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Python 3.9.1 Released with macOS 11 Big Sur Support

Last updated: December 10, 2020

The Python programming language 3.9.1 was released a few days ago as the first maintenance release of Python 3.9.

Python 3.9.1 comes with 282 changes since 3.9.0. It is the first version to support macOS 11 Big Sur. With Xcode 11 and later it is now possible to build “Universal 2” binaries which work on Apple Silicon. See the changelog for more.

How to Install Python 3.9.1 in Ubuntu:

1.) Open terminal either by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard, or by searching for ‘terminal’ from system application launcher.

When terminal opens, run command to add the “deadsnakes” team PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:deadsnakes/ppa

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

2.) Then run commands to refresh system package cache, and install Python 3.9:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install python3.9

3.) Once successfully installed, check your system Python versions (python –version):

Uninstall:

To uninstall the Python3.9 packages, run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove python3.9 python3.9-minimal

To remove the Deadsnakes PPA, launch Software & Updates and go to Other Software tab, then remove the repository line and close the window.

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Vivaldi Browser 3.5 Released with Sharing via QR Code

Last updated: December 9, 2020

Vivaldi web browser 3.5 was released a day ago with improved tabs and media playback, and support for sharing URL via QR code.

Vivaldi 3.5 release highlights:

  • More tabs management, e.g., open a new tab in the background by default, clone tab in the background.
  • Add Widevine certificate keys to get better experience on Amazon Prime HD, Spotify, Disney+, Peacock TV, etc.
  • Share URL with QR code via a small button in the Address Field, when enabled.
  • Enable shortcuts in context menus
  • Single key shortcut improvements.
  • Make Google components optional: Hangouts, Cast, Cloud Print
  • Accept-language setting
  • Upgrade to Chromium 87.0.4280.88, and more.

How to Install Vivaldi 3.5 in Ubuntu:

The official Ubuntu .DEB package is available to download at the link below:

Download Vivaldi (DEB)

Grab the deb matches your OS, then install it via either Ubuntu Software install or Gdebi package installer. Or run command in terminal:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/vivaldi-stable*.deb

Vivaldi also has an official apt repository, with it you can install the browser and get future updates through Software Updater utility.

Open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T keyboard shortcut or by searching for terminal from application menu. When it opens, run following commands one by one:

1. Download and install the repository key:

wget -qO- https://repo.vivaldi.com/archive/linux_signing_key.pub | sudo apt-key add -

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

2. Add Vivaldi repository via command:

sudo add-apt-repository 'deb https://repo.vivaldi.com/archive/deb/ stable main'

3. Finally check updates and install the web browser via command:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install vivaldi-stable

Or upgrade from an old version via Software Updater utility.

(Optional): To remove Vivaldi apt repository from you system, launch Software & Updates and navigate to Other Software tab.

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HPLIP 3.20.11 Released with Ubuntu 20.10 / Debian 10.6 Support

Last updated: December 5, 2020

HP Linux Imaging and Printing

HPLIP, HP developed printer and scanner drivers for Linux, released version 3.20.11 a few days ago.

Different to previous releases, HPLIP 3.20.11 does not include new HP printers support. It only adds support for Ubuntu 20.10 and Debian 10.6. And it fixed usb print issue for ipp supported printers for Ubutnu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10 and Linux Mint 20.

There are also known issues that ppd browsing is failing sometimes while doing hp-setup in Ubuntu 20.10. Basically few times it is failing to fetch ppd list from cups server. So you might face the same issue while testing. And hp-toolbox will not work for ippusbxd printers in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10 and LinuxMint 20.

And not sure if it’s only me or for everyone, while it works on Ubuntu 20.10, HPLIP 3.20.11 does not install on my Ubuntu 20.04 since it tries to install the old python-pyqt5 as dependency library.

How to Get HPLIP 3.20.1 in Ubuntu:

1. To install the software, download the package “hplip-3.20.11.run” from the link below:

HPLIP Download Page

2. Then open terminal either via Ctrl+Alt+T or by searching for “terminal” from app launcher. When it opens, run command to give executable permission:

chmod +x ~/Downloads/hplip-3.20.11.run

3. Finally run command to start installing the driver:

./Downloads/hplip-3.20.11.run

Follow the terminal output and answer some questions. If everything goes OK, plug or re-plug your HP devices and enjoy!

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Font Manager Now Supports Downloading & Installing Google Web Fonts

Last updated: April 24, 2024

Want to install Google Fonts in Ubuntu? The GTK+ Font Manager now adds support for Google Fonts integration.

Font Manager is a simple font management tool for GTK+ desktop environment. By releasing version 0.8.0, it adds support for downloading and managing Google Web Fonts, so that you can use Google Fonts for off-line use on your desktop.

Font Manager 0.8 changelog:

  • Fix FTBFS with Vala 0.50+
  • Add Google Fonts integration via G button on header bar.
  • Require WebKitGtk and libsoup
  • Allow saving compare lists contents
  • Add GNOME Shell search provider
  • Update Unicode data to 13.0
  • Update vendor data

How to Install Font Manager 0.8.0 in Ubuntu 20.04:

The software has an official staging PPA contains the latest packages for Ubuntu 20.04 and Ubuntu 20.10.

