Netrunner Linux distro ain't dead after all
Netrunner is one of my absolute favorite Linux distributions, but I haven’t been recommending it to people lately. Why? Well, to be honest, I thought the operating system was dead. You see, the last time the developers released a new version of Netrunner was early 2021. I assumed development had ended. The year 2022 came and went without any substantial Netrunner news.
But no, Netrunner lives! Out of the blue, a new version of the KDE-focused operating system is made available for download. Code-named "Vaporwave" (no, not vaporware), Netrunner 23 is based on Debian 11 "Bullseye" stable for the first time. Yes, fans of Netrunner can finally have modern Debian.
New Linux malware up 50 percent in 2022
Although it has a reputation as a safe and secure operating system, Linux is not immune to malware. Indeed it's become an attractive target as increasing numbers of servers and other devices run Linux-based OSes.
Data analyzed by the Atlas VPN team, based on malware threat statistics from AV-ATLAS, shows new Linux malware threats hit record numbers in 2022, increasing by 50 percent to 1.9 million.
MX Linux 21.3 'Wildflower' is ready for download
Today, the Linux community is treated to yet another new distribution version. An ISO of MX Linux 21.3, the third point release in the "Wildflower" series, can be downloaded here immediately with your choice of Xfce, KDE Plasma, or Fluxbox.
Most notably, the operating system (which is based on Debian 11.6 "Bullseye") has Linux kernel 6.0 available (in addition to 5.10). The Xfce variant of MX 21.3 now uses version 4.18 of the desktop environment, which is the latest and greatest. Obviously, many packages and applications have been updated too.
AMD-powered System76 Pangolin Linux laptop gets major redesign
Earlier today, System76 announced its AMD-powered Pangolin Linux laptop is getting a significant redesign. The computer comes with either Ubuntu Linux 22.04 LTS or the Ubuntu-based Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS. The laptop has a 144Hz 15.6-inch matte display with a max resolution of 1080p.
The refreshed notebook now comes equipped with an AMD Ryzen 7 6800 processor and 32GB of RAM (LPDDR5 @ 6400 MHz). You can configure the computer with up to 16TB of PCIe 4.0 NVMe solid state storage. You get three USB 3.2 Gen 1 (Type-A) ports and a single USB 3.2 Gen 2 (Type-C) port.
Celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ by installing Manjaro Linux 22.0 'Sikaris'
Tomorrow is one of the most important days of the year -- Jesus Christ's birthday! Also known as "Christmas," many people celebrate the holiday by giving gifts to friends and family. And of course, Santa Claus will be delivering many great presents to all the non-naughty children of the world too.
As an early Christmas gift, the Linux community is getting something very special today -- Manjaro 22.0! Code-named "Sikaris," this operating system is based on the excellent Arch Linux. If you love using a modern kernel, you will be happy to know Manjaro 22.0 comes with version 6.1. There are three desktop environments from which to choose -- GNOME (43), KDE Plasma (5.26), and Xfce (4.18).
You should replace Windows 11 with Linux Mint 21.1 on grandma's PC this Christmas
Grandmothers can be great ladies, but let's be honest -- they aren't very good at using computers. It's not their fault though -- they didn't grow up with them. That's why every time you visit grandma for Christmas, she asks you to fix her computer.
If you are sick of removing malware from grandma's PC, there is a simple solution -- install Linux! Yes, by formatting grandma's hard drive and replacing Windows with Linux, she will have the best Christmas ever.
Play multiplayer Tron in a Windows or Linux terminal window
If you copy large files from one location to another in Windows you can now play Lunar Lander in the copy dialog box.
If you prefer to play multiplayer Tron (or single-player Snake) you can do so through a Windows or Linux terminal. Microsoft gives users a choice of command-line shells, but this game runs just fine in anything including Command Prompt, PowerShell or Terminal, although you’ll need to make sure you’re running it in Administrator mode.
Open Source video editor OpenShot 3.0 now available for Windows, Mac, and Linux
One of the big reasons some people don't switch to Linux is a lack of video editors. While it's true there are more video editing programs on macOS and Windows, there are some great options on Linux too, such as Kdenlive and DaVinci Resolve.
