Tech News Digest – May 12, 2025

Dallas SpohnDallas Spohn
27 min read

📢 Please rise for the Spohnz theme song

Kernel prepatch 6.15-rc6

Category: Linux
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 04:22:20 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

Linus has released Linux kernel version 6.15-rc6 for testing. The update includes a slightly higher number of commits than previous releases, but Linus doesn't see this as a cause for concern and believes everything is still on track for a normal release schedule.
Linus has released 6.15-rc6 for testing.

Everything still looks fairly normal - we've got a bit more commits than we did in rc5, which isn't the trend I want to see as the release progresses, but the difference isn't all that big and it feels more like just the normal noise in timing fluctuation in pull requests of fixes than any real signal.

So I won't worry about it. We've got another two weeks to go in the normal release schedule, and it still feels like everything is on track.

[Read more](https://lwn.net/Articles/1020816/)

[$] A kernel developer plays with Home Assistant: general impressions

Category: Linux
Tags: automation, Linux
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 16:20:50 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

The author and others who are familiar with computer technology appreciate the benefits of using home automation systems for data acquisition and control. However, they also express concerns about entrusting critical household functions to cloud-based servers run by companies that may not have their best interests at heart, making Home Assistant a welcome alternative as a locally controlled, open-source solution.
Those of us who have spent our lives playing with computers naturally see the appeal of deploying them though the home for both data acquisition and automation. But many of us who have watched the evolution of the technology industry are increasingly unwilling to entrust critical household functions to cloud-based servers run by companies that may not have our best interests at heart. The Apache-licensed Home Assistant project offers a welcome alternative: locally controlled automation with free software. This two-part series covers roughly a year of Home Assistant use, starting with a set of overall observations about the project.
Read more

Albertson: OSL's path to sustainability

Category: Linux
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 15:49:42 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

The Oregon State University Open Source Lab (OSL) has received funding for the next year, following a previous announcement that its future was uncertain. The lab is now focused on becoming self-sustainable in the long term by securing ongoing support and annualized pledges to ensure it can invest in technology, people, and student programs.

Lance Albertson writes that the Oregon State University Open Source Lab has been funded for the next year, following his announcement in April that the future of OSL was in jeopardy. OSL is now focusing on becoming self-sustainable long term.

The recent support was amazing for our immediate team needs. But for the OSL to thrive long-term, we need a sustainable financial foundation. This is crucial, as the university expects units like ours to become self-sufficient beyond this current year.

So, our big focus this next year is locking in ongoing support – think annualized pledges, different kinds of regular income, and other recurring help. This is vital, especially with potential new data center costs and hardware needs. Getting this right means we can stop worrying about short-term funding and plan for the future: investing in our tech and people, growing our awesome student programs, and serving the FOSS community. We're looking for partners, big and small, who get why foundational open source infrastructure matters and want to help us build this sustainable future together.

[Read more](https://lwn.net/Articles/1020668/)

Five more Friday stable kernels

Category: Linux
Tags: Linux
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 14:23:37 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Greg Kroah-Hartman has announced the release of several stable kernel versions, including Linux kernels 6.14.6, 6.12.28, 6.6.90, 6.1.138, and 5.15.182. These releases aim to provide a stable foundation for Linux users and developers.

Greg Kroah-Hartman has announced the release of the 6.14.6, 6.12.28, 6.6.90, 6.1.138, and 5.15.182 stable kernel versions.

[Read more](https://lwn.net/Articles/1020657/)

Security updates for Friday

Category: Linux
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 13:34:20 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Various Linux distributions have released security updates to fix vulnerabilities in various packages, including Debian, Fedora, Mageia, SUSE, and Ubuntu. The updated packages include fossil, thunderbird, firefox, chromium, java-1_8_0-openjdk, openssl, libreoffice, and others.
Security updates have been issued by Debian (fossil, libapache2-mod-auth-openidc, and request-tracker4), Fedora (thunderbird), Mageia (firefox and thunderbird), SUSE (389-ds, apparmor, cargo-c, chromium, go1.24, govulncheck-vulndb, java-1_8_0-openjdk, kanidm, libsoup, mozjs102, openssl-1_1, openssl-3, python-Django, sccache, tealdeer, tomcat, transfig, wasm-bindgen, and wireshark), and Ubuntu (libreoffice and python-h11).
Read more

Wine 10.7 Released with Improved Write Watch Performance

Category: Linux Today
Tags: General
Published: Sun, 11 May 2025 15:16:51 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

The latest version of Wine, 10.7, has been released and includes several new features and improvements, such as user fault fd support, float format conversion updates, and PDB backend work. Additionally, this release resolves 14 bugs, aiming to provide better performance and stability for users.

