Articles about Linux

Back in August, we told you about some very exciting news -- 1Password had come to Linux... as a development preview. Yeah, it was a pre-beta release, but still, it was a huge win for the Linux community overall.

1Password is an extremely popular password management service, available for Mac, Windows, Android, and iOS/iPadOS. Bringing it to Linux makes the software truly cross-platform. Not to mention, it says a lot about the growing popularity of Linux that Agilebits found it beneficial to assign precious resources to its development.

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We’ve known for a while that Microsoft has been working on a Linux version of its new Chromium Edge browser, and today the software giant announces the first build for users to try.

Today’s release supports Ubuntu, Debian, Fedora, and openSUSE distributions and Microsoft says going forward it will be releasing new builds on a weekly basis.

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System76 began its life as a Linux computer seller only. Essentially, the company would sell re-branded laptops with Ubuntu pre-installed. To provide a class-leading experience, however, System76 also provided top-notch customer service, helping Linux beginners get started with a little hand-holding when needed. This focus on service continues today, and it is largely responsible for the company's success and longevity.

Seeking to better control its own destiny, the company branched out from only being a computer-seller and transformed into a maker too. It's handcrafted Thelio desktops are powerful works of art, comprised of wood, metal, and good ol' fashioned American elbow grease. Yes, these Thelio machines are made in the USA -- Colorado, specifically.

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For whatever reason, I absolutely adore diminutive desktop computers. From the Apple Mac mini to the Intel NUC series, I am always fascinated by how much power can be crammed into a small form factor. Quite frankly, it is fun to have a tiny PC next to a big monitor and have friends and family marvel at the cuteness.

So when a new mini computer from Minisforum caught my eye, I knew I had to give it a go. Called "EliteMini H31G," it is a bit bigger than a traditional Intel NUC, but that is OK, as it is packing something special -- discreet NVIDIA graphics partnered with a 9th generation Intel Core processor. In other words, this little beast can handle gaming and video editing.

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Linux-based operating systems are generally considered to be more secure than the likes of Windows, but that does not mean they are completely without security issues. Google security researcher have issued a warning about a series of "zero-click" vulnerabilities in the Linux Bluetooth stack.

Dubbed BleedingTooth, the collection of security flaw could allow for remote code execution attacks. The issue affects Linux kernel 4.8 and higher, and can be found in the open-source BlueZ protocol stack. It has been assigned CVE-2020-12351 and a CVSS score of 8.3.

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Microsoft is no longer an enemy of the Linux or Open Source communities. Believe it or not, the Windows-maker is an ally these days. Shocking, I know, but totally true. Linux is now built into Windows thanks to WSL, and Microsoft has several apps available for Linux.

The company has even made some of its apps open source as well. For instance, back in 2019, Microsoft released the source for Windows Calculator on GitHub. And now, that calculator app has been ported to Linux by Uno Platform. Best of all, its insanely easy to install as it is packaged in Snap format.

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Back in the day, getting a laptop with Linux pre-installed was almost unheard of. For the most part, you had to buy a computer with Windows and then install Linux yourself. This wasn't bad, necessarily, but it did mean that the price of the computer included a Windows license you maybe didn't want. In other words, Microsoft was profiting off of Linux users -- just because they bought a Windows PC.

In 2020, however, there are many computers to be had with Linux pre-installed, thanks to pioneers like System76. Of course, nowadays, big companies like Dell and Lenovo are selling Linux machines too. Today, yet another such laptop hits the market -- the second generation Kubuntu Focus M2. Yes, this is the second officially sanctioned notebook from the developers of the KDE variant of Ubuntu.

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Today is Friday, meaning later this afternoon, we will officially be starting the weekend! Woo-hoo! Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, many of us will be spending our weekend downtime indoors once again. Sigh. The weekend is far less exciting when you've been self-quarantining for months due to a pandemic.

