Hannah Montana Linux (HML) has become a conversation starter in the land of FOSS (aka FOSSLand?), and somehow, the year is 2026. The remaster, released by Noah Cagle, a developer/YouTuber, has taken us by surprise.
This new avatar of HML is a combination of Debian Live tooling and the Calamares installer, with most of the makeover happening inside KDE Plasma, the desktop environment of choice here.
For anyone unfamiliar, the original Hannah Montana Linux was bestowed upon us in 2009, riding on Kubuntu 9.04 and KDE 4.2, drenched in hot pink Disney Channel branding.
It might sound like a fever dream, but it was a real, functioning operating system, and that absurdity is precisely what turned it into a long-running Linux meme that never quite died.
HML in 2026!?
This variant of HML is built on Debian 13, with non-free repositories enabled from the beginning for easy access to proprietary hardware drivers. Noah used live-build, Debian's tool for building custom distributions, and a few custom flags to get this up and running.
Most of the visual changes you see here are the result of cloning Plasma assets and manually editing them. The "pretty pink" color scheme is a copy of Breeze with only the window header and button highlight colors changed.
The wallpaper is rebuilt from the original 2009 PNG file, resized for widescreen screens, with a recreated glitter effect and Hannah's cutout pasted back in.
The theme options and Calamares installer on HML.
Similarly, the icon pack ships with only one replacement icon for the kickoff start menu button, which was taken from the Hannah Montana logo. The panel's pink color comes from a separate Plasma theme, copied and recolored from Noir Dark's panel background SVG in Inkscape.
All of these pieces are bundled into one Global Theme for quick access.
For the installer, the default Debian installer was replaced in favor of Calamares, with the distro's existing Calamares-specific assets being reused and redesigned for use in HML to match the rest of the theme.
Grab an image
Noