Mozilla Firefox 90.0 Released with SmartBlock 2.0

Last updated: July 13, 2021

Mozilla Firefox released version 90.0 today with some new features and various security fixes.

Firefox 90 introduced the 2.0 version of SmartBlock. The built-in tracker blocking mechanism now provides robust privacy protection, while ensuring you can still use third-party Facebook logins. Facebook scripts are all blocked, just as before, except the short period for the sign-in to proceed smoothly.

For HTTPS-Only Mode, there’s now an option to add exceptions. So that you can visit specified HTTP websites directly without HTTPS-only alerts.

Other changes in Firefox 90 include:

  • Apply updates in the background while Firefox in not running for Windows.
  • New about:third-party page to help identify compatibility issues
  • Print to PDF now produces working hyperlinks
  • The “Open Image in New Tab” context menu now opens images and media in a background tab
  • Improved software WebRender performance
  • Removed FTP support.

How to Get Firefox 90:

Normally, Ubuntu will publish the new Firefox packages through the security & updates repositories in next few days.

You can just wait until it being available to update in Software Updater:

Alternatively, see the release note and download the portable package from Firefox website:

Firefox 90 Release Note & Download
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How to Remap Keyboard / Gamepad in Ubuntu Easily with This Tool

Last updated: March 29, 2023

Want to remap your keyboard or gamepad keys in Ubuntu Linux? It’s easy to do this via Input Remapper.

Input Remapper is a free and open-source tool written in Python 3. With it, you can change the mapping for input devices, including mouse, keyboard, and gamepad.

It works on both X11 and Wayland, and supports for mapping to combined buttons (e.g., Control+A) and programmable macros.

The software has an easy to use interface. Simply start the app, choose the device (e.g., keyboard) to you want to remap, then click add new preset and do:

    1. Click ‘Add’ button in left to add an item.
    2. Click the pencil icon and type a name.
    3. Use “Record” button to record the original keyboard key or key combination.
    4. Choose device to map the input key to.
    5. Finally, type the output key, e.g., letter (a, b, …, z), number (1, 2, …, 9), and/or function keys (Alt_L Control_L Control_R Shift_L Shift_R)

Presets are saved in user’s .config/input-remapper-2/presets folder. You can use them in another machine that can read these “.json” files.

How to Install Input Remapper in Ubuntu:

The software offers official .deb package for Ubuntu / Debian based systems.

Download Input Remapper (.deb)

Grab the deb package, then open terminal and run command to install it:

sudo apt install ~/Downloads/input-remapper*.deb

It should work on all current Ubuntu releases since it requires only a few python modules.

Once installed, open it from system app launcher and enjoy!

(Optional) For choice, there’s command to remove the tool from Ubuntu:

sudo apt remove --autoremove input-remapper
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Active Line in Text Editor Unreadable in Ubuntu 20.04 Dark Mode [Workaround]

Last updated: July 10, 2021

For dark mode fans, you may found the color scheme in Gedit Text Editor is not so good! Focused line is not even readable due to the light text on light line background.

There’s already an upstream fix, though it’s not made into current Ubuntu releases. There are however workarounds and I’m going to show you how!

Option 1.) Use another color scheme:

There are a few other built-in color schemes available in the default Gedit text editor.

Firstly, open the editor and go to ‘Preferences’ in the hamburger menu. While Ubuntu defaults to the ‘Classic’ colors, you can then choose another from Font & Colors tab.

And new colors take places immediately!

Option 2.) Hack the current line background color:

Sticking to the default color scheme? It’s easy to hack the xml config file to change the current line background.

1.) Firstly, open terminal either from system app launcher or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard.

2.) When terminal opens, run command to edit the xml:

sudo gedit /usr/share/gtksourceview-4/styles/classic.xml

Type user password (no visual feedback) when it asks and hit Enter. When file opens, scroll down to find out and change the background value of ‘current-line’ and ‘current-line-number’.

NOTE: If you stick to dark mode, color #181818 is great! However, it’s not good in light mode. So if you switch between light and dark mode regularly, use another color value, such as #99999c.

