wiki
vifm
An alternative to the Midnight Commander file manager utility. It’s available in the Ubuntu repositories (sudo apt-get install vifm) and via MacPorts (sudo port install vifm).
Vifm is a ncurses based file manager with vi like keybindings. If you use vi, vifm gives you complete keyboard control over your files without having to learn a new set of commands.
While you’re getting in touch with your inner geek, don’t forget vimwiki, the personal wiki also based on vim:
Zim Wiki Basic Features
Brief overview video of Zim Wiki features from ProductiveLinux:
Switching: Linux App Equivalents
I have been in the process of planning out switching to Linux in 2010 for my main development computer (a laptop), as well as for various web and database servers I am responsible for at work.
I’ve been making good use of Sun’s awesome (and free) VirtualBox program, which allows me to create any number of virtual computers to experiment on. I’ve had a couple of CLI-only server versions running (Debian and Ubuntu), as well as what amounts to a desktop system for the last three Ubuntu releases: 8.10, 9.04, and the just-issued 9.10.
My User has information that could… that could make this a free system again! No, really! You’d have programs lined up just to use this place, and no MCP looking over your shoulder.
I’ll cover the whys and wherefores of switching in the future. For now, suffice to say that the ever-increasing commercialization of Mac OS X, with accompanying restrictions, has been grating on me for some time now. I am also attracted to the notion of software freedom (having been a huge fan of the original Tron movie ;) and of course the cost savings can be dramatic. And since I work primarily in education, I think we would be neglecting our duty by not exploring the open-source world.
All that is visible must grow beyond itself, and extend into the realm of the invisible.
One of the first and ongoing steps is compiling a list of application equivalents to programs I am need of.
- Mail -> Evolution
- iCal -> Evolution
- Exchange -> Evolution \m/
- MacJournal -> Zim or RedNotebook or Lifeograph
- iPhoto -> filesystem + gThumb (still need EXIF editor: JHead?)
- iTunes (music) -> Rhythmbox
- iTunes (podcasts) -> Rhythmbox (audio ok, testing vidcasts)
- OmniFocus -> Getting Things Gnome (GTG) or spreadsheet?
- Adium -> Empathy
- Quicksilver/Spotlight -> Deskbar-Applet
- iFlash -> Mnemosyne
- NetNewsWire -> Liferea or Gregarius
- Tweetie -> Gwibber
- VoodooPad -> Zim
- MarsEdit -> Drivel, BloGTK, or Gnome Blog?
- Dictionary.app -> Gnome Dictionary
- RPG -> see http://www.shell-fu.org/lister.php?id=885
- Black Ink -> Xword
- Desktop Pictures rotation -> Wallpaper Tray (Gnome panel)
- GarageBand/podcasting -> Audacity + LMMS
- OmniGraffle -> Dia
- Minuteur/ApiMac Timer -> Timer Applet
Still looking:
- Time Machine (backup) -> roll-my-own or manual?
- Bluetooth File Exchange -> built into Gnome?
Stuff that exists in both places:
- Firefox
- MacVim -> Gvim
- Audacity
- GIMP
- VirtualBox
- ClamXav -> ClamAV
- VLC
- MySQL Administrator and Query Browser
- NeoOffice -> OpenOffice
- Google Earth
- MacNikto -> Nikto
If you’re looking into switching as well, or just are looking for new apps to try out whatever your platform, check out AlternativeTo, which provides alternatives for Linux, Mac, and Windows programs.
Note: Written before the current cold whacked me in the head and upper respiratory tract. Bits are incomplete. Suggestions are welcome.
End of line.
Using vim as a personal wiki
Abhijit Nadgouda over at iface thoughts describes a method of using vim as a simple wiki system, utilizing its built-in “tags” capability.
One thing I have learnt from experience is that the tool to collect and organize our information must be easily available and easy to use. And that is where vim scores higher than any other tool to build a wiki.[…]
Nowadays I use the vim as a combination of wiki and outliner to record my ideas and thoughts, documentation, tasks and even contacts.
Looks very easy to set up and use — I think I’ll give it a try.