Another popular video editing application that runs on Linux is the open source OpenShot. This cross-platform video editor can run on Windows and macOS too, meaning you can try it on one of those platforms to see if it meets your needs before switching to Linux. And now, OpenShot has reached a new major milestone -- version 3.0. The developers brag that it includes over a thousand changes.
Why cross-platform capability is vital to the future of development [Q&A]
Increasingly consumers and businesses alike are relying on portable devices, and that means it's important that apps are available across several different systems.
We spoke to Jerome Laban, CTO of Uno Platform -- which allows Microsoft developers, using traditional C# and XAML, to take their apps to iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, and the web -- to find out more about cross-platform development and how it can future-proof applications.
deepin Linux 20.8 can replace Microsoft Windows 11 on your laptop or desktop
Once of the most beautiful operating systems is a Linux distribution from China called deepin. If you are dissatisfied with Windows 11 or macOS, and you are intrigued by Linux, deepin can be a great choice -- especially if you highly value beauty and well-designed user interfaces.
The newest version of that operating system, deepin 20.8 is now ready to be downloaded. This version of deepin gets improvements to the loading times of Wine apps from the App Store, plus new features in the File Manager app. The most notable change in 20.8 is the inclusion of the all-new Deepin Home app.
Ubuntu-based Linux Mint 21.1 'Vera' BETA ready for testing
The Linux Mint developers are targeting Christmas as the release date for version 21.1 of the operating system. Before Santa Claus delivers the stable version, however, we will first need a BETA to test for bugs. And so, today, that is exactly what we get.
Code-named "Vera," Linux Mint 21.1 BETA can be downloaded immediately for testing with your choice of three desktop environments - Cinnamon (5.6), MATE (1.26), and Xfce (4.16). Vera is based on the rock-solid Ubuntu 22.04 and comes with Linux kernel 5.15. The stable version will be supported until 2027.
Mageia 9 Alpha Linux-based operating system ready for testing
This website may be called "BetaNews," but today, we have some Alpha news to share with you. If you aren't familiar, an Alpha release of software is even earlier than Beta, and as a result, it is often quite buggy. And so, such a release should never be used for anything but testing.
With all of that said, today, Mageia 9 Alpha becomes available for download. Yes, you can begin testing the pre-release Linux-based operating system immediately. If you have a 64-bit computer, you can choose from three desktop environments at installation -- KDE Plasma, GNOME and Xfce. 32-bit machines are limited to Xfce
Download Fedora 37 Linux distro now
Last month, the Linux community was rocked by a critical OpenSSL vulnerability. Because of the severity of the vulnerability, Fedora 37 was delayed by its developers. While Fedora users were disappointed by the delay, it was obviously the right move.
At the time, the developers said they were targeting November 15 for the official Fedora 37 release. Well, folks, that date is today and Fedora 37 is here. While this version of the operating system is chock full of changes and improvements (such as the GNOME 43 desktop environment), the most exciting aspect is Raspberry Pi 4 support. Full release notes can be found here.
Volla Phone 22 is a privacy-focused smartphone that runs the Google-free Android-based Volla OS, Ubuntu Touch, or Sailfish OS [Review]
When buying a smartphone, you have two real choices. You can opt for an iPhone, which runs iOS, or one of the many Android handsets available from the likes of Google, Samsung, Huawei, OnePlus and Sony.
If you value your privacy, then you might want a phone that truly does too. Volla Phone 22, from German firm Hallo Welt Systeme UG, is a good-looking device that is focused on keeping you safe and secure. It runs a choice of operating systems -- Volla OS, Ubuntu Touch, and the recently added Sailfish OS -- that can be selected on start-up. Support for additional mobile operating systems is coming soon.
ChromeOS Redesigned shows us a possible future of Google's Linux-based operating system
Google’s ChromeOS is incredibly popular, particularly among students. It’s easy to see why as it’s lightweight, fast, and secure.
There is a slight learning curve to it though, especially if you’ve been using a different operating system for years, like Windows or macOS.