Articles about Linux

There are too many Linux distributions these days, but as long as many of them are of high quality, I suppose that isn't such a bad problem to have. Many people in the Linux community know of the common ones, such as Ubuntu, Fedora, Mint, and Manjaro, but there are some lesser-known distros that are actually worth consideration, like Deepin and Solus.

Speaking of the latter, there is a new version of that operating system available for download. While technically just a point release, Solus 4.1 Fortitude is chock full of updates, fixes, and more. You get Linux kernel 5.4.12 and Mesa 19.3.2. The operating sytem comes with many quality apps pre-installed too, such as Firefox 72.0.2, LibreOffice 6.3.4.2, and Thunderbird 68.4.1 -- three essential productivity tools. Once again, there are four desktop environments to choose -- Budgie, GNOME, KDE Plasma, and MATE. All four are great, but Budgie is considered the default for this operating system.

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Rocket League is one of my favorite PC games. Not only is it extremely fun, but it runs well on average hardware and is very easy to play. Seriously, folks, the learning curve is so low that almost anyone can just start playing right away. If you aren't familiar with Rocket League, please know it is essentially soccer with cars -- you drive into a giant ball and try to get it into the goal.

Another cool aspect of Rocket League? It is cross-platform, running on Windows, Mac, and even Linux. Sadly, this is changing, as the game's developer, Psyonix, is killing support for all desktop PC platforms that aren't Windows. That's right, if you are a Linux or macOS gamer (yes, they really exist), you will get one final patch before March -- when support officially ends. Sadly, this update will remove the ability to play the Mac and Linux versions online. And no, you cannot avoid the patch and continue to play online. In other words, you will soon be limited to offline play. Laughably, the game will continue to work fully on the now-unsupported Windows 7.

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When it comes to running Windows applications and games on Linux and macOS, Wine is the go-to tool for many people. Now Wine 5.0 has been released and it includes significant changes that make it even more useful.

After a series of betas and release candidates, the stable version of Wine 5.0 is here. It features multi-monitor support, numerous fixes for problematic games and applications, Vulkan 1.1 support, and more.

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Many people publicly deride Chromebooks, but that is largely because of their ignorance. For instance, some will say the computers are nothing more than a "glorified web browser." Actually, Chromebooks run a secure Linux distribution called "Chrome OS." While the operating system does focus heavily on the web, that really isn't a problem nowadays. Since Wi-Fi is ubiquitous these days, doing all of your computing on the web is actually ideal. Who the heck isn't constantly connected to the internet anyway?

But OK, if you have a need for offline computing, that is totally possible too. Not to mention, Chromebooks can now run both Android apps and traditional Linux desktop programs -- there is a huge library of useful software just waiting to be installed.

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Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux-based desktop operating systems in the world. Why? Well, it is easy to use, preloaded with useful software, and has one of the best online communities.

Not everyone likes the default GNOME desktop environment, however, so some folks opt for different flavors of Ubuntu, such as Xububtu (which uses Xfce) or Kubuntu (which uses KDE Plasma). Speaking of the latter, today, you can buy an official Kubuntu laptop. Called "Focus". It is an absolutely powerhouse with top specs.

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With Windows 7 dead and buried, it is time to begin looking forward. Microsoft would love for computer users to upgrade to Windows 10, and for many people, that is a very good idea. For others, though, a Linux-based operating system makes much more sense. An OS like Linux Mint or Linux Lite are great choices for switchers, as they feature desktop environments that will make the Windows convert feel comfortable.

Not all Windows users are scared of change, however. There is no reason why some of them can't jump into a Linux-based operating system that uses a radically different desktop environment, such as GNOME.

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Windows 7 is dead. Well, technically it will meet its demise tomorrow. On January 14th, the wildly popular operating system reaches "End of Life" status. This means Microsoft will stop supporting it. The company obviously hopes all remaining Windows 7 users will upgrade to Windows 10, but not everyone plans to do that. While Windows 10 is actually a very good operating system, many folks are put off by the overwhelming number of updates and aggressive telemetry. Understandably, some people feel that Microsoft's data collection is tantamount to spying.

Ultimately, using Windows 7 after tomorrow is foolish. Look, you should never use an unsupported operating system -- it is simply bad practice. If you refuse to upgrade to Windows 10, your best bet is to opt for a Linux-based operating system. There are many of those from which to choose, such as Ubuntu, Mint, and Fedora to name a few. There is one such Linux distribution,  however, that is designed to run on older hardware and is focused on providing a welcoming experience to Windows 7 switchers. Called "Linux Lite," it has a user interface that will feel familiar to Windows 7 users. Today, Linux Lite 4.8 is released.

