Firefox I Love You, But Shut Up (aka How to Disable Firefox Recommendations)
Before I get going let me say: I think Firefox is a fantastic browser and a ton of great people work on it. It’s does amazing things. I’d scare myself if I tried imagining what the modern web landscape would look like without it. However… I’m really sick of opening Firefox every morning and being smacked in the face by this: I get it: you have a VPN. These days, who doesn’t?! But do I really need to be told about it every time I open the browser. Literally, every single time I open the browser I am shown a 
#Editorial #HowTo #Firefox
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/disable-firefox-recommendations-mozilla-vpn
GNOME is Exploring a New ‘Quick Settings’ Feature
I’d wager that most people find GNOME Shell easy to use out-of-the-box — after all, simplicity its part of GNOME’s calling card. But is there room for improvement? Always, and GNOME’s design team think so too. They’re exploring how to make accessing commonly used settings (like screen brightness, wireless network, and dark mode) in GNOME Shell even easier than it is now. They’ve produced a bunch of mockups and even an animation for the feature they call “quick settings”. Before we look at all of that juicy stuff I need to unfurl a testy disclaimer: The mockups you see in
#Dev #Gnome #Mockups #QuickSettings
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/gnome-shell-quick-settings-concept
Enlightenment Desktop Update Brings a New Look, Fingerprint Support + More
Fans of the Enlightenment desktop need to check out the new Enlightenment 0.25 release. It includes a new look, fingerprint support, and more.
#News #DesktopEnvironments #Enlightenment
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/enlightenment-desktop-0-25-release
Maui Shell Offers a Beautiful Vision for the Future of Linux
The Maui Project recently shared designs for a new convergent Linux shell that aims to work on mobile devices and regular desktops — and it’s really fired my imagination. Now, “convergent” Linux UIs aren’t new. Ubuntu tried (and failed) to materialise its idea of one with Unity 8. What would be new is a convergent Linux shell that’s actually realised in real, usable, working code. KDE Plasma (with Plasma Mobile) and GNOME (with Phosh) are standout stars headed in that direction, so there’s plenty of momentum that Maui Shell, which is rooted in KDE technologies, can take advantage of. If
#Dev #News #Convergence #Kde #Maui
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/maui-shell-convergent-desktop-for-linux-devices
Darktable 3.8 Released with Huge Set of Changes, New Modules + More
Major improvements are on offer in the latest release of Darktable, an open source alternative to Adobe Lightroom. This pro photography tool traditionally issues a new stable release on December 24 and 2021 is no exception. Those unfamiliar with this highly-regarded tool will find more details on its capabilities in the comprehensive online manual. This update lets users control Darktable using MIDI controllers and even game pads Rather notably, Darktable 3.8.0 introduces an overhaul of its keyboard shortcut system. The revamp enables users to control Darktable using novel input devices such as MIDI controllers and even game pads. “Standard keyboard/mouse
#News #AppUpdates #Darktable #PhotographyTools
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/darktable-3-8-released-with-huge-set-of-changes-new-modules-more
Audacity Gives User a Xmas Gift: 50x Faster Project Loading
Major performance improvements are wrapped inside of the latest update to Audacity, the premiere open source audio editing suite. Loading in projects is said to be as much as 50x faster in Audacity 3.1.3 compared to the Audacity 3.1.0 release outed back in October (a release which delivered a bevy of performance boosts itself). Elsewhere, a couple of new shortcuts are introduced in Audacity 3.1.3: shift + L to set loop to selection, and alt + shift + L to clear loop. They’ve also made it harder to accidentally create loop regions when attempting to use Timeline Quick Play —
#News #AppUpdates #Audacity
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/audacity-gives-user-a-xmas-gift-50x-faster-project-loading
My Top 5 Linux Distro Releases of 2021
It's been a good year for Linux distros with plenty of highlights and few surprises throughout the year. But here are my picks for best Linux distro 2021.