After saving the changes, the color will take place in new app window.

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Linux Mint 20.2 Released with Improved Update Manager, Bulky File Renamer, Cinnamon 5.0

Last updated: July 8, 2021

Linux Mint team announced the second point release for Mint 20 today. Features Kernel 5.4, Ubuntu 20.04 package base, and Cinnamon 5.0, Xfce 4.16, MATE 1.24 for each desktop edition.

Linux Mint 20.2 will be supported until 2025. It comes with improved Update Manager that supports installing updates for applets, desklets, themes, and extensions.

As well, it now displays software update notifications if it has been available for more than 7 logged-in days or older than 15 calendar days. However, you can change the time period or disable the notification entirely.

The release comes with the new Bulky batch file renamer out-of-the-box. As a desktop independent app, you can install it on Ubuntu easily via the .deb package.

For Cinnamon edition, the new Cinnamon 5.0 features file search and content search in Nemo file manager, memory limit for the desktop usage, new CLI and python3 module.

Other changes include:

  • Automated Flatpak updates in Update Manager preferences. It will automatically remove unused flatpak run-times to free up your disk space.
  • Replace GNote with Sticky Notes as default note taking app.
  • Improvements for the ‘Warpinator’ file transfer app.
  • HPLIP 3.21.2 as well as the latest ipp-usb and sane-airscan
  • The WebApp manager now supports for incognito/private browsing.
  • The NVIDIA Prime applet can now switch between AMD onboard chipsets and discrete GPUs.

How to Get Linux Mint 20.2:

You can get the Linux Mint 20.2 upgrade wizard easily via “Edit->Upgrade to Linux Mint 20.2 Uma” menu in Update Manager. However, it’s recommended to backup, disable screensaver, and update Cinnamon spices (applets, desklets, extensions, themes) before getting started.

For the ISO images as well as release notes, go to linuxmint.com.

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How to Install Linux Mint’s New ‘Bulky’ File Renamer in Ubuntu 20.04

Last updated: July 7, 2021

Linux Mint introduced a new batch file renamer app ‘Bulky’ in the upcoming 20.2 release. Here’s how you can install it in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 21.04.

Bulky is a simple and elegant tool for renaming multiple files and folders in Linux. It’s a free and open-source tool developed by Linux Mint team.

With Bulky Renamer, you can find and replace file / folder names with regular expression support, while preview the changes under ‘New name’ section before clicking “Rename” button.

As well, it allows to remove letters and insert text with specified position, batch change filename to lower case, upper case, title case, or first character upper case.

How to Install Bulky in Ubuntu:

The tiny tool is an XApp that works on any distribution and many desktop environments. It only requires a few Python3 libraries.

Which means, you can get the .deb from Mint repository and install on all current Ubuntu releases (Ubuntu 18.04 and higher) without any issue.

Download Bulky in Mint repo

Download the .deb package from the button above, and double-click to install via Ubuntu-install. Or, open terminal (Ctrl+Alt+T) and run command to install the local package:

sudo apt install ./Downloads/bulky*.deb

For other Linux, grab and build the source tarball from the Github project page.

Once installed, search for and open ‘File Renamer’ from system app launcher and enjoy!

Uninstall Bulky:

To remove the tool, simply run command:

sudo apt remove bulky
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Converseen Adds Support for Batch Converting JFIF files to JPEG / PNG

Last updated: July 5, 2021

Batch image converting and scaling app Converseen released version 0.9.9.1, features JFIF file format support.

Converseen is a free open-source tool based on Qt5 framework. It provides a lightweight and easy to use interface to convert single or multiple photo images.

Thanks to Magick++, it supports 100+ supported file formats, including the most popular DPX, EXR, GIF, JPEG, JPEG-2000, PhotoCD, PNG, Postscript, SVG, and TIFF. And, it supports for converting PDF to image, and/or image to PDF.

In addition, it can scale, rotate, and flip images, and replace transparent background with specified color. For JPEG and PNG, you can set the quality level via ‘Image settings’ button.

