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Archives For November 30, 1999

OpenRazer 2.9 Released with New Razer Peripherals Support [PPA]

Last updated: November 11, 2020

OpenRazer, open-source driver and user-space daemon to manage Razer peripherals on Linux, released version 2.9.0 a few days ago with new Razer devices support, improvements, and bug-fixes.

OpenRazer 2.9.0 added support for following new devices:

  • Razer Atheris
  • Razer Basilisk X HyperSpeed
  • Razer Blade 15 Advanced (2020)
  • Razer Blade 15 Base (Early 2020)
  • Razer Blade Stealth (Early 2020)
  • Razer Cynosa Lite
  • Razer Cynosa V2
  • Razer DeathAdder 2000
  • Razer Kraken Kitty Edition
  • Razer Kraken Ultimate
  • Razer Viper Miniv

The new release also adds read support for idle_time and low_battery_threshold, ability to configure the battery notification frequency, screensaver monitor support on Xfce, improved fake driver support, and more.

Polychromatic - OpenRazer GUI

Polychromatic – OpenRazer GUI

How to Install OpenRazer 2.9.0 in Ubuntu:

The software has an official PPA so far contains the latest packages for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10.

1. Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for ‘terminal’ from app launcher. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:openrazer/stable

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. (Optional) Also add Polychromatic PPA, if you fancy a graphical front-end, by running command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:polychromatic/stable

3. Finally refresh your system package cache and install the drivers and GUI tool via commands:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install openrazer-meta polychromatic

Once installed, open polychromatic from your system application launcher and enjoy!

Uninstall:

To remove the drivers as well as the configuration tool, run command:

sudo apt remove --auto-remove openrazer-meta polychromatic

And open Software & Updates, navigate to Other Software tab to remove the PPAs.

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RSS Guard Feed Reader 3.8.0 Released with Labels Support

Last updated: November 10, 2020

RSS Guard feed reader 3.8.0 was released today. The new release adds supporting for labels and basic CLI interface.

RSS Guard is simple, light and easy-to-use RSS/ATOM feed aggregator based on Qt. It support online feed synchronization with:

  • Tiny Tiny RSS,
  • Inoreader,
  • Nextcloud News,
  • Gmail API.

RSS Guard 3.8.0 was released with following changes:

  • Add support for labels:
    • Labels are even synchronizable for Inoreader and TT-RSS
    • Each message can have assigned multiple labels
    • Feed’s view now offers “Labels” folder with handy per-label filtering
    • Labels assigned in message are now even available in message filtering
    • You can assign arbitrary color to each of your labels
  • New bundled icon theme – Numix (Windows only)
  • Numix is now default icon theme
  • Use mini.css instead of Bootstrap as built-in web-base message viewer
  • Message body now has “auto” reading direction
  • JSON feeds are now supported
  • Added basic CLI interface

Install RSS Guard in Ubuntu:

There’s no deb packages for the feed reader so far. It however offers official .Appimage for 64-bit Linux.

1. Download the .Appimage package from the github releases page.

RSS Guard Releases

2. Right click on the file, and go to its Properties dialog. Under ‘Permissions’ tab, tick the box which says “Allow executing file as program”.

3. Finally, right-click on the Appimage file and select “Run” to launch the application.

The feed reader is also available as Flatpak package, though it’s not been updated to v3.8.0 at the moment.

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LiVES Video Editor 3.2.0 Released with Tons of New Features [PPA]

Last updated: November 10, 2020

LiVES, a free and open-source video editor and VJ tool, released new major version 3.2.0 with new features, performance and resource usage improvements, and tons of other changes.

