curious to know if anyone else has done these same silly decisions.

A list of mistakes I've committed that I want to do better next time I choose to install Linux:

* Installing a bunch of apps, because they're cool only to realize I'm not going to use them
* Installing apps in Bazzite like I would with Arch Linux without reading the docs first. Apparently I shouldn't just rpm-ostree install everything. Distroboxes are a thing.
* Not just read the goddamn docs when installing a different Linux distro.

Anyway, that's my rambling out of my mind. I hope I didn't break any rules with this post, but if I did I am sure someone will let me know.

https://redd.it/1prbhd7
@r_linux

This Week in Plasma: ambient light sensor support
https://blogs.kde.org/2025/12/20/this-week-in-plasma-ambient-light-sensor-support/

https://redd.it/1prdsk9
@r_linux

Extension to manage security visually in GNOME.
https://redd.it/1prf0vs
@r_linux

[OC] grub-wiz: a TUI grub editor that warns before breaking your boot
https://redd.it/1prkucx
@r_linux

Make Your Choice is now available on Linux!
https://redd.it/1prn9gh
@r_linux

One thing stopping me from going full steam ahead with Linux is iTunes… I still have 3 iPods and store all my music locally. Is there iTunes/a FOSS equivalent that can still sync music to Apple devices?

Title says it all. I can’t go 100% forward with Linux unless it’s possible to run iTunes or a Linux equivalent of it that can still sync music to iPods or various other Apple devices. Anything like that out there?

https://redd.it/1pro8c3
@r_linux

Here's an interesting question: Why do you guys think Linux took off to become the phenomenon it is, while none of the BSD/Unix OSes ever did, at least not to anywhere near the same extent?

What made the Linux path different from something like, let's say, FreeBSD, or OpenBSD? Was it because of the personalities associated with these systems? Or because of the type of users these systems tended to attract?

https://redd.it/1prqw7z
@r_linux

Automatic mouting/unmouting of sd-card using hot-swappable

Hi!

After struggling for hours and only getting further away from my goal, I turn to you - masters of Linux.

Background: As part of an embedded system, running Debian on a Raspberry Pi 5, I have an SD Card reader connected via USB. The reader will always have the same VID (0424) and PID (2240), and only one will be connected at the same time.

The card reader shows up as a block device (sda). When no card is connected, only the block device is "connected" (shows up using lsblk). When a card is inserted, a partition is added (sda1). This partition is the file system of the card.

I am able to both mount and umount the partition to /mnt/sdcard manually (/mnt/sdcard already exists, of course). And, using a combination of udev rules and systemd .mount routines I am able to mount the card, but not able to unmount the card automatically.

What would be the correct approach to achieve this result? Any pointers and ideas would be greatly appreciated!

https://redd.it/1prqais
@r_linux

I got tired of trying to work around the limitations with shortcuts in Labwc, so I forked it to add the features I needed

In short order, I was trying to add universal shortcuts like there is in Omacarhy, except it's bound to ctrl and not meta/super, as well as sticky keys. With the 1st one I'd end up with a loop occurring with what I was using for input simulation, that being dotool, as there was no way to blacklist devices from triggering the keybinds. So I added a few features in my fork.

the features are mostly in the keybinds for now, as I needed it for some of my noscripts mostly. All of it being in this line for keybinds under rc.xml's keyboard section

<keybind key="" layoutDependent="" onRelease="" allowWhenLocked="" toggleable="yes" enabled="no" id="sticky_8" deviceBlacklist="device A,device B" conditionCommand="echo $STICKY_KEYS" conditionValues="true">

layoutDependent, onRelease, and allowWhenLocked are from mainline
toggleable, id, and enabled all culminate for a command toggled keybind via --[enable|disable|toggle]-keybind <id> sent to the labwc executable
deviceBlacklist prevents some devices from triggering the keybind. I also added a device whitelist, but I haven't pushed it yet to the remote repo
I also added conditionCommand and conditionValues that can make it only trigger if a command output's a certain value, it's in the repo already but the documentation on it is somewhat incomplete but enough to infer how to use it.

for anyone wondering on the ordering of the logic, it checks: device whitelist (not in repo yet) -> device blacklists -> command toggle -> command conditional.


