Linux Productivity Tools (2019) [pdf] (usenix.org)

Article summary

The article appears to be a presentation about Linux productivity tools, covering various command-line utilities and techniques for efficient workflow. The discussion reveals that the presentation is a dense and straightforward summary of Linux tools and best practices. The original article text is not available, but the comments provide insight into the content and usefulness of the presentation. The presentation seems to have been well-received by the community, with many commenters appreciating the tips and tools shared.

Main themes

• Linux productivity tools
• Command-line utilities
• Workflow efficiency
• Personal preference in tools
• PDF conversion and viewing
• Automation and mistake prevention

What commenters say

• GNU Parallel is a powerful tool for executing jobs in parallel, offering advantages over xargs, including the ability to execute tasks on multiple hosts.
• Some users prefer vi-style key bindings, while others prefer emacs-style key bindings for bash, highlighting the importance of personal preference in productivity tools.
• The presentation's tips and tools, such as the use of the 'at' command and systemd timers, have been helpful to many users, including experienced sysadmins.
• There are various tools available for converting PDFs to HTML or EPUB, including Acrobat, Pandoc, and Foxit, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
• Some users have developed their own workflows and tools, such as using 'pv' for progress bars and 'bmaptool' for safe writing to block devices, demonstrating the diversity of user needs and preferences.
• The use of ML-based snafu-avoiders and other automated tools is proposed as a potential solution for preventing common mistakes and improving productivity.
• Different users have different preferences for PDF viewers and presentation modes, with some preferring discrete pagination and others preferring continuous scrolling.