Transition to Linux and Ubuntu: The Experience of a Quantitative Social Scientist

This post discusses my experience migrating to Ubuntu from Windows from the perspective of a quantitatively oriented researcher in psychology. It discusses (a) my general transition to open source tools for doing research; (b) examination of Cygwin; (c) choosing a Linux distribution; (d) preparing for installation of Ubuntu; (e) initial reflections on installing Ubuntu; and (f) a long list of various solutions to specific problems that I encountered whilst getting started with Ubuntu.

How to Edit Text Faster on Windows by Updating Key Bindings

The following post sets out one way of binding the navigation keys to convenient keys on the keyboard on Windows. The approach means that I don't have to move my hands from the home keys position (i.e., JKL;) when switching between entering text and moving the cursor.

Running Command Line Programs in Windows

Many of the major open source programs that I use (e.g., R, LaTeX, Eclipse) run on Windows, Linux, and Mac. These programs tend to be designed for sophisticated computer users. Among other things, assumptions are often made about knowledge of the command line. What is second nature for a Linux user may be novel to a non-technical Windows user. One of the aims of this blog is to facilitate the use of these open source tools by social science researchers. Thus, this post sets out a few ideas related to running programs at the command line, which I have found useful when working with programs like R, Eclipse, and TexnicCenter.

Bookmarklets to Improve the Browsing Experience

Bookmarlets can improve the browsing experience. This post lists bookmarklets that I regularly use.

Problems with High Resolution Laptops and External Monitors

In this post I outline why buying a high resolution laptop is a bad idea if you ever plan to use an external monitor and run an extended desktop.