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Linux Installing a WM (i3) & FM (thunar) on a VPS

Steve Albert

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This tutorial is for those that would like to work on their VPS in something other than the command-line.

You will need root acess or sudo permission in order to install these packages on your vps.

Connect to your vps and type (or copy/paste)
Bash:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt install -y i3 i3status i3lock dunst dmenu thunar gnome-icon-theme apt-transport-https curl
sudo reboot

Once your vps boots goto www.nomachine.com and download the free version for your platform. Nomachine runs on windows, linux, mac & mobile devices.

Install, launch the application, put in vps ip address, click on the thunderbolt icon (quick connect) then put in your username and password.

i3 doc page

If you use Visual Studio Code

If don't want to use anything bulky to make a change. You can use nano, vim or gedit.

If for any reason none of these are installed just open up the terminal and type
Bash:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt install -y nano vim gedit

The i3 tiling windows manager uses key combinations to navigate the vps. For instance depending on the hotkey you choose Win/Alt key. For the sake of simplicity we'll say Alt is the hotkey.

Alt + Enter - Opens up a terminal
Alt + Shift + Q - closes the current window/terminal/application that has focus
Alt + Shift + E - Will log you out of the session
Alt + D - Will open an ajax like menu search where you can type in part of the application/package name & hit enter to launch it.
Alt + W - Will create a tablike layout instead of the default side by side.
Alt + a number - will create a new desktop window and you can switch between the windows by using Alt + the arrow keys.

Thunar is a File Manager to access it either type in the terminal or Alt+D in i3; thunar.

If you have enough memory & storage on your vps/dedicated server you can literally use it as workstation.
 
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** Important **
Nomachine has to be installed on both the vps and the device you are using to connect to it.
 
I made a bash script that will setup the entire server so you can start developing.
Just login to your vps via sftp or filezilla and save this to your home directory.
Bash:
#!/bin/bash
# initial installation of the server (must be a clean install of ubuntu server 16.04)
apt-get update
apt-get install -y -q python-paramiko python-yaml python-jinja2 python-simplejson git-core ansible aptitude
ansible-pull -i localhost, -U https://github.com/DevelopersPL/otshosting-provisioning.git -d /srv/otshosting-provisioning

# update the system and install the desktop/file managers and additional tools/editors/packages
apt-get update
apt install -y i3 i3status i3lock dunst dmenu thunar gnome-icon-theme apt-transport-https curl nano vim gedit meld firefox

# get visual studio code editor & install it
curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > microsoft.gpg
install -o root -g root -m 644 microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/
sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/vscode stable main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/vscode.list'
apt-get update
apt-get install -y code # or code-insiders
# download nomachine and install it on the vps/dedicated server
wget https://download.nomachine.com/download/6.5/Linux/nomachine_6.5.6_9_amd64.deb
dpkg -i *.deb
# you will need to be present to confirm this install
apt-get install -y iptables-persistent
reboot
Then login to your vps via ssh, to get to your home and execute this script directory type
Bash:
cd ..
cd home
./*.sh
Go make breakfast :)

This is what you will initially see when logging in. This is the i3 desktop tile manager. (WM)
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If you hold your hotkey (alt/win) + d and type thunar then the file manager will open. (FM)
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Holding the hotkey (alt/win) + enter will open the terminal alongside the file manager.
If you hold your hotkey (alt/win) + w the layout will automatically change to a tab layout like you would see in a browser
(unless you like the side by side window mode).
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To open visual studio code hold the hotkey (alt/win) + d and type code

This is the forgotten server files
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To open up a browser hold the hotkey (alt/win) + d and type firefox.
Then you can type localhost:3380 to access phpmyadmin, in case you are wondering the addons are ghostery, adblock plus & noscript security suite.
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