#Feature #List #BestOf2021 #Distros #Fedora #LinuxMint #Manjaro #ZorinOs
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/best-linux-distro-releases-in-2021
Krita’s Xmas Update Adds a TON of New Features
Open source graphics app Krita has a colossal new release out, just in time for your Christmas-break creativity. Krita 5.0 is billed as “a huge release, with a lot of new features and improvements” including revamped handling of brushes, gradients and palettes, a new brush engine, and a built-in storyboard editor for animations (yes, Krita can do animation as well as digital painting). Additionally, Krita’s animation capabilities are super-charged by a crop of user interface improvements and the inclusion of several new features, including clone frames and animated transform masks. Krita 5.0 may even help you realise your ambition of
#News #AppUpdates #Appimages #Graphicsapps #Krita
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/krita-5-0-release-with-new-features
Need a Thunderbird Tray Icon on Ubuntu? Try BirdTray
Thunderbird is Ubuntu’s default e-mail client but it’s not the most well integrated of tools — at least, not by default. For instance, some Linux apps (e.g., Telegram) show an unread count on the Ubuntu dock while the app is running. This makes it easy to see, for instance, how many unread messages you have. Thunderbird doesn’t do this. But this is open source software, so you’re not out of options. One way to keep tabs on new mail as it arrives in Thunderbird is to install the BirdTray tool. BirdTray is free, open source software that’s available to install
#Apps #Birdtray #EmailClient #Thunderbird
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/thunderbird-tray-icon-ubuntu
elementary OS 6.1 Released, This is What’s New
We look at elementary OS 6.1 "Jólnir", which is available to download. An improved App Center experience and new Alt + Tab switcher is among the changes.
#Download #News #Distros #Elementary
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/elementary-os-6-1-released-see-whats-new
GRUB Not Showing Windows on Your Ubuntu Dual Boot? Here’s a Fix
I bought a new ‘distro testing’ laptop in the Black Friday sale last month (don’t get carried away, it cost me £200 and a lot of headaches) but I only installed Ubuntu 22.04 on it this weekend — and instantly hit a snag. See, normally when I install Ubuntu alongside Windows as a dual-boot system Ubuntu will add the GRUB boot loader and that boot loader will contain an option to boot Windows (or technically boot into the Windows boot manager) — But this time that didn’t happen. Instead, after I had finished installing Ubuntu and rebooted I could only
#Editorial #HowTo #Comments #Dualboot #Grub #Windows10 #Windows11
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/grub-doesnt-detect-windows-linux-distros-fix
‘Useless Gaps’ Adjusts Space Between Snapped Windows in GNOME Shell
Do you want the aesthetics of i3-gaps but without the i3 bit? If so, that’s exactly what the wryly titled ‘Useless Gaps’ GNOME extension gives you. The dev says of their creation that it adds “useless gaps around tiled and maximized windows”. This is similar to the sort of look you get with a tiling-window manager (like i3-gaps, AwesomeWM, etc), but inside of GNOME Shell. The ‘Useless Gaps’ extension is designed for GNOME 40 and up. It will work on older versions of GNOME Shell (I used it on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS) but, as is the case with many modern
#Download #Gaps #GnomeExtensions #WindowSnapping
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/adjust-snapped-window-gaps-in-gnome-shell
Ubuntu 22.04 Really Hopes You Like the Colour Orange…
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS is going to be very orange. I didn’t want to write about this change quite so soon as a) it’s not finished or final and b) the code hasn’t landed in Ubuntu 22.04 daily builds yet. However, people have noticed and I don’t want to look like I’m behind 💁🏻♂️. So, you may remember that last cycle Ubuntu’s community-based design team were instructed to remove purple (aka aubergine) from the Yaru GTK theme (as it is being dropped from the Ubuntu colour palette). While the great ‘de-purpling’ task didn’t end up happening in time for Indri it
#Dev #News #Ubuntu22_04Lts #Yaru
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/ubuntu-22-04-yaru-theme-orange-refresh
How to Add Falling Snow to Your Ubuntu Desktop
an animated gif of snow falling on the ubuntu desktop
#Download #HowTo #EyeCandy #Fluff #GnomeExtensions #Xmas
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/ubuntu-desktop-falling-snow-effect
Quickly Find, Download, and Update AppImages with this Neat Tool
If you like App Images and want an easier way to find, download, and update them, check out AppImage Pool. This app is pretty cool — come see!
