Customizing your User Experience

The beauty of Linux as a community undertaking is that even with minimalist desktop environments like LXQt and Openbox there are numerous ways to customize your desktop. Customization is part of ergonomics which can influence your mood, energy level, inspiration, and quality of work. Getting your desktop just the way you like it pays off. How you will customize depends on the desktop environment you are using, so we'll look at both LXQt and Openbox.

LXQt

If you want to customize LXQt first be sure you are logged into the LXQt DE (desktop environment). Be sure you select LXQt at the login screen. LXQt configuration is done from the LXQt Configuration Center. To open the LXQt Configuration Center open Preferences --> LXQt Settings --> LXQt Configuration Center. You will be presented with various customization options. Alternately, open each setting separately via Preferences --> LXQt Settings --> (Setting to Customize). For a detailed guide, see under "There's more..." below.

Openbox

Again, to customize Openbox, first be logged into the Openbox DE. Be sure Openbox is selected at the login screen. Open openbox settings from the menu under Settings --> Openbox Settings. To access the openbox menu simply right click anywhere on the desktop where there is no window. From here you can choose a different theme. You can also play with the fonts of window titles and menu items. You can change the number of desktops here. You can also add new themes if you don't feel you have enough. Search for "openbox themes" using your preferred search engine.

Under "Settings --> Customize Look and Feel" you can explore new widget themes, icon themes, mouse cursor, window border, and other tweaks. "Settings --> Tint2 Settings" will let you customize the panel at the left of the screen. Among the numerous minute tweaks possible you can change colors, transparency, size, and icons, among many various minute tweaks. appear and their style, set to autohide and set the speed to autohide. You can move the panel to a different part of the screen.

The bottom panel is controlled by an app called Plank and can also be fine tuned. Right click the right edge of the panel and choose "Preferences". Be patient as it can be tricky to find the exact spot at the right edge of the panel to click the first time. Once you do open the Plank preferences you can choose among numerous themes, position, alignment, size, content, screen placement, and whether to autohide.

Remember where you've been!

With either LXQt or Openbox, it can help to make note of a setting before changing it in case you want to change back. As an example, imagine you want to try a different icon theme. You go into the icon preferences and try all the different icon themes available, maybe even downloading new ones. Finally you decide you'd like to return to the original icon theme but can't remember what it was.

Apps

While we have covered desktop environment customization almost any app can be similarly fine-tuned. Search for "Preferences" or "Settings" in the app menu and explore. You'll be rewarded with a happier and more productive work environment.

There's more...

Re-inventing the wheel consumes precious time and mental resources. There is already a lot of information out there. For LXQt, the Lubuntu manual already has an excellent exploration of LXQt configuration. Lubuntu is short for "LXQt Ubuntu". While Ubuntu is a major Linux distro, remember it is not your distro, which is Arch Linux. So you will have to pick and choose what information and advice is relevant. the Lubuntu manual will be of limited value for you, but anything specifically LXQt related could prove quite useful but only as a general guide. Their section on "LXQt Settings" is excellent, while their "System Settings" will not be relevant to yours. Check out their excellent chapter on the LXQt Configuration Center. Clicking on "Next" at the bottom of the page will take you through the various settings.

Keep in mind this link will be taking you to another website, and it's up to you to find your way back here.