How to change the default file Explorer in Windows

The Windows File Explorer has received many exciting features over time, like the ability to manage archive files, multiple tab support, and more. However, there are many important features, like the ability to view folder sizes, that are still missing from File Explorer. If your only complaint from Windows File Explorer is that it doesn’t show folder sizes, then you can take the help of a third-party tool called Windhawk to address that concern.

However, if you want some extra features beyond what the Windows File Explorer currently offers, then you should install a third-party file manager. There are plenty of options to choose from, such as OneCommander, DirectoryOpus, File Pilot, and more. Once you install one of these apps, you’ll need to set it as the default file explorer on your computer. Otherwise, Windows will continue to open files with its built-in File Explorer instead of the third-party app you installed.

Unfortunately, not all of these File Explorer alternatives include a built-in setting to automatically set them as the default file manager on Windows 11.For instance, you can set OneCommander as the default File Explorer by clicking the hamburger icon in the top-left corner, navigating to Program Settings > Advanced, and checking the “Register as a Default File Manager” box.

However, File Pilot and many other third-party file managers don’t offer this option. To set them as the default file explorer on Windows, you need to manually edit the registry. Even for apps that include a built-in option, like OneCommander, the process ultimately involves the same registry modification; it’s just done in the background.

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How to browse the Web in your Linux Terminal with Lynx

Lynx is a text-only browser that is designed to allow terminal-based systems to access web pages on the Internet. As it relates to Linux, Lynx is a web browser that runs in the Terminal. Lynx can access any web page available on the Internet just like your normal browser can, though it does have some limitations (more on that below).

Why Should You Use Lynx?

Since Lynx only loads text, it has some key advantages over other web browsers. Lynx won’t load image files, videos, GIFs, or other media, which have dramatic effects on the time it takes for a web page to load. Additionally, Lynx cannot load media-based ads, offering a built-in “ad blocker” of sorts (though text-only in-line ads will still load on web pages).

Lynx offers a simply unique experience compared to other web browsers which rely on a graphical user interface (GUI). Since it is text-only and key-command driven, you’re experiencing the internet in a whole new way. As a plus, Lynx doesn’t look like a traditional web browser at first glance, so it can be used as an inconspicuous way of reading news or browsing other websites without others knowing what you’re doing (which might make that fourth meeting of the day more tolerable).Keep in mind that Lynx has some limitations. It cannot load anything that cannot be rendered as text.

This means images and videos won’t show up in Lynx, so sites like YouTube, Instagram, and GIPHY either won’t load or will display only links that cannot be opened. Lynx cannot load Javascript, which is essential code for some websites to load. As such, some sites might be inaccessible or have certain parts broken. Lastly, it may be difficult to log into accounts (e.g., Gmail) with Lynx as some of these logins require scripts this browser can’t run. This may prevent you from using email or logging onto certain websites.

Personally, I like using Lynx to read news and other text-heavy websites (like forums, guides, recipes, and more) due to its speed and simplicity. I appreciate the distraction-free environment Lynx provides as it helps me focus on what I’m reading and keeps me on task. While other web browsers offer the temptation of scrolling YouTube, Facebook, or other distracting websites, Lynx can’t access this media, making it a great “reader only” mode for browsing the Internet. I don’t use Lynx as my daily driver, but it is a useful tool for focused research, perusing the news, and staying focused on reading through information.

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This Linux tool lets you search DuckDuckGo in the Terminal

Ever wanted to search the web without leaving your Linux terminal? The ddgr program lets you do just that using the DuckDuckGo search engine.

What Is ddgr?

ddgr is a command-line tool that lets you search DuckDuckGo, the privacy-respecting alternative to Google. DuckDuckGo sources its data from Bing and other sources, to provide excellent results.Once you run a search in ddgr, you’ll see a list of results with the most important information in each: URL, title, and description. You can then use the interactive interface to open any of these results in your browser.If you’re a big fan of the terminal, you’ll be spending a lot of time in it, and ddgr provides a lot of convenience.

ddgr prominently displays the domain of each result, so you can focus on the source. But you can configure the tool to show full URLs, and change its behavior in many other ways.

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