BetterWindows11

!! Updated for windows 11 !!

Some tips to improve your User experience when using windows

A guide to help you set up a windows environement to maximum your productivity
Spend some hours setting this up (a full guide to configure many things including, linux commands in windows no need for dualboot anymore, SSH, SFTP with interface to reach a maximum level of productivity)

Summary

1- Windows configuration

First thing to do is to connect your windows to your microsoft account : Windows-> account -> connect

1.1 Save your key to you microsoft account (important)

Connect windows with your Microsoft-Outlook) account to save and link the key to your account
Activate localization on windows (if you want to localize your device)
Activate bitlocker to encrypt your data (Exists only on windows pro, education and entreprise edition)
When placing an external monitor that runs 144hz, make sure to activate the 144Hz in display settings
(Skip if you are on laptop) if you have a 3200mhz RAM and it runs bellow this frequency, activate XMP profile in the BIOS

1.1 New PC ? transfer your windows key

On your old PC, check if the key is not an OEM by running Slmgr /dli
Get your licence key (if you fogot the serial number use a software like :
deactivate it windows terminal or cmd using administrator mode with slmgr /cpky
activate it on the new computer using slmgr /ipk xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx-xxxxx

2-Utility Softwares

Browser: Brave, Don't forget to change your sync settings to import your passwords...ect.
Privacy extensions : if you care about your data and privacy (even if you use windows lol) you can limit websites to collect your data: ClearURLs, Fast Forward, Cookie Auto Delete, HTTPS Everywhere, Decentralayes, Ugly Email (Privacy badge , but tends to block facebook api login in some websites)
Browser extensions : uBlock Origin, Checker Plus for Gmail, Free Download Manager, Google translate, Google Dictionnary, colorZilla, Reddit enhacement Suite, Pocket, Enhacer for Youtube, Augmented Steam, Read Aloud, pocket.
Agenda & Mail : Google agenda, Gmail, -> create an app shortcut with brave, it will act like an app in windows, and activate the notifications. Make BRave the default apps in windows for mailto and agenda then go to brave://settings/handlers and add gmailand agenda .
Antivirus : Kaspersky Cloud free
Others: CCleaner, HWInfo
Adobe : Photoshop, illustrator, premiere pro, XD
VPN : ProtonVPN or NordVPN
Torrent client: qBitTorrent
Google Drive : download it on windows and put the files and folder that you want to be automatically saved on your drive, you won't need to everytime open google drive in your browser and manually put your files there
Online Storage : Google Drive (15gb), Mega Drive (50GB) ...ect. Use these Drives to store non personanal Data ! It's better to have an NAS or an external HDD to store your personal data.
Microsoft Office 2016 Buy it or ... Better than the 365 version.
Netflix, Prime: windows store and browser (browser is better in terms of stability and vpn use, windows store apps can handle 7.1 and 4k streaming). To add windwos apps downloaded from windows store in the taskbar or the desktop :Press Windows key + R then enter shell:appsfolder then drag and drop .
Windows Terminal windows terminal works in every directory, right lick in any directory and you can have a bash with that path

3- Dev Softwares

Anaconda (for python and jupyter, you can always install python without anaconda, but i prefer to install python via anaconda in windows even if i use only pip with it): install it and CHECK add path to environnement variables, make sure to delete every avaible python version on your system.
After the installation of conda, restart your pc.
Run windows terminal (previously named powershell, always use windows terminal instead of cmd or somethig else)
run conda list to verify if conda has been correctly installed. also run python to see if python has been added to the path
Sublime Text: install it before installing git bash (a software that adds linux and git commands to windows). Then go to : System Properties -> Advanced System Settings -> Advanced -> Environment Variables and add C:\Program Files\Sublime Text to the PATH environment variable to make it accessible from the terminal. Close the windows terminal and open a new one and run this command subl, it should open Sublime Text.
Git-Bash: You can use linux commands in window like SSH and Git ! Download gitbash to have these commands added to windows Terminal. Open a new Windows terminal after the installation and run this command git status you should see the following message fatal: not a git repository (or any of the parent directories): .git. that means the git command works !
PyCharm or VScode: I prefer to use PyCharm (Education version which is free) but here are the config for both, BECAREFUL when creating a project, you should use the anaconda python and not another one like virtualenv (that's why you need to make sure to have only the anaconda python installed)
Sync pycharm settings : https://www.jetbrains.com/help/pycharm/sharing-your-ide-settings.html#IDE_settings_sync
Jupyter Notebook : Use the one provided in Pycharm. It provides better autocomplete.
Free Cloud GPU Google Colab you can either put your git repositories inside google drive to use them in colab, or directly import git repo inside colab without google drive
SFTP : Filezilla (work with private key: add it in edit/connection/sftp or use pageant)
Git emojis: https://gitmoji.dev/
Latex Handwriting recognition: https://detexify.kirelabs.org/classify.html
Turn math equations and snipping to latex code: https://mathpix.com/
Overleaf: https://www.overleaf.com/
wget: add it to your temrinal: https://www.programmersought.com/article/90723524682/

