Workspaces allows you to organize your GNOME Desktop in Ubuntu by creating virtual desktops from which you can place your applications. In my case, I like having two files I’m currently working on my first workspace, my browser in the second, and so on. That way, I only have to switch through the spaces instead of having to bring up the windows individually.

This in turn increases productivity since Workspaces allows you to focus on things that you need to get done, instead of sifting through your applications on simply one screen.

Setting up Workspaces in Ubuntu

To set up a Workspace you can simply right click on a panel and choose Add to panel and select Workspace Switcher. This by default should add four Workspaces to wherever you clicked on your panel. To change this, simply right click your Workspace Switcher, and choose Preferences

So now that you have them you can switch to them by clicking on them, or preferably by pressing CTRL + ALT + RIGHT, or instead of RIGHT: LEFT, UP, or DOWN would be fine depending on how you set up your rows and columns and where you currently are.
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I’ve been using vim (or better yet, gvim) for the better part of my undergraduate programming career and for quite some time I struggled on figuring out how to set the default color scheme for gvim under Ubuntu. Well, now that I figured it out, I wanted to share it with you.

Setting the default Color Scheme in vim (gvim)

Then after opening the file, add the following lines of code to the file if they don’t exist yet.

Slate (left) and Evening(right)

But why Slate you must ask? Its the one mentioned on all the other tutorials. Yes, I know, but it simply rocks. Just check it out and you’ll understand. If not you can choose from any of these other themes.
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Do you have AIM? Did you know you could send and receive free text messages? Yes, you heard me right. Free. Gratis. For nada. Sounds good doesn’t it?

Sending free text messages with AIM

First of all, you need an AIM account. Then simply add a contact beginning with +1 followed by their full number including area code. In order for people to send you text messages, you must send them a message, and have them save the incoming number to contact you in the future.

That’s it. You can send a free text message as long as the receiver’s carrier allows you to. Sometimes the receiver must accept incoming messages but its a one time procedure. The only down side is you must be connected in order to receive messages. If you aren’t, you’ll miss the text entirely.

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Moving out has kept me real busy. In the process I’ve learned the hard way how I could have avoided spending more than I should cleaning to make sure I’m not fined any moving out fees because of holes in walls, paint gone, dirty carpet, the state of the kitchen and bathroom found in and other little nuances.

I’ll provide you with my tips on how to make your life easier the next time you move in, so by the time you move out, you won’t need to worry about getting charged ridiculous fines as well as making it easier to move out.

Keeping the walls without holes, scratches, and ugly smudges

Your apartment manager can charge you hefty fees per scratches on the wall. Up to $25 each. Even if your scratches are 2 inches long.

So how do I avoid these fees? First of all, avoid having any furniture touching or near walls (yes, even pillows they stained my walls and no, they weren’t dirty). Anyone pushing these objects against the walls will cause minor scratches or smudges that with over time can become a great fine.

Planning to have parties? Expect people to be pushing and shoving things around, you’ll notice the scratches in the morning. Simply move out your furniture from your party area. That should help out.
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This post from LifeHacker shows how the New York Times mentions that your productivity rises with dual monitors. Is this true?

Survey after survey shows that whether you measure your productivity in facts researched, alien spaceships vaporized, or articles written, adding an extra monitor will give your output a considerable boost — 20 percent to 30 percent, according to a survey by Jon Peddie Research.

– Source

Do Dual Monitors Increase Productivity?

I have two 22″ Dell wide screen monitors. I bought one of them and the other one I mainly “took” over since it wasn’t being put to use. Since I have these two bad boys, I really can’t go back. I usually have them both landscape, and sometimes I tend to rotate one over for a portrait view in order to have a ridiculous amount of reading space.
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