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

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:font-manager/staging

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) for sudo prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. Then upgrade the font manager, if an old version was installed, via Software Updater. Or run command in terminal to install it:

sudo apt install font-manager

Uninstall Font Manager

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

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:font-manager/staging

And remove the font manager if you want via command:

sudo apt remove font-manager font-manager-common
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GNU Octave 6.1 Released with Improvements / New Functions

Last updated: November 30, 2020

GNU Octave 6.1 was released a few days ago with numerous improvements, bug-fixes, and a list of new functions.

Changes in Octave 6.1 include:

  • New sorting option "stable" for intersect, setdiff, setxor, union, and unique functions.
  • Support for cookies to enable RESTful communication with the web service.
  • System web browser can be opened by web function.
  • Numerical integration has been improved.
  • New format command options: uppercase and lowercase (default).
  • Deprecated Qt4 support.
  • Completely rewritten of the legend function.
  • Updated the axis function and many other graphics backend improvements.
  • matlab compatibility improvements.
  • Remove deprecated functions and properties.
  • Add a list of new functions.

How to Get Octave in Ubuntu:

There’s no PPA repository contains the new release package at the moment of writing.

Before the official Snap package and the community maintained Flatpak package publish the new package, you can download & build GNU Octave from the source tarball:

Download Octave

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Blender 2.91 Released with Better Cloth Sculpting, Improved Animation Tools

Last updated: November 26, 2020

Blender 2.79

Blender 2.91 was released on Wednesday as the fourth major release in 2020. It features the user experience improvements, powerful new booleans, better cloth sculpting with support for collisions, volume objects modifiers, improved animation tools and more.

Changes in Blender 2.91 include:

  • Introduce collision support for the sculpt cloth brush and filter.
  • New Sculpt Trim tool.
  • Curve and text objects now support for custom bevel profiles
  • New modifier for volume objects allows to dynamically convert them into a mesh, ideal for stylized fluids.
  • Convert any mesh into a volume and combine it with the new Volume Displace modifier.
  • Convert images into Grease Pencil objects with just one click!
  • New Holdout option in materials allows to paint holes in strokes and filled areas.
  • Property search, Fuzzy search support.
  • Colors, drag & drop supports in outliner.
  • Animation curves can now become much snappier.
  • Once click to convert proxy objects into overrides.
  • And much more other changes, see the release note.

How to Install Blender 2.91 in Ubuntu:

Blender offers official Ubuntu binary via Snap package, which can be installed directly from Ubuntu Software.

Blender also available as universal Flatpak package, which can be installed from flathub.org repository.

For those prefer installing .deb package via apt, there’s a well trusted Ubuntu PPA available though it’s not updated to v2.91 at the moment of writing.

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qBittorrent 4.3.1 Released, How to Install in Ubuntu via PPA

Last updated: November 25, 2020

qBittorrent

The first update for qBittorrent 4.3 series was released today with some new features, bug-fixes, and web UI changes.

Changes in qBittorrent 4.3.1 include:

  • Allow progress bar styling from custom themes.
  • Allow adding torrents using “Paste” key sequence.
  • Add Latgalian translation.
  • Avoid settings being reset via WebAPI.
  • WEBUI: Fix the issue that IPv6 address can’t be banned.
  • Update dutch.nsi for Windows.
  • Update .desktop shortcut file translations for Linux.
  • And various bug-fixes.

How to Install qBittorrent via PPA:

The official qBittorrent PPA has built the new release packages for Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, and derivatives.

1. To add the PPA, open terminal by either pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard or searching for “Terminal” from application menu. When it opens, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:qbittorrent-team/qbittorrent-stable

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

2. If an old version was installed on your system, upgrade it via Software Updater,

upgrade qBittorrent

or run following commands to install /upgrade qBittorrent in terminal:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install qbittorrent

Uninstall:

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

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:qbittorrent-team/qbittorrent-stable

To remove the bittorrent client, either use your system package manager or run command:

sudo apt-get remove --autoremove qbittorrent
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Kdenlive Video Editor 20.08.3 Released, How to Install via PPA

Last updated: December 12, 2020

The third and last minor release for Kdenlive video editor 20.08 was released today with many fixes and improvements.

Changes in Kdenlive 20.08.3 include:

  • Fix on monitor displayed fps with high fps values.
  • Ensure timeline ruler is correctly updated on profile switch.
  • When switching project profile and there is only 1 clip in timeline, update the timeline clip duration accordingly to profile change.
  • Project archiving: check after each file if archiving works, add option to use zip instead of tar.gz.
  • Fix opening project files with missing version number.
  • Fix duplicated audio from previous commit.
  • Fix playlist clips have no audio regression.
  • Fix keyframeable effect params left enabled when selecting a clip, leading to possible crash.
  • Don’t allow removing the only keyframe in an effect.
  • Fix crash inserting zone over grouped clips in same track.
  • Check ffmpeg setting points to a file, not just isn’t empty.
  • Qtcrop effect: make radius animated.
  • Render widget: avoid misuse of parallel processing.
  • Fix resizing clip loses focus if mouse cursor did not get outside of clip boundaries.
  • Fix rounding error sometimes hiding last keyframe in effectstack.