Changes LiVES 3.2.0 include:

  • Initial startup has been rewritten.
  • Updated GTK+ support to 3.24.
  • A total rewrite of buttons, a new font chooser.
  • Specify configuration directory from commandline.
  • Implemented a thread pool with generic worker threads.
  • Introduced the idea of lives_proc_threads.
  • optimised memory handling in some specific cases.
  • Disk space quota can be set for the application.
  • Implemented auto gamma correction.
  • Implemented threading for swscale.
  • Added a predictive caching mechanism to the player.
  • Fixed several screen / window sizing issues.
  • The renderer now uses a separate thread for saving frames to disk, making rendering much faster.
  • New intelligent “auto-layout” mode to improve the appearance of all parameter windows.
  • Visual tweaks for Preferences window.
  • Fixed mkv_decoder so it can decode webm clips.
  • ctrl-alt-space now performs loop locking in clip editor (trickplay).
  • Add keys a / A (audio track lock / unlock) for clip editor playback.
  • Added two more keyboard effect keys (ctrl-minus and ctrl-equals).
  • Audio can now be normalised after rendering.
  • Added “audio bleedthru” mode in multitrack.
  • Individual clip volume levels can now be adjusted during playback (temporary) and non-playback (permanent).
  • Added a new “normalize audio” function.
  • Add more preferences to the prefs window.
  • Frame number now defaults to pointer position when opening the seperate window.
  • Seperate window in multitrack can now appear undecorated.
  • Improved appearance for ‘fireTV’ effect.
  • Add menu options jump to next mark / jump to previous mark in multitrack.

How to Install LiVES 3.2.0 in Ubuntu:

For the source code go to:

github.com/salsaman/LiVES/releases

The unofficial PPA contains the packages for Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Linux Mint 20.

1. Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or from application menu. When it opens, run command to add the unofficial PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/lives

Type user password (no visual feedback while typing due to security reason) when it asks and hit Enter.

2. Then upgrade the software from an existing release via Software Updater:

or simply run commands in terminal to install or upgrade LiVES:

sudo apt-get update

sudo apt-get install lives lives-plugins

Uninstall:

To remove the software, simply run commands:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove lives lives-plugins

The PPA can be removed via Software & Updates utility under Other Software tab.

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FlightGear 2020.3 Released with New Default Keflavík (BIKF) Airport [Ubuntu PPA]

Last updated: November 8, 2020

After 2 years of development, Flightgear 2020.3 was released as the latest stable version of the flight simulator. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, and derivatives.

FlightGear 2020.3 release highlights:

  • New default Keflavík International Airport (BIKF)
  • Aircraft updates:
    • The A320 has been overhauled
    • The C182 gained an excellent integration of the FG1000 glass-cockpit, as did the J3 Cub and the Diamond DA40.
    • The SEPCAT Jaguar GR.1, Bombardier Q400 and twenty more aircraft were added.
  • FlightGear now simulates tides covering and uncovering shallow areas (littoral areas), like tidal flats (mudflats).
  • Textures can be cached & compressed for faster loading and reduced memory use, giving better performance.
  • Connection to the VATSIM network via SWIFT is officially supported.
  • Better translation support, and handling of non-ASCII file names.
  • Many view improvements, including a new Tower-AGL view.

1.) To install the flight simulator, first open terminal either from system application menu or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard.

When terminal opens, run command to add the PPA repository:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:saiarcot895/flightgear

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2.) Then refresh system package cache and install the software via command:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install flightgear

If an old version was installed, you can also upgrade it via Software Updater utility.

Uninstall:

To remove FlightGear PPA, either go to Software & Updates > Other Software, or run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:saiarcot895/flightgear

And remove the flight simulator if you want by running command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove flightgear flightgear-data
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How to Install GIMP 2.99.10 (Dev for GIMP 3.0) in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: April 24, 2024

This tutorial shows how to install the latest Beta release of GIMP 3.0, so far GIMP 2.99.10, in Ubuntu 20.04 using the official flatpak package.

What’s New in GIMP 2.99.10 compare to current stable:

  • GTK+3 user interface
  • Native Wayland and HiDPI support.
  • Major refactoring and cleanup
  • New plug-in API
  • Plugins now possible with Python 3, JavaScript, Lua, and Vala
  • More (color) space invasion
  • Render caching available for better performance
  • Clone-type tools on multiple layers
  • JPEG-XL file format support.
  • Pinch gesture on canvas for zooming
  • New Paint Select tool in the playground
  • New generic dialog generation and metadata support API for export plug-ins
  • Multi-threaded JPEG2000 decoding

GIMP 2.99.10 is available to install via Flatpak package in the “beta” branch of the official Flathub repository. You can open terminal and run following commands one by one to install it in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, and Ubuntu 21.10.