Thankfully, we can all still have plenty of fun while indoors thanks to the internet. Not only can we stream video and music, but we can play online video games too. If you are a computer nerd, however, I have a much better suggestion -- install the new Ubuntu Beta! That's right, Linux fans, Ubuntu 20.10 "Groovy Gorilla" Beta is now available for download. This doesn't just include the "vanilla" GNOME version either, but other variants like Kubuntu and Xubuntu as well.

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Updates to Windows 10 have become renown for introducing just as many problems as they aim to fix. Recent updates led to problems with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) displaying an "Element not found" error, and there were also various problems with internet connectivity.

To address these issues, Microsoft has now released the "non-security update" KB4577063. The patch also fixes a number of other problems Windows 10 users have been experiencing.

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There are many great Linux-based desktop operating systems nowadays. There are arguably too many Linux distros, but I digress. For instance, if you are an experienced Linux user, you can opt for something like Debian or Fedora, while novices are better served by Ubuntu or Linux Lite.

One of the best operating systems for beginners and Windows-switchers, however, is Linux Mint. This is a no-nonsense Linux distro that looks good, is very stable, and ultimately "just works" for many users. New versions of the operating system are named after women, and today, we learn what Linux Mint 20.1 will be called.

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Fedora 33 Beta was scheduled to be released during September, and on the eve of the final day of that month, the pre-release operating system is finally here! Yes, if you love Fedora and want to give an early version of 33 a try, today is your lucky day.

As you can imagine, Fedora 33 Beta comes with the excellent GNOME 3.38, which was only released a couple of weeks ago. The biggest change, however, is BTRFS being made the default filesystem -- ext4 is no longer the standard. Wow. Also significant? The new default editor is nano.

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Do laptops need to keep getting thinner and lighter? Oh, hell yeah. True, we are starting to get to the point where they really can't get any more svelte, but as engineers continue to show, they will keep working to push boundaries. For instance, today, Lenovo officially unveils an impossibly thin and light laptop that is sure to delight road warriors. Called "ThinkPad X1 Nano," it weighs less than two pounds and is just 0.55 inches thick.

The ThinkPad X1 Nano comes with some bleeding-edge technology such as Wi-Fi 6, optional 5G, and Thunderbolt 4 (two ports). It is powered by up to an 11th Generation Intel Core i7 processor, and it can be configured with up to 16GB RAM and up to a 1TB SSD. The 13-inch 2K display comes in both touch and non-touch options, and Lenovo promises up to 17.3 hours of battery life. And yes, the HD camera is compatible with Windows Hello.

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Lenovo's ThinkPad and ThinkStation computers are legendary. They are very well known for being well-built and reliable. That is why many businesses (and consumers) choose those computers for their needs. While these computers are mostly sold running Windows, the company has also been selling machines running Linux. Not only can you buy a Lenovo PC with Ubuntu preinstalled, but the company is even selling a laptop loaded with Fedora!

Showing it is a true friend of the Linux community, Lenovo has decided to expand its offering of computers running Ubuntu. Yes, folks, if you are a fan of that operating system, you can now buy these Linux computers from Lenovo.com globally -- they are no longer limited to enterprise customers. Anyone can buy them easily, and yes, this includes both ThinkStation desktops and ThinkPad laptops.

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Windows 7 and Windows 10 aren't terrible operating systems. In fact, they are both very good. With that said, the newest version of Windows 10 has many bugs. Unfortunately, since Windows 7 is no longer supported, its users are stuck in a conundrum. They have to decide whether to use an unsupported Windows 7 or upgrade to Windows 10 that is full of telemetry and other "spying" that passes their information to Microsoft's servers. That is a very difficult decision.

Thankfully, there is a better option -- just switch to Linux! Yes, modern Linux-based operating systems will be supported (unlike the now-obsolete Windows 7) and most will run great on aging hardware (unlike Windows 10). Linux Lite is one of the best Linux distributions for Windows-switchers, as it is lightweight, modern, and familiar.

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Microsoft’s new Chromium-based Edge browser is very good. It’s annoying that the company feels the need to force it on to Windows 10 users, but it’s a big step up from the old version.

We’ve known for a while that Microsoft was planning on bringing the browser to Linux, and now we know -- roughly -- when it’s going to arrive.

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