Features
Free as in Really Free
Exploring the FSF's free distributions for the desktop
The Free Software Foundation maintains a list of GNU/Linux distributions that meet their strict standards for free software – and your distro probably doesn't qualify. Meet the distros that pass the test.
Data Collector
A Bash DIY data extraction tool
With some simple Bash commands, you can gather, parse, and filter text data into CSV files ready for your favorite statistical application.
A Kinder dd
Creating bootable images in a GUI
Kindd offers a GUI alternative to the ubiquitous dd command-line tool, offering a risk-free option for transferring bootable images to USB sticks.
Above the Clouds
Free FlightGear flight simulator
The free flight simulator FlightGear has improved in terms of stability and realism in recent years and offers joystick pilots massive potential for fun.
Shedding Weight
A lean distro for 32-bit processors
For older computers with 32-bit processors, BunsenLabs Helium offers a lean alternative to popular Linux distributions. Our lab investigates how well the system performs on antiquated hardware.
Tutorial – Printing in the Shell
From disk to paper
A few commands and some simple shell scripts make it easier to manage your printer so that you can access print functions quickly and automate recurring tasks.
What's Old Is New
Reviving old tools and games with FreeDOS
The FreeDOS Project turned 25 years old this year. We'll show you why a free version of DOS is still cool in 2020.
Interview – The FreeBSD Foundation
Meet the FreeBSD Foundation
As the FreeBSD Foundation approaches its 20th anniversary, we talk to its top brass about the project's growing visibility in the open source ecosystem.
Picture This
Drawing diagrams with PlantUML
With PlantUML, you can quickly create all kinds of diagrams using human-readable text and reuse them anywhere.
Touch and Go
Managing and provisioning VMs
With Vagrant, you can automate the creation and management of consistent virtual machines that work across platforms.
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News
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Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent
Brazilian patent BRPI0109962B1 has expired, which means that DivX and Xvid are no longer problematic for Linux, but it doesn’t mean that video is all of a sudden fully unleashed.
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2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release
Thanks to AI bug hunters, the Linux kernel is seeing record numbers of vulnerabilities, and it's overwhelming developers.
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Linux Exempt from California’s Age Verification Law
So long as Linux is distributed under the GPL, MIT, BSD, and Apache licenses, the OS is exempt from being required to verify the age of its users in California.
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Roll Out the Cake: Linux Turns 35
35 years ago, a Finnish student began a humble project that would forever change the course of technology.
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China Switching from Windows to Linux
China has ordered several government agencies to drop a Chinese-developed version of Windows 10 in favor of either KylinOS or UOS.
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Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.
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The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming
KDE, Techpaladin, and Kubuntu Focus have announced a new initiative that will provide at least three years of support for KDE Plasma 6.6 LTS and related software.
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Linux Mint Shares a Possible Kernel Cleanup Solution
For those on Linux Mint who like to keep multiple kernels around but don't want them to take up too much space, you might be getting a new automated tool.
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CachyOS Gets an Update
CachyOS August 2026 release is now available with the latest version of KDE, some new features, and plenty of improvements.
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The Linux Kernel Dev Staging Area Now Rejects AI-Generated Patches
Unless a kernel patch is a valid security fix, it will be rejected if it was created using AI.