By releasing Converseen 0.9.9.1, it now supports for converting JFIF file to any supported image format. As well, there are minor updates and various bug-fixes in the release.

How to Install Converseen 0.9.9.1 in Ubuntu:

Besides building from the source tarball, you can install the app from the unofficial PPA in Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 21.04, as well as Linux Mint 20.

1.) Firstly, open terminal from system app launcher. When it opens, run command to add the PPA:

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:ubuntuhandbook1/apps

2.) After that, run command to update package cache, though it’s done automatically in Ubuntu 20.04 and higher:

sudo apt update

3.) You can finally either upgrade the tool from existing release via Software Updater, or install it via command:

sudo apt install converseen

How to Remove Converseen:

To remove the software, simply run command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove converseen

As well, you can remove the PPA either via command:

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

or by removing relevant line from “Software & Updates -> Other Software”:

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Search DuckDuckGo from Terminal in Ubuntu Linux via ddgr Command

Last updated: July 4, 2021

For command line users want to search on DuckDuckGo, ddgr is the free open-source tool to search from Linux terminal.

It’s a tiny tool written mostly in Python3. And it’s quite easy to use. For instance, run the command below will search ‘Windows 11’ and output 10 results per page.

ddgr Windows 11

You can then type n / p / f and hit Enter to go next page, previous page, or to the first page.

By typing o 1 will open the first result, and c 1 will copy the first URL into clipboard. And you can type ? to get more actions in the search output.

Result number per page can be set via --num. And you can specified website to search via --site flag.

For example, search Ubuntu 21.10 on Ubuntu.com with 3 results per page, run:

ddgr --num 3 --site ubuntu.com ubuntu 21.10

To automatic open the first result in web browser, use -j or --ducky flag. For example:

ddgr --ducky Windows 11

For Ubuntu Server without desktop UI, you can firstly specify text-based web browser, w3m in the case, easily via:

export BROWSER=w3m

Other features include:

  • DuckDuckGo Bangs
  • Search and option completion scripts (Bash, Fish, Zsh)
  • Search file type: filetype:mime
  • HTTPS proxy support
  • Do Not Track set by default

How to Install ddgr in Ubuntu:

The nifty tool is available in Ubuntu repositories. You can install it simply by running command in terminal:

sudo apt install ddgr

As Ubuntu does not provide the software updates, you can always get the latest .deb package from the link below:

ddgr Github releases
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Automatic Shutdown Easily in Ubuntu via System Menu Option

Last updated: July 2, 2021

Want to automatically power off Ubuntu after given time? Here’s an Extension adds the option to top-right system menu.

Yes, you can do this either via a graphical shutdown application, or shutdown command with few parameter. However, for beginners or those hate Linux command, life will be easier with the ShutdownTimer extension.

The extension adds an option under Power Off/Log Out menu. With it, you can just move the slider to change time delay, and turn on the toggle icon to automatically shutdown your computer.

A setting dialog is available by clicking on the gear icon. There you can set the minimum and maximum time value, and use Automatic Suspend instead of shutdown.

As some running apps/services might prevent user shutdown, “Root mode” is available to perform the action via super user privilege. However, you need to type user password every time you enable automatic shutdown.

How to Install the ShutdownTimer extension:

The extension supports all current Ubuntu releases running with default Gnome Desktop. As well, GNOME 40 is supported.

1.) Firstly, open terminal by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When terminal opens, run command to install the required packages:

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

2.) Secondly, go to the extension web page and click on the slider icon to install it.

Install Shutdown Timer Extension

Don’t see the toggle icon? Install browser extension via ‘Click here to install browser extension’ link and refresh the web page.

Once you installed the extension, the option should appear in system menu immediately. Log out and back in or restart Gnome Shell if you don’t see the option.

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Free DJ Software Mixxx 2.3.0 Released as New Major Update [PPA]

Last updated: July 1, 2021

After more than two years of development, free open-source DJ software Mixxx 2.3.0 released as the big stable release with a total of 7477 changes over 1 million lines of code since the last release.

