Articles about Linux

Linux does not belong to any specific country -- the open source kernel can be enjoyed by people all over the world. This includes China, a great ally of the United States. We depend on China to manufacture many of our goods, but also, developers in that country contribute to open source projects.

Case in point, deepin is a Linux-based operating system from China that is both beautiful and elegant. For some, it could be a nice alternative to Windows 11. deepin is a miraculous Chinese gift to the open source community. Today, the wonderful deepin developers release version 20.2.4 of the Linux distribution. Based on Debian, it uses Linux kernel 5.13.13 and has a new global search feature.

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Number pads are pointless. Don't get me wrong, I am sure some older folks use them out of habit, but I -- and many other consumers -- never do. Quite frankly, since you can buy a dedicated number keypad if you truly need it, why burden everyone with them just to please a small group of people? As a result, many keyboards are longer than they need to be. While that doesn't sound so bad, it is an annoyance since it takes up valuable desk space -- especially with more and more people working from home these days.

Today, Logitech unveils a slim wireless keyboard without a number pad. Called "MX Keys Mini," it is notable for more than just being compact. The backlit keyboard can fast-charge using USB-C, and Logitech promises up to 5-months of battery life with backlighting off. With the lights on, you can expect up to 10 days of usage.

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Today is finally the day many of us have been waiting for -- Fedora 35 has officially reached Beta status, and you can download the pre-release operating system immediately. For many Linux users, Fedora is considered the best distribution based on that open source kernel. Why? Well, the distro focuses on truly free and open source software -- a pure Linux experience. It is also fairly bleeding edge, while at the same time, remaining stable enough for daily use.

What makes Fedora 35 Beta so exciting? This pre-release version of the upcoming operating system uses the brand-new GNOME 41 as its default desktop environment. GNOME 41 is notable for having significant performance improvements when using Wayland. Speaking of Wayland, Fedora 35 Beta will run faster when using it with an NVIDIA GPU. Plus, version 35 Beta gets NVIDIA with XWayland, for an improved experience when using apps that aren't designed for Wayland.

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Happy Friday, dear BetaNews readers! The weekend is almost here, so hopefully you can take some time to do the things you want to do, rather than the tasks your boss or teacher makes you do. For some, that means spending time with family, watching movies, or resting up. For nerdier people, it is an excellent time to test a Linux distribution!

Today, Canonical releases the official beta version of the upcoming Ubuntu 21.10 Linux distro. Code-named "Impish Indri," the operating system features Linux kernel 5.13. Also notable, the Firefox browser that comes with Ubuntu 21.10 is a Snap rather than a typical deb -- this may prove controversial for some.

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There are many great desktop environments for Linux, such as Cinnamon, KDE Plasma, and MATE to name a few. With that said, only one can be the best, and that is obviously GNOME. I mean, look, there's a reason Canonical chose it as the default DE for Ubuntu -- it is just that good.

If you are a GNOME fan, I have some extremely exciting news. You see, as of today, GNOME 41 is officially here! There are many new changes, such as enhanced multitasking settings and the inclusion of a new remote desktop client called "Connections." Most importantly, however, the developers promise GNOME 41 includes noticeable performance improvements, particularly for those using Wayland.

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If you are a home Linux desktop user, there is a good chance you like living on the bleeding edge. When a new version of a Linux distribution is released, you may find yourself upgrading immediately. After all, if something breaks, you can just reinstall the OS or move back to the previous version. This is particularly easy if you store your data on a secondary drive and you can format your boot drive without worry.

For business users, however, constantly upgrading to the latest and greatest often isn't feasible. Instead, an organization may want to install a Linux distro and just have it work -- with several years of official support. For instance, Ubuntu 14.04 (Trusty Tahr) and 16.04 (Xenial Xerus) are pretty dated, as they were released in 2014 and 2016 respectively. Age aside, they are rock solid from a stability standpoint. Despite newer versions of Ubuntu being available, some organizations simply don't have the resources to upgrade. Plus, why fix what isn't broken?

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The next new version of Ubuntu will be designated as 21.10. Why? Well, the versioning scheme of that Linux-based operating system uses a two digit year followed by a period and then a two digit month (yy.mm). With October being the 10th month, Ubuntu Linux 21.10 is merely weeks away.

Besides knowing the version number of the next Ubuntu release, we also know the code-name -- "Impish Indri." We shared that detail with you back in April of this year. And now, the official artwork of Ubuntu Linux 21.10 "Impish Indri" becomes available for download.

