KGX – Minimal Terminal Emulator Aims to be Core App for GNOME & Phosh

Last updated: November 20, 2021

KGX is a simple and user-friendly terminal emulator for GNOME. It aims to be a “Core” app for GNOME and Phosh, graphical shell for mobile devices like Purism’s Librem 5.

Rather than replacing GNOME Terminal, it’s on target to serve casual Linux user who rarely needs a terminal to carry out simple command line tasks. Via libhandy library, the terminal adjusts nicely to small screen sizes and for touch usage.

KGX terminal emulator. Image from thisweek.gnome.org

The name KGX is the station code for King’s Cross, the London terminus of the East Coast Main Line. The app is available in Ubuntu repositories since Ubuntu 21.04, though the package version is lag behind.

The stock KGX in Ubuntu 21.10 has a semi-transparent app window and the UI looks kinda like Gnome terminal. Though it’s lightweight and has less features.

KGX in Ubuntu 21.10

Install KGX in Ubuntu 21.10 / 22.04:

For Ubuntu 21.04, Ubuntu 21.10 and next Ubuntu 22.04, it’s easy to try out this terminal emulator by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard, and then run command in terminal to install it:

sudo apt install kgx

Then, search for and open the terminal emulator from activities overview.

While the stock package is always old, you may build it from source which is available at KGX project page.

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Ubuntu PPA for Annotator – Elementary OS Image Annotation Tool

Last updated: April 27, 2023

Linux has quite a few image annotation tools. “Annotator” is the one designed for Elementary OS with specific features. Here’s how to install it in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 23.04, Ubuntu 22.04 via PPA.

Without using GIMP image editor, I sometimes uses Shutter to annotate image quickly. As well, Ksnip has some useful tools (e.g., drop shadow, invert color and add border) that I use regularly.

Annotator is an app looks kinda like MacOS Preview. Like other tools, it allows to add text, rectangle, ellipse, sequence number, line, arrow, blur effect, crop and resize image. What makes it different is the “Magnifier” tool. It adds a circle on your image and enlarge the area inside. By right-clicking on the circle, it offers option to change magnification.

Also, it allows to add stickers, such as industry, mobile and data icons, different type of arrows.

Install Annotator in Ubuntu:

Though the app is designed for Elementary OS, it works on other desktop environments. The developer team provides official package as Flatpak. Make sure the flatpak daemon is installed, you may then install the app via command:

flatpak install https://appcenter.elementary.io/com.github.phase1geo.annotator

However, the Flatpak package requires separated Elementary OS platform and SDK as run-time libraries. The run-times take about 700 MB space while the app itself is only a few hundred KB.

So I created this unofficial Ubuntu PPA for those want to try out this annotation tool with native DEB package. So far, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 23.04, and Ubuntu 22.04 are supported.

1. Add the PPA

Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run commands to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/annotator

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

2. Update package cache

Ubuntu 20.04 and higher refresh system package cache automatically while adding PPA, but some Ubuntu based systems may not. To do it manually, run command:

sudo apt update

3. Install Annotator:

Finally, install the app using command:

sudo apt install com.github.phase1geo.annotator

Once installed, search for and open it from start menu (activities overview) and enjoy!

Remove Annotator & Ubuntu PPA:

To remove the Ubuntu PPA, use command:

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

And remove the annotation tool via:

sudo apt remove --autoremove com.github.phase1geo.annotator
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This App Tells When the Next Rocket will Launch in Linux Desktop / Phone

Last updated: November 18, 2021

For spaceflight enthusiasts, there’s now a GTK4 app for Linux Desktop and Phone (e.g., PinePhone, Librem 5) to keep track of upcoming rocket launches.

It’s “Space Launch”, an open-source app gets data of the launches from spacelaunchnow.me. The app displays the next upcoming launches with information about the company and/or manufacturer, such as Rocket Lab and SpaceX. The location, date and time, and count down for the rocket launches.

Dark mode is supported and it may show more launches as schedule.

The app is currently in alpha release. More features will be added later. And it’s compatible with Linux Phone using Phosh.

Install Space Launch in Linux:

This app is available to install via Flatpak package. You may follow the steps below one by one to setup flatpak daemon and install Space Launch.

1.) Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run command to install the Flatpak daemon:

sudo apt install flatpak

The old Ubuntu 18.04 and Ubuntu 16.04 may also install the app, though need to add Flatpak PPA first.

2.) Next, add the Flathub repository that hosts the packages via command:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

3.) Finally, install the app using command:

flatpak install flathub org.emilien.SpaceLaunch

The app package itself is about 75KB. Though, if you’re first time installing Gnome App as Flatpak, it may also install the run-time libraries take up a few hundred MB disk space.

