Table of contents for Summer 2024 in Linux Format

On 18th June, Framework announced plans to introduce a DeepComputing RISC-V mainboard powered by a StarFive JH7110 processor. The main blog article notes that this is a huge step forward for Framework, as well as an opportunity to make RISC-V more accessible. This is ironic, given that at the time of writing, the mainboard is out of stock, but interested parties can opt for an email notification when it becomes available for purchase. The JH7110 processor has four U74 RISC-V cores from SiFive, a company that uses the RISC-V ISA. StarFive integrates said CPU cores with other peripherals, while DeepComputing created the mainboard capable of leveraging the processor. Framework, in turn, is making the laptops that use this mainboard. While this may sound rather anarchic, the article points out that…

No Etchings This issue keeps happening every time I try to transfer the Pop!_OS ISO into my USB – whenever I click Flash From File, it stops for a minute or two and just displays an error opening the source. I’ve done almost everything – running the app as admin, changing files, and so on. The error code is ‘(0, h.requestMetadata) is not a function’ – can you tell me what’s going on to get this working? Adam Edge Neil says… There’s been reports of issues with certain builds of Etcher in the past – was this the stable build off the front page? I can see there’s been reported issues for 1.19.x releases, so it’s certainly not you. There’s always the legacy 32-bit build that’s version 1.7.9 – it’s…

Ultramarine is based on Fedora and, like its parent, follows a stable release cycle. The latest version is based on Fedora 40 and existing Fedora users can switch by way of a migration script, as opposed to installing Ultramarine from scratch. The site’s comprehensive wiki explains that the OS was created out of “frustration with the legal limits of Fedora”. Being based in Thailand, the developers aren’t restricted by US software patents, so can offer more packages. The result is a more user-friendly distro than plain old Fedora. For instance, Ultramarine allows users to install packages via its own Terra repository, RPM Fusion and Flathub. We focused on the Flagship Edition, which bundles the Budgie desktop environment, but alternative spins are available with Gnome, Xfce and Plasma. (The latter spin…

Like Gnoppix, Berry Linux was once based on Knoppix. These days, it’s based on the latest version of Fedora (in this case, Fedora 40). This distro’s USP is that while it does support persistent installation to USB, it’s primarily designed to run as a live distro. Both ISO and IMG files are available, though when we visited the site’s download page, there were no direct links to the latest version (1.39). After some scrolling, we happened upon a SourceForge link (https://sourceforge.net/projects/berryos/) that contained the latest release in the Files section. As it was created by a Japanese developer, it’s available in both Japanese and English. On first boot, you are offered a choice of languages. The project website describes Berry as both lightweight and lightning fast. This is borne out…

As well as individual-to-individual messaging facilities, each of these chat systems contains at least some support for groups. Group facilities can mean community chat based around common interests or business discussions for a given workgroup. Telegram group chats benefit from the popularity of the overall platform, and we were able to find plenty of groups concerning topics such as Linux, current events or hobbies. Its popularity in the world of group discussions means that Telegram is a social network in its own right. The features for private chat among groups that you create or join are strong, too. Gamer-driven group chat is the first thing most people think of when they think of Discord, but the groups that exist are plentiful and cover every possible subject, such as medical discussions,…

Jami is peer to peer without a centralised server. It uses end-to-end encryption and is open source, so experts can examine the code. Not being based around a server has advantages, but limits functionality in terms of finding users. Discord relies on a central server, connected to by desktop and mobile clients. The inner workings of the clients and server are secret as the source is closed. Discord’s popularity means it’s a target for hackers, and the server has been compromised more than once. When you delve into the public group chat servers, you start to lose control of who you’re rubbing shoulders with. Element uses end-to-end encryption and is open source, both marks in its favour. Rather than using a centralised server, it’s decentralised using the Matrix protocol. For…

You’ve probably seen adverts for at least three VPN providers on your favourite YouTube channel. No doubt the presenter will have extolled the privacy and security virtues of their benevolent sponsor (perhaps while conflating those terms), imploring you to sign up with a bespoke discount code. Maybe you signed up a year ago, have just been stung for another year at full price, and are wondering what you’re really paying for (or if you should really trust that YouTube personality). Perhaps you sometimes have to use a VPN for work, and wonder how this relates to the consumer VPNs for which your favourite tech review site is peppered with referral links [stop mocking TechRadar; the execs will cancel us – ed]. A VPN is a proxy that routes all or…

