Things to Do After Installing i3 Window Manager

Today I walk you through the first steps of setting up i3wm.
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===== Referenced ====
i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html
i3wm.org/i3status/manpage.html
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#i3wm #windowmanagers #howto

[@bckends_]

i really love how Matt is open about not remembering something, misspelling sometimes, etc. he is not trying to show himself off like a linux mastermind who knows everything but as a person like us who is simply more experienced and trying to help us

[@pattmayne]

This is one of the most useful KZbin videos I've seen. I keep referring to this for info. Thanks for making it!

[@marjhunvincentvizcarra6589]

This is so useful keep up the awesome content Matt! 🤠

[@tayntedmemories]

I recommend installing i3-starterpack. It does ALOT of stuff for you, and you can build off of it's base. Also, here's my basic keybinds super + 1-7 (Switch to Workspace #) Super + Return (Open Terminal, I use gnome-terminal.) Super + X (Launch Rofi Menu) Super + Space (toggle tiling and floating) Super + C (Close Window)

[@rmcellig]

Great video!! Thanks!😀 One of the first things to do is get the audio working. I didn't see this in your video. Thanks again!! Love your videos!!!

[@paulnuker1831]

I really appreciate the tutorial, very helpful!!

[@filipdodig1163]

Awesome channel! Thank you for this great content!

[@italiatroller4793]

i absolute love i3 as a tiling wm and thanks for the tips!

[@xordamen]

thank you , your videos really help me please keep uploading :)

[@ZuluEchoRomeoOscar]

An important point re BSPWP: it can be configured in any script/language. It just provides the 'bspc' command, which can be accessed by any code...

[@thingsiplay]

have a European keyboard (set to US layout) with an additional mod key `ALT_GR`. I use this to launch applications, so nice to have additional standard modifier keys supported by the system at default.

[@individual_disk_936]

This was really helpful! Thank you!

[@nassvandrunen6020]

this man just fixing all my problems we need more of this kind of humans on this earth

[@fernandoribeiro5097]

Thanks for this content.

[@sarojregmi200]

Good video mate.

[@chalplec4241]

I feel like I'm the only simpleton in the world that uses some Windows keybindings in my Arch i3. Alt+F4 to close windows, Ctrl Shift Escape to bring up my resource monitor, Ctrl Alt Delete to log out, etc.

[@bn_ln]

Super useful, cheers!

[@pikazap6672]

This is helpful video, thank you

[@taxaction1]

Thanks for sharing 👍

[@sakshamray9981]

You deserve more than 50k subs

[@viktor133100]

I'm trying out i3 on a VM and I changed the mod-key to alt. Because I like to use the super-key for program shortcuts. Alt for controlling the WM, Super for opening apps. It works for me.

[@Fanaro]

No need for self-deprecation mate, we are all in the same boat, the idiot boat.

[@apocalypz9]

If you pass your noobness ... is such a good line :D

[@robertleo3561]

thanks dude

[@drewfasa]

Really appreciate your videos Sir! Do you have a video on how to save layouts in i3? I can figure out how to make/save the layout using save-tree and pasting into my .config file, but I can't for the life of me figure out how to execute the progammes in my config so that they get 'swallowed' by the containers.

[@ziul.3124]

Thanks mate i setup my nitrogen like a pro noob Linux user👊

[@eman14968]

The video has helped me alot but im stuck on the part where you type in the stuff for nitrogen because there are these blue worms under the brackets and im unable to exit the bracket

[@robertleo3561]

really fantastic. I have a question - I have been using gnome, and heavily use the settings app. Is there something comparable I can use in i3? If not, how do I conveniently switch between audio devices, change my network settings, connect to bluetooth, etc?

[@TheLinuxCast]

If you want to use i3 with a gnome back end you can. Check out Regolith Linux. That's exactly that. If you want to go pure i3, you would manage your audio devices with an app called pavucontrol. Network settings would be managed probably by Network Manager depending on what distro you're on. And bluetooth could be managed by Blueman.

[@fan_juggler]

The reason to use Alt as meta key is that Super key is often misplaced on laptops. So if you have such laptop, Alt is the only way to keep your keybindigs consistent across different keyboards.