1. Install Flatpak framework if you don’t have it (For Ubuntu 18.04 and even 16.04, add this PPA first).

sudo apt install flatpak

2. Add the flathub beta channel via command:

flatpak remote-add --user flathub-beta https://flathub.org/beta-repo/flathub-beta.flatpakrepo

3. Finally install GIMP 2.99.x via command (for single user only):

flatpak install --user flathub-beta org.gimp.GIMP

Once installed, launch it from ‘Show Applications’ menu and enjoy! In the case, I have GIMP 2.10 (via deb) and GIMP 2.99.x (via flatpak).

NOTE: If you installed both GIMP flatpak stable and beta packages, only one will be visible in app launcher. To make beta version visible, run command:

flatpak make-current --user org.gimp.GIMP beta

And to make stable version visible, replace beta in the command with stable.

Uninstall GIMP 2.99.x:

To remove the package, simply run command:

flatpak --user uninstall org.gimp.GIMP
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Bluefish Editor 2.2.12 Released with Python 3 Compatibility [Ubuntu PPA]

Last updated: September 25, 2022

Bluefish, a powerful editor targeted towards programmers and web developers, released version 2.2.12 a day ago with some minor new features.

Bluefish 2.2.12 release highlights:

  • Fix for a crash in simple search.
  • Python 3 compatibility has been further improved.
  • Improved encoding detection in python files.
  • Triple click now selects the line.
  • On Mac OSX Bluefish deals better with the new permission features.
  • Improved syntax highlighting for several programming languages.
  • Bluefish now works fine with Enchant2 for spell checking.

Install Bluefish via PPA:

UPDATE: as Klaus Vormweg’s PPA is no longer exist, I uploaded the 2.2.12 packages into this unofficial PPA for Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 18.04. For Ubuntu 22.04, the latest package is already available in system repository.

1. Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or by searching from ‘Activities’ overview.

When terminal opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/bluefish

Type user password when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then run commands to check updates and install the programmers editor:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install bluefish

Or launch ‘Software Updater’ and update the package if an old version was installed.

Uninstall:

You may remove the PPA repository either via Software & Updates utility under Other Software tab, or by running command in terminal:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/bluefish

And remove Bluefish programmers editor if you want via command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove bluefish
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Get Windows 7 Aero Flip 3D alike Alt+Tab Task Switcher in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: April 24, 2024

gnome shell

Fancy some 3D effects on your Ubuntu Desktop? There’s a gnome shell extension that enables Windows 7 Aero Flip 3D style ‘Alt+Tab’ app window switcher in Ubuntu.

Coverflow Alt-Tab is the extension works on Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, Ubuntu 18.04, and all other editions with Gnome 3 desktop.

1. If you’re first time installing a Gnome Shell extension, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to install the chrome-gnome-shell package:

sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell

You may also install gnome-shell-extension-prefs, an utility to manage Gnome extensions.

2. Go to extensions.gnome.org/…/coverflow-alt-tab/. Click the link to install browser extension if it prompts.

3. Finally refresh the web page and turn on the toggle icon to install the Gnome Shell extension.

Once installed, press Alt+Tab and enjoy! For the preferences, use Gnome Tweaks or Extensions utility.

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How to Install “X-Apps’ (Pix, Xed, Xplayer, Xreader, Xviewer) in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: April 24, 2024

gnome shell

This simple tutorial shows how to install x-apps, a bunch of GTK3 DE-agnostic applications, in Ubuntu 20.04 via PPA.

X-Apps are a bunch of GTK3 DE-agnostic applications that are not so tightly tied to a particular distribution or DE as their ancestors might be. The project was started in 2016 by Linux Mint.

The idea behind this project is to replace applications which no longer integrate properly outside of a particular environment (this is the case for a growing number of GNOME applications) and to give our desktop environments the same set of core applications, so that each change, each new feature being developed, each little improvement made in one of them will benefit not just one environment, but all of them.

This is an Ubuntu PPA that contains these app packages so far for Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, and Ubuntu 20.04.