How to Install Kdenlive 20.08.3 in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10:

The kdenlive team ppa has built the latest packages for Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, Linux Mint 20.

1.) Open ‘terminal’ from your system application menu, and run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kdenlive/kdenlive-stable

Type your password when it asks (no asterisk feedback) and hit Enter to continue.

2. ) If an old version of kdenlive was installed, upgrade it via Update Manager:

Or simply run command in terminal to install the video editor:

sudo apt install kdenlive

NOTE for non-KDE users, Kdenlive will be installed along with a large list of KDE libraries.

Uninstall:

To purge the PPA as well as downgrade Kdenlive package, run command in terminal:

sudo apt install ppa-purge && sudo ppa-purge ppa:kdenlive/kdenlive-stable

To remove the PPA only, run command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:kdenlive/kdenlive-stable

And to remove Kdenlive, run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove kdenlive kdenlive-data
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Gmusicbrowser 1.1.16 Released! How to Install it in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: November 20, 2020

Gmusicbrowser, an open-source jukebox for large music collections, released version 1.1.16 a few days ago. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 20.10, Linux Mint 20.

Gmusicbrowser 1.1.16 is the first release in over 5 years. And now it’s working on GTK3 port.

Changes in version 1.1.16 include:

  • Fix not working with perl >=5.24
  • Add support for .opus files
  • Add option to simplify tree in folder pane
  • Add option to ignore articles when sorting
  • Add has_picture and has_lyrics optional fields
  • Add artist_has_picture and album_has_picture virtual fields
  • PictureBrowser: add embedded picture mode (+ all files mode)
  • PictureBrowser: add “Reset view position when file changes” option
  • Add option to some fields to show a “find songs with same …” menu item
  • Add support for mp2 extension and change mp3 filetype
  • Update AppStream metadata
  • Update picture sources for picture finder plugin
  • Add musixmatch.com for lyrics plugin
  • Various bug-fixes and translation updates

How to Install gmusicbrowser 1.1.16 in Ubuntu:

The software offers official .deb binary package available to download at the link below:

gmusicbrowser-1.1.16_all.deb

Just grab the package and click install either via Gdebi package installer or “Software Install” context menu.

Install gmusicbrower via its official apt repository.

The software has an official apt repository for Debian, Ubuntu, Linux Mint based systems. You can add the repository then install the software and receive future package updates via Software Updater utility.

1. Add gmusicbrowser apt repository:

Run command in terminal to add its official repository:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://gmusicbrowser.org/deb ./" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/gmusicbrowser.list'

Type user password (no asterisk feedback) when it asks for sudo prompt and hit Enter.

Then download & install the key via command:

wget http://gmusicbrowser.org/squentin.key.asc -O - | sudo apt-key add -

2. Refresh package cache & install the software:

Run command in terminal to update your system package cache:

sudo apt update

And finally install it via command:

sudo apt install gmusicbrowser

Uninstall gmusicbrowser:

To remove the music collections manager, simply open terminal and run command:

sudo apt remove --autoremove gmusicbrowser

To remove its apt repository, open Software & Updates -> Other Software tab and remove the repository line.

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Opera Adds Built-in Player for Spotify, Apple Music & YouTube Music

Last updated: November 19, 2020

opera web browser

A new update for Opera web browser 72 was released a day ago, which introduced a built-in music player for Spotify, Apple Music, and YouTube Music.

In the browser’s sidebar beneath the messengers section, a “Player” icon is there allows you to login and enable music playback with Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube Music.

The playback can be controlled via the standard playback buttons on your keyboard or by hovering over the Player icon in the sidebar, where a mini playback control menu will appear.

And the Player pauses whenever you start streaming a video or an audio file in a tab, and automatically resumes music playback once it’s over.

How to install the latest Opera 72 in Ubuntu:

The official Ubuntu binary package is available for downloading at the link below:

Download Opera for Linux

Grab the .deb package, and double-click to install it.

You may also add the official apt repository via following steps to receive future software updates.

1. Open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to add the opera repository:

sudo sh -c 'echo "deb http://deb.opera.com/opera-stable/ stable non-free" >> /etc/apt/sources.list.d/opera.list'

2. Get the key:

wget -O - http://deb.opera.com/archive.key | sudo apt-key add -

Finally either install Opera via following command or upgrade the browser via Software Updater:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install opera-stable

Uninstall:

For the Opera apt repository, launch Software & Updates and navigate to Other Software tab, then remove the relevant line.

To remove the opera package, either use your system package manager or run command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove opera-stable
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