Articles about Linux

Microsoft has just released the latest preview version of Windows Subsystem for Linux, bringing with it a lengthy changelog.

With the launch of Windows Subsystem for Linux Pre-release 0.50.2.0, Microsoft has introduced a new icon (featuring, of course, a penguin), but there's far more to this release than just this visual update. The latest version fixes various WSL issues, updates the Linux kernel, and includes numerous other changes and additions.

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Do you hear that horrible sound? That's the combined screams and howls of countless Linux gaming nerds learning the devastating news -- the release of the Steam Deck video game console has been pushed to next year. In other words, anyone hoping to get the console under the Christmas tree this year will be left disappointed.

If you aren't familiar, the Steam Deck is a portable PC/gaming console hybrid that runs the Arch Linux-based "SteamOS" operating system which uses KDE Plasma. Similar to a Nintendo Switch Lite in design (but much bigger, heavier, and more powerful) it lets you play PC games in the palm of your hand. You can check out the specifications here.

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AMD has been killing it these past few years. The company's Ryzen processors have been universally praised by both reviewers and consumers alike. In both desktops and laptops, these Ryzen chips have largely put Intel to shame. AMD is undeniably the king of multi-core performance.

Today, Linux-computer-maker TUXEDO announces an all-new AMD Ryzen-powered computer, but no, it is not a huge tower. Actually, it is a NUC-like mini PC powered by 4000 series Ryzen processors, with the top model being equipped with the Ryzen 7 4800U. Called "Nano Pro - Gen11," it isn't just small and powerful, but quite upgradeable too -- you can change out the RAM, storage, and Wi-Fi card. And while the mini PC ships with Ubuntu by default, you can choose to also have Windows pre-installed for dual-boot.

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The launch of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) 9 Beta today marks a bit of a change from previous releases. While it has many improvements and enhancements that customers have asked for, there are fewer changes that require admins and IT Ops to learn new ways of doing things.

This means anyone already familiar with RHEL 8 should feel at home. Among new features are enhanced web console performance metrics, kernel live patching via the web console, and streamlined image building.

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Today is the day many of us have been waiting for -- Fedora 35 is officially here! Yes, folks, you can download the operating system immediately. For many Linux users, Fedora is considered the best distribution based on the open source kernel. Why? Because Fedora 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 exciting? This version 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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Linux Mint is based on Ubuntu -- that is pretty common knowledge. But did you know there is a different version of the operating system that is instead based on Debian? It's true! Called "Linux Mint Debian Edition," or "LMDE" for short, it is far less popular than the "regular" Mint. Then why does it exist? Believe it or not, it exists (partly) to serve as a contingency plan in case Ubuntu ever stops being developed.

Today is November 1, and the Linux Mint developers have shared some monthly development news that is largely boring. One small tidbit of information is interesting, however; Linux Mint Debian Edition 4 (code-named "Debbie") will ditch the Mozilla Firefox ESR web browser. LMDE 4 will instead move users to the normal "rapid release" variant.

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Linux users have been able to use Microsoft’s Chromium-based Edge browser for a while now, but in Dev Build and beta versions.

Today though the software giant has updated its Edge repository to add a new stable version of the browser, so if you’re running a Linux OS and want to try out Edge alongside your existing browser you can.

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Ubuntu 22.04 won't be released in stable form until 2022. To be more precise, it will be officially available in April of that year. After all, that is what the 22.04 indicates -- a two digit year followed by a two digit month.

Of course, before the official release, there will be a Beta and other pre-release versions. If you like living on the edge, however, you can actually download and install Ubuntu Linux 22.04 immediately. Yes, folks, daily builds (very early versions) of the upcoming operating system are available starting today.

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Development of PowerShell continues apace, and Microsoft has just pushed out a new release candidate with a fairly lengthy changelog.

PowerShell 7.2.0 RC1 is available for Windows, macOS and Linux, and over the coming days and weeks it will undergoing further testing and refinement before it is marked as being a final release. The release candidate includes various changes and fixes including using a newer version of .NET and addressing an RPM packaging issue.

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MX is one of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems these days. In fact, according to DistroWatch, it has been consistently achieving the top daily hits, surpassing better-known distributions, such as Ubuntu, Debian, and more.

Today, MX Linux 21 finally becomes available as a stable release. Code-named "Wildflower," the operating system is based on Debian 11 "Bullseye" and uses Linux kernel 5.10. MX 21 is offered with the Fluxbox window manager (1.3.7) or your choice of two popular desktop environments -- KDE Plasma (5.20) and Xfce (4.16). Not sure which environment to choose? The MX-Tour will highlight them so you can make an informed decision.

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When a device or accessory is certified as "Works With Chromebook," it means that it will, well... work with Chromebooks. In other words, it is a promise or guarantee that the product is compatible with a computer running Google's Linux-based Chrome OS. With that said, many devices that aren't officially certified will work fine with Chromebooks as well. In fact, you may pay a premium for the "Works With Chromebook" certification when you really don't need to -- it is often nothing more than marketing nonsense.

Today, Acer unveils a Works-With-Chromebook-certified USB-C Dock, and the certification might actually be more than marketing-speak. Called "D501," it looks like your typical USB-C dock, and that is because it pretty much is. What makes it interesting -- other than its compatibility guarantee -- is upgradeable firmware. Yes, you can update the dock itself from within Chrome OS, and that is pretty darn cool. The dock can actually improve over time as Acer puts out updates for it.

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Microsoft has issued a stark warning to system administrators, advising them of the importance of updating PowerShell 7 as soon as possible.

Versions prior to PowerShell 7.0.8 and PowerShell 7.1.5 are vulnerable to a .NET Core Information Disclosure flaw that is being tracked as CVE-2021-41355. There is a degree of urgency to upgrading to a non-vulnerable version of PowerShell, as the flaw could expose credentials in plain text in Linux.

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While Microsoft primarily produces apps and services designed for use with its own Windows operating system, over the years the company has embraced not only macOS but also Linux.

Having recently release Windows Subsystem for Linux to the Windows 11 store, there is a now another treat for Linux user coming out of Redmon. Microsoft has now released a Linux version of Sysmon, the Windows system monitoring tool.

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Is Ubuntu the best Linux-based operating system? That is a matter of opinion, but I would say no. While it is a great OS, there are other distributions that are arguably better. Is Ubuntu the most popular Linux distro? Not likely. These days, it isn't even in top five on DistroWatch.

With all of that said, new Ubuntu releases still seem to generate the most excitement in the Linux community. This is partly due to Ubuntu's name recognition, but also, there are many great distributions based on Ubuntu, such as Linux Mint, Pop!_OS, and elementary OS to name a few. Let us not forget the excellent official flavors of Ubuntu, such as the KDE Plasma-focused Kubuntu.

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All Linux distributions are not created equally. In other words, it is absolutely not correct to say "Linux is Linux." Not only are there differences under the hood with things like package managers and kernel versions, but more user-focused variations too, such as the actual desktop environment. Unlike Windows that only offers one interface, there are several for Linux-based operating systems. Ultimately, a user's Linux experience can vary wildly based on distro.

But what Linux distribution is best for a beginner? This is an impossible question to answer definitively, but to attempt to do so, it is important to first define what a "beginner" actually is. Are they a first-time computer user or more likely, a longtime Windows user looking to switch to Linux? While the former is a blank canvas, the latter has many existing computing habits and expectations. And so, looking for something that doesn't deviate far from the traditional Windows user interface.

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