4-Python, Pytorch and Cuda installation:

4.1.1 Pytorch with Nvidia GPU

Important : Pytorch 1.10.1 works with CUDA 11.3 and visual studio 2019
Download VSCode Community 2019.
Install it and check Desktop Development with C++ and .NET (size will be 11GB approxiamtly)
Download and install CUDA 11.3
Install Pytorch 1.10.1 by running this command pip install torch==1.10.1+cu113 torchvision==0.11.2+cu113 torchaudio===0.10.1+cu113 -f https://download.pytorch.org/whl/cu113/torch_stable.html

4.1.2 Pytorch without gpu:

pip install torch torchvision torchaudio

Check if you succeeded to install pytorch, run the following python code:

import torch
# setting device on GPU if available, else CPU
device = torch.device('cuda' if torch.cuda.is_available() else 'cpu')
print('Using device:', device)
print()

#Additional Info when using cuda
if device.type == 'cuda':
    print(torch.cuda.get_device_name(0))
    print('Memory Usage:')
    print('Allocated:', round(torch.cuda.memory_allocated(0)/1024**3,1), 'GB')
    print('Cached:   ', round(torch.cuda.memory_reserved(0)/1024**3,1), 'GB')

4.2 Python packages:

Always use pip command in Windows Terminal to install python packages
there is a requirements.txt that contains the principal data science libraries (without pytorch as you have installed it from the previous line, just do pip install -r https://raw.githubusercontent.com/AmineDjeghri/BetterWindowsUX/master/requirements.txt

5- UX Custommization

Windows Terminal

(Optional) Install powershell 7 from microsoft store (open windows terminal, go to settings, startup and set it to powershell 7)
You should have installed git-bash from above steps (if not, https://git-scm.com/download/win).
In your windows terminal run Install-Module oh-my-posh -Scope CurrentUser
Run now Import-Module oh-my-posh
To try a theme run cd ~\AppData\Local\Programs\oh-my-posh\themes\
then Set-PoshPrompt -Theme paradox
You should see an example of a theme
run Get-PoshThemes, you will see some examples
To fix the icons and caracters Install Caskaydia Cove Nerd Font font from: https://www.nerdfonts.com/font-downloads
Go to windows temrinal settings -> (left panel all down) Open json file then add this text : "profiles": { "defaults": { // Put settings here that you want to apply to all profiles. "fontFace": "CaskaydiaCove NF", "fontSize": 12 }, }
To make a theme definitive run notepad $PROFILE and add you custom theme like

Import-Module oh-my-posh
Set-PoshPrompt -Theme microverse-power

to remove the start message , https://stackoverflow.com/a/63695674
Or Follow this tutorial (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/terminal/tutorials/custom-prompt-setup)
Rainmeter:

Install rainmeter
Install https://github.com/mpurses/Sonder/releases
Download this wallpaper https://raw.githubusercontent.com/mpurses/Sonder/master/Skins/Sonder/Wallpapers/Trees-22.jpg

Costumize your windows:

O&O ShutUp 10 : privacy control windows
DS4Windows : make playstation controllers work on PC : https://github.com/Ryochan7/DS4Windows/releases
Bing wallpaper: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/bing/bing-wallpaper?SilentAuth=1&wa=wsignin1.0
Pin some folders and drivers, Recycle Bin in the file explorer. Fast browsing: right click on the file explorer in the taskbar to show the shortcut to the pinned folders.
Desktop icons: Personalization->themes->desktop icon settings
WinAero Tweaker : customize the appearance and behavior of the operating system in a flexible way (context menu)
TaskbarX [link] (https://chrisandriessen.nl/taskbarx), also hide windows taskbar (right click on the taskbar -> taskbar settings-> hide in desktop mode)
Fences [link] (https://store.steampowered.com/app/607380/Fences/?l=french) doesn't need steam to autostartup
Hide the Windows taskbar (right click on the taskbar -> taskbar settings). You can and make it centered and transparent with TaskbarX

NOT UPDATED YET

Browser websites

Configure some websites on your desktop and taskbar as shorcuts (Netflix, Google calendar, Gmail...ect)
Gmail and Google Calendar : you can configure dark mode ("Thèmes" et cliquez sur "Tout afficher", choose "dark/sombre") and priority notifications (all new emails), signature.