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Windows 7 is a great operating system -- there is a reason so many computer users have clung to it. Well, we can also thank the terrible Windows 8 for scaring people from upgrading, I suppose. Windows 8.1 was better, and Windows 10 is actually pretty good, but neither are loved like Windows 7 is.

Sadly, Microsoft is killing Windows 7 for most users -- it reaches end of life status in just two days, on January 14th. After that date, Windows 7 will be unsupported (except for businesses that choose to pay for extended support) -- you'd have to be a fool to continue using that operating system. You should upgrade to Windows 10 ASAP or switch to a Linux-based OS.

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Many organizations have been affected by recent cyber events. At the current rate of hacking, it has become more important than ever to pentest your environment in order to ensure advanced-level security.

Kali Linux -- An Ethical Hacker's Cookbook from Packt Publishing is packed with practical recipes that will get you off to a strong start by introducing you to the installation and configuration of Kali Linux, which will help you to perform your tests.

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Mozilla has released Firefox 72.0 for desktop, along with Firefox for Android 68.4 and Firefox ESR 68.4.0.

Mac and Linux users gain the picture-in-picture video feature introduced for Windows in Firefox 71. Fingerprinting scripts are now blocked as standard with this new release, while intrusive pop-up notifications from websites have been confined to the Address Bar to prevent disruption when browsing.

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There are many excellent open source software projects these days, such as the Linux kernel, GIMP, and LibreOffice to name a few. But what about games? Yes, there are open source games, one of which is SuperTuxKart. If you aren't familiar, STK is essentially an open source Mario Kart game clone. While it is very popular with Linux users, it is also available for Windows and macOS.

Today, SuperTuxKart reaches version 1.1. While it features bug fixes and other improvements, the real star of the update is the addition of a new arena called "Pumpkin Park."

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Some Linux gamers who are using Wine to play Battlefield V are finding themselves permanently banned from the game.

Player using the DXVK package are falling foul of Electronic Arts' anti-cheat system, seemingly because the DXVK Direct3D DLLs -- used to render 3D scenes in Wine -- are detected, for some reason, as being a cheat tool.

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Dell's XPS 13 is a legendary laptop, not just with Windows users, but hardcore Linux fans too. You see, through the company's Project Sputnik program, Dell has long provided special "Developer Edition" variants of its laptops that come pre-loaded with Ubuntu. Operating system aside, the XPS 13 has been highly lauded for its build quality, attention to detail, and top specifications. Ultimately, you buy an XPS 13 and always know you are getting a quality laptop.

Today, Dell announces the newest XPS 13 Developer Edition and it looks incredible. This 10th generation computer (which is being dubbed "2020") is thinner and smaller while offering even better specifications, such as an improved 13.4-inch display (with 16:10 aspect ratio) and the ability to be configured with up to 32GB -- double the previous generation's maximum memory. There are no USB-A ports, sadly, but it does have two Thunderbolt 3 ports, a 3.5mm audio jack, and a micro SD card reader. You get thinner bezels and a larger trackpad too. Believe it or not, Dell is even promising proper fingerprint reader support in a future software update, meaning you can finally secure Ubuntu with biometrics!

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Linux Mint is a great operating system, but with the most recent version (19.3 "Tricia"), there was some shocking news -- GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) was being removed! Crazy, right? I mean, of all of the great software available for Linux, GIMP is one of the best. It is an essential image editing tool that rivals Adobe Photoshop.

So, why did Linux Mint remove it as a pre-installed program? The developers thought the software was too advanced for newer Linux users. While I think that is a bit of nonsense, I can understand why the Mint developers would want to cater to beginners. Thankfully, it is totally easy to install GIMP on a new Linux Mint 19.3 installation.

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With 2019 almost over, we turn our sights to a new decade with 2020. Soon we will celebrate the new year by partying, eating good food, and watching the Times Square Ball drop on TV. Sadly, Dick Clark is dead, but his legacy lives on through Ryan Seacrest.

But what if you want to celebrate 2020 in a more... nerdier way? Well, I have some good news. Calculate Linux 20 is now available for download! Yes, the Gentoo-based operating system is ready to be installed on your computer. Since it is version 20, that makes it perfect for ringing in 2020.

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