This Week in Plasma: car of the year edition - KDE Blogs
https://blogs.kde.org/2026/01/10/this-week-in-plasma-car-of-the-year-edition/
https://redd.it/1q8tlta
@r_linux
https://blogs.kde.org/2026/01/10/this-week-in-plasma-car-of-the-year-edition/
https://redd.it/1q8tlta
@r_linux
KDE Blogs
This Week in Plasma: car of the year edition
Welcome to a new issue of This Week in Plasma!
Let’s thank Lubos Krystynek, Rafal Krawczyk, and John Veness for stepping up to help with this week’s issue. Thanks, guys!
Let’s thank Lubos Krystynek, Rafal Krawczyk, and John Veness for stepping up to help with this week’s issue. Thanks, guys!
The 'gmail' equivalent in Linux environment
Done with windows after 26 years. Now full port ubuntu.
Still retaining Gmail and onedrive. And would like to ask fellow Linux users, what are the most popular, endorsed email service provider (with or without cloud storage) in the Linux environment?
I've heard of Proton, and would like to learn more from the community.
Thank you :)
https://redd.it/1q8x5ch
@r_linux
Done with windows after 26 years. Now full port ubuntu.
Still retaining Gmail and onedrive. And would like to ask fellow Linux users, what are the most popular, endorsed email service provider (with or without cloud storage) in the Linux environment?
I've heard of Proton, and would like to learn more from the community.
Thank you :)
https://redd.it/1q8x5ch
@r_linux
Reddit
From the linux community on Reddit
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Can Linux be a better Macintosh?
I have been using Linux since last 4 years, started with linux mint and now on fedora KDE workstation. I have friends using windows and Mac. I have used mac for about a month on a borrowed macbook air.
Although I just don't like most of the design language of macOS and their laptops are lacking, their are some other things that are just good on it.
The only thing that I don't like about Linux is the battery drain while being on browsers, electron apps and while playing videos. Even windows is way better is this aspect. I have not tried linux on intel, so not so sure how is the situation on it. Other than this, I have no issues with anything on linux.
MacOS seems so childish to me, designed to be used with mouse more than with keyboard. Too much animations and too much round things. They just spoil the user experience for me.
One thing that I miss out on linux is the connectivity with Android, something like macbook and iphone ecosystem. I do know that there is KDE connect, but it comes with its own problems.
At this point Linux does almost everything that I want without any issues, except power efficiency, ecosystem integration and some other very minor things . Do you guys think these problems can be solved for linux or just the trade-offs that wouldn't be fixed and need to accepted?
https://redd.it/1q929oe
@r_linux
I have been using Linux since last 4 years, started with linux mint and now on fedora KDE workstation. I have friends using windows and Mac. I have used mac for about a month on a borrowed macbook air.
Although I just don't like most of the design language of macOS and their laptops are lacking, their are some other things that are just good on it.
The only thing that I don't like about Linux is the battery drain while being on browsers, electron apps and while playing videos. Even windows is way better is this aspect. I have not tried linux on intel, so not so sure how is the situation on it. Other than this, I have no issues with anything on linux.
MacOS seems so childish to me, designed to be used with mouse more than with keyboard. Too much animations and too much round things. They just spoil the user experience for me.
One thing that I miss out on linux is the connectivity with Android, something like macbook and iphone ecosystem. I do know that there is KDE connect, but it comes with its own problems.
At this point Linux does almost everything that I want without any issues, except power efficiency, ecosystem integration and some other very minor things . Do you guys think these problems can be solved for linux or just the trade-offs that wouldn't be fixed and need to accepted?
https://redd.it/1q929oe
@r_linux
Reddit
From the linux community on Reddit
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Zeppe-Lin 1.2 — Ghosts in the Rig
Minimal, source-based distribution derived from CRUX. 5th release.
System State
Kernel: 6.18.3
Toolchain: GCC 14.3.0 · glibc 2.40 · binutils 2.44
Xorg Server: 21.1.21
Mesa: 25.3.3
Drivers: amdgpu 25.0.0, ati 22.0.0, intel 2.99.917-923, nouveau 1.0.18, vesa 2.6.0
Highlights
New domain and redesigned website
Distro tooling man pages migrated to scdoc
Logging standardized via logrotate
Cron unified under run-parts / run-one
New utility packages: logrotate, run-parts, run-one, popt
Links
[Website](http://zeppe-lin.org)
Handbook
[Release notes](http://zeppe-lin.org/v1.2.html)
GitHub
https://redd.it/1q951ql
@r_linux
Minimal, source-based distribution derived from CRUX. 5th release.
System State
Kernel: 6.18.3
Toolchain: GCC 14.3.0 · glibc 2.40 · binutils 2.44
Xorg Server: 21.1.21
Mesa: 25.3.3
Drivers: amdgpu 25.0.0, ati 22.0.0, intel 2.99.917-923, nouveau 1.0.18, vesa 2.6.0
Highlights
New domain and redesigned website
Distro tooling man pages migrated to scdoc
Logging standardized via logrotate
Cron unified under run-parts / run-one
New utility packages: logrotate, run-parts, run-one, popt
Links
[Website](http://zeppe-lin.org)
Handbook
[Release notes](http://zeppe-lin.org/v1.2.html)
GitHub
https://redd.it/1q951ql
@r_linux
Move from Windows
Hi guys totally newb here. So I’ve no idea about Linux but always wanted to try it. I just had to get a new laptop for work purely because it was running windows 10 and my accounting software only runs on Windows. So my old laptop is 13 years old but still runs solid. 1TB ssd recently updated, intel i5 2.5ghz, 12gb ram. Will this run Linux? And how do it begin?
https://redd.it/1q97gap
@r_linux
Hi guys totally newb here. So I’ve no idea about Linux but always wanted to try it. I just had to get a new laptop for work purely because it was running windows 10 and my accounting software only runs on Windows. So my old laptop is 13 years old but still runs solid. 1TB ssd recently updated, intel i5 2.5ghz, 12gb ram. Will this run Linux? And how do it begin?
https://redd.it/1q97gap
@r_linux
Reddit
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Overlay Transparent Image Over Active Window (Ontopreplica alternative)
I'm looking to find out if there's a way to overlay a transparent window over my display in PopOS, as a Windows user I would use a program called ontopreplica which doesn't currently have a Linux version.
My specific use for this was creating cross stitch patterns from images, I would create an image in paint.net or similar and overlay it on top of my pattern creation tool then trace it using a graphics tablet so it's important that the window being overlayed also isn't interactive. Does anyone know of a way I can do this? I have fully switched from windows to Linux and don't really want to go back to dual booting as this is the only use case I have for my PC now that I'm unable to figure out without windows.
https://redd.it/1q98zvz
@r_linux
I'm looking to find out if there's a way to overlay a transparent window over my display in PopOS, as a Windows user I would use a program called ontopreplica which doesn't currently have a Linux version.
My specific use for this was creating cross stitch patterns from images, I would create an image in paint.net or similar and overlay it on top of my pattern creation tool then trace it using a graphics tablet so it's important that the window being overlayed also isn't interactive. Does anyone know of a way I can do this? I have fully switched from windows to Linux and don't really want to go back to dual booting as this is the only use case I have for my PC now that I'm unable to figure out without windows.
https://redd.it/1q98zvz
@r_linux
Reddit
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Did you know that starting with 6.11 XScreenSaver supports Wayland?
https://www.jwz.org/blog/2025/07/xscreensaver-6-11/
https://redd.it/1q9c09j
@r_linux
https://www.jwz.org/blog/2025/07/xscreensaver-6-11/
https://redd.it/1q9c09j
@r_linux
xz has to be some dark magic shit
I tried to do some work that required me to make files that are pretty big (postmarket OS for Spacewar), and I wanted to upload those files to GitHub. The problem is, the files were like 4 GB each. Being cheap, I didn't want to pay for more GitHub space, so I tried to compress them, and that's where I found xz. All I did was run the command xz -T0 -9 <filename>, and the file went from 4 GB to 18 MB. That's crazy. how did i not know about this until now
https://redd.it/1q9dq4p
@r_linux
I tried to do some work that required me to make files that are pretty big (postmarket OS for Spacewar), and I wanted to upload those files to GitHub. The problem is, the files were like 4 GB each. Being cheap, I didn't want to pay for more GitHub space, so I tried to compress them, and that's where I found xz. All I did was run the command xz -T0 -9 <filename>, and the file went from 4 GB to 18 MB. That's crazy. how did i not know about this until now
https://redd.it/1q9dq4p
@r_linux
Reddit
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Budgie 10.10 Released: Officially Migrated From X11 To Wayland
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Budgie-10.10-Released
https://redd.it/1q9gq7k
@r_linux
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Budgie-10.10-Released
https://redd.it/1q9gq7k
@r_linux
Phoronix
Budgie 10.10 Released: Officially Migrated From X11 To Wayland
The Budgie 10.10 desktop has been officially released in marking the open-source project's transition from X11 to Wayland.
