Immutable, All-Snap Ubuntu Desktop Coming Next Year
An all-snap Ubuntu desktop is coming — and sooner than you might think! According to Canonical’s Oliver Grawert, the next long-term support release of Ubuntu will be available to download in two versions: a classic, deb-based version and, for the first time, as an immutable, snap-based build too. You can’t see me but I can assure you that I’m pulling my best faux-shocked face right now. Why the snark? Well, let’s face it: an all-snap Ubuntu desktop is inevitable. If I’m surprised by anything it’s not that it’s happening next April, but that it has taken this long to happen 
#News #Snaps #Ubuntu24_04Lts #UbuntuCore
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/immutable-all-snap-ubuntu-desktop
Ubuntu Wants to Switch CUPS Printing Stack to Snap
Ubuntu 23.10 is aiming to ship the CUPS printing stack as a snap package. Canonical’s Till Kamppeter, who is also the project lead for the OpenPrinting Project, says he wants to “…switch Ubuntu 23.10, the Mantic Minotaur, as planned, to use the CUPS Snap as its printing system and the Printer Application Snaps as drivers for non-IPP-driverless printers.” Printers are not my forte; I last owned a printer about a decade ago and even then it hadn’t been used for years — not quite a daisy wheel, but getting there 😉! I recall lots of printer driver issues on Ubuntu,
#News #Canonical #Cups #Snaps #Ubuntu23_10
Tube Converter Gets New Backend for Improved Stability
A major update to Tube Converter is now available. If you’re not familiar with this GTK4/libadwaita app, it’s a GUI tool that makes it easy to download videos from YouTube (assuming you have permission, etc) and a number of other popular video streaming sites. Tube Converter is powered by the popular yt-dlp engine, providing a sleek, user-friendly front-end to many of that tool’s features. It lets you download multiple videos at a time in a variety of formats, including MP4 and WEBM, and audio-only MP3, FLAC, and WAV. Latest Tube Converter Features There have been a couple of sizeable updates
#News #AppUpdates #GtkApps #TubeConverter #Youtube
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/tube-converter-linux-app-new-features
Ubuntu Summit 2023 Date & Location Revealed
Drum roll please as the date and location of the next Ubuntu Summit has been revealed. Riga, Lativa will host the next in-person developer soirée from November 3rd to November 5th this year at the The Radisson Blu Latvija Hotel. Swanky looking place, btw! Interestingly, the Ubuntu Summit 2023 is not the only is FOSS-focused event Latvia’s capital accommodates this year as GNOME’s annual GUADEC event rolls into town during July. “Ubuntu Summit is an event focused on the Linux and Open Source ecosystem, beyond Ubuntu itself. Representatives of outstanding projects will demonstrate how their work is changing the future
#Community #News #Conference #UbuntuDeveloper #Uds
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/ubuntu-summit-2023-date-location
Apply Real-Time Effect to Audio on Ubuntu with Easy Effects
Many moons ago I covered a neat audio tool called PulseEffects, which made it easy to modify the sound output of any app on a global or per-app basis. As you may infer from the name, PulseEffects was built around and designed for PulseAudio. Most major Linux distributions have switched from PulseAudio to PipeWire for their audio handling. Enter Easy Effects, a successor to PulseEffects that sports a modern GTK4 interface, and an expanded set of features that enable to function as a powerful audio effects processor for PipeWire applications. It offers an equalizer, limiter, and compressor (among others) and
#News #AudioApps #EasyEffects #Sound
Hiding Audio Devices from the Quick Settings Sound Menu
Being able to quickly switch between different audio devices is one of my favourite things about GNOME Shell’s Quick Settings menu. No longer do I have to fire up Settings > Sound to quickly switch from my laptop’s built-in speakers to my (not exactly amazing) USB-C speakers, or to my Bluetooth sound bar. However… There is one rub in this otherwise easy-going experience: my list of sound output is quite long. That wouldn’t be too much of an issue if I used half of them — but I don’t. I only tend to switch between the same ones. Enter the
#News
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/hide-audio-devices-gnome-quick-settings
This is Thunderbird Email Client’s Brand New Logo
Iconic open-source email client Thunderbird is getting a brand new logo. The Thunderbird project is in rude health of late. It recently bagged a big boost in funding thanks to a donation drive, launched an official Android app, and showcased a major UI redesign that has a lot of people, myself included, super stoked. So, since “the software is evolving into something much more modern” Thunderbird’s Project Manager, Ryan Sipes, has revealed “fresh logo” that they say “properly represents this revitalization”. And here it is: The designer of the original Thunderbird icon, Jon Hicks, was called upon to help reimagine