Nord offers an unmatched blend of features, speed, unblocking and value. Not only is it half the price of ExpressVPN, it also has more features compared to Surfshark, its two nearest rivals. NordVPN offers all the industry-standard features you’d expect. Log into the app, select a location, and you can connect to servers all over the world instantly – encrypting all your web traffic and changing your IP address in the simple click of a button. It’s easy to use, even for beginners, and has all the advanced features you’d expect if you’re more experienced. With a kill switch and an auto-connect function, you automatically connect to a VPN server when you boot it up, and if the connection drops, Nord automatically quarantines your internet traffic. That’s essential if you…

All VPN providers claim to be security experts, but few can match Swiss-based Proton’s experience and track record. The company has run popular end-to-end encrypted email service Proton Mail since 2014, and its other products include a secure calendar and encrypted cloud storage. A lengthy feature list ensures the service scores just about everywhere. Proton VPN is P2P-friendly, supports up to 10 simultaneous connections, has a kill switch, DNS leak protection, and built-in Tor support for accessing Onion sites. A versatile split-tunnelling system allows you to route specific app or destination IP traffic outside of the VPN, and WireGuard support aims to get you the best possible performance. ProtonVPN’s free service has dropped its ability to choose locations, so now all you can do is hit a Fastest button and…

The beauty of note-taking apps is that they enable you to quickly put your thoughts down before they become lost in the sea of other thoughts. Linux users are spoilt for choice when it comes to note-taking applications, while some people prefer the comfort of a good old notes.txt file, created and continually populated with their favourite text editor. A good note-taking utility, however, can help you tag your notes and even search for particular notes. If you work across various platforms and devices, though, and want to keep your random thoughts in sync, you should try Joplin. Joplin stands out from most of its peers because it supports various devices and platforms. You can install it on Linux, Mac and Windows, and there are apps for Android and Apple…

UK reader turn to p16 2 GREAT WAYS TO SUBSCRIBE Print + NEW digital access ordigital-only! » USA From $135.49 For 13 issues » REST OF THE WORLD From $135.49 For 13 issues » EUROPE From €119.49 For 13 issues IT’S EASY TO SUBSCRIBE! Visit www.magazinesdirect.com/linux-format Call +44 0330 333 1113 Lines open Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm GMT Or 1-844-779-2822 Lines open Monday-Friday 8.30am-5pm EST *We don’t actually deliver to the Moon. Yet.…

It’s not something we’ve written about and it wasn’t even part of the launch marketing, but the Steam Deck is capable of ray tracing. We should, however, manage your expectations – though where those expectations might have been in the first place is anyone’s guess – because ray tracing is phenomenally demanding on hardware and the Steam Deck wasn’t tuned to run ray-tracing titles, so frame rates are going to struggle to make double figures. But with the right tweaking, it can be done, as we’ll see. Our main focus is the Nvidia-released Portal RTX. This is a rerelease of the classic 2007 Valve Software game with native Nvidia RTX ray tracing implemented, so it all looks shiny. There’s a couple of things there that should stop you in your…

CLOUD FILE SHARING Parsec Version: 2.17.0 Web: https://parsec.cloud/en/ Parsec is a Dropbox-like online file-sharing service, which prioritises security, and is geared towards collaboration and file transfer. Its Linux client is distributed as a Snap package and is installed with sudo snap install parsec --classic. On first launch, the app prompts you to add a device, which involves creating an organisation. Besides the identifying information, you’re asked if you want to collaborate through Parsec’s servers. You do have the option to roll out your own, but that takes some doing. You’re then asked to choose an authentication method. The no-cost version only offers password authentication. Parsec encrypts data with this password, so don’t forget it. It does allow you to create a recovery device that helps you regain access to your…

Mozilla’s official blog has announced the inclusion of AI features in the latest nightly build. This seems to be the culmination of a number of efforts, given that in late May an experimental AI accessibility feature was introduced to Firefox 130 to generate alt-text for PDF images. Full support for web browsing is also apparently in the pipeline. The blog post stresses that all AI features in the nightly build will be on an opt-in basis only. The initial line-up includes ChatGPT, Google Gemini, HuggingChat and Le Chat Mistral. Read more at: https://tinyurl.com/firefoxai.…

Linux Lite enjoys the distinction of being the only current desktop version of the OS developed in New Zealand, as per Distrowatch. The project goal is “to make the transition from Windows to a Linux-based operating system as smooth as possible”. By way of a sweetener, the main download page lists Linux Lite’s modest system requirements relative to Windows 11. Upon downloading the 2.8GB ISO, we noted that this distro uses Xfce. Clearly some thought has gone into making Linux Lite easy to master for Windows users, given that the task bar contains an easy-to-navigate menu. The bundled apps will also please Microsoft migrants. The inclusion of the Chrome browser is a logical choice, given its popularity with Windows users. Email is managed via Thunderbird, while media playback is effectively…

