My Journey with Linux and the Art of Keeping it simple

Introduction

My decade long journey with Linux transformed how I approach technology, fostering a love for simplicity and individuality. From the vibrant Ultimate Edition to the minimalist ArchLinux, I crafted tailored systems that reflected my needs, as seen in my dotfiles repo. Though I now use macOS, the skills honed configuring servers and tools on Linux remain integral to my daily work, powering projects at Webongo Services, Nunuget and everywhere I end up touching a Linux server.

Inspiration

My Linux adventure began in the early 2010s with Ultimate Edition, a customized Ubuntu variant that showcased endless possibilities. By 2015, I adopted ArchLinux, a bare bones distro that challenged me to build my system from scratch. This process, documented in my dotfiles, taught me the value of minimalism and personal expression. Linux’s open-source ethos became a guiding principle, encouraging me to create solutions that were uniquely mine, free from bloated constraints.

Features

My ArchLinux setups were designed for efficiency and aesthetics. I used the i3 window manager for distraction free workspaces, with custom keybindings to streamline tasks. The zsh shell, paired with Oh My Zsh and zsh-autosuggestions, enabled rapid scripting. I tailored neovim with plugins for Python, Bash, and Go development. My dotfiles included automation scripts, leveraging pacman for packages and stow for config management, creating a personalized, high performance environment.

Technologies Used

ArchLinux was my foundation, with its rolling release model ensuring fresh tools. I installed tmux for session management and ranger for file navigation using yay for AUR packages. My dotfiles used git to manage configs for i3, polybar, and alacritty. For servers, I configured Ubuntu or Debian, automating tasks or provisioning servers with ansible or docker. This lightweight, open-source stack shaped my technical approach, even after transitioning to macOS.

Impact

Linux defined my technical prowess and career. From Ultimate Edition’s flair to Arch’s rigor, I mastered simplicity, making tasks like configuring Apache, Nginx, and Certbot SSL for web servers effortless. I set up mail servers with Postfix, Dovecot, MySQL, PostgreSQL, and webmails like Roundcube on Linode, AWS EC2, and Digital Ocean VPSs for clients. My decade of tinkering, shared via dotfiles, empowers my system administration at Webongo and Nunuget, driving simple, efficient, innovative solutions daily.