After installation, search for and open the app from ‘Activities’ overview screen and enjoy!

How to Remove Space Launch:

To remove the app, simply run command in terminal:

flatpak uninstall --delete-data org.emilien.SpaceLaunch

And you may clear unused run-time libraries via command:

flatpak uninstall --unused
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Toggle Panel Visibility & Custom GNOME Shell All-In-One via Extension

Last updated: November 16, 2021

How to hide top-bar, remove left dock and ‘Activities’, as well as toggle visibility of a few other Gnome Panel items are often asked questions. I used to use a few extensions to do the jobs until met ‘Just Perfection’.

Just Perfection includes a list of options to toggle visibility of GNOME UI Elements, customize panel size, padding, and change the behavior.

Its settings page starts with a portrait of an old man (Sorry for my poor cultural knowledge, I don’t know who is he).

An old man in Just Perfection settings

Just scroll down, and you’ll see the options to:

  • override Gnome Shell theme to create a minimal desktop.
  • Hide top-bar.
  • Hide top-bar in overview screen.
  • Remove top left “Activities” button.
  • Disable (the focused) app-menu, clock, system tray menu (Aggregate menu).
  • Remove search box, workspace picker, close button & caption of selected app in overview
  • Disable the dock launcher, on screen display (when changing volume/brightness via Fn key).
  • Disable hot corner watermark animation.
  • Turn on/off icons for top-bar items.
  • Remove panel arrow (little triangle behind app-menu and battery icon).
  • Toggle hot corner, app gesture, type to search.
  • Customize panel position (top or bottom), clock position, panel size and button padding, animation speed, etc.

How to Install Just Perfection Extension:

The extension so far supports Gnome from v3.36 to v41, so Ubuntu 20.04 and higher may install it via following steps:

1.) Firstly, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal. When it opens, run command to install required libraries:

sudo apt install chrome-gnome-shell gnome-shell-extension-prefs

2.) Next, go to the extension web page and turn on the toggle icon to install it:

Install Just Perfection

If you don’t see the toggle icon, click the link in the top to install browser extension and refresh the web page.

(NOTE: the default Firefox in Ubuntu 21.10 is a Snap app that does not support for installing Gnome Extensions.)

After installation, search for and open ‘Gnome Extensions‘ app from Activities overview screen and click the setting wheel for the extension to customize GNOME UI:

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How to Type Unusual Characters and Symbols in Ubuntu GNOME

Last updated: November 15, 2021



For Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux with GNOME desktop, here’s how to type unusual characters (e.g., Ẽ, ©, ™, ¼, €, etc) using the standard QWERTY computer keyboard.

Without using a virtual keyboard, the standard physical keyboard supports for inserting alternate characters and symbols using the Compose key in Linux. Here’s how to enable and use the key in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 21.10 & higher with default GNOME desktop.

Enable Compose key in GNOME:

1. Firstly, search for and install “Gnome Tweaks” configuration tool via Ubuntu Software.

For those familiar with Linux commands may also press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal and run command to install the tool:

sudo apt install gnome-tweaks

2. Secondly, open ‘Activities’ overview screen, search for and open ‘GNOME Tweaks’:

3. When the configuration tool opens, do:

  • Go to “Keyboard & Mouse” in the left pane.
  • Click on ‘Disable‘ area in the right side after the Compose Key setting.
  • Turn on the toggle in pop-up dialog.
  • Finally choose a key to use as compose key.

Type unusual characters via Compose Key:

After enabled the functions, you may now press Compose key, then start typing the keys below one by one to insert a character. For example, type Compose key then ~ finally u will input ũ. No need to hold the compose key, though you have to hit the key combination in a short time period in Ubuntu 21.10. For Ubuntu 20.04, it even works 1 min after the compose key is pressed.

Common Compose Key combinations via Wikipedia. In first column, you may replace a with most uppercase and lowercase vowels:

PressForPressForPressForPressFor
‘ + aáa + eæ< + <«– + L£
” + aäA + EÆ> + >»^ + 0⁰
` + aào + eœ/ + /\^ + 1¹
~ + aãO + EŒ/ + C₡^ + 2²
^ + aâd + hð/ + oø^ + 3³
c + aǎD + HÐ/ + OØ^ + _ + aª
< + sšo + o°? + ?¿^ + _ + oº
o + aåo + x¤‘ + <‘_ + 0₀
– + aāo + c©‘ + >’_ + 1₁
, + aąo + r®, + cç_ +2₂
b + aăs + o§. + CÇ_ + 3₃
? + aảs + sß” + <“~ + nñ
. + aȧS + Sẞ” + >”| + c¢
. + ^·t + hþ! + !¡= + y¥
– + DĐT + HÞ– + – + – —= + c€
t + m™– + – + .–1 + 2½
x + x×– + :÷1 + 4¼
. + .…– + dđ3 + 4¾
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Show Day of Week in Top bar in Ubuntu 24.04 | 22.04

Last updated: July 1, 2024

Ubuntu by default displays only date and time in the center of top-bar. Users have to click on it to see which day is today in drop-down calendar.