All the best superhero teams have one thing in common: everyone has their role. While Wolverine’s charging in, claws flashing, Cyclops is up on a ridge shooting down lasers, Iceman is zipping around freezing foes, Jean Grey is delving into a supervillain’s mind, and Colossus is body-blocking energy blasts. That’s what your squad of superheroes feels like in Capes as you direct them in turn-based battles. From teleporter Rebound to psychic Mindfire to speedster Mercurial, each character is wonderfully distinct, and securing victory means combining their unique powers to enhance their strengths and cover their weaknesses. The ‘Capes’ are not typical superheroes, however. They’re based in King City, a near-future metropolis that’s been ruled by supervillains for decades. Under their oppressive regime, powers are outlawed, with any civilian showing signs…

We could have installed Telegram straight from the Linux Mint repository, but that version was fairly out of date. The website hosted links to the Flatpak and Snap packages, and we went with the Flatpak. The Element website had instructions for Linux installation, which amounted to adding a custom repository for Debian-derived distributions. This is a bit limiting, and for this reason, we used Flatpak to install Element, even though the Snap package was also fully up to date. Much the same could be said for the Signal installation situation. The official website gives instructions to add a custom repository that is suitable for Debian-derived distributions by cutting and pasting commands. The Snap and Flathub repositories had fully up-to-date versions, so we installed from Flathub as it was easier. Like…

Discord has a bit of a reputation problem as it’s so strongly associated with gaming. However, it can be used as an instant messenger and a group chat application in pretty much any setting, including serious ones such as business collaboration or software development. Well-organised community chat in text mode is the heart and soul of Discord. For this reason, Discord is one of the most popular hangout tools for Linux software projects. It might be because we’re nerds, but we prefer the IRC-like feel of the text chat for when we want to get into serious discussions. The facilities are also there when you need to go one-on-one with text, voice or video chat. Telegram had the opposite evolution to that of Discord because it’s a mobile phone app…

In the 2010s, consumer VPNs began popping up, and a whole new anxiety-driven market emerged, based largely on half-truths and people’s misunderstanding of how networks work. VPN providers promised their users heightened privacy, a way to circumvent geoblocking (sites that only allowed certain content to be viewed from a particular region) and all manner of other nebulous benefits for a small monthly fee. At a time when ISPs were introducing various blocks (mostly to stop people accessing torrent sites), such services had no problem finding customers. Also, as people grew more savvy to the dangers of using public Wi-Fi, and ‘digital nomad’ became a legitimate profession, their popularity soared. Some of these VPN providers even had free offerings, and it’s here that we find an early example of a VPN…

What’s that little URL that lives at the bottom of the pages of Linux Format? It’s our sister website TechRadar Pro. Those lot have the resources and person-power to continually test and update reviews of all sorts of professional online services, including VPNs. It has zillions of in-depth VPN reviews testing speed, streaming, support, privacy and value. So, to help you get started choosing the best VPN for you, we’ve got TechRadar Pro to suggest six of the best. As technology never stands still, we recommend you keep tabs on www.techradar.com/vpn/best-vpn for updates on who’s offering the best services. Make sure you choose the right VPN for your needs. We can’t tell you which one that is – we can only show you the cream of the crop to help…

A significantly higher monthly subscription price and a more limited feature set compared to NordVPN hold ExpressVPN back, but it’s got plenty to offer anyone in the market for a VPN. It’s a strong choice if you’re concerned about keeping your data safe online, with a widespread selection of servers to pick from, robust security tools and protocols, and excellent speed results. But the main reason we love it so much is because it has the most user-friendly apps of any other service, so it’s a brilliant option if you’re new to VPNs. For the more security-minded user, its hard to argue with ExpressVPN’s offering. Not only does Express have its own bespoke VPN protocol in Lightway, it also offers all the main features provided by Nord, including auto-connect and…

This is an interesting VPN with great value commercial products and loads of features, yet is easy to use, with a generous free plan. An array of apps keeps you covered on Linux, Windows, Mac, Android and iOS. Chrome, Firefox and Edge extensions give you even more ways to connect, and the website has guides to help you set up the service on routers, Kodi, Amazon Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, and via any OpenVPN-compatible software or device. WireGuard, IKEv2 and OpenVPN support with strong AES-256 encryption keep all your VPN tunnel traffic safe from snoopers, while stealth technologies try to obfuscate your VPN usage, perhaps allowing you to get online even in countries that block VPN traffic. Its apps look great and are easy to use for beginners but also…

