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

Servo version 0.0.3 released
https://github.com/servo/servo/releases/tag/v0.0.3

https://redd.it/1pq0rd2
@r_linux

AI’s Unpaid Debt: How LLM Scrapers Destroy the Social Contract of Open Source
https://www.quippd.com/writing/2025/12/17/AIs-unpaid-debt-how-llm-scrapers-destroy-the-social-contract-of-open-source.html

https://redd.it/1pq2fcj
@r_linux

Kdenlive 25.12 is out with focus on user experience improvements, interface polish, and lot's of bug fixes.
https://kdenlive.org/news/releases/25.12.0/

https://redd.it/1pq32gw
@r_linux