Wine 10.7 is out now, featuring user fault fd support, float format conversion updates, PDB backend work, and 14 bug fixes.

The post Wine 10.7 Released with Improved Write Watch Performance appeared first on Linux Today.

[Read more](https://www.linuxtoday.com/blog/wine-10-7-released-with-improved-write-watch-performance/)

FreeBSD Wants to Know a Few Things

Category: Linux Today
Tags: General
Published: Sun, 11 May 2025 14:13:07 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

FreeBSD has decided to make its Community Survey an annual event, building upon the success of last year's survey. The goal is to continue gathering valuable feedback from the community and use it to inform future developments and improvements.

FreeBSD evidently found last year’s Community Survey so useful that they’re turning it into an annual event.

The post FreeBSD Wants to Know a Few Things appeared first on Linux Today.

[Read more](https://www.linuxtoday.com/developer/freebsd-wants-to-know-a-few-things/)

Outlaw Cybergang Launches Global Attacks Targeting Linux Servers

Category: Linux Today
Tags: General
Published: Sat, 10 May 2025 14:07:47 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2 sentence summary:

The Outlaw cybercrime group, also known as "Dota", has increased its global operations and is primarily targeting Linux systems. The group's attacks are focused on exploiting Linux servers.

A notorious cybercrime group, Outlaw (also known as “Dota”), has ramped up its global operations, with a primary focus on exploiting Linux systems.

The post Outlaw Cybergang Launches Global Attacks Targeting Linux Servers appeared first on Linux Today.

[Read more](https://www.linuxtoday.com/blog/outlaw-cybergang-launches-global-attacks-targeting-linux-servers/)

openSUSE Leap 16 Enters Public Beta Testing with Agama Installer, Linux 6.12 LTS

Category: Linux Today
Tags: General
Published: Sat, 10 May 2025 13:00:16 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

The Agama installer for openSUSE Leap 16 offers three installation options: Base, GNOME, and KDE. The operating system has entered public beta testing with the Agama installer and features Linux 6.12 LTS.

The Agama installer will currently offer you three installation options, including Base, GNOME, and KDE.

The post openSUSE Leap 16 Enters Public Beta Testing with Agama Installer, Linux 6.12 LTS appeared first on Linux Today.

[Read more](https://www.linuxtoday.com/blog/opensuse-leap-16-enters-public-beta-testing-with-agama-installer-linux-6-12-lts/)

LibreOffice 25.2.3 Office Suite Is Now Available for Download with 68 Bug Fixes

Category: Linux Today
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 14:04:10 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

All users of LibreOffice 25.2 are advised to update to the latest version as soon as possible. The update, LibreOffice 25.2.3, includes 68 bug fixes and is now available for download.

All users of the LibreOffice 25.2 office suite series are urged to update to this version as soon as possible.

The post LibreOffice 25.2.3 Office Suite Is Now Available for Download with 68 Bug Fixes appeared first on Linux Today.

[Read more](https://www.linuxtoday.com/blog/libreoffice-25-2-3-office-suite-is-now-available-for-download-with-68-bug-fixes/)

Google Keep brings text formatting to the web

Category: The Verge
Tags: General
Published: 2025-05-12T06:32:35-04:00
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Google Keep has expanded its text formatting options to its web app, nearly two years after introducing the feature on Android devices. The update allows users to customize text and heading styles across Google Workspace, Workspace Individual, and personal Google accounts.
Google Keep has finally expanded the text formatting options to its web app, almost two years after making them available for Android users. The update for Google’s web-based note-taking service is now rolling out to Google Workspace, Workspace Individual, and personal Google account users and provides new options for customizing text and heading styles. It […]
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Google’s AI image-to-video generator launches on Honor’s new phones

Category: The Verge
Tags: General
Published: 2025-05-12T04:45:06-04:00
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

Honor has launched an image-to-video AI generator powered by Google, which will be available first for customers who purchase the Honor 400 or 400 Pro phones launching on May 22nd. The new AI tool, powered by Google's Veo 2 model, can create five-second videos from images.
Chinese phone manufacturer Honor has launched an image-to-video AI generator powered by Google, before it's available to Gemini users. It will be available first for anyone who buys the Honor 400 or 400 Pro phones, which launch next week on May 22nd. The new AI tool, powered by Google's Veo 2 model, creates five-second videos […]
Read more

US and China slash tariffs

Category: The Verge
Tags: General
Published: 2025-05-12T03:58:33-04:00
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

The United States and China have agreed to reduce tariffs imposed in April as part of a 90-day effort to de-escalate their trade war. The deal was reached between US and Chinese officials in Geneva over the weekend, with the US agreeing to lower duties as tensions ease between the world's two largest economies.
The United States and China have mutually agreed to a 90 day reduction on tariffs implemented in April, marking a significant attempt to de-escalate the trade war between the world’s two largest economies. The deal was hashed out by US and Chinese officials in Geneva over the weekend, and will see the US reducing duties […]
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Mexico is suing Google over how it’s labeling the Gulf of Mexico

Category: The Verge
Tags: General
Published: 2025-05-11T18:26:22-04:00
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that her government is suing Google for labeling the Gulf of Mexico as "Gulf of America" for US users, which was ordered by former President Trump at the start of his term. The lawsuit aims to correct what Mexico considers an inaccurate and disrespectful change.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced Friday that her government is suing Google for relabeling the Gulf of Mexico as “Gulf of America” for US users, CBS News reports. The company had done so in Google Maps after President Trump ordered the name change at the beginning of his Presidential term. The lawsuit makes good on […]
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Apple may release a ‘mostly glass, curved iPhone’ in 2027

Category: The Verge
Tags: General
Published: 2025-05-11T16:03:55-04:00
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

Apple is planning to release a new "mostly glass, curved" iPhone in 2027, with no display cutouts, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. This would mark a significant design change for the iPhone, which would also be celebrating its 20th anniversary that year.
This morning, while summarizing an Apple “product blitz” he expects for 2027, Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman writes in his Power On newsletter that Apple is planning a “mostly glass, curved iPhone” with no display cutouts for that year, which happens to be the iPhone’s 20th anniversary. That follows a report last weekend from The Information, which […]
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The Last of Us episode 5 recap: There’s something in the air

Category: Ars Technica
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 02:00:20 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

The heroes are facing numerous threats that seem to be everywhere, and as they venture further into Seattle, these dangers only intensify. The city itself has become a battleground, with the heroes struggling to navigate the omnipresent hazards that surround them on all sides.
Omnipresent threats beset our heroes as they wade deeper into Seattle.
Read more

The Justice League is not impressed in Peacemaker S2 teaser

Category: Ars Technica
Tags: General
Published: Sun, 11 May 2025 18:57:19 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the quote in 2 sentences:

The speaker acknowledges that their group (the "11th Street kids") has not always been perfect, but they emphasize their unity and resilience. They assert that despite any challenges or setbacks, nothing can tear them apart as a cohesive unit.
"We haven't always been great people, but we are the 11th Street kids and no one will ever break us apart."
Read more

Industry groups are not happy about the imminent demise of Energy Star

Category: Ars Technica
Tags: General
Published: Sat, 10 May 2025 11:07:46 +0000
TL;DR: The program has had a significant impact, saving consumers billions of dollars since it began operating. Its success is evident in the substantial amount of money it has helped people save.
The program has saved consumers billions of dollars since its inception.
Read more

When doctors describe your brain scan as a “starry sky,” it’s not good

Category: Ars Technica
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 21:40:01 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the statement in 2 sentences:

Tuberculosis (TB) is actually the deadliest infection globally, but it rarely presents with symptoms as severe as those shown in the image. In reality, TB often appears as a mild cough or fatigue, making it harder to detect and treat promptly.
TB is the deadliest infection in the world—but it doesn't often look like this.
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New Lego-building AI creates models that actually stand up in real life

Category: Ars Technica
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 21:29:02 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

Carnegie Mellon's "LegoGPT" system employs physics checks to prevent its machine learning models from collapsing, allowing them to remain stable and accurate. By incorporating these checks, LegoGPT ensures that its models are robust and can generate high-quality outputs without losing their structural integrity.
Carnegie Mellon "LegoGPT" system uses physics checks to ensure models don't collapse.
Read more

Deepfakes, Scams, and the Age of Paranoia

Category: Wired
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 10:00:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of your text in 2 sentences:

With AI-powered fraud on the rise, individuals are becoming more cautious and seeking to verify every online interaction they have. This increased scrutiny is a response to the growing threat of digital deception, as people seek to protect themselves from fraudulent activities.
As AI-driven fraud becomes increasingly common, more people feel the need to verify every interaction they have online.
Read more

My X Account Was Hijacked to Sell a Fake WIRED Memecoin. Then Came the Backlash

Category: Wired
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 09:00:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of your statement in 2 sentences:

A hacker compromised your X account and used it to promote a fake WIRED-branded cryptocurrency, which was later abandoned by its investors. As a result, you had to deal with the consequences of this fraudulent activity.
Earlier this year, a hacker used my X account to hawk a fraudulent WIRED-branded crypto coin. After they pulled the rug on investors, I faced the aftermath.
Read more

$25 Off DoorDash Promo Code | May 2025

Category: Wired
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 05:00:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

DoorDash offers various promo codes that can provide discounts such as $25 off, free delivery, and up to 30% off for both new and existing customers. These promotions are constantly being updated, so it's best to check back frequently for the latest deals and savings opportunities.
Explore today’s top DoorDash promo codes for $25 off, free delivery, and up to 30% off with our latest coupons for new and existing customers.
Read more

Best Backpacking Sleeping Pads (2025), WIRED Tested and Reviewed

Category: Wired
Tags: General
Published: Sun, 11 May 2025 15:32:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of your text in 2 sentences:

The top picks for sleeping pads from outdoor brands like Nemo, Therm-a-Rest, Sea to Summit, and Gossamer Gear feature advanced materials that prioritize a great night's sleep while camping. These high-tech pads are designed to provide the best possible sleep experience outdoors.
Our top pick sleeping pads from Nemo, Therm-a-Rest, Sea to Summit, and Gossamer Gear use high-tech materials to engineer the best sleep you can get outdoors.
Read more

The 12 Best Gifts for Every Kind of Golfer (2024)

Category: Wired
Tags: General
Published: Sun, 11 May 2025 13:33:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

If you want to make your favorite golfer's day, consider gifting them items that can help improve their game. This could include equipment, accessories, or training tools designed to enhance various aspects of their golfing experience.
Make your favorite golfer’s day with the best gifts to enhance every part of their game.
Read more

Kernel prepatch 6.15-rc6

Category: LWN.net
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 04:22:20 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Linus Torvalds has released Linux kernel version 6.15-rc6 for testing. Despite having slightly more commits than previous releases, Linus doesn't seem concerned, feeling that the extra activity is just normal timing fluctuation and not a cause for alarm.
Linus has released 6.15-rc6 for testing.

Everything still looks fairly normal - we've got a bit more commits than we did in rc5, which isn't the trend I want to see as the release progresses, but the difference isn't all that big and it feels more like just the normal noise in timing fluctuation in pull requests of fixes than any real signal.

So I won't worry about it. We've got another two weeks to go in the normal release schedule, and it still feels like everything is on track.

[Read more](https://lwn.net/Articles/1020816/)

[$] A kernel developer plays with Home Assistant: general impressions

Category: LWN.net
Tags: automation, Linux
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 16:20:50 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Individuals familiar with computers are attracted to using them for data acquisition and automation at home, but many are hesitant to rely on cloud-based servers run by companies that may not prioritize their interests. The Home Assistant project offers a locally controlled alternative, providing free software for automation that prioritizes user control and security.
Those of us who have spent our lives playing with computers naturally see the appeal of deploying them though the home for both data acquisition and automation. But many of us who have watched the evolution of the technology industry are increasingly unwilling to entrust critical household functions to cloud-based servers run by companies that may not have our best interests at heart. The Apache-licensed Home Assistant project offers a welcome alternative: locally controlled automation with free software. This two-part series covers roughly a year of Home Assistant use, starting with a set of overall observations about the project.
Read more

Albertson: OSL's path to sustainability

Category: LWN.net
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 15:49:42 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

The Oregon State University Open Source Lab (OSL) has been funded for the next year, following a period of uncertainty, and will now focus on becoming self-sustainable in the long term. To achieve this, OSL plans to prioritize securing ongoing support through annualized pledges and recurring income sources, allowing it to invest in technology, people, and programs, and serve the free and open source software (FOSS) community.

Lance Albertson writes that the Oregon State University Open Source Lab has been funded for the next year, following his announcement in April that the future of OSL was in jeopardy. OSL is now focusing on becoming self-sustainable long term.

The recent support was amazing for our immediate team needs. But for the OSL to thrive long-term, we need a sustainable financial foundation. This is crucial, as the university expects units like ours to become self-sufficient beyond this current year.

So, our big focus this next year is locking in ongoing support – think annualized pledges, different kinds of regular income, and other recurring help. This is vital, especially with potential new data center costs and hardware needs. Getting this right means we can stop worrying about short-term funding and plan for the future: investing in our tech and people, growing our awesome student programs, and serving the FOSS community. We're looking for partners, big and small, who get why foundational open source infrastructure matters and want to help us build this sustainable future together.

[Read more](https://lwn.net/Articles/1020668/)

Five more Friday stable kernels

Category: LWN.net
Tags: Linux
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 14:23:37 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Greg Kroah-Hartman has released several stable kernel versions, including 6.14.6, 6.12.28, 6.6.90, 6.1.138, and 5.15.182. These releases aim to provide reliable and tested kernels for users to use in their systems.

Greg Kroah-Hartman has announced the release of the 6.14.6, 6.12.28, 6.6.90, 6.1.138, and 5.15.182 stable kernel versions.

[Read more](https://lwn.net/Articles/1020657/)

Security updates for Friday

Category: LWN.net
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 13:34:20 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Several Linux distributions have issued security updates to fix various vulnerabilities, including Debian, Fedora, Mageia, SUSE, and Ubuntu. The updates affected a range of software packages, including web browsers, email clients, and libraries, such as Apache, Firefox, Thunderbird, LibreOffice, and Python.
Security updates have been issued by Debian (fossil, libapache2-mod-auth-openidc, and request-tracker4), Fedora (thunderbird), Mageia (firefox and thunderbird), SUSE (389-ds, apparmor, cargo-c, chromium, go1.24, govulncheck-vulndb, java-1_8_0-openjdk, kanidm, libsoup, mozjs102, openssl-1_1, openssl-3, python-Django, sccache, tealdeer, tomcat, transfig, wasm-bindgen, and wireshark), and Ubuntu (libreoffice and python-h11).
Read more

KDE Plasma 6.3.5 Update Available to Kubuntu Users

Category: OMG! Ubuntu!
Tags: General
Published: Sun, 11 May 2025 22:05:43 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the article in 2 sentences:

KDE Plasma 6.3.5 has been released, offering bug fixes and is available to Kubuntu 25.04 users through the Kubuntu backports PPA. By adding this PPA, Kubuntu users can get the update now instead of waiting for it to be distributed through regular software channels.

Kubuntu update

If you’re running Kubuntu 25.04 and want the latest fixes the KDE Plasma 6.3.5 release, you can use the Kubuntu backports PPA to get ’em. KDE Plasma 6.3.5 popped out a few weeks back, serving as the fifth and (likely) final bug-fix release prior to the next major release, KDE Plasma 6.4. Over the weekend, Kubuntu developers announced that the Kubuntu backports PPA has added the requisite packages for Kubuntu 25.04. Thus, Kubuntu users can add (or enable) the PPA to get the update now, rather than wait for the update to filter out through the usual software channels. The […]

You're reading KDE Plasma 6.3.5 Update Available to Kubuntu Users, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

[Read more](https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/05/kde-plasma-6-3-5-upgrade-ubuntu-25-04)

New RISC-V AI PC Delivers 50 TOPS, Runs Ubuntu 24.04

Category: OMG! Ubuntu!
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 15:20:28 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the article in 2 sentences:

Canonical's strategic partnership with DeepComputing has led to the development of a powerful new RISC-V AI PC that runs Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, which is designed for use with Framework laptops but can be used as a regular PC with an enclosure. The DC-ROMA RISC-V AI PC boasts impressive specs, including 50 TOPS (trillion operations per second) and the ability to run Ubuntu on its custom-designed RISC-V Mainboard II.

RISC-V-AI-PC

Ubuntu is one of the leading Linux distributions for RISC-V hardware thanks to Canonical’s strategic partnerships with companies like DeepComputing – who just announced a powerful new RISC-V AI PC running Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. The DC-ROMA RISC-V AI PC—apologies for the caps, it’s how it’s stylised—is built around the company’s new RISC-V Mainboard II, which is designed for use in the Framework 13″ and 14.2″ laptops. Though designed for Framework laptops, owning one isn’t a requirement. A nifty enclosure allows this mainboard to be used as a regular PC you connect to a monitor, keyboard and mouse. The board itself […]

You're reading New RISC-V AI PC Delivers 50 TOPS, Runs Ubuntu 24.04, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

[Read more](https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/05/deepcomputings-risc-v-ai-pc-with-ubuntu-24-04)

GNOME Replace Totem Video Player with Showtime

Category: OMG! Ubuntu!
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 09 May 2025 10:12:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

GNOME has officially replaced the aging GTK3 Totem video player with the newer GTK4/libadwaita app Showtime in its Core Apps lineup, which will debut in September. The new video player will be rebranded as "Video Player" in GNOME 49, but is likely to still be referred to by its codename, Showtime.

Roll credits on Totem, roll camera on Showtime — GNOME developers have officially cast a new video player in GNOME 49, out in September. Per an upstream merge, GNOME has formally replaced the aged GTK3 Totem video player with the newer, fresher and all-the-more modern GTK4/libadwaita app Showtime in its Core Apps1 lineup. Like its predecessor, Showtime’s user-facing name in GNOME 49 will be changed to the generic moniker of Video Player (I’d wager most of us will continue to call it by its codename, the same way we refer to Files as Nautilus). Showtime may be new in GNOME’s Core Apps, but it’s […]

You're reading GNOME Replace Totem Video Player with Showtime, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

[Read more](https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/05/gnome-49-replaces-totem-video-player-with-showtime)

Easily Toggle Ubuntu’s New Wellbeing Reminders On/Off

Category: OMG! Ubuntu!
Tags: General
Published: Thu, 08 May 2025 22:26:36 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Ubuntu 25.04 includes wellbeing controls that offer periodic reminders to take breaks, move your body, and look away from the screen. You can easily toggle these reminders on or off as needed, making it simple to customize your experience and prioritize your physical and mental well-being.

The Wellbeing controls available in Ubuntu 25.04 make it easy to get periodic prompts to move your butt or look away from your screen — you might not want them enabled all the time, though. Wellbeing controls were one of the flagship features of GNOME 48. As well as screen time monitoring (with controls to set a screen time limit, and turn the display greyscale when it’s reached), you can enable reminders to take a break and move. Alerts telling you to get up and move may be helpful during the day, but at nighttime when you’re, say, engrossed in […]

You're reading Easily Toggle Ubuntu’s New Wellbeing Reminders On/Off, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

[Read more](https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/05/ubuntu-wellbeing-toggle-gnome-extension)

Linux Mint 22.2 Modernises its Default Theme

Category: OMG! Ubuntu!
Tags: General
Published: Thu, 08 May 2025 14:29:30 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the article in 2 sentences:

The upcoming Linux Mint 22.2 release has been officially named "Zara", following Clem's codename convention of choosing female names in alphabetical order (except for Linux Mint 22.1, which was dubbed "Xia"). The new name follows the release of Linux Mint 22.1, which was named "Xia".

Linux Mint logo

More details on the makeup of the upcoming Linux Mint 22.2 release have been revealed, including its new codename (for those who track those). Linux Mint 22.2 (due to be released in late July or early August) has been officially named ‘Zara’, so continuing distro lead Clem’s codename convention of choosing female names in (somewhat) alphabetical order for each new version. I only say somewhat since Linux Mint 22.1 release was dubbed ‘Xia‘, while Linux Mint 22.2 jumps straight to ‘Zara’. Even with my lackadaisical attention to letter ordering, I know a ‘Y’ comes between ‘X’ and ‘Z’. Perhaps Clem […]

You're reading Linux Mint 22.2 Modernises its Default Theme, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

[Read more](https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/05/linux-mint-22-2-default-theme-changes)

How I Turned My Old Hi-Fi Speakers into Bluetooth Ones with Raspberry Pi

Category: It's FOSS
Tags: General
Published: Sat, 10 May 2025 06:49:14 GMT
TL;DR: Here is a summary of your text in 2 sentences:

You were motivated by curiosity rather than a desire for sustainability when you added Bluetooth capabilities to your old speakers. The result was the ability to stream music from services like Spotify without needing to use cords.
Curiosity, more than sustainability, drove me to add Bluetooth features to my old speakers and thus play Spotify and other players wirelessly through it.
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FOSS Weekly #25.19: sudo-rs, Terminal Makeover, Kazam 2.0, Mission Center and More Linux Stuff

Category: It's FOSS
Tags: General
Published: Thu, 08 May 2025 05:54:15 GMT
TL;DR: Here is a summary of your text in 2 sentences:

Rust is gaining popularity and being used extensively by some developers. However, this statement suggests that if you're not using Rust extensively in your projects, you might be considered "doing it wrong" in the eyes of others who are enthusiastic about the language.
Rust is slowly becoming the cilantro of software—either you sprinkle it everywhere, or you’re doing it wrong! 🌿💻
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Enable or Disable Word Wrap in VS Code

Category: It's FOSS
Tags: General
Published: Wed, 07 May 2025 11:06:19 GMT
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

Toggling word wrap on or off can be helpful when working with large amounts of text, such as code, notes, or JSON files. This feature allows you to control whether text wraps to the next line after reaching a certain width, making it easier to read and reducing the need for horizontal scrolling.
Whether you’re reading long lines of code, markdown notes, or JSON files, knowing how to toggle word wrap on or off can save your eyes from endless horizontal scrolling.
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Tap into Potential: Add Premium Touch to Your Raspberry Pi Projects With SunFounder's 10-inch Display

Category: It's FOSS
Tags: General
Published: Wed, 07 May 2025 07:58:51 GMT
TL;DR: The SunFounder 10-inch touchscreen allows users to transform their Raspberry Pi into an interactive device, offering a larger and more intuitive interface for projects such as media centers, kiosks, or educational tools. The device has been tested and reviewed by the author, who will share their personal experience with its capabilities and features in the following article.
Transform your Raspberry Pi into a versatile interactive device with SunFounder's 10-inch touchscreen. Here's my experience with this device.
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7 Essential Logseq Plugins I Use and Recommend

Category: It's FOSS
Tags: General
Published: Sat, 03 May 2025 08:56:47 GMT
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

The author is excited to share their favorite Logseq plugins that they enjoy using to manage their personal knowledge base. These plugins will be discussed further, providing insight into how they can be used to enhance one's knowledge management experience with Logseq.
Sharing my favorite Logseq plugins that I love to use for managing my personal knowledge base.
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Render a Guitar Pro Score in Real Time

Category: Fedora Magazine
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 12 May 2025 08:00:21 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

We will use the Tuxguitar application to render the audio of a Guitar Pro file, which contains a complete band score with multiple instruments. Tuxguitar is a powerful Java/C-based application capable of rendering scores in real-time.
We will use Tuxguitar to render the audio of a Guitar Pro score [5]. Guitar Pro scores are files with a complete band score transcribed (guitars, bass, drums, synths and more). Introduction Tuxguitar is a quite powerful application written in a mixture of Java / C. It is able to render a score in real […]
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Nominate Your Fedora Heroes: Mentor and Contributor Recognition 2025

Category: Fedora Magazine
Tags: General
Published: Wed, 07 May 2025 23:41:42 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

The Fedora Project relies on the dedication and efforts of its contributors, who go above and beyond to ensure its success. The project's mentorship and community-building activities, such as reviewing pull requests and onboarding new members, are crucial to its continued growth and vitality.
The Fedora Project is built on the dedication, mentorship, and relentless efforts of contributors who continuously go above and beyond. From reviewing pull requests to onboarding new community members, from writing documentation to organizing events — it’s these quiet champions who make Fedora thrive. As a part of the Fedora Mentor Summit , we would […]
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Start Planning Fedora 43 Test Days!

Category: Fedora Magazine
Tags: General
Published: Wed, 07 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the text in 2 sentences:

The success of each Fedora release relies on the contributions of many individuals, with one way to get involved being through participating in Test Days. As Fedora 43 development begins, it's time to start planning and proposing Test Days, which involves specific steps described in this article.
Each Fedora release is only possible thanks to the dedication of many contributors. One of the most important ways you can get involved is by participating in Test Days! This article describes the steps in proposing and scheduling test days. As Fedora 43 development moves ahead, it’s time to start planning and proposing Test Days. […]
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Building your own Atomic (bootc) Desktop

Category: Fedora Magazine
Tags: General
Published: Mon, 05 May 2025 08:00:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a 2-sentence summary:

Bootc and associated tools enable you to build a personalized desktop, and this article will guide you through the process of creating your own custom installation. However, building and using a custom installation carries some risks, including potentially limited support compared to mainstream solutions.
Bootc and associated tools provide the basis for building a personalised desktop. This article will describe the process to build your own custom installation. Disclaimer Building and using a custom installation is “at your own risk”. Your installation may be harder to find support for when compared with a mainstream solution. Motivation There has been […]
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Enabling system-wide DNS over TLS

Category: Fedora Magazine
Tags: General
Published: Fri, 25 Apr 2025 08:00:00 +0000
TL;DR: Here is a summary of the article in 2 sentences:

This article will help you enable DNS over TLS (DoT) on your system, including setting it up at boot time, with support available in Fedora 42. Additionally, the article provides guidance on setting up encrypted DNS for system installation, making it possible to try this feature with current Fedora Rawhide (Fedora 43).
This article will guide you to enforcing DoT (DNS over TLS) on your running system and at boot time. Support is avaliable in Fedora 42. It will also guide you to set up encrypted DNS for system installation, if you want to try it with current Fedora Rawhide (Fedora 43). Background Traditionally, DNS queries are […]
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Written by

Dallas Spohn
Dallas Spohn

Dallas, a seasoned professional with a diverse background, transitions seamlessly between roles as a systems admin turned developer, technical writer, and curriculum developer at Red Hat. With a knack for unraveling complex concepts, he crafts engaging materials primarily in DocBook, guiding enthusiasts through the intricacies of Red Hat's certification courses. In his earlier days, Dallas's passion for Anime led him to contribute to Anime News Network, channeling his creativity and expertise into captivating content. His contributions extended beyond writing as he interviewed prominent figures in the Anime industry, offering insights into their creative processes and visions. Beyond his professional pursuits, he's a devoted husband and father, cherishing moments with his loved ones. Dallas's journey in the tech industry spans various roles, from a security developer at NTT Security to an operations architect overseeing Linux servers for commercial transcoding. His tenure at esteemed institutions like Goldman Sachs and Lockheed Martin has honed his skills as a systems engineer, instilling in him a deep-rooted understanding of complex systems. An avid FPV pilot, Dallas finds exhilaration in soaring through the skies with his drones, often contemplating the lessons learned from his aerial adventures. His diverse experiences, including serving as a naval submariner aboard the USS Alexandria and pursuing higher education in England, enrich his perspective and fuel his thirst for knowledge.