Once you’ve grasped the fundamentals of your new Linux operating system, you’ll want to start moulding it in your own image. And the good news is that all Linux distros are keen to give you the tools you need to do just that. In this issue’s Linux Basics, we’re looking at what configuration options are available, where to find them, and what settings to choose. Our focus remains on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, but we’ll also reveal where to look in Linux Mint, too. In Ubuntu, everything is in the Settings app, accessible from both the Launcher and the System menu in the top-right corner via the cog-like button. Linux Mint users will find a handy shortcut on the Start menu. You’ll also find shortcuts to specific parts of the Settings…

The internet supports a dizzying mixture of formats and platforms, but of all of them, podcasting perhaps presents the best balance of being informative, entertaining and intimate. Also in its favour, it’s a medium that you can enjoy while doing something else, such as commuting or washing up. The format of a podcast is most commonly audio only and the subject is usually tied to a specific topic, such as gaming or travel. Many of the most successful ones come out weekly and hover between 15 minutes and an hour in length. Podcasts are extremely easy to make, once you learn the basics and get into a routine. Podcasting preliminaries Let’s get down to the basics of what we’re making. A podcast is an audio file that you normally distribute…

In 1989, the father of the internet, Tim Berners-Lee, made a momentous decision. To give HTML and the world’s first web browser to the world freely. Since then, there’s been much speculation about what would have happened if he’d tried to patent his code or web browser. The most likely scenario would be a fragmented internet behind paywalls, which not even Google could access. As we continue to reap the benefits of a relatively open internet, it’s easy to forget the main advantages of embracing Linux and royalty-free code. Even if an open source project is abandoned, as recently happened to Neofetch, the source code is freely available for others to maintain and fork. Sadly, the gods of Microsoft haven’t always read this particular memo. For decades, the company has…

Founded in 1999 OVHcloud is a French web-hosting company with an international presence thanks to over 400,000 servers spread across more than 43 data centres in four continents. As the largest provider in Europe today, OVHcloud offers a wide range of hosting products. OVHcloud is one of the cheapest, if not the cheapest, providers when it comes to shared web hosting. Plans start at just $1.04 per month for the Starter Hosting tier, which gets you 1GB of disk space, a free domain name for the first year, support for one website, free SSL certificate, anti-DDoS protection, and one-click WordPress installation. Interestingly, the shared hosting plans do not come with CDN included; perhaps that’s why they’re so cheap. CDN, which reduces the loading time for your pages, costs an extra…

THIS ISSUE: EU backtracks on chat » RISC-V laptop looks likely » Fedora gets AI trim » MINIX maker marked by award At the start of 2022, the EU Commission proposed the Regulation to Prevent and Combat Child Sexual Abuse. Its stated aims were to prevent the distribution of child sexual abuse material (CSAM) online. But the proposed methods caused controversy. Meredith Whittaker, president of secure messaging service Signal, said as much in a statement released on 17th June entitled “New branding, same scanning.” Whittaker pointed out that in November 2023, the EU Parliament voted to exclude end-to-end encryption from mass surveillance. However, the demand for client-side scanning arose under the name “upload moderation”. The EU narrative seems to run along the lines that end-to-end encryption isn’t compromised by this…

Traditionally, Ubuntu has defaulted to X.org sessions in Gnome due to the proprietary nature of the Nvidia graphics driver. Still, the upcoming Nvidia R555 driver has hugely improved Wayland support. This is most likely why the desktop session in the upcoming 24.10 release of Ubuntu will use Wayland for Nvidia graphics. To this end, in mid-June Ubuntu desktop developer Daniel van Vugt updated the GDM 46.0-2ubuntu2 session manager to remove the rules that make X.org the default for Nvidia. Read more about the Ubuntu 24.10 roadmap at https://tinyurl.com/ubuntu2410discourse.…

Gnoppix was first released in 2005, though it’s only in the past few years that stable versions have been regularly made available for download. Prior to version 2022, the distro was based on Knoppix – a Debian-based distro optimised for running in a live environment. Like Knoppix, Gnoppix is also designed to load into RAM. In fact, the main developer Andreas Mueller was hired by Canonical to import this live functionality into the very first release of Ubuntu in 2004. He discontinued work on Gnoppix, only to resume again during the pandemic. The current version is based on the latest stable release of Debian (Bookworm). According to the project website, the OS is designed for privacy while also incorporating AI features. Given the controversy surrounding Windows’ Recall feature, we were…