  • pix – image management application based on gThumb,
  • xed – text editor based on Pluma,
  • xplayer – media player based on Totem,
  • xviewer – image viewer based on Eye of GNOME,
  • xreader – document reader based on Atril.

1. Open terminal from your system application launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:savoury1/xapps

Type user password (no visual feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then refresh package cache and install either or all of the packages:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install pix xed xplayer xviewer xreader

Just remove xed, xplayer, or any other package from the apt command if you don’t want to install it.

Uninstall X-Apps:

To remove the PPA, open terminal and run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:savoury1/xapps

To remove x-apps, run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove pix xed xplayer xviewer xreader
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Chromium Browser (Deb) Now Available to Install via Linux Mint 20 Repository

Last updated: February 21, 2021

Prefer installing Chromium web browser via deb over the snap package? Linux Mint 20 now includes the browser and keeps it updated in its own repository for both Ubuntu based and LMDE editions.

Since Ubuntu 20.04, chromium browser in the main repository is a dummy package. It’s redirected to the SNAP (containerized software package) when you trying to install it.

The Linux Mint team argued against this change and removed the package from its main repositories.

When it starts replacing packages for no good reason though, when it starts harming our interaction with upstream projects and software vendors and reducing our choice, it becomes a threat.

Now the Chromium browser is back to the official repositories for both Linux Mint and LMDE. And it’s a deb package built by the Linux Mint team.

How to Install Chromium Deb Package in Ubuntu 20.04:

Though there’s already an Ubuntu PPA that maintains the deb package, the one from Linux Mint is available for choice:

Just click the button below, download the deb package, install it and you’re done!

Chromium in Mint Repository

Note: For Ubuntu grab the package with “ulyana” in filename. For Debian download the one with “debbie” in filename.

Add the Linux Mint repository & receive updates:

You can add the Linux Mint repository, so you’re able to receive the package updates through Software Updater.

1. Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to add the Linux Mint 20 upstream repository:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://packages.linuxmint.com ulyana upstream" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mint.list'

2. Download and click install the key (its “linuxmint-keyring_2016.05.26_all.deb” so far):

Linux Mint Keyring

3. Set the priority to make Ubuntu only install chromium from Linux Mint repository.

Run command to create and open the configuration file in text editor:

sudo gedit /etc/apt/preferences.d/mint-ulyssa-pin

When it opens, paste below lines and save the file.

# Allow upgrading only chromium from Ulyssa repository
Package: chromium
Pin: origin packages.linuxmint.com
Pin-Priority: 500

# Never prefer other packages from the Ulyssa repository
Package: *
Pin: origin packages.linuxmint.com
Pin-Priority: 1

4. Finally check updates and install the web browser:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install chromium

Note the package is chromium rather than chromium-browser.

To remove Linux Mint repository:

Simply go to Software & Updates -> Other Software tab and remove the repository line.

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How to Install Latest KiCad in Ubuntu 24.04, 22.04, 20.04 [New PPA]

Last updated: April 25, 2024

This simple tutorial shows how to install the latest KiCad, schematic capture & PCB design software, in Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Linux Mint via PPA.

KiCad is a free software suite for electronic design automation. It facilitates the design of schematics for electronic circuits and their conversion to PCB designs. KiCad was originally developed by Jean-Pierre Charras. It features an integrated environment for schematic capture and PCB layout design. Tools exist within the package to create a bill of materials, artwork, Gerber files, and 3D views of the PCB and its components.

The new official PPA was created a few months ago contains the latest packages for 8.0 release series. See here for the new features in the KiCad 8.x.

1. Open terminal either from system application launcher, or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kicad/kicad-8.0-releases

Type user password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter to continue.

NOTE: KiCad maintains individual PPAs for each release series! When next 9.x release series is out, there may be new PPA for it. So go check this page in case a new PPA is available when you see this tutorial.

2. Then refresh system package via command:

sudo apt update

For Ubuntu 18.04 & higher, this is done automatically while adding PPA.

3. Install the KiCad package:

sudo apt install kicad

Uninstall:

To remove KiCad package, run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove kicad

To remove the PPA, either go to Software & Updates -> Other Software or run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:kicad/kicad-8.0-releases
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