[@linuxramblingproductions8554]

Huh neat i just used it cause my super keys broke

[@holzvvrm7718]

The problem is, that many applications use alt a lot, so I stopped using it as i3 modifier

[@holzvvrm7718]

Capslock on the other hand is perfect on the other hand

[@fan_juggler]

@@holzvvrm7718 on the other hand capslock is remaped as esc for half of vim users :)

[@metaltyphoon]

@@fan_juggleryou mean as another CTRL 😂. You always ESC with Ctrl +[

[@thederpykrafter]

I pretty much only switched to i3wm from the pop os gnome desktop because it was easier than trying to get kitty set as default on gnome. I had to make gnome-teeminal run `kitty --detach" just to get the open in terminal in nautilus to work

[@rosswoodall625]

People who use the alt key, have keyboards without the windows key, these would include IBM Model M keyboards.

[@DemiGodX]

is the mod key the same as the superkey? if not then what's the mod key

[@kairyonaznable20]

Alt as superkey definitely makes sense if you grew up with macos and like the option to have it familiar to you

[@TheLinuxCast]

I guess that makes sense.

[@aguilar1015]

I just found your channel - and this video is very informative to me but I have a question - How do you change the underscore color on Kitty ? when I use pkg_add the underscore is the same as the background and I cannot see it. - I am new to kitty

[@TheLinuxCast]

Unsure. But all the colors are defined in kitty.conf inside XDG_CONFIG, so you should be able to play with those until the color changes

[@paulnuker1831]

What are the drawbacks using the Alt key? Seems to me that's much easier to reach w/ my thumb

[@alberteinstein1015]

It may conflict in the keybindings of other programs (like Vim).

[@rexempire3365]

I guess I am a mad lad as I have both defined as super keys. Alt for i3 specific bindings I don't use too much, and Win key for everything else.

[@TheLinuxCast]

I use alt as a combo key for other keybindings. The Win key would be useless if I didn't use it as a mod key.

[@rexempire3365]

@@TheLinuxCast Yep, I also do that as well. Generally for programs that are similar or that are in the same category.

[@devhypercoder2522]

Why do we use webp ? It's better for websites tbh. very low sizes and good compression

[@lingux_yt]

Win+F4 for closing windows, Win+Delete for shutting down. my key bindings are based on Windows. force of habit 😁

[@andrea_sonyromani5423]

Hi, first sorry for my English! I’m Italian, I can’t change the keyboard layout in Italian, I try to login with root and configure locale, but nothing. I’m using arch Linux with a MacBook Pro 2015 and Utm. If you can suggest something to set I’ll be very grateful! Good job!

[@TheLinuxCast]

It won't have any to do with i3. My recommendation would be to Google how to do it on arch. The wiki will tell you. Should be fairly easy.

[@nassvandrunen6020]

how do you add watermellons and potato's in a url

[@BrucesWorldofStuff]

I'm a crazy fool too! But there again I have no Windows Keys on my keyboards either! Lol I even disable the Windows keys on my laptops so I would not be confused. I also put black duct tape on the keys... There again I'm a heathen... x-D "How many Matts does it take?" Man that is a loaded and complicated questions... Lol Thanks for the video Matt! LLAP

[@TheLinuxCast]

I'm surprised that so many use Alt. It's very weird to me.

[@BrucesWorldofStuff]

​@@TheLinuxCast HahAhA! As the old saying goes... "Use What You have!" I have only had M1 keyboards with no Windows keys for years except for the laptops and I find the Windows key are in the way on them. So that is why I put tape on them so I can't see them. I also us .Xmodmap to disable it .. LOL I have always set Ctrl + Esc as the menu key. Seams natural to me after all these years... :-P LLAP

[@Reliktish]

@@TheLinuxCast i agree, the super key seems more in the norm than alt, actually i never used the alt key in my life

[@abhishekrajpoudel8223]

Can someone help . I want to to add a music player in the status bar like in archcraft in my i3. Does anyone know how.

[@TheLinuxCast]

What bar are you using?

[@abhishekrajpoudel8223]

@@TheLinuxCast Thanks for the replying bro . I am using polybar and i couldnt configure mpd in my linux mint.

[@resofactor]

This is my first viewing of your Channel and I didn't know what to think at first. But where you REALLY won me over... webp. I freakign HATE webp

[@TheLinuxCast]

Goodness, me too. A file format that just shouldn't exist.

[@resofactor]

@@TheLinuxCast Ditto. Bingo. When you're running on the fly downloading graphics, it really sucks.

[@storm14k]

That's about where I quit listening. Don't know why there's all the hate for Webp. I guess because....."durrr Google". As a photographer it's been great for storing my post processed images in less space. Don't see why folks that barely no one from the other give a crap and make it harder for folks that actually have a use for a modern image format.

[@alberteinstein1015]

@@storm14k I understand where you're coming from (as best as I can), and I agree that .webp is useful for file compression. But for a sweaty computer nerd like me, it's just an extra inconvenience when I just wanna make a quick meme.

[@shyamvenkatesh6188]

How are you opening the toolbar at 5:54?

[@shyamvenkatesh6188]

Ok got it... Mod+D

[@zoltan1953]

Who else is watching this a year later and is blown away to hear Matt say “I hate Firefox with a passion”? 😮

[@TheLinuxCast]

I still hate that they save images as webp. It's the dumbest thing ever.

[@zoltan1953]

@@TheLinuxCast I heartily agree with you. It's just bizarre to hear you say that you hate firefox. lol

[@josholin31]

I never use caps lock. I wonder if I could disable it's function. And reassign it as a key combo. I suppose if I can't easily use it without having it's function. I could just remap it. But I think it might also cause me to develop a bad habit of pressing caps lock on other computers. Lol

[@programmer1356]

My keyboard doesn't have a Windows ™ key. I had trouble trying to use the Windows key and had to go and find a clunky old keyboard to recover my machine. Just a warning 🙂

[@blackpirate8748]

How did you zoom in i3

[@alberteinstein1015]

He's not zooming in on i3, he's zooming in the terminal, which is "Ctrl++" and "Ctrl-", at least in mine.

[@AbdullahALSHRIQI]

how to set i3wm on 60hz ?

[@TheLinuxCast]

I think you can use xrandr. Or use xresources.

[@catoflado4977]

I use alt key for my super key because my keyboard is from 1990. There is no windows key lol

[@209_Violate]

i want to be your friend :D you're awesome

[@austinwilliams7739]

I use the alt key

[@Cyfrik]

I've been trying i3 out a tiny bit in a virtual machine, and yeah, with the default keyboard commands, Alt is much less uncomfortable for the thumb than Super. Imo, the problem with using Alt as the mod key is that it conflicts with some common shortcuts inside programs.

[@arkoprovoshaw5737]

Hey I know its not related but I want to say that I finally switched to Arch (I am not bragging) and the thing I realize that Arch Installation is not as hard( as the stereotype says it is).

[@abhileshxd621]

The 'difficulty' is just a meme at this point really. The arch wiki is such a good resource that anyone with at least 3 braincells will be able to install it successfully (no matter how many tries he/she needs, we all make mistakes).

[@arkoprovoshaw5737]

@@abhileshxd621 Someone needs to go more than arch wiki installation guide to get a fully functional desktop. It does not talk about the display manager, desktop environment and other necessary packages. I personally didn't mind it but there are many who might follow the wiki word to word and end up with an tty1

[@abhileshxd621]

@@arkoprovoshaw5737 You know what that's actually a valid point. I never thought of it from this POV since I always just install the main packages and let Pacman deal with the dependencies. The wiki does mention to install a graphical user interface and leads to several other pages. Though, a more robust and easier to view article could make more sense, kinda how Brodie was saying.

[@arkoprovoshaw5737]

@@abhileshxd621 They will never include anything in guide more than the base package. Arch follows the do it yourself philosophy .When I checked the guide, they just told to install a bootloader(yes they gave options), even though almost all the people will install grub, they didn't include how to install it in the base guide.

[@lingux_yt]

arch is the easiest among the harder distros. or maybe the hardest among the easier 😁

[@idjdbrvvskambvvv9007]

I use alt as mod because mod doesn't exist on right side of the laptop keyboard :) calm down

[@rafi7338]

I use alt -__-

[@anasouardini]

WTf is wrong with this guy? he doesn't know ho to google images, says google is trash LOL he doesn't know what is an extension, thinks that the extension changes the data LOL and the worst part is that he's so confident about it WTF!!!!

[@alberteinstein1015]

I know he might seem a little old or elitist, but at least he can use Linux and spell properly.

[@Death_Note0_0]

I'm Good with KDE

[@aadarshkumarshah8795]

6:30 google is trash 7:28 firefox is dumb -a linux user