Jami » Element » Telegram » Signal » Discord We’re looking at applications that enable you to securely send messages to individuals or groups using your phone or your Linux-powered computer. If you’re an MI6 operative, a software developer who needs to collaborate or simply someone who needs to organise a trip to the pub, you could well make use of one of these apps. As well as being useful one-to-one tools, some of these apps can give access to social network communities that you might have been unaware of. Even better, all the systems we’re looking at offer voice and video chat. Whether it’s the government feds or the megacorps that want to know your every move, we’re big fans of chat systems that keep things secure and private…

All of the systems that we’re looking at here provide a minimum of a mobile phone app (iOS and Android) and desktop applications for all of the major platforms, including Linux. We expect the mobile app to be fast and easy to use when carrying out the core functions of single-user and group chat, although no on-screen keyboard can be as good as the real thing. All of the Linux clients work in a similar way. They install as a desktop application and then provide a windowed environment that offers a similar interface to the mobile phone application. Naturally, we expect a few benefits from running the desktop version of the app compared to the mobile client, beyond the fact that we have ready access to a real keyboard. More…

It’s almost impossible to avoid propaganda and hype about virtual private networks (VPNs). Anywhere you look on the internet there are adverts, advertorials and arguing about why you need (or don’t need) one, which one is best, or how you can prove one isn’t run from someone’s basement. If you buy into all this hyperbole, you’ll be sold on the idea that a VPN will protect you from government spies, nosey ISPs and advertising agencies. Indeed, you’ll be rushing to hand over your card details because this amazingly priced deal won’t last for ever. But stay your hand. There will always be cheap deals, and they will try to bill you for ever. Sadly, all subscription services work this way. Except Linux magazines. Which you’d never want to unsubscribe, from,…

FREE VPN! Based on the previous two pages, you might get the impression that most VPNs are operations run or used by ne’er-do-wells. That might be true, but we didn’t say it. You might well be looking for advice on how to run a VPN on Linux. And if that’s the case, we can help. A number of VPN providers boast Linux support, but on the flip side, we’ve seen anecdotal evidence that this support may not really be all that good. We won’t name any names here, but just because a VPN offers a Linux client, it doesn’t mean your experience using it will be smooth. You also should, as we’ve hinted earlier, be very cautious about running proprietary VPN tools on your machine. Ideally, you want your VPN…

It can be difficult to get a VPN client set up on Linux. The process often requires confidence with the command-line interface. This is why PIA is our top pick for Linux users. With an easy installation process and a fully featured GUI app, PIA makes using a VPN on Linux a breeze. PIA is also excellent for power users who need lots of flexibility regarding installation and configuration. Getting into the settings can be a bit overwhelming for new users – there’s a huge number of features on offer – but if you don’t need all that additional functionality, there’s a nice, simple connect button to get you online. There’s support for an unlimited number of devices, split tunnelling to allow you to choose which apps use the VPN…

Surfshark isn’t just our pick as the best cheap VPN, it’s also a one-stop security suite. It has built-in ad-blocking, antivirus, tracker-free web browsing, and a data breach notifier built-in – not to mention a tool called Alternative ID, which generates a brand new identity and email address to use online to protect you from spam or having your details harvested. It’s premium protection without the price. One of the crown jewels of Surfshark’s features list is Incogni, a service that automates the process of requesting the deletion of personal data stored by data brokers and advertising companies. This gives users a chance to push back and reclaim at least some of their digital privacy from invasive data-tracking practices. Surfshark also offers other security features, such as Camouflage Mode, its…

Since 1998, PDF (Portable Document Format) files have been available as an open standard, no longer subject to the proprietary whims of Adobe. Still, even after a quarter of a century, Adobe Reader remains one of the most popular programs for viewing and annotating PDF documents. Although there are open source Linux alternatives, not all of these have the comprehensive features offered by Adobe software. In this guide, we’re going to explore some popular options for viewing, creating and editing PDFs in Linux. We’ll also touch on more advanced features, such as digital signatures. Taking the easy way out Although there’s no native Adobe Reader/Acrobat software for Linux, the company does offer an online PDF editor. To get started, point your browser to www.adobe.com/acrobat/online/pdf-editor.html. This is certainly one of the…

Google is the king of search engines, and there is no doubt that most of the SEO industry revolves around it for marketing and sales. For this purpose, Google has a set of tools that help digital marketers analyse their websites, study their performance and improve their visibility on the SERP. Unsurprisingly, Google delivers a stellar performance in this segment, too. With a range of dynamic and useful tools, it helps its users do a lot with their websites. And some of its tools, like Google Analytics, even offer many insights for free. Google Analytics tracks and reports website traffic. It’s one of the most used analytics services on the web. It provides detailed insights about a website’s visitors, including how they interact with the pages of the site. Plus,…