Installation Manjaro (KDE)

Everything from pacman and AUR

sudo pacman -Syu --needed base-devel yay git git-lfs libsecret github-cli cmake curl openssh python-pip python-pandas python-numpy python-pipx python-tldextract uv texlive-basic texlive-binextra texlive-fontutils texlive-xetex texlive-latexextra texlive-pictures texlive-bibtexextra texlive-fontsextra texlive-fontsrecommended texlive-mathscience biber keepassxc htop vlc tmux openconnect networkmanager-openconnect unison signal-desktop tailscale webapp-manager virtualbox linux71-virtualbox-host-modules virtualbox-guest-iso

yay -S --needed ttf-ms-fonts spotify synology-drive microsoft-edge-stable-bin visual-studio-code-bin juliaup quarto-cli-bin zoom nordvpn-bin zotero-bin

sudo systemctl enable --now sshd tailscaled nordvpnd
sudo usermod -aG nordvpn,vboxusers $USER

Then reboot.

Notes:

  • linux71-virtualbox-host-modules has to match the installed kernel, check with mhwd-kernel -li (e.g. linux71 -> linux71-virtualbox-host-modules).
  • yay asks to import the Spotify PGP key, accept it.
  • spotify-launcher from pacman fails to download Spotify (“Exceeded number of retries for download”), so use spotify from the AUR instead.
  • The texlive packages above include all LaTeX packages needed, so no tlmgr setup is needed.
  • pympress is not available in pacman or the AUR.
  • Stata is a tarball, see below.
  • Services are not started on install (unlike Ubuntu), so the systemctl enable --now line is needed: tailscale up and nordvpn login fail without their daemons running. sshd is only needed to ssh into this machine.

Synology Drive client

  • Do not sync hidden folders (.folder) and do not sync the following files (add as exception):
    • Manifest.toml
  • in settings, Global Settings -> Notifications untick notifications
  • NAS quickconnect: rpgnasasdfjh

Keepass

  • Enable integration of browser in settings off keepass
  • Add database in browser integration (in extension settings)

Launchers for different online apps

Use “Web Apps” (webapp-manager). Choose edge and separate profile for each app. Use the following urls:

  1. Outlook: outlook.office.com
  2. Email personal: outlook.live.com
  3. WhatsApp: web.whatsapp.com
  4. Remarkable: https://app.remarkable.com/folder/home
  5. ToDoist: https://app.todoist.com/app/upcoming

Programming

  • Git:

    • Note: libsecret is required for persistent github credentials (I think..)
    git config --global user.name "rgreminger"
git config --global user.email "rafael.greminger@outlook.com"
gh auth login # this logs into github
gh auth setup-git # needed to store credentials (I think..)

  • Tailscale: sudo tailscale up to log in

  • Vscode:

    • Remote SSH extension: Ctrl+P ext install ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh

  • Julia: installed through juliaup, the first julia call installs the latest release

  • Stata:

    1. download
    2. Install
sudo mkdir /usr/local/stata
sudo cp /home/rafael/Downloads/StataNow19Linux64.tar.gz /usr/local/stata/stata.tar.gz
cd /usr/local/stata/
sudo tar -xvf stata.tar.gz
sudo ./install
sudo ./stinit
  • Right-click on desktop “create launcher” -> prompts whether to also create start menu entry. Command is /usr/local/stata/xstata-mp
  • Add binaries to path. Edit ~/.profile with this:
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/stata' >> ~/.profile

UCL VPN

Use openconnect to connect to UCL VPN. In system settings, go to Wi-Fi & Networking, then use + to add a new “Cisco AnyConnect Compatible VPN (openconnect)” connection with these settings (don’t miss bottom change on Token mode!):

SETTINGS

NordVPN

nordvpn login
nordvpn connect

Other installations (including some descriptions)

Printer UCL

See instructions here.

Virtual windows machine

  1. VirtualBox and the guest additions ISO are installed above (reboot after the install).
  2. Get ISO: https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/software-download/windows11
  3. Install Windows 11 in virtualbox. Use the following settings:
    • Unattended guest install: yes
    • Memory: 8GB
    • Storage: 60GB dynamically allocated
    • Install virtual guest additions: point to /usr/lib/virtualbox/additions/VBoxGuestAdditions.iso
  4. Start VM and set:
    1. Devices -> shared clipboard -> bidirectional
    2. Input -> keyboard -> In general settings, set folder /home/rafael/windows, then update host key to right alt
  5. Set up shared folder to access files from host machine:
    1. In virtualbox, go to settings -> shared folders -> add new shared folder. Choose folder path and folder name. Tick “Auto-mount” and “Make Permanent”
    2. In Windows, go to “This PC” and you should see the shared folder under “Network locations”. If not, you may need to map the network drive manually using the folder name you set in virtualbox.
  6. Install Microsoft Office: download from https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/download-office
  7. Debloat windows install. Open terminal and run & ([scriptblock]::Create((irm "https://debloat.raphi.re/"))). This opens a window can specify which apps to remove. Most can be removed.