Brain: An Open Cross-Platform App for Productivity

We've previously discussed applications designed to enhance user productivity on their desktop computers. Today, we'll revisit Cerebro , an interesting and functional open-source, cross-platform application that's particularly useful for this purpose.

Basically, Cerebro is a Launcher , which, among many functions and features, allows us to improve our search activities inside and outside the computer.

The last time we talked about Cerebro on DesdeLinux was on January 27, 2017 , when it was at stable version 0.2.3 . Since then, the application has undergone development changes until December 5, 2017 , when the current stable version, 0.3.2 , was released.

In that previous instance, we described Cerebro as:

"It is a multiplatform, open source tool, developed with the electron framework by Alexandr Subbotin, which allows us to increase our productivity, accessing searches, information, calculator, applications, closing processes, among others, from a single application and through a keyboard shortcut".

And whose main characteristics geared towards user productivity were:

• The default integration of many functionalities in a single application.
• The ability to search or access multiple applications with just a few clicks.
• The ability to browse the file system with previews of the contents (files / folders).
• Backed by a powerful API that allows you to grow and build your own plugins.
• Ease of access and use, at any time and from anywhere, thanks to its excellent use of shortcuts.

Cerebro: Open and cross-platform app for productivity

Installing Cerebro in its stable version 0.3.2

According to the official Cerebro website , users of free and open-source operating systems , such as GNU/Linux, have access to an installable source file in .AppImage format , version 0.3.1 . Meanwhile, the official Electron Technology website , in its applications section, has a section for Cerebro with installable source files in .AppImage and .deb formats , but only version 0.3.2 . This application also has a site on GitHub.

Using .Appimage file

To install Cerebro using this installer format, after downloading the file, simply run the following commands:

• chmod a+x cerebro-0.3.2-x86_64.AppImage
• ./cerebro-0.3.2-x86_64.AppImage

Using .deb file

To install Cerebro using this installer format, after downloading the file, simply run the following commands:

• dpkg -i Descargas/cerebro-0.3.2-x86_64.AppImage

Using alternative repositories

For those who prefer installing applications via repositories , an alternative method is available: download the following .deb file , which will install the available repositories from the website Pato JAD – Repository . Afterward, install the downloaded package and the Cerebro application by running the following commands:

• dpkg -i Descargas/patojad-repository_0.0.1-amd64.deb
• apt update
• apt install cerebro

After installing the Cerebro application , using any method, we only need to run it for the first time from the Start Menu / Accessories section , configure it to our liking, and preferably restart the computer completely, to evaluate its operation from scratch.

Installation bug fixes

Some users may report application execution failures , specifically the failure of Cerebro 's graphical interface to run . In some cases, this is the most likely solution:

Open a root console and execute the following commands and changes:

• nano ~/.config/Cerebro/config.json

In the content of the file change the value of the parameter "trackingEnabled" de True by False. Save the changes and retest the correct execution of Brain.

Final file content config.json

{
"locale": "en-US",
"lang": "en",
"country": "US",
"theme": "../dist/main/css/themes/light.css",
"hotkey": "Control+Space",
"showInTray": true,
"firstStart": false,
"developerMode": false,
"cleanOnHide": true,
"skipDonateDialog": false,
"lastShownDonateDialog": 1591128929726,
"plugins": {},
"isMigratedPlugins": true,
"trackingEnabled": false,
"crashreportingEnabled": true,
"openAtLogin": true
}

See more about this solution at the following link.

Correct Brain Execution

If this is the solution, which in my case has worked successfully on MilagrOS 2.0 , an extreme customization and optimization of MX Linux 19 , which in turn is based on Debian 10 , it would run minimized with an icon in the taskbar, and when running it would look like this:

From here on out, all that remains is to learn how to use Cerebro , and install some available plugins or learn how to create your own, to maximize the productivity of this tool on GNU/Linux.

We hope this "useful little post" about  «Cerebro», which is an interesting and functional open source and cross-platform application, very useful to improve our productivity on the desks of our computers; be a lot interest and utility, For the whole «Comunidad de Software Libre y Código Abierto» and of great contribution to the diffusion of the wonderful, gigantic and growing ecosystem of applications of «GNU/Linux».

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