Linux 7.0 Readying Improvement For Rust + LTO Kernel Builds
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-Rust-LTO-Inline-Coming
https://redd.it/1q9bq65
@r_linux
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-Rust-LTO-Inline-Coming
https://redd.it/1q9bq65
@r_linux
Phoronix
Linux 7.0 Readying Improvement For Rust + LTO Kernel Builds
Alice Ryhl of Google has been working on an improvement to the Linux kernel code for inlining C helpers into Rust when making use of a Link-Time Optimized (LTO) kernel build
Linus vibecoded and claimed "Antigravity" did a much better job then he could.
https://redd.it/1q9wdru
@r_linux
https://redd.it/1q9wdru
@r_linux
Waytermirror: A Wayland Remote Desktop That Runs in Your Terminal (And more!)
I’ve been working on a project that lets you view and control a live Wayland desktop entirely from a terminal. Originally it focused on Unicode-based rendering, but it has since grown into a full remote desktop system.
Waytermirror can now run in a terminal, on a Linux TTY via framebuffer/KMS, or in a classic GUI mode - whichever fits your setup best.
# What it does
Real-time Wayland capture Unicode or pixel rendering with multiple capture backends (wlr-screencopy, PipeWire for KDE/GNOME)
Multiple rendering backends Braille (2×4 dots), half-blocks, ASCII, hybrid (adaptive), sixel, kitty graphics, framebuffer, KMS, and GUI
Runs in any terminal Fully SSH-friendly and usable even over slow or high-latency connections
Efficient streaming TCP transport with LZ4 / LZ4-HC compression for Unicode video, HEVC for pixel video, and Opus for audio
Full input forwarding Keyboard and mouse support via Wayland protocols or uinput
Bidirectional audio (WIP) System audio streaming (server -> client) and microphone forwarding (client -> server) using PipeWire
Hardware acceleration (optional) CUDA-accelerated Unicode rendering or hardware-accelerated HEVC encoding on the server
Multi-monitor support Including focus-following output selection
Live controls Zoom, rotation, quality/detail tuning, and color modes (16 / 256 / truecolor)
Keyboard-driven workflow Everything is controlled via shortcuts (Ctrl+Alt+Shift prefix): switch renderers, zoom, rotate, mute audio, pause video, and more
Open a terminal, connect to the server, and your desktop simply appears. You can switch renderers, tweak quality, or zoom and rotate the view - all live, without restarting the session.
Repository:
https://github.com/cyber-wojtek/waytermirror
https://preview.redd.it/gve6k8eszjcg1.png?width=3840&format=png&auto=webp&s=c1cc3d2e03370f4a250ce398689bbbd6b28ededd
https://redd.it/1q9vgim
@r_linux
I’ve been working on a project that lets you view and control a live Wayland desktop entirely from a terminal. Originally it focused on Unicode-based rendering, but it has since grown into a full remote desktop system.
Waytermirror can now run in a terminal, on a Linux TTY via framebuffer/KMS, or in a classic GUI mode - whichever fits your setup best.
# What it does
Real-time Wayland capture Unicode or pixel rendering with multiple capture backends (wlr-screencopy, PipeWire for KDE/GNOME)
Multiple rendering backends Braille (2×4 dots), half-blocks, ASCII, hybrid (adaptive), sixel, kitty graphics, framebuffer, KMS, and GUI
Runs in any terminal Fully SSH-friendly and usable even over slow or high-latency connections
Efficient streaming TCP transport with LZ4 / LZ4-HC compression for Unicode video, HEVC for pixel video, and Opus for audio
Full input forwarding Keyboard and mouse support via Wayland protocols or uinput
Bidirectional audio (WIP) System audio streaming (server -> client) and microphone forwarding (client -> server) using PipeWire
Hardware acceleration (optional) CUDA-accelerated Unicode rendering or hardware-accelerated HEVC encoding on the server
Multi-monitor support Including focus-following output selection
Live controls Zoom, rotation, quality/detail tuning, and color modes (16 / 256 / truecolor)
Keyboard-driven workflow Everything is controlled via shortcuts (Ctrl+Alt+Shift prefix): switch renderers, zoom, rotate, mute audio, pause video, and more
Open a terminal, connect to the server, and your desktop simply appears. You can switch renderers, tweak quality, or zoom and rotate the view - all live, without restarting the session.
Repository:
https://github.com/cyber-wojtek/waytermirror
https://preview.redd.it/gve6k8eszjcg1.png?width=3840&format=png&auto=webp&s=c1cc3d2e03370f4a250ce398689bbbd6b28ededd
https://redd.it/1q9vgim
@r_linux
GitHub
GitHub - cyber-wojtek/waytermirror: Waytermirror (wayland terminal mirror server & client)
Waytermirror (wayland terminal mirror server & client) - cyber-wojtek/waytermirror
auto-cpufreq v3.0.0 is out!
