Sparkling gems and new releases from the world of Free and Open Source Software
FOSSPicks
This month Graham looks at Firefly Synth, Faircamp, Gnome Web, GPlates, Flowblade, CorsixTH, and more!
After 88 issues, and over 1,000 individual picks, this is Graham's last FOSSPicks after finally deciding to pass the baton to the next generation of FOSS-picking practitioners.
Polyphonic sound generation
Firefly Synth
This wouldn't be FOSSPicks without a new open source software synthesizer, and this time it's Firefly Synth's turn – which isn't a synth designed to recreate the sound of flying insects. Instead, it's capable of producing a huge range of powerfully complex sounds, from beautifully warm analog strings and brass-like melodies to percussion and eardrum-piercing leads. It does all this from a user interface totally unlike any other software synth, replacing skeuomorphism with practical and instant access to dozens of its features. The only downside is that there are so many features, it's difficult to cram them all into the user interface, making it all look more complicated than it really is.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
KDE Sets Ambitious Goals for 2026 and Beyond
KDE Connect reveals the goals for the Linux desktop darling, with one of those goals long overdue.
-
It’s Time to Test Fedora 45 Beta
Fedora 45 beta has been released with updated Gnome, KDE Plasma, and kernel.
-
Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier
Ubuntu 26.10 has completed its migration to the Rust-based coreutils.
-
AI Fixes Linux Bottlenecks Using “Hideous” Code
A Linux developer used AI to fix bottlenecks that caused problems when building the kernel. The resulting AI-generated code needed a lot of work.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices
With continued DRAM and eMMC shortages, Pine64 has decided to discontinue production of Linux devices.