A few other things I added were a noscript that fires when you reconfigure labwc, named 'reconfigure' in the config. Lets me reload my waybar themes and wallpaper a lot easier. I don't think a lot of compositors can execute commands on reload, maybe hyprland but that's all I know of... There's also a global blacklist but it was a side effect of testing features, not something I personally need, but someone might need it... <blacklistDevice name=""> under the keyboard section.

repo is here: https://github.com/FyreX-opensource-design/labwc you'll need to compile it yourself and move the labwc and labnag executables somewhere to use it. I plan on getting this onto the AUR but I cannot for the life of me figure out the public and private keys I need to upload it... so even if I got the PKGBUILD working (which I didn't) I couldn't get it on there...

https://redd.it/1prw4rp
@r_linux

I did it! Im finally through to the other side

9 months ago, I installed Linux, decided on mint. I made a post talking about how I was happy with minimal customization. people told me I would be back...looking for trouble.


Then I went looking for trouble as people expected. I started tweaking CSS theme files. I had my first few GUI breaks.


Then I dove into optimizing my cinnamon desktop. keybindings, window focus switching, minimalist minimalist minimalist mode!

Then came the 3 months of VIM obsession. Started to learn vim by configuring polybar and rofi and vim itself.

And finally! I decided I would make the jump, to polybar+rofi+i3 and I'm just about used to it now. I don't think I am a beginner Linux user anymore. I have only had a handful of breakages and I'm confident I can recover from any issue. Vim is not longer foreign. Editing config files for i3 no longer feels hard.

Finally, I AM FREE :D

I even started to learn a bit of python on the side during this journey because why not.


https://redd.it/1prwxmt
@r_linux

LanguageTool (open source grammar and writing style checker) browser extension now requires premium subnoscription

For those unaware, LanguageTool has for years been this open source alternative to Grammarly and similar grammar checkers. It offers, amongst other things, a browser extension. It has also been integrated into LibreOffice since 7.4 as part of its grammar and style checker as well.

An announcement was recently made by LanguageTool that its browser extension now requires the premium subnoscription to work: https://languagetool.org/webextension/premium-announcement

As far as the article linked has shown, other methods of using the service, including running your own LanguageTool server, is still free as in beer.

The reasons given are the rise of generative AI and the need to sustain their server costs.

Anyone here a long-time user of LanguageTool? I know I'm one and I'm thinking whether should I take this as an opportunity to throw them a subnoscription as monetary support.

https://redd.it/1prwws6
@r_linux

I Ditched Windows 11 today, just wish i had done it sooner.

For Years i had used the Windows OS lineup, (XP, 7, 10,) and had been fine with it.

That all began to change when i bought my first prebuilt.

over the course of 2 years, i began to hate the "New" OS that windows made. it seemed like every time i turned around, something had been needlessly moved, or made harder to find. before long i began to see apps updating without my permission, hundreds of needless services and "features" (obvious bloatware) began to slow down my 2k rig. at the time, i had chalked it up to me being out of luck.

for years, the memory of windows 10's effectiveness faded into the past. i had grown accustomed to being barraged by advertisements simply for opening my start menu, to the constant frustration with how convoluted the sub menus in windows was, then it happened.

when windows forced users to upgrade to 11 (you simply got forced, regardless of what you-tubers say) my moms laptop got "upgraded" suddenly, and the little laptop that i knew was strong enough to easily browse, watch videos, or simply listen to music was nothing more than a loud paper weight.

another year went by, and life went on.

but one fateful morning, i remembered that little laptop.

i walked to part of the house it was kept in, and scrounged around to find it. and by god, there it was, dusty but not for long, i quickly found the charger cable and booted it on.

silence.

confusion.

but just when i had begun to lose hope, the keyboard lights kicked on, and so too, did my eventual path to Linux.

but once again, something felt off.

why was it freezing so much?