#News #Design #Thunderbird
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/thunderbird-new-logo-revealed
How to Try Google Chrome’s 2023 UI Refresh on Ubuntu
It seems Google Chrome is getting a bit of a makeover later this year and if you’re riding this browser’s development channel you can opt-in early and try it out now. I’ll show you how to do that in a moment, but first I ought to show a few screenshots of what you’ll be opting in to. Now, the UI changes aren’t (on Linux at least) overly radical — at least, not to my sensibilities. I believe Windows is getting Mica treatment, and macOS Here’s a screenshot showing you what the normal version of Google Chrome 115 (dev) looks like
#HowTo #News #Design #GoogleChrome
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/try-chrome-design-fresh-2023-linux
Firefox’s Black Screen Bug in Ubuntu 23.04 is Now Fixed
Do you see a pitch black window when you open Firefox on Ubuntu 23.04? You’re not alone. Thing is, until today, I thought I was alone. I thought this issue, which I’ve only experienced when using Ubuntu’s default Wayland session and the preinstalled Firefox snap app — i.e. a config that should “just work” in theory — was a quirk of my system. Or worse: my fault (I do install/tweak my system a lot). Well I’m relieved to say I’m not to blame, and neither are you. Turns out, Firefox’s black screen of death in Lunar is a Mutter issue
#News #Firefox #Mutter #Ubuntu23_04
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/ubuntu-firefox-black-screen-bug-fix
Parallels Desktop Update Adds Support for Ubuntu 23.04 VMs
A clutch of Ubuntu fixes features in the latest update to Parallels Desktop, a popular proprietary and paid virtualization suite for macOS. If you’re now scratching your head wondering why you’re reading about Mac software on an Ubuntu blog I have to say …You do have a point. However, not everyone uses Ubuntu (or indeed other distros or OSes) on bare metal, or are limited to needing macOS because of their job, etc. Virtual machine software like Parallels Desktop makes it so easy to test, develop, debug etc – especially on Macs where native Linux hardware support is MIA. Parallels
#News
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/parallels-desktop-update-ubuntu-23-04
DashBar is a Compact All-in-One Taskbar GNOME Extension
If you’re looking to trick your GNOME Shell desktop out with a classy new taskbar extension that’s low on system resources check out DashBar. Admittedly GNOME Shell is not short of taskbar, panel, and dock extensions. A wide range of alternatives are available, from household names1 like Dash to Panel and Dash to Dock through to niche, nuanced offerings like BaBar Lite, and now DashBar. DashBar has no preferences at all. That’s its USP; it works how the way it works, and if that way isn’t for you, use something else! Lots of options are exciting but they add overhead.
#News
How to Resize Images on Ubuntu Using Nautilus
Looking for a quick and easy way to resize multiple images on Ubuntu? You could use an image resizing app that handles batch conversions. Several terrific ones can be found in Ubuntu’s repos, many utilising the power of Imagemagick (which itself can be used standalone from the command line). Those methods are valid and in most cases preferable as they offer advanced configuration, cater to edge cases, and are able to perform additional actions at the same time. But you can also resize images straight from Nautilus, Ubuntu’s file manager. I find this especially efficient as I can do it
#HowTo #ImageEditors #Nautilus
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/resize-images-ubuntu-nautilus-right-click
Bodhi Linux 7.0 Beta is Available for Testing
A beta build of the upcoming Bodhi Linux 7.0 release is available to download. For those unfamiliar with it, Bodhi Linux is a lightweight Linux distro based on Ubuntu long-term support releases. It uses an Enlightenment-based desktop and the Moksha window manager by default. It’s famed for its resource efficiency and modularity, both of which equip it to run well on low-end hardware. Bodhi Linux 7.0 is based on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. This foundation means users get access to better hardware support, security and performance improvements, and a repo stocked to the rafters with newer versions of apps, tools, and
#News #Bodhi #Distros #Enlightenment
Want to Hide the Top Bar in Ubuntu? Here’s How
Want to hide the top bar in Ubuntu when a window is placed near it? With a nifty GNOME extension you can! It works like this: Simple, huh? Ubuntu makes it easy to auto-hide the Ubuntu dock (the icon bar that sits on the left-hand side of the screen by default) out-of-the-box. You just open the Settings app, go to the Ubuntu Desktop section, and flick a switch. Alas, there’s not a similar option to hide the top bar (this is the panel stripped across the top of the screen). So if you want to the top bar to hide
#HowTo #Customization #GnomeExtensions
Lutris 0.5.13 Adds Proton Support, Itch.io Integration & More
A new version of Lutris, the open-source game launcher for Linux, is available to download. For those not acquainted with it, Lutris makes it easier to install, launch, and play games on Linux by integrating multiple gaming platforms, including Steam, GOG, and Humble Bundle (amongst others), into a swish-looking, unified “interface”. Lutris supports native Linux games, Windows games run through compatibility layers like Wine and Proton, and games run using emulators. Through one UI, gamers can manage their libraries, install dependencies, configure graphics settings, and apply tweaks to improve gaming on Linux. Tl;dr think of Lutris like the Rhythmbox of
#News #Gaming #Lutris
‘Significant Changes’ to PPAs Coming in Ubuntu 23.10
The way PPAs are managed is changing in Ubuntu 23.10. A new version of the software-properties package is rolling out to Mantic Minotaur daily builds. The update makes brings a “significant change” to the way personal package archives (better known as PPAs) are managed on Ubuntu systems. What’s changing? Well, in current versions of Ubuntu when you add a PPA (via the command line — you can add them via Software & Updates but I’m not sure how key handling works there) a .list file for the PPA is created in /etc/apt/sources.list.d/, and the corresponding gpg keyring placed at /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d.
#News #Development #ManticMinotaur #Ppas #Ubuntu23_10
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/significant-changes-to-ppas-coming-in-ubuntu-23-10
System76’s COSMIC Desktop Already Looks Out of this World
When System76 announced plans to create its own desktop environment I’ll admit I did wonder if they could pull it off. It’s not that I doubt the company’s software development prowess or engineering nous (the stellar success of Pop!_OS with its homegrown embellishments prove they’re capable). It’s more that desktop environments are beastly, sprawling, labyrinthine affairs. But judging by the progress they’re making thus far, it seems there’s little for me to worry about! In a spring update on their blog, System76 share a set of screenshots that show the Rust-based roots of their wannabe workspace are already blooming nicely.
#News #Cosmic #PopOs #Rust #System76
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/system76-cosmic-desktop-may-update
Microsoft Wants Firefox to Ditch Google, Switch to Bing
Here’s a (hopefully toy) cat to toss amongst the pigeons – Microsoft is rumoured to be eyeing up a deal to make Bing the default search engine in Mozilla Firefox. The rumour, by way of The Information, claims senior Microsoft execs are hoping to seal a deal with Mozilla to make Bing the default search engine this year, just as the browser’s existing big-bucks deal with Google is due for renewal. Now, this browser making a search engine switch isn’t new news; Mozilla tested Microsoft’s Bing as Firefox’s default search engine back back in 2021; and those with longer memories
#News #Firefox #Microsoft #Mozilla #WebBrowsers
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/microsoft-wants-firefox-to-ditch-google-switch-to-bing
Ubuntu 23.04 Now Supports StarFive’s Powerful RISC-V Computer
Ubuntu 23.04 is now officially available for StarFive’s VisionFive 2, a powerful RISC-V single-board computer. Canonical worked with StarFive’s engineering team to create an optimised version of the latest Ubuntu release for use on the VisionFive 2. This single-board computer (SBC) boasts greater performance than the first-generation model (which Ubuntu also supported) thanks in part to its inclusion of an integrated GPU – the first RISC-V board to offer one. RISC-V is a burgeoning and exciting area of open computing. StarFive’s boards provide developers interested in furthering that work, be it on software or hardware engineering sides, with an accessible
#News #Canonical #Hardware #Risc-V #Starfive
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/ubuntu-23-04-risc-v-support
Chromium Fan? Canonical and Intel Team Up for Hardware Accelerated Build
If you run Ubuntu on a laptop or PC with 7th-generation Intel chips or later and you’re a fan of the Chromium browser, Canonical has something for you. It has partnered with Intel to create a Chromium snap that boasts hardware accelerated video decoding and encoding. Thus, the bespoke build offers better performance and extends battery life for Kaby Lake (7th Gen) and newer platforms when using VP8, VP9, and H.264 codecs. And those codecs are pretty ubiquitous in online content. So what’s the “catch? Well, for the moment this souped-up snap is a “beta” and not 100% ready for
#News #Chromium #HardwareAcceleration #Intel #SnapApps #Snaps
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/chromium-snap-hardware-acceleration-beta