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Microsoft is set to start rolling out Windows 11 next month, but it will only be offered to newer, compatible systems at first, so even if you have a PC that fits the bill, and supports TPM 2.0, it might be the middle of next year before you have the chance to upgrade. And, of course, if you want to install the new OS on an older PC, the TPM requirement means you simply won’t be able to.

Windowsfx is a Linux OS that borrows its look from various flavors of Microsoft’s operating system, including Windows 7 and Windows 10, and now it’s offering a version that looks just like Windows 11.

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Security researchers have discovered a new type of malware that makes use of Windows Subsystem for Linux as a way to stealthily attack systems.

Attacks can be carried out using malicious Linux binaries using a technique that was previously just a theoretical proof-of-concept. The new attack vector was discovered by researchers from Black Lotus Labs who describe it as "the first instance of an actor abusing WSL to install subsequent payloads".

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Vivaldi may not be the most popular web browser when compared to Google Chrome or Mozilla Firefox, for instance, but it is used by millions of people to surf the web every day -- that is still significant. Many of its users are privacy-focused and tech-savvy too. Best of all, the free Vivaldi web browser is available on all major desktop operating system platforms, including Windows, Mac, and Linux.

Speaking of Linux, today, Vivaldi is making huge news in that community, and the folks over at Mozilla are not going to like it. You see, the developers of the Arch Linux-based Manjaro Cinnamon operating system have decided to ditch Firefox as the default web browser, instead opting for Vivaldi. Wow!

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Kali Linux is a Linux-based distribution that's widely used for penetration testing and digital forensics.

It has a wide range of tools to help for digital forensics investigations and incident response mechanisms. This updated second edition of Digital Forensics with Kali Linux covers the latest version of Kali Linux and The Sleuth Kit. You'll get to grips with modern techniques for analysis, extraction, and reporting using advanced tools such as FTK Imager, hex editor, and Axiom.

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Windows 11 is a great operating system. It hasn't even left beta status yet, but is absolutely the best desktop operating system Microsoft has ever created. Seriously, folks, it is exceptional. If your computer is compatible with it, and you like Windows 10, you will probably enjoy Windows11 even more -- if you keep an open mind.

You see, the upcoming Windows 11 is likely to be quite polarizing. It features radical changes to the user interface (such as a centered task bar) which I adore, but other users are sure to dislike. Not to mention, the system requirements will leave many still-capable computers unable to upgrade. Even worse, you might be left without updates! These unfortunate computer owners will have to decide whether to continue using Windows 10 or buy a new Windows 11-compatible PC.

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Kodi is a wonderful open source media player that provides users with an immersive experience that is optimized for the living room. While the software gets a bad reputation because some (most?) people use it for piracy, many strictly use it for legal media consumption. As more and more illegal Kodi add-on maintainers face legal trouble, and streaming services like Netflix, HBO Max, and Disney+ remain competitively priced, fewer folks are seeking pirated content nowadays.

LibreELEC is a Linux distribution that exists solely to run the aforementioned Kodi. It supports many hardware configurations, including traditional x86_64 for PC and some ARM devices like the Raspberry Pi 4. And now, a stable version of LibreELEC 10 becomes available for download. Sadly, support for the Raspberry Pi 0 and 1 is now discontinued.

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If you are an Xbox fan, there's a good chance you already own one of Microsoft's newest game consoles. Whether it is Xbox Series S or X, both gaming systems play the same games, but the latter is more powerful than the former. With all of that said, the latest Xbox consoles can still be hard to buy due to low supply and high demand. The COVID-19 pandemic has definitely contributed to this.

For those of you that still don't have one of the latest consoles, today, Microsoft unveils an insanely cool new variant of the Xbox Series X. To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the much-respected Halo franchise, the Windows 11-maker announces a new Limited Edition Halo Infinite Xbox Series X ($549.99) will launch on November 15. It comes with a digital copy of the upcoming Halo Infinite game. In addition, the company is selling a Halo Infinite Limited Edition Elite Series 2 controller ($199.99). While pre-orders have largely sold out already, you can still score a Halo Infinite Xbox Series X pre-order today.

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There are a lot of great desktop environments for Linux, such as Cinnamon, KDE Plasma, and Xfce to name a few. With that said, only one can be the best, and that is GNOME. If you prefer a different environment, you are simply wrong or ignorant on the subject. You know what? That's fine. As they say, ignorance is bliss, so if you are happy not using GNOME, more power to you.

For those of us superior Linux users that prefer GNOME, it is time to get excited. You see, as of today, the GNOME 41 Beta is officially here! Keep in mind, the Beta tag is quite literal -- unless you are a Beta tester or Linux developer, you shouldn't be bothering with it just yet.

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