News, Tutorials, Howtos for Ubuntu Linux
This tutorial shows how to install and setup RetroArch (v1.20 updated) to play classic video games, including Arcade, Atari, Commodore, Nintendo, Sony Playstation games, in Ubuntu PC or laptop.
RetroArch is a free open-source cross-platform front-end for emulators, game engines, media players, and other applications. It’s the reference frontend for the libretro API, that offers several uncommon technical features, such as multi-pass shader support, real-time rewinding, and video recording.
This is a beginner’s guide shows you how to enable, disable, and configure firewall in Ubuntu using UFW.
Firewall is a network security system that monitors incoming and outgoing network traffic, and decides whether to allow or block specific traffic based on pre-defined security rules.
Linux Kernel has the Netfilter subsystem, which is implemented as a packet filter and firewall. Iptables (and nftables, the successor of iptables) is the user-level command line tool to configure the firewall by adding/removing netfilter rules.
Iptables (and nftables) is much more flexible but really hard for beginners. UFW (Uncomplicated Firewall), the user-friendly front-end for iptables, is which I’m going to talk about below.
Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay
Ubuntu 24.04 has a new circular arrow indicator icon in top right system tray, when there are available system updates. By clicking on it allows to quickly launch Software Updater (Update Manager) tool for installing updates.
If you don’t like that indicator icon, here’s how to disable it, as well as stop checking for updates automatically.
Indicator icon reminding there are system updates
Darktable, the popular raw image processing software, released new 4.8.1 version few days ago.
This is the first minor release for the current 4.8 release series, which contains only bug-fixes. The release fixed the issue that export without high quality sampling but with up-scaling activated, crash when using the -d imageio option, and image jump if collection is empty.
There are as well fixes for importing/exporting issues, including large image exports due to a bug in finalscale module, JPEG2000 loading issue due to unspecified color space, and empty lighttable when importing from command-line. For more, see the official release note.
Want to chat with AI models locally without internet connection? Here’s a simple app can do the job in Linux Desktop!
It’s Alpaca, a free open-source application written in Python programming language. It uses Ollama as backend to manage and chat with multiple AI models, without needing any API keys.
By using GTK4 plus Adwaita toolkits, it provides a modern and simple graphical interface that’s well integrated into Ubuntu, Fedora Workstation and other Linux with GNOME desktop.
Linux Mint, the popular Linux Distribution for desktop PC and laptops, finally rolls out the new 22 major release images.
Linux Mint 22, code-name “Wilma”, is based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS. It features Kernel 6.8, Cinnamon Desktop 6.2, and supports until 2029.
The stable release .iso images were rolled out few days ago on July 21 through the Linux Mint Community page. Most download mirrors have include the new .iso images in their websites.
If everything’s going well, the official website should update the download link and announce the release very soon.
Looking for a system monitor, task manager, and service manager app for your Linux Desktop? Try Mission Center!
It’s a free open-source application written in Rust programming language, and uses GTK4 + LibAdwaita for its modern user interface that’s well integrated into Ubuntu, Fedora Workstation, and other Linux with GNOME Desktop.
With it, you have a Windows Task Manager look like interface that can monitor your CPU, Memory, Disk, Network and GPU usage with graphs.
Mission Center
Wallpaper Contest for the upcoming Ubuntu 24.10, Oracular Oriole, is open, accept artwork for the 20th anniversary!
Like the last wallpaper contest, the artwork submissions are separated into 4 categories. Each category will have 2 winners, and finally 8 mixed images will be included in the Ubuntu 24.10 disc image as optional wallpapers.
With Ubuntu 24.10, Ubuntu is reaching the 20th anniversary. So, this time the contest includes a category that’s specially for the two decade anniversary of Ubuntu. While 3 others are Mascot Theme, Digital / Abstract, and Photography.
image by romactu1 from 24.10 wallpaper contest
This simple tutorial shows how to use your Android or iOS Phone as remote input (e.g, touchpad, send command) for Ubuntu and other Linux Desktop.
KDE community has an popular free open-source software project called KDE Connect. It enables ability to communicate between your computer (Linux, macOS, and Windows) and mobile devices (Android and iOS) in local network.
With it, you can send photos, videos, and files between paired devices, share clipboard, and do remote actions such as:
There are as well features to send SMS from PC, “Ring” your phone to help find it, and browser your files on Mobile Phone. However, the features may NOT work due to either permission issues or requirement of running mobile app in foreground.
Blender, the popular free open-source 3D animation software, announced new 4.2 release few days ago this Tuesday!
Blender 4.2 is a Long Term Support (LTS) release with 2 years support for critical fixes. It introduced new EEVEE render engine, which is completely rewritten from scratch.
The new engine features screen space global illumination, real displacement, better Subsurface Scattering, much more stable Dithered volumetrics result while navigating the scene, motion blur in 3D viewport, as well as:
