UK Lawmakers Propose Mandatory On-Device Surveillance and VPN Age Verification, what does that mean for linux, in particular ubuntu?
https://reclaimthenet.org/uk-lawmakers-propose-mandatory-on-device-surveillance-and-vpn-age-verification

https://redd.it/1po3cbg
@r_linux

As a (now ex) Windows user:I finally understand why People love the terminal

Alrighty, I switched to Linux around 2 months ago and as soon as I did that I truely understood the love that the terminal gets.

So this is how it started: I switched to Windows 11 as soon as it released since I wasn't a big fan of Windows 10 anymore... I actually really loved Windows 10 around the 2017 to 2019 mark. I thought it was a great operating system and I would honestly say that it was one (If not the best) Windows ever made. But around 2020 it started going downhill, there were more and more ads included into the operating system, and more features were integrated that I thought were just useless.

Little did I know that my biggest nightmare started with the switch to Windows 11...

Omg I literally hate everything about Windows 11... I hate how it looks with it's overly corporate soulless design, (Can't say that Windows 10 was super great either but it had cool and interesting things, like the fact that the original "Hero" wallpaper of Windows 10 were 4 metal tubes that they shot light through to create the "Windows logo effect". And it was generally more interesting to look at. The metro tiles also gave Me XBOX 360 vibes.

But I also hate the layout of Windows 11. The start menu is just a bunch of random apps cluttered together and the settings panel is the worst thing I've ever seen.

And that is exactly what made Me realize that the terminal is great... The settings panel... Or should I say the setting panelS. I wanted to change something about my power settings since my PC wouldn't shut down completely when I would turn it off using the Windows start menu.

So I simply went into the Windows settings and searched for "Power" only to come to basically nowhere. Then I clicked around the Windows settings for around 20 minutes without getting anywhere. Then I went into the stupid outdated Control Panel and clicked around it's horrible trash UI for another 10 minutes before FINALLY finding the setting I was looking for.

And I also only found it because I just started searching on Google where I can change that setting... And then I got to an article that first tells Me why the feature was implemented, and why it has problems, and why You should turn it off, before it then tells Me where to change the setting in way to many steps.

Then I was testing around with Fedora a bit and wanted to change a setting (Can't really remember what it was) but I could change it within a couple of seconds using just the Terminal. That was where I realized that the terminal might not be as fast for copy and pasting files (Except maybe You do it in bulk or with a complex file structure) but that the Terminal is great for so many other things.

I still have trauma from the Windows Control Panel and it really pushed Me over the last ledge to switch to Linux.

https://redd.it/1po8fo7
@r_linux

Is it getting harder to develop desktop apps as desktop environments diverge further away from one another?

Note: This is not a wayland vs xorg debate, but rather curious how to overcome some app development challenges in wayland.

I was thinking what would it take if I want to contribute to a project like YomiNinja to make it work in wayland? Have a look at the 1 minute video in the project page to get some context.

I can’t rely on xdotool in wayland and I can’t rely only on wlroots since KWin and Mutter don’t use it, so it seems like I’ll have to code for different APIs to support KWin, Mutter, and wlroots. For example, on KDE I’ll probably have to use the KWin noscripting API to get the active window, the cursor position, etc. then I’ll have to figure out how to do the same thing in Mutter and wlroots.

XDG Desktop Portal seems like a perfect fit here but there seems to be some resistance for asking for these kind of "portals", here is an example of a request "Add a portal to see currently open windows" that's been open since 2019, from reading the messages there it seems to be 2 recurring concerns that is holding this back:

1. Security concerns: I think it’s better to respect end-users by giving them the choice to allow or deny permissions in a prompt rather than resisting to add the portal which completely removes the choice from the user
2. If this portal is relevant for a flatpak app: Portals are useful even without using flatpak since it's a way for app developers to avoid writing desktop-specific code

In the absence of Xorg’s APIs as a common denominator it feels like desktop environments are going to continue to diverge. Desktop environments might have their own implementation and API for each “missing” wayland protocol. This makes it more important for having XDG Desktop Portal be more than just a flatpak tool that's just developed for flatpak relevant use cases.

The easier it is to make apps for desktop linux for all kinds of use cases (time tracking, assisstive tech, OCR, etc.) the more people and companies will use it which hopefully increase investments in improving linux.


What's the community's opinion on this?

https://redd.it/1poci59
@r_linux

Danish head of government IT (left) hands over the first "microsoft-free" computer to the head of Danish Traffic control, December 2025
https://redd.it/1pohupu
@r_linux

Why do we recommend distro before DE for new users?

I believe it's best to help people pick the right desktop environment before they pick their operating system distro. Most casual users switching over to Linux now have no interest in what's going on in the back end of an operating system besides what packages they can download. I recommend we as a community help people decide on the look and feel of their desktop before we start throwing distro information at them. A typical user only cares about having flatpqk support and some basic apps integrated into their distro at launch.

https://redd.it/1pohof3
@r_linux

KDE >> hyprland/niri

Holy…moly. I tried for multiple days to get gaming working on a tiling window manager. Using game scope, VM, etc. I was deep in the wikis. But I couldn’t do it and eventually my system bricked. I said “f it” and just reinstalled arch from scratch with kde. In less than two hours I had KCDII running perfectly. In three I had my desktop and keybinds flawless. Just want to give a HUGE shoutout to KDE for their ease of use. Truly beautiful and truly a godsend.

https://redd.it/1popdl8
@r_linux

Linux should be used as the out-of-box operating system

Hey all! So I have come here to ask for help on a school project, the just of it is that we have to argue for the opposite of our opinion. Now I am sort of cheating because although I believe that for someone who is not nerdy or who just wants something that works Windows is better, it just works out of box and does everything you need it to do. Now I personally use Zorin OS and I absolutely love it and would not go back to windows ever.

What is your guys opinion on this? If you have them could you maybe give me some facts to help argue my point of how Linux should be used as a out-of-box OS.

Thank you so much!

https://redd.it/1por0m2
@r_linux

Latest KDE Plasma 6 on Intel Itanium architecture (HP Integrity rx2620, Itanium 9040)
https://redd.it/1pot6hc
@r_linux

OpenShot 3.4 Released | Improved Performance and New Effects
https://www.openshot.org/blog/2025/12/15/new_openshot_release_340/

https://redd.it/1potw34
@r_linux

Asahi Linux Progress Report: Linux 6.18
https://asahilinux.org/2025/12/progress-report-6-18/

https://redd.it/1poy3cz
@r_linux

Intel Compute Runtime 25.48.36300.8 brings more performance optimizations & Xe3 fixes
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-CR-25.48.36300.8

https://redd.it/1pozof2
@r_linux

connex: a small Wi-Fi manager for Linux
https://redd.it/1poxsnb
@r_linux

Read the docs, yes, but a little kindness goes a long way.

I want to preface this by saying that this isn’t a “Linux is too hard” post. I generally don’t like engaging in this type of discussion, but I’ve seen this issue too often, and I think it needs to be addressed.

I read documentation. I research issues. I watch tutorials when needed. Because of that, I personally haven’t run into this problem much, but I’ve repeatedly seen it happen to other people who are trying to switch to Linux for the first time.

When new users ask for help on forums, subreddits, or distro-specific communities, a very common response is simply:
“Go read the documentation.”

To be clear: pointing someone to the docs is not wrong. Documentation is important, and learning how to use it is a valuable skill on Linux. The issue isn’t that people say this; it’s how it’s often said and what comes with it.

Very often:

The person responding clearly knows the answer because they know it’s in the docs
They refuse to give even a brief explanation
The tone becomes condescending when the user didn’t already know where to look

Follow-up replies often turn into things like:

“If you did a bit more research, you’d figure it out”
“If you didn’t bother to read the documentation, you don’t deserve an answer”

At that point, it stops being about teaching or encouraging learning and starts feeling like gatekeeping knowledge.

Part of the reason for this is that Linux culture still carries a “prove yourself” mindset.
A lot of this comes from Linux’s roots:

UNIX culture
Academic environments
Early hobbyists had to struggle because there was no alternative

For many people, that struggle became a rite of passage, and unconsciously, they expect newcomers to “pay the same price.” That’s where the gatekeeping comes from.

The problem is:

>What was once necessity has turned into ideology.

New users aren’t wrong for seeking* help. The ecosystem has changed, and communities that cling to this old “prove yourself” mindset risk driving new users away.

This type of behaviour negatively impacts Linux adoption. If we want better software support, better hardware compatibility, and better game support, we need new users to stick around. Being dismissive or condescending doesn’t push people to learn; it pushes them away.

There’s also an irony here: many of the same people complain about users turning to AI tools for help with Linux issues. But if the community response is often unwelcoming or dismissive, can we really be surprised? AI explains things without judgment, sarcasm, or attitude.

Documentation and community support don’t have to be mutually exclusive. A response like:

>“This is covered in the docs under X, but the short answer is Y. If you want more detail, check section Z.”

Still encourages self-learning without shutting people out.

This isn’t an attack on Linux or its documentation. It’s a call for helpful community behaviour.

https://redd.it/1pp221p
@r_linux

Cannibal Corpse has a song about blood and dick, doesn't it?
https://redd.it/1pp4wva
@r_linux

Well, new vulnerability in the rust code
https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/linux/kernel/git/stable/linux.git/commit/?id=3e0ae02ba831da2b707905f4e602e43f8507b8cc

https://redd.it/1pp4f8j
@r_linux

Minecraft, but it's a Wayland compositor
https://youtube.com/watch?v=lsBxWYDspV8&si=SshPpYvaYTLHNOkI

https://redd.it/1pp4xvx
@r_linux

Linux Kernel Rust Code Sees Its First CVE Vulnerability
https://www.phoronix.com/news/First-Linux-Rust-CVE

https://redd.it/1pp8h3d
@r_linux

Arch running in a VM through termux running cinnamon, on a Samsung a03s
https://redd.it/1ppb1nj
@r_linux

Should I switch to linux?

For a few days, I’ve been thinking about dual-booting Linux. Honestly, part of the reason is that it just looks interesting, and I’m curious to try something different. While Windows 11’s forced updates and other quirks are a minor factor, they’re not the main reason.

I’m hoping to use Linux for a smoother experience with creative work like writing, 3D animation, and possibly video editing, as well as some casual gaming but I do play CS2 from time to time. Another reason I’m curious about Linux is the growing popularity of Linux gaming, especially with SteamOS and the Steam Deck making it more accessible.

The main thing drawing me to Linux is the customizability. I’ve seen videos of people heavily customizing their desktops, and I’d love to have a setup tailored to my liking.

Just to clarify, I’m not a programmer and don’t plan on doing any coding because I’ve seen people coding on Linux, but that’s not what I’m interested in.

https://redd.it/1ppltuu
@r_linux

Most unusual Linux Distros

My class is having a fun little ground assignment at the moment where each group will find and present the most unusual, obscure, and exotic Linux distro they can find.

Since I'm still new to Linux I thought it would be good to ask a community of Linux enthusiasts.

If you would be willing to share a Distro you know that would fit this category I would be very grateful.

https://redd.it/1ppo24v
@r_linux

systemd v259 Release (last major version to support System V service noscripts)
https://github.com/systemd/systemd/releases/tag/v259

https://redd.it/1pput47
@r_linux