SSH (needs to be updated and fileZilla)

https://github.com/AmineDjeghri/BetterWindowsUX/blob/master/SSH-PPTI-SU.md
PyCharm envs: You can clean out old PyCharm interpreters that are no longer associated with a project see the image here .
This gives you a listing where you can get rid of old virtualenvs that PyCharm thinks are still around

Windows design and UX:

You can convert a website to an application , for exemple: Google Agenda in Brave/Chrome, go to plus d'outils -> creer un racourcie , and check window mode, it will run like an app in your windows desktop ( I took the example of mattermost because there is no free Google Agenda app in windows )
Remove unnecessary programs, unnecessary icons from the start menu and add others like google maps, meteo calendar
App shortcut : some apps don't provide a desktop shortcut, even if you try to find where they are you can't (like Netflix), they only give you the choice to add them to the start menu or the taskbar . But there is a solution : - if an app doesn't want to be added to the desktop like netflix, you can drag it from the start menu to the desktop - if it's not on the start up menu, search for it then add it to start menu then drag it to desktop
Use windows touchpad gestures, it really improves the experience and saves time, for exemple create a desktop and open a windows inside it, then you can create another desktop and put another window in it, after this you can fast switch between the two desktops using your four fingers and swap from the left to right
Use Quiet Hours and add only the applications that you want them to send you a notification, (Brave will still send you notifications to get BAT but it will never appear ;) )

Screen recorder :

You can use the integrated screen recorder of windows, press windows key + G
Use other free software like: OBS, Streamlabs

Screenshot in windows 10: Windows provides two ways to take a screenshot

1) Windows screenshot

Press the Windows key + Shift + S. The integrated windows screenshot software will open. You can drag to select parameters like: active windows, all screen, region ...ect.
Press PrtScn This copies the entire screen to the clipboard. You can paste the screenshot into any program that displays images, like Paint or Microsoft Word.
Press Alt + PrtScn . This copies the active window to the clipboard, which you can paste into another program.

2) Windows Snipping Tool

search for it in the search bar
In the "Mode" drop down, choose the kind of screenshot shape you want — you can choose anything from full screen to rectangular to a free-form shape

Wifi :

if your pc keeps switching between 5ghz and 2.4ghz do the following:

If it's your wifi: split your WiFi into 2 access points, one for 5Ghz and the other for 2.4Ghz. After that make your PC connect to the 5Ghz one only
If it's not your wifi but you have an ethernet port, you can always buy a router( example HONOR ROUTER 3 WIFI 6) and you will have your own private network and can split the wifi into 2 access points like i mentionnned it in the section above.

Deactivate startup programs:task manager -> startup -> deactivate software that you don't want it to run at startup ( do the same in ccleaner)
Windows partition: use the windows partition integrated software to create , delete or format partitions
You can change your power management options (when windows will be put on sleep, what happens when you close your laptop ..ect)
If you consider buying a laptop with a GPU for Deep Learning, go for an NVIDIA laptop with with a GPU that supports CUDA. You can always use the cloud solutions for GPU computing: Google Colab, 100$ Free Azure Credits...ect. Just DON'T buy a laptop with an AMD GPU for Deep Learning.

Awesome Piracy :

https://github.com/Igglybuff/awesome-piracy

Pycharm remote deployment :

Defining a server as default: A deployment server is considered default if its settings apply by default during automatic upload of changed files. To define a deployment server as the default one, follow these steps:

Choose the desired server on the Deployment page. You can open this page it two possible ways: either Settings/Preferences | Build, Execution, Deployment | Deployment, or Tools | Deployment | You will see your servers, right click on the one you want to set it as default, and click 'use as default'

Enabling automatic upload: As soon as the default server is set, you can make upload to this server automatic. This can be done in the following two ways:

Open the deployment Options (Settings/Preferences | Deployment | Options or Tools | Deployment | Options from the main menu), and in the Upload changed files automatically to the default server field choose Always, or On explicit save action. The difference between these two choices is explained in the field description. In the main menu, select Tools | Deployment | Automatic upload. Note that automatic upload in this case is performed in the Always mode.

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