Why aren’t my dotfiles working on my new Debian install?

I’ve never used Stow before. A simpler approach might just be to drop the dotfiles in the right places manually. It may seem tedious, but when we create our own dotfiles, we usually know how to place them correctly from the start.

Dotfiles aren't really hard to use, but you do need to be familiar with what you're doing. It’s vital to have the right packages installed for them to work. For example, if someone customized their bar and shared those dotfiles, you need to have that bar app installed for it to function correctly. If there are errors during startup, they might not launch properly, so checking for error messages in the terminal is a good move.

Maybe instead of using Stow, you should just download the files and copy them directly to the correct locations manually. Also, which specific dotfiles are you trying to set up? There could be a lot of options in that GitHub collection.

Dotfiles are essentially hidden configuration files that start with a dot (.) in their names. You can view them using the command `ls -a`. They include important files like `.bashrc` for command line setup and `.profile` for user settings. It seems that the documentation for your specific dotfiles might not be thorough enough, which can really complicate things, especially if you're not used to customizing your system.

If you're struggling, it might be best to reach out to the original author of the dotfiles for advice. They likely know the specifics of their setup and can help clarify any misunderstandings or unique requirements.