linux pain – #bookmark

24 hours ago, I switched from Linux Mint to Pop!_OS (Cosmic).

My issues with Mint:

The integrated GPU (iGPU) was disabled by default. This made the system feel sluggish, making simple tasks like typing difficult.

My issues with Pop!_OS:

The OS feels completely locked down, just like Windows. I cannot even run simple Gnome Tweaks!
I spent 2 – 3 hours trying different ways to swap my Ctrl and Super keys, but everything failed.

For now, I want to avoid Debian or other Linux distributions that I am already very familiar with. I plan to give Pop OS another 24 hours. While many parts of it look good, other parts are deeply frustrating.

I have already downloaded my next option: Elementary OS 8, which was my daily driver for two continuous years.

TL’DR – Looking for out of box Linux.

Going “Hacker Mode” to Fix a Stuck Backspace Key

We’ve all been there: you hold down the backspace key to erase a massive typo, but it deletes exactly one letter and stops. To erase a sentence, you now have to tap the key 50 times like a caffeinated woodpecker.

If clicking through settings menus feels too slow, it is time to open the terminal and fix it like a programmer. Here is the instant, two-line fix for Linux users.

The Terminal Quick-Fix

Open your terminal (Ctrl + Alt + T) and type this secret spell to force your keys to repeat:

bash

xset r on

Use code with caution.

Test your backspace key. It should now delete continuously!

Boost the Speed

If the text is deleting too slowly, you can overclock your keyboard’s repeat rate. Run this command next:

bash

xset r rate 200 40

Use code with caution.

This tells your system to wait only 200 milliseconds before it starts repeating, and then delete 40 characters per second.