#Download #Appimages
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/appimage-pool-for-linux-desktops
Compiz’s Iconic Window Closing ‘Fire’ Effect Comes to GNOME Shell
First came a GNOME extension reimplementing wobbly windows, then we saw the return of the cool 3D desktop cube effect — now comes the final part of the holy Compiz trinity: window fire. Intent on inducing nostalgia amongst Linux users of a certain vintage, developer Simon Schneegans (of GNOME Pie/Fly Pie fame) has taken time to recreate Compiz’s iconic window close effect as a GNOME extension. Just like the effect of old the new one is: Excessive ✔ Showy ✔ Useless ✔ And also: Totally cool ✔ While this effect (like many others) is available on other window managers/desktop environments,
#Download #HowTo #News #Compiz #EyeCandy #GnomeExtensions
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/enable-compiz-fire-effect-on-window-close-linux
Pop!_OS is Now Available for the Raspberry Pi 4
Pop!_OS is now available for the Raspberry Pi. The sweetly-named Pop!_Pi is available to download as a ‘tech preview’ alongside the new Pop!_OS 21.10 release from System76. Now, there are a few caveats. While Pop!_Pi is the first version of Pop!_OS to be available for Raspberry Pi devices it doesn’t support all Raspberry Pi Models. The Pop!_Pi tech preview caters to the ‘desktop class’ Raspberry Pi 4 board (which regular Ubuntu also supports). If you use Linux (whatever flavour) you’ll have no doubt heard of the Raspberry Pi even if you haven’t ever used one. The line of cheap mini-computers
#Dev #News #PopOs #RaspberryPi #System76
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/pop_os-is-now-available-for-the-raspberry-pi
Pop!_OS 21.10 Released with New App Library Feature + More
System76 have slipped in to their Santa suits to deliver Linux users an early festive treat: Pop!_OS 21.10. Yes, the latest version of their Ubuntu-based Linux distro is available to download. It includes a new Linux kernel, the bulk of GNOME 40, a new App Library feature (more on that in a mo) and refinements to its (handy) OS restore options. Notwithstanding a recent red-faced encounter with a tech YouTuber, Pop!_OS has proven a popular choice with Linux gamers since launching in 2017. Part of the reason is that this distro offers a newer Linux kernel and more recent graphics
#News #Distros #PopOs #System76
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/pop-os-21-10-released-new-features
Kdenlive Video Editor Gets a Blockbuster Update (Yes, New Pro Features)
Video editing on Linux is in a great place thanks to open source software like Kdenlive. And today it just got even better. Kdenlive is already the go-to video editor for Linux desktops, and today’s monster new release front-loaded with pro features is only going to cement that fact further. The non-linear editor now boasts native multi-cam editing, gains an enhanced noise reduction filter, and intros Slip trimming mode (an editing technique favoured by many professional editors who say it speeds up their workflow). Slip trim is an exciting addition on its own, but it isn’t the only advanced editing
#News #AppUpdates #Kdenlive #VideoEditors
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/kdenlive-21-12-video-editor-release-new-features
Linux Mint 20.3 Beta Arrives with New Look, New App
Grab your testing pants ‘cos the Linux Mint 20.3 beta is available to download. Mint hasn’t formally announced the beta yet but the omg! tip box has been hammered with links to the Linux Mint 20.3 beta .iso from readers — it’s appreciated! — so I felt I better pass the news on! The final stable release of Linux Mint 20.3 is due before for Christmas (possibly on the 18th or the 25th, according to internet chatter). This beta build arrives ahead of that to give devs a chance to iron out any unexpected creases. So what’s new? I’ll take
#Dev #Download #Beta #Cinnamon #Distros #LinuxMint #LinuxMint20_3
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2021/12/download-the-linux-mint-20-3-beta-right-now