To make life easier, you may configure the GNOME desktop to show the day of week in top-bar. And, here’s how to do the trick in Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 22.04, and Ubuntu 24.04.

Option 1: Single command to Display Weekday in Top bar:

For those who are familiar with Linux commands, it can be done by running a single gsettings command.

To do so, press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open up a terminal window. When it opens, paste the command below and hit run:

gsettings set org.gnome.desktop.interface clock-show-weekday true

After that, it shows the weekday name in short (e.g., Sat and Sun) immediately.

Option 2: Use System Settings (for Ubuntu 24.04)

For Ubuntu 24.04 with GNOME 46, system settings (aka Gnome Control Center) has include a toggle option to show/hide the weekday in top-bar.

First, press Super (Windows logo key) + S to open system status menu (Quick Settings), then click launch “Settings”. When it opens, navigate to System in left, then go to Date & Time, finally turn on the option for “Week Day” to enable this feature.

Option 3: Toggle Weekday Display via Gnome Tweaks

For Ubuntu 22.04 and Ubuntu 20.04, the must have GNOME configuration tool ‘Gnome Tweaks’ provides the toggle option for those hate Linux commands. If you don’t have it, search for and install via Ubuntu Software:

Next, press Super/Windows key to bring up activities overview screen. Then search for and launch Gnome Tweaks. Navigate to “Top Bar” from left pane, and then you’ll see the option to toggle “Weekday”.

Option 4: Use Dconf Editor

As you may know, the advanced configuration tool “Dconf Editor” also provides a graphical option to toggle this function.

First, search for and install ‘Dconf Editor’ from either Ubuntu Software or App Center.

Then, launch the tool and navigate to “org/gnome/desktop/interface“. Finally, find out and turn on the option for “clock-show-weekday”:

As you see, the tool also provides tons of other configure options. Use them as you want and enjoy!

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Telegrand is a Modern GTK4 Telegram Client for GNOME in Development

Last updated: November 12, 2021

For Ubuntu, Fedora, and other Linux with GNOME desktop, a modern GTK4 Telegram app “Telegrand” is under development.

Telegrand is the free open-source client written in Rust programming language. By using libadwaita library, it has an adaptive user interface to fit all screen sized.

Telegrand – The GTK4 Telegram GNOME App (Image by Marcus Behrendt in thisweek.gnome.org)

Though Telegram has official app for Linux, this new app is worth expecting for GNOME users. As an in-development project, it isn’t considered stable software yet. So far, it supports log in via phone number or using QR code.

Sadly, my Telegram account got banned after trying the app via Flatpak, though I do not use the service (Telegram is blocked in my Country and no friend around uses this messenger).

Telegrand includes the Telegram’s test credentials by default, which are very limited, but usable (especially for development). However, it’s known that Telegram sometimes decides to ban accounts that use such credentials (especially newer accounts).

Try Telegrand in Your Linux:

Arch Linux user may try out the app using the AUR package with provided API credentials via meson options.

For other Linux, the latest flatpak build with the test API credentials is available to download:

Telegrand Flatpak (for testing purpose)

Then, extract the package and open the folder that contains the flatpak in terminal. Finally, run command to install it:

flatpak install telegrand.flatpak

You must have flatpak daemon installed via sudo apt install flatpak command first.

NOTE: As mentioned, the flatpak package includes the test credentials. Telegram may ban accounts that use such credentials (especially newer accounts).

And to remove the Flatpak, use command:

flatpak uninstall --delete-data com.github.melix99.telegrand.Devel

Read more in github

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Add Custom Text to Wallpaper as Watermark in GNOME

Last updated: May 5, 2024

Want to display custom text on your desktop wallpaper as watermark? This extension makes it possible in Ubuntu 22.04, Ubuntu 24.04, Ubuntu 23.10, and other Linux with GNOME 40+.

As I know, only Fedora so far display system logo as watermark in the bottom right of desktop wallpaper, though it’s enabled only for the default wallpaper by default.

‘Activate Gnome’ is the extension, which adds semi-transparent text ‘Activate Gnome – Go to Settings to activate Gnome‘ in the bottom right corner of GNOME 40+ desktop.

