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6 cool looking top (& htop) alternatives
Because terminal-based task managers should look sweet.
May 27, 2024
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Everyone knows top (the performance monitor and task manager). And, of course, htop… which is like top… but ever so much fancier and nicer looking.

But there are more — oh-so-many more — options for terminal-based system managers. Let’s look at six of them. With screenshots. (Because screenshots are important.)

ytop

ytop, while no longer maintained, is still quite excellent. And, like all software written in Rust, it tells you “I am written in Rust” right at the top of the Readme file.

Because, hey. What’s the point of writing software in Rust if you don’t tell anybody? That’d be like being a Vegan, Arch user… but keeping that information to yourself. Pointless.

bottom

Multiple themes. A number of visualizers and widgets. bottom is a fairly customizable htop alternative. Looks pretty clean, as well.

Plus, it gets brownie points for being named bottom. Because… you know… it’s not top. A good, solid, punny name right there.

Total side note: The only screenshot provided, by the developer, for bottom is in the form of an animated GIF. Ok. No problem. But it’s a 7.1 MB GIF. With thousands of frames. The only screenshot for bottom is literally larger than DOOM. That’s crazy. Above is an actual screenshot that is, you know, not as large as DOOM. You’re welcome.

vtop

vtop looks pretty nice. But… well… it’s written in Node.js. Javascript in the terminal? As the French would say, “le barf.” (I am mostly including it in this list so that I can say “le barf”.)

Seriously.  It really does look great.  Clean.  Easy to understand.  Easy on the eyes.

But.  You know.  Le barf.

glances

glances, besides being fairly cool looking, has one rather nifty feature: you can use it in the terminal… or via a web interface… that looks just like the terminal.

Why would you want to use it via a web browser, on a remote server, when you can just SSH into the server and use the terminal version? Who knows. But it’s cool that you can!

nmon

nmon (or “Nigel's performance Monitor”) has an absolute boat-load of features (including exporting performance data).

Bonus: Not written in Javascript using NodeJS.  Pure C.  So.  Not le barf.

btop

btop looks like a terminal task manager… designed by a BBS ANSI artist from the mid-1990s. And… well… I rather dig that.

Lots of features.  All in C++. Highly customizable look and feel. Will make you feel like a l33t 90s hAx0r in a jiffy.

Not gonna lie. Btop might be my favorite.  Some of the others are pretty awsome too, though.  It's a tough choice.

I recommend you install a few of these.  Just to be sure.

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This episode is free for all to enjoy and share.

Be sure to subscribe here at Lunduke.Locals.com to get all shows & articles (including interviews with other amazing nerds).

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“Welcome to the Flywheel”

More than “AI makes me more productive” as that badly understates.

I am experiencing compounding capability.

At first, AI helps me do a task faster.

Then I use AI to build a tool that makes future AI work faster.

Then I build orchestration that lets multiple AIs work while I supervise.

Then governance lets me delegate work I previously wouldn't trust unattended.

Then persistent knowledge means the next worker doesn't start from zero.

Then labor routing lets me use Gemini for one class of work, OpenAI for another, Fable for research, Warp for administration, etc.

Then AI Chief of Staff sits above those systems and increasingly lets me manage outcomes rather than sessions.

And every improvement becomes part of the environment used to build the next improvement.

That's the flywheel:

AI builds capability → capability increases AI leverage → increased leverage builds better capability → repeat.

It's a glorious thing to bring into being.

Lunduke Lifetime Discount Ends in 1 Day; Zelda, Larry, SQ, & Keen Walls Available

TL;DR: Lifetime Subscription discount ends in one day. There are currently 4 “Lifetime Walls” with space available for more names (the Oregon Trail Wall is now full).

We’ve been running a massive discount on Lunduke Journal Lifetime Subscriptions for the entire months of June and July. And it has been an absolute blast. There are now 21 (twenty-one!) retro computer walls overflowing with your names.

Pure insanity. Huge thank you to everyone who has supported The Lunduke Journal.

But the discounted price only runs through July 31st… and that moment is just about here.

When the calendar ticks over into August (just a hair over 24 hours from now), the Lunduke Journal Lifetime Subscription price goes back to normal.

  • If the calendar still says it’s July, the Lifetime price is still discounted to $125.

  • If the calendar says August… the price returns to $300.

There are, as of this exact moment, 4 retro game themed “Lifetime Walls” which still have some space for more names (check Lunduke.com for the full list):

  1. Legend of Zelda

  2. Commander Keen 4

  3. Space Quest 4

  4. Leisure Suit Larry

Grab a discounted Lifetime Subscription (scroll down for the details), then email Lunduke (bryan at lunduke.com) with which Wall you’d like to appear on.

 

First come, first served. Once a Wall is full, it’s full. So if there’s a specific Wall you’d like to be on, don’t dilly dally.

How to Grab a Discounted Lifetime Subscription:

There are 3 different ways to pick up a Lunduke Journal Lifetime sub. All of them work great. Choose whichever works best for you!

Remember: These discounted prices go back up to normal ($300) on August 1st.

Get a Lifetime Subscription via Locals:

  1. Go to Lunduke.Locals.com/support.

  2. Select “Give Once“.

  3. Enter “125“ into the amount field.

  4. After checking out, Lunduke will toss you an email once your account is set to full lifetime status. (This usually happens within a few hours.)

Get a Lifetime Subscription via Substack:

  1. Go to Lunduke.Substack.com/subscribe.

  2. Select the “Lifetime Subscription” option.

  3. After checking out, Lunduke will toss you an email once your account is set to full lifetime status. (This usually happens within a few hours.)

If you would also like full, Lifetime access to Lunduke.Locals.com (which is included):

  1. Make a free account on Lunduke.Locals.com.

  2. Email “bryan at lunduke.com” with the email address you use on both Substack and Locals (can be different email addresses).

  3. Lunduke will toss you an email once your account is set to full lifetime status on Locals.

Get a Lifetime Subscription with Bitcoin:

Bonus: Save an extra $10 with the Bitcoin option, as Bitcoin processing has fewer fees associated with it.

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  • Email “bryan at lunduke.com” with the following information: What time you made the transaction, how much was sent (in Bitcoin), and the email address you use (or plan to use) on Locals.com or Substack.com.

-Lunduke

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Oregon Trail, Keen, & Leisure Suit Larry Lifetime Walls

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Just amazing.

Two super quick updates:

  1. The “Desqview/X”, “NeXTSetp”, & “TRS-80 Model 100” Walls are now full! (Check them out on Lunduke.com and at the end of new shows.)

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    2. Commander Keen 4

    3. Leisure Suit Larry

 

I don’t expect space on these Walls to last long. First come first served.

A huge thank you to all of The Lunduke Journal subscribers. Your support is deeply appreciated. You make this possible.

-Lunduke

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  3. The discounted Lifetime Lunduke Journal Subscriptions are still available through to the end of this month (July).

Which means there are, as of this exact moment, 4 Walls with space available (see Lunduke.com for the full list of Walls). But these fill up wicked fast.

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Nice, right?

Worth noting: The “TRS-80 Model 100” has very limited screen resolution (240 x 64), which means only a small number of names can fit on that wall. If you want on it, I’d let me know right away.

Grab a discounted Lifetime Subscription (if you don’t already have one), then let me know (email “bryan at lunduke.com”) which Wall you’d like to see your name on.

Huge high five to everyone who has already added their name to a Wall. At the current rate, we’ll have over 20 retro computer themed walls, filled with all of your names, by the end of the month.

And, doggone it, that’s amazing.

-Lunduke

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