I'm only on the desktop, why is the fan so loud?

man, why is it so hot?

i "quickly" searched online for the windows 10 installer (windows 11 was too much for the old thing, it kept freezing every 5 seconds) once there, i booted it up.

memories of Windows 7, and Windows 10, came to mind, how back in 2011-2012 how one of our old workstation pc's had run 7 until the day it blew, how every computer up until Win 11 had actually ran well, there were no excessive amounts of ads, no AI nonsense to suck up MORE of my ram, (except 10, but the AI had largely been just Cortana up until Copilot launched, right before windows canned 10 in favor of 11)

Cortana appeared.

for a tangible moment, i stared. the setup was pretty easy, all things considered, and i soon launched onto windows 10's desktop. from that point on, that little laptop had felt like i had somehow replaced it with a faster one. Hell, i was even able to play some low intensity games on it.

for a few days afterwards, my curiosity to Win 11 alternatives skyrocketed! my fear of changing my OS quickly vanished in the face of the potential freedoms, and the life i could breathe through my prebuilt! i began watching you-tube videos on Linux, i began seeing people actually enjoying the OS, and quickly reached out to a friend of mine.


"Quick question"

"hmm?"

"what do you think about Linux?"

"Decent"

"Cuz im thinking about ditching windows 11"

"better than windows 11"

"yeah, apps still work like they do on windows?"

"a lot of them yes but not all, but there are ways like Wine or Proton that make it work."

"What OS should i go for, Ubuntu?"

"That or Mint, if you want the closest windows 10 experience"

That settled it, i grabbed a empty USB, and started in. 1-2 hours later i booted up my PC on Linux Mint cinnamon off of a USB. immediately i was struck by how simple and stylish it was. matte black task bar with a nice looking wall paper? Yes Sir!

after completing the install and reformatting the USB to be a normal FAT32 thumb-stick, i began downloading the apps i would use daily, albeit a bit slower, as i had to figure out Linux's way of doing things, all the while being wowed by the near-zero impact the os had on my pc.

Never again.

i am not Microsoft's prize winning hog.

i will be respected as a person when i use my computer, and i will no longer tolerate being treated as a paycheck by Microsoft

Executives and Investors.

if you read this far, thanks :) a lot of what happened to me made me hate Microsoft, and being able to use something that feels good to use and keeps me out of their ecosystem feels great!













https://redd.it/1pryxf4
@r_linux

Anyone remembers the Ameritech distribution?
https://redd.it/1ps369q
@r_linux

making your own(tm) ostree-based distribution is incredibly easy these days

i'm a big fan of fedora's atomic distros and for a while i thought the whole thing was black magic. i decided to try to understand the internals a bit more and first i made a blue-build-based version that essentially mirrored my setup. all good, github actions, automated updates etc., life was good.

then i thought, "why don't i run the extra mile" and really make something "custom"-ish. i even thought of using gentoo (and managed! it booted, but then i got tired of compiling gnome. and then i realised gentoo doesn't keep gnome up to date). but then i thought, i might just use arch and the cachyos repos, because why not – not sure it makes any difference. so here's the result! besides spending a fair amount of time hammering the whole thing to make it fit ostree's setup (thanks claude), it works fine. and thanks to ghcr, keeping it up to date is very very easy. the end result is basically a clone of fedora silverblue, because i based the whole thing on it, so to end users it will look the same as silverblue, minus rpm-ostree (and a few quirks here and there).

i'm not sure actually using this one in particular could be of interest to anyone because it's quite niche, but i mostly wanted to showcase how one can explore this sort of distribution "development" path without ever messing up your data – i did the whole thing, including endless reboots to sort out initramfs issues, on the only computer i have access to, and, of course, never had any data loss.

edit: in case someone has an amd zen4 laptop – e.g. amd framework – and wants to try it, it is as easy as rebasing from silverblue or ublue or whatever. should work out of the box!

https://redd.it/1ps48tz
@r_linux

Intel readies multi-queue support for Linux 7.0 as new feature for Crescent Island
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-Xe-Multi-Queue-Linux-7.0

https://redd.it/1ps56kn
@r_linux

Linux 6.19 lands fix for Seagate Barracuda HDD taking down the SATA bus
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.19-Seagate-HDD-Fix

https://redd.it/1ps4zdl
@r_linux

CtrlAssist v0.2.0: Controller Assist for gaming on Linux
https://github.com/ruffsl/CtrlAssist/releases/tag/v0.2.0

https://redd.it/1ps9eks
@r_linux

I saw a Linux user out in the wild today

I was walking in the mall today and I saw this one guy using Ubuntu in this restaurants he was coding in nano and I went to talk to him and I asked him if he is using Linux and he said yes and I told him that I use arch and he said he uses Ubuntu then I went away. As a arch user this was an extremely scary interaction (talking to a new person)

https://redd.it/1psbktb
@r_linux