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
New Firefox Update Makes Picture-in-Picture Mode WAY More Useful
A new version of Mozilla Firefox is rolling out across Windows, macOS and, more importantly to us, Linux. Firefox 113 is an interesting update that enhances the browser’s capabilities in a number of areas. While none are the kind of singular upsells that might convince someone to switch browser, they nonetheless add further finesse for fans of this famous FOSS browser to enjoy. So what’s got me most excited? You know how Firefox has a very useful picture-in-picture mode (PIP) that lets you “pop out” videos on select streaming sites (like YouTube) so you can watch content while you’re doing
#News #AppUpdates #Firefox
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/firefox-113-released-etc
We’re Off – Ubuntu 23.10 Daily Builds Available to Download
Ubuntu 23.10 daily builds are now available to download. Having given the next release a magnificent mythical codename and opened the archives for development, developers have now spun up the first daily builds of Ubuntu 23.10 and made them available to download. As I said in my post when Ubuntu 23.10 development kicked off, it’s still too early in the development cycle for any substantive changes (beyond initial sync) to show. So if you’re sat salivating at the prospect of sampling a swathe of new and exciting stuff — sorry, you’ll have to wait a bit longer for that 😉. Daily
#News
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/ubuntu-23-10-daily-builds-available
How to Create a Wi-Fi Hotspot on Ubuntu
In this guide I show you how to create a wifi hotspot on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS and the recent Ubuntu 23.04 release. Why would you want to do this? Well, before able to share your internet connection with other people (though more commonly, other devices) is a basic feature that most operating systems (desktop and mobile) offer. Ubuntu is no different. The most common use case for this is sharing a wired internet connection from a PC or laptop as a wireless connection that other devices (e.g., mobiles, tablets, etc) can connect to wirelessly. You need to have some kind
#HowTo #UbuntuBasics #Wifi
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/create-wifi-hotspot-on-ubuntu
Want More Wallpapers in Ubuntu? Install GNOME Backgrounds
Wallpapers – you know I love ’em. Ubuntu 23.04 comes with a small selection of (largely lobster themed) wallpapers out of the box. The choice is neither vast nor varied so you may find yourself looking for some additional ones to liven up your desktop. Well, one fast and easy way to quickly add more high-quality wallpapers to Ubuntu is to install the gnome-backgrounds package. This is available in the Ubuntu repos, though you’ll need to install it using the command line as Ubuntu Software doesn’t show a result for it). This package contains the “official” GNOME wallpaper which you’ll
#HowTo #EyeCandy #Gnome #Wallpapers
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/install-gnome-backgrounds-on-ubuntu
Development Opens on Ubuntu 23.10 ‘Mantic Minotaur’
We’re ago — development has opened on Ubuntu 23.10 “Mantic Minotaur”. “We’re pleased to announce that kinetic is now open for development. auto-sync has been enabled and will run soon”, Ubuntu’s Graham Inggs’ writes in a post on Ubuntu’s main development mailing list. “As usual, we expect a large influx of builds and autopkgtests in this initial period, which will cause delays. Please help with fixing any breakage that occurs,” they add. Excited? Haha, don’t be — not yet! At this stage in development there isn’t anything “new” to mention, much less screenshot for your ocular enjoyment. If you’re big
#News #Development #ManticMinotaur #Ubuntu23_10
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/ubuntu-23-04-development-opens
Spotify’s ‘Controversial’ New Design Arrives on Linux
Spotify for Linux user? You’ll notice that the desktop app looks a bit different the next time you open it. The music streaming service, which recently passed 515 million monthly active users, rolled out a redesign of its desktop app on Windows and macOS last week. That revamp is now hitting the official Spotify for Linux client too (it appears to be a server-side change rather than a specific client update). Don’t panic unnecessarily because, as redesigns go, this one isn’t that bad — though (naturally) not everyone is a fan… The “big ticket” item is the revamped sidebar, which
#News #Spotify
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/spotify-desktop-app-redesign-2023
Bavarder is a ChatGPT App for Linux Desktops
Fancy talking to ChatGPT from your Linux desktop without needing a web browser? Well, using Bavarder (if I’ve spelt it right) you can. This new app is written in Python and GTK4/libadwaita and its premise is simple: ask ChatGPT something, receive a reply, then quickly copy the answer (or your question) to the clipboard to paste elsewhere. As the user interface is delightfully straightforward you won’t need an AI (or a half-rate blogger) to understand it. You type your query in the top box, hit the blue send button, then wait for a reply in the bottom. You can edit
#News
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/bavarder-chatgpt-linux-app
Linux Mint 21.2 Makes Tooltips & Notifications More Colourful
Linux Mint 21.2 is be the next major update to this popular Ubuntu-based Linux distribution and, when it arrives, it’ll be sporting some In his latest monthly update, Linux Mint’s lead developer details work done to improve the look of tooltips, making them more consistent between apps and within the Cinnamon desktop. Right now, in Linux Mint 21.1 and earlier, the appearance of tooltips will differ depending on the app toolkit. Keen to harmonise the aesthetic, Linux Mint 21.2 colours tooltips based on the system’s chosen accent colour. Since Mint’s default accent colour is blue tooltips will default, in the
#News #Cinnamon #LinuxMint
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/linux-mint-21-2-tooltip-notification-tweaks