The new release introduced hotcue colors and custom labels. Hotcues can now have individual colors to make them visually distinguishable. And it’s now possible to see the hotcue labels on the overview waveforms, as well edit them by right-clicking.

For Rekordbox or Serato users, switching to Mixxx is easier. And it can now play tracks directly from USB drives that contain Rekordbox and Serato libraries.

The 2.3.0 also added Opus and HE-AAC streaming and recording support, as well as out-of-the-box support for:

  • Pioneer DDJ-200 and DDJ-400
  • Native Instruments Traktor Kontrol S3
  • Hercules DJControl Inpulse 200 and Jogvision
  • Roland DJ-505
  • Behringer B-Control BCR2000 and DDM4000
  • ION Discover DJ Pro and the Numark iDJ Live II.

Other changes in Mixxx 2.3.0 include:

  • Add deck cloning (aka “instant doubles”) by dragging and dropping between decks
  • Add laptop battery widget to skins
  • New default skin “LateNight”
  • Multithreaded analysis for multicore CPUs
  • Remove VAMP plugin support and use Queen Mary DSP library directly.
  • Add FFmpeg audio decoder, bringing support for ALAC files
  • And much more.

How to Install Mixxx 2.3.0 in Ubuntu via PPA:

For Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 20.04, Ubuntu 21.04, Linux Mint 20, you can install the release package from its official PPA.

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

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:mixxx/mixxx

Input your password (no asterisk feedback) when it prompts and hit Enter to continue.

2. If an old Mixxx package exist on your system, upgrade the DJ software using Software Updater:

Or run commands one by one in terminal to install or upgrade the software:

sudo apt update

sudo apt install mixxx

Uninstall:

You can easily remove the software by running command in terminal:

sudo apt remove --autoremove mixxx

And remove the PPA repository via Software & Updates, by removing relevant line utility under Other Software tab.

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Fix Incorrect Time in Windows 11 That Dual boot with Ubuntu Linux

Last updated: October 24, 2021

For those dual boot Windows 11 with Ubuntu or other Linux, you’ll find different time display in each system. And usually Windows shows the incorrect clock time.

There are two time standards, localtime and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC, aka GMT). The local time standard is dependent on the current time zone, while UTC is the global time standard that is independent of time zone.

By default, Windows uses localtime, but Ubuntu uses UTC. So you get the different time in the dual boot. And the solution is set the same time standard in the two systems.

Method 1.) Set RTC to local time zone in Ubuntu:

Though it’s not recommended, set the Real Time Clock (RTC) to use local time zone just works.

Firstly, open terminal either from system app launcher or by pressing Ctrl+Alt+T on keyboard. When it opens, run command:

timedatectl set-local-rtc 1 --adjust-system-clock

Then you can check system clock status via command:

timedatectl

And “RTC in local TZ: yes”, where TZ means time zone, tells localtime standard is in use.

As I said “it’s not recommended“, it warns that localtime standard may cause various problems with time zone changes and daylight saving time adjustments.

You can restore UTC time standard and do method 2 instead by running command:

timedatectl set-local-rtc 0

Method 2.) Enable UTC time in Windows 11:

If you’re now running Windows 11, you can easily enable the UTC / GMT time standard via following steps.

1. Firstly, click on ‘Search’ icon on task bar. Then search for and right-click on ‘Command Prompt’ and select ‘Run as administrator’.

2. When command prompt opens, copy and paste the command below and hit run:

reg add "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\TimeZoneInformation" /v RealTimeIsUniversal /d 1 /t REG_DWORD /f

The command creates a registry key to tell Windows to use universal time standard.

Refresh the display time to apply change:

If Windows 11 shows the incorrect date and time, search for and open “Settings” from start menu. Then go to “Time & Language” from left pane, click “Date & time” and finally disable and re-enable ‘Set time automatically’ option will correct your system time.

For Ubuntu users, it may also display incorrect time when “Automatic Date & Time” not enabled. Simply enable or refresh the option in System “Settings -> Date & Time” will do the trick.

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