GNOME with Watermark

Install “Activate Gnome” to add text watermark

1. Firstly, launch “Ubuntu Software” (or App Center for 24.04), search for and install “Extension Manager”.

Install Extension Manager in Ubuntu Software/App Center

2. Then, press Super (Windows Logo) key to open overview screen. Search & launch “Extension Manager”.

3. When the tool opens, navigate to “Browse” tab. Then, search & install the “Activate Gnome” extension.

4. After installation, switch back “Installed” tab in Extension Manager app. Then, click the Setting (gear icon) for the newly installed extension to open its preferences dialog.

Finally, you can add your custom text in two lines, change its size and screen position, and configure the opacity.

For Fedora, Debian, Arch and other Linux with GNOME, simply go to the link below:

Activate Gnome

Then, use the ON/OFF switch to install the extension. And, install ‘Gnome Extensions’ app from Gnome Software for configuring extensions.

If you don’t see the ON/OFF switch, use the link in that page to install browser extension, then refresh.

Turn on the slider to install extension

That’s all. Enjoy!

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Linux Mint’s Sticky Note App Looks Great Now! Here’s how to get it in Ubuntu

Last updated: November 9, 2021

For those looking for Google Keep or Windows Sticky Notes style desktop noting app, Linux Mint’s “sticky” is a good choice for Ubuntu Linux.

Linux Mint maintains some great apps. Sticky is one of them that sticks an electronic version of Post-it Note on your desktop. It’s GTK3 app written in Python3 and works on most desktop environments.

With it, you may create as many notes as possible on desktop. And, it allows to set different color palette for each note: Blue, Green, Magenta, Orange, Purple, Red, Teal, and Yellow.

By right-clicking on header, it allows to set title for your note, and make it “Always on Top”. And, it supports format options including: Bold, Italic, Fixed Width, Underline, Strikethrough, Highlight, Header, toggle Checklist and Bullets. There are many other features, e.g., emoji, language, undo and redo support!

Linux Mint apps used to have right angles which are a little bit ugly in GNOME desktop. Now, it’s switching to rounded title-bar corners which looks native in Ubuntu, though it still lacks an indicator applet.

The app starts as group dialog with button in the bottom to add / remove notes, though each note itself has the new and delete buttons.

How to Install Linux Mint’s Sticky Notes in Ubuntu:

Besides adding Linux Mint repository and managing package priority, this unofficial PPA maintains useful Linux Mint apps, so far for Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 21.04, and Ubuntu 21.10.

1. Add Ubuntu PPA:

Press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal, then run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:kelebek333/mint-tools

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

2. Update package cache.

Next, refresh system package cache by running command below in terminal, though it’s done automatically since Ubuntu 20.04 while adding PPA.

sudo apt update

3. Install sticky:

Finally, install the sticky notes app via command:

sudo apt install sticky

Once installed, search for and open ‘Sticky’ from activities overview screen and enjoy!

How to remove Sticky Notes App:

To remove the app, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command:

sudo apt remove sticky --autoremove

And, remove the Ubuntu PPA either using “Software & Updates” app under “Other Software” tab or by running command:

sudo add-apt-repository --remove ppa:kelebek333/mint-tools
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[Workaround] Blurry / Pixelated Text Font in Ubuntu Software of Ubuntu 21.10

Last updated: November 8, 2021

The Ubuntu Software app in Ubuntu 21.10 Impish has an ugly font rendering on default Wayland. The text in the app looks a bit pixelated.

I found the issue firstly when Impish was in beta stage. The issue was reported to also affect LibreOffice, Chromium, and other Snap apps, though most of them has been updated with it fixed.

Ubuntu Software with Bad Font

According to Daniel van Vugt, this issue is caused by a few key settings change. The following keys has been removed in Ubuntu 21.10:

org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings antialiasing
org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings hinting
org.gnome.settings-daemon.plugins.xsettings rgba-order

And, following ones take the places instead:

org.gnome.desktop.interface font-antialiasing
org.gnome.desktop.interface font-hinting
org.gnome.desktop.interface font-rgba-order

Not only Snap apps, but also font-manager and Gnome Tweaks are affected by this change. And, Ubuntu Software (aka “Snap Store”) has fixed the issue in via the current beta release.

Snap Store Beta

Upgrade Snap Store via Beta Channel:

So the solution is either wait until Canonical published the update, or update Snap Store (Ubuntu Software) through beta channel if you use it regularly.

To do so, simply press Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard to open terminal, and then run command:

snap refresh --channel beta snap-store

After that, font will be properly loaded next boot.

If you’ve found that Snap Store in stable channel has been updated to version higher than “3.38.0-66”. You may revert back by running command:

snap refresh --channel stable snap-store

That’s it. Enjoy!

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