Add an Audio Panel to Quick Settings in GNOME 44
Ubuntu 23.04 ships with GNOME 44 and if, like some, you’d prefer to access MPRIS controls from there, there’s an extension on hand to help. Quick Settings Audio Panel is a new GNOME extension designed for GNOME 44. Its task is simple: create a dedicated audio section in the Quick Settings menu and move audio-related controls there. The master volume slider (and microphone slider, though doesn’t stay permanently visible) are moved into a separate section that at the bottom of the Quick Settings ajar from the rest. The MPRIS control applet also moves from the Notification/Calendar shade and into this
#News #GnomeExtensions
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/quick-settings-audio-panel-gnome-extension
Ubuntu 18.04 Standard Support Ends This Month
Ubuntu 18.04 ‘Bionic Beaver’ was a bountiful release that brought a bunch of brilliant improvements to the fore — but alas, the end is nigh. Well, kind of. Ubuntu 18.04 hits end-of-life on May 31, 2023 — but, importantly, it only affects standard support. Ubuntu Pro Subscribers get Extended Support Maintenance (ESM) on Ubuntu 18.04 for a further 5 years, pushing the Beaver’s true EOL date out to 2028. Not sure which support you get? Then you almost certainly have standard support. Ubuntu Pro is not automatic but something you have to specifically sign-up for it (it’s free for personal
#News #BionicBeaver #Eol #Ubuntu18_04Lts
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/05/ubuntu-18-04-end-of-support
‘App Hider’ is a GNOME Extension That, Err, Lets You Hide Apps
Sometimes I come across an app, a script, or an extension that does something pretty minor that most people — even myself, sometimes — won’t have need for. And… I kinda want to write about it. Typically, I don’t because the sort of comments those posts get puts me off. Some folks assume that if I blog about something I’m somehow trying to suggest it’s “the best” for a given task. That is rarely the case; I simply like to showcase choice, make people aware of alternatives, surface different ways of doing things, and so on. But today I thought:
#News #GnomeExtensions
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/04/hide-application-gnome-shell-extension
Ubuntu 23.10 Codename Revealed as “Mantic Minotaur”
The Ubuntu 23.10 codename has been revealed — and it’s a marvellous moniker. As per Launchpad, home of Ubuntu development, Ubuntu 23.10 is codenamed “Mantic Minotaur”. This Machiavellian mandate may manifest as a milestone worthy of …Nope, I’m running out of words beginning with M — but what does it mean? Well, ‘Mantic‘ is an adjective relating to divination or prophecy. A ‘Minotaur‘ is, as I’m sure most of you know, a mythical creature from Greek legend shaped half like a man and half like a bull. Together they mean… Well, nothing. Ubuntu codenames no longer carry the kind of
#News #Codename #Ubuntu23_10
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/04/ubuntu-23-10-codename-revealed
3 Ways to Fix Pip Install Error on Ubuntu 23.04
If you’ve made the upgrade to Ubuntu 23.04 and try to run ‘pip install’ you’ll notice it now throws an error – but it’s not a bug. The reason why the pip install command doesn’t work in Ubuntu 23.04 is an intentional shift in policy (also taken in Ubuntu’s upstream, Debian) to avoid conflicts between the Python package manager and Ubuntu’s underlying APT. Basically, you can’t run pip install outside a virtual environment in Ubuntu 23.04. If you try to, you get a “externally managed environment” error similar to this: The good news is that there are a number of
#News #Pipx #Python #Ubuntu23_04
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/04/pip-install-error-externally-managed-environment-fix
How to Enable AppImage Support in Ubuntu 23.04
If you’re an avid user of AppImages wondering why they don’t appear to work in Ubuntu 23.04, I’ve got you covered. But maybe you don’t know there was an issue? On earlier versions of Ubuntu you download an .appimage, mark it executable (i.e. give it permission to run through the file manager’s Properties dialog), then double-click on it to open it. The app appears, you use it, everyone’s happy. In Ubuntu 23.04 you can’t do that. Lest anyone’s face redden, the reason why they don’t work is not down to any kind of ideological-imposed limitation. Rather, Ubuntu 23.04 uses a
#HowTo #Appimages #Ubuntu23_04
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/04/appimages-libfuse2-ubuntu-23-04
Linux Kernel 6.3 Released, This is What’s New
A new version of the Linux kernel is out with an assortment of hardware, performance, and security improvements. Announcing the release of Linux 6.3 over on Linux kernel mailing list (LKML) Linus Torvalds remarked “…here we are, right on schedule, with the 6.3 release out and ready for your enjoyment”. So what’s new? Let’s take a breezy whip through the new n’ notable. Linux 6.3: New Features As you’d expect Linux kernel 6.3 features a ton of enablement and support for upcoming and yet-to-be-released CPUs and graphics hardware from Intel and AMD. As exciting (and necessary) as these are they’re
#News
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/04/linux-kernel-6-3-features
Google Chrome 114 Will Respect Dark Mode on Linux
If you use Google Chrome (or Chromium, before anyone hisses) you may have noticed that websites you visit in it don’t respect your dark mode preference on Linux. The window chrome totally matches, but the content of web pages and chrome://urls (which do support dark mode) don’t change. Here’s an example in Google Chrome 112 (which at the time of writing is the most recent stable release). When I load the redesigned Flathub website with dark mode enabled on my system the website content remains light despite supporting the prefers-color-scheme media query: Light remains the default when loading other websites
#News #DarkMode #Development #GoogleChrome
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2023/04/google-chrome-114-will-respect-dark-mode-on-linux
