Create ASCII Charts in a Gui using asciio

📅 September 19, 2017
Are you seeking an easy way to create ASCII illustrations for use in text files? Yes? Then, there is a program for you! Explore the fun with asciio!

If you have ever found the need to insert serious or silly ASCII art or ASCII flowcharts into a plain text file in order to illustrate concepts but dreaded the thought of laboriously entering the art from the keyboard, then you might want to try asciio.

asciio is a handy GUI that lets you create ASCII illustrations and then save them into a text file for copy and paste into other text files. Simply choose elements from premade stencils, and then drag, drop, and move them around on the canvas for perfect alignment

How to Set the Default Monitor Refresh Rate

📅 September 15, 2017
“How can I make Linux Mint default to 100Hz for my fancy ultrawide monitor?”

If you are using a high-end monitor with Linux, such as the Acer Predator X34, that supports refresh rates higher than 60Hz, then you have probably noticed that Linux Mint defaults to a high refresh rate (100Hz if overclocked) at the login screen, but returns to a lower refresh rate (50Hz or 60Hz) after showing the desktop.

Sure, you can change the refresh rate to 100Hz manually using the Nvidia control panel, but this is a minor inconvenience that must be performed upon each boot.

“Is there a way to make the change persistent across reboots so I can always startup with, say, 80Hz?”

Yes. This article shows how to set a default refresh rate in Linux Mint 18.2 with the proprietary Nvidia drivers installed. The change is persistent across reboots. While this article uses the Acer Predator X34 overclocked to 100Hz, the same method should apply to any other monitor if using Nvidia drivers.

The Acer Predator X34 and Linux: Does It Work?

📅 September 9, 2017
“Does the Predator X34 ultra widescreen monitor work with Linux?”

Ultra widescreen 21:9 displays are increasing in numbers. Most reviews focus on games and Windows, but how well does a 21:9 aspect ratio monitor work with Linux?

Specifically, what can we expect with the top-of-the-line Acer Predator X34 display with a 100Hz refresh rate? Will the picture be stretched? Can we achieve a refresh rate higher than 60Hz in Linux? Will G-Sync truly produce smoother gameplay? Are there any unknown issues to be aware of when using Linux?

Yes, there are issues. Here are my results when testing the monitor with Linux Mint 18.2, Xubuntu 16.04, and Windows 7.