Well, much like you, I am slowly learning how to use simpler, more efficient tools, but it takes some time to get acquainted with new software. My most used machine is my desktop, which runs OpenBSD and Linux Mint. I’ve been slowly branching out from Emacs, which is what I typically use for everything except web browsing where JavaScript is needed.

I have begun to use many of the recommended programs from suckless.org/rocks, including ksh, zathura, snownews, profanity, nnn, ranger, cmus, feh, aerc, mg, links, and ffplay. I also use groff, cwm, xterm, calcurse, elvis, dictd, clang, weechat, latex, as well as a couple heavier programs like qemu, qutebrowser, librewolf*, turtl*, kiwix*, discord*, gnome-boxes*, steam*, and dino*. I gave up on mutt because I found it too difficult to set-up properly with my current knowledge. The rest is fairly simple to use.

It ultimately depends on what one’s goals are, however. I only have 4GB RAM on my desktop, which means the lightweight programs I use on OpenBSD allow me to open as many applications as I please without risking crashing my system, which is unfortunately not the case with Cinnamon. The idea behind my software choices is typically efficiency, but I also desire to discover the world outside of Emacs. The biggest compromises I make are Steam and Discord. The rest is FOSS though, so I’m not going to get into a purity-spiral over only using minimalist software, especially if it detracts from my efficiency.

*only on Linux Mint