6 years after its initial release, and 7100+ GitHub stars later ... auto-cpufreq v3.0.0 is out with new features and improvements.
Release page & notes: https://github.com/AdnanHodzic/auto-cpufreq/releases
Thanks to all 114 contributors who got us to v3, a true testament to the power of open source and its community: https://github.com/AdnanHodzic/auto-cpufreq
https://redd.it/1qa715a
@r_linux
6 years after its initial release, and 7100+ GitHub stars later ... auto-cpufreq v3.0.0 is out with new features and improvements.
Release page & notes: https://github.com/AdnanHodzic/auto-cpufreq/releases
Thanks to all 114 contributors who got us to v3, a true testament to the power of open source and its community: https://github.com/AdnanHodzic/auto-cpufreq
https://redd.it/1qa715a
@r_linux
GitHub
Releases · AdnanHodzic/auto-cpufreq
Automatic CPU speed & power optimizer for Linux. Contribute to AdnanHodzic/auto-cpufreq development by creating an account on GitHub.
State of the Budgie: 2025 In Review and Cranking Budgie Up To 11
https://buddiesofbudgie.org/blog/state-of-the-budgie-2025
https://redd.it/1qa34ot
@r_linux
https://buddiesofbudgie.org/blog/state-of-the-budgie-2025
https://redd.it/1qa34ot
@r_linux
buddiesofbudgie.org
State of the Budgie: 2025 In Review and Cranking Budgie Up To 11
2025 was a year of significant progress for Budgie Desktop, as we finalized much of our efforts in our Wayland migration, to bring Budgie 10 to a close and enable us to focus our efforts on Budgie 11. Time to dive into our State of the Budgie to recap our…
Database adventures
I have a Windows98-era Access database, many tables with quite a bit of data in them. I have jumped through every hoop I could find with no usable results. For years.
This week, I read that LibreOffice Base could read the old .mdb files. Yay! Let's do that!
Yeah... no. Aside from the fact that Base is missing most of what it needs to get to the point where it thinks it can get at a .mdb file, and that Ubuntu's LibreOffice installation doesn't even include Base... all hoops jumped, and face-planted every time.
But. It turns out there's a some software yclept "mdb-tables", so let's try that. . . . .
Holy. Shit.
It didn't even blink. I recovered the entire database with an absolute minimum of fuss. I finally have the data back.
So if you ever need to recover a really old Microsoft Access DB for someone... mdb-tables is the way.
I know this is so niche as to be in a corner of the corner case, and tucked in tightly, but I'm so jazzed right now I just had to post.
Cheers. :)
https://redd.it/1qbechz
@r_linux
I have a Windows98-era Access database, many tables with quite a bit of data in them. I have jumped through every hoop I could find with no usable results. For years.
This week, I read that LibreOffice Base could read the old .mdb files. Yay! Let's do that!
Yeah... no. Aside from the fact that Base is missing most of what it needs to get to the point where it thinks it can get at a .mdb file, and that Ubuntu's LibreOffice installation doesn't even include Base... all hoops jumped, and face-planted every time.
But. It turns out there's a some software yclept "mdb-tables", so let's try that. . . . .
Holy. Shit.
It didn't even blink. I recovered the entire database with an absolute minimum of fuss. I finally have the data back.
So if you ever need to recover a really old Microsoft Access DB for someone... mdb-tables is the way.
I know this is so niche as to be in a corner of the corner case, and tucked in tightly, but I'm so jazzed right now I just had to post.
Cheers. :)
https://redd.it/1qbechz
@r_linux
Reddit
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European Commission - Have your say;The European Commission has launched a fresh consultation into open source, setting out its ambitions for Europe's developer communities to go beyond propping up US tech giants' platforms. The consultation, which will run from January 6 to February 3, is an early
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16213-European-Open-Digital-Ecosystems_en
https://redd.it/1qayoa3
@r_linux
https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/16213-European-Open-Digital-Ecosystems_en
https://redd.it/1qayoa3
@r_linux
European Commission - Have your say
Linux 6.19-rc5 Brings Fix For Newer NVIDIA GPUs, Logitech HID++ For Anywhere 3S & Fixes
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.19-rc5-Released
https://redd.it/1qawvsz
@r_linux
https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-6.19-rc5-Released
https://redd.it/1qawvsz
@r_linux
Phoronix
Linux 6.19-rc5 Brings Fix For Newer NVIDIA GPUs, Logitech HID++ For Anywhere 3S & Fixes
In addition to Linus Torvalds doing some vibe coding and more with his new 'AudioNoise' project this week, Linux 6.19 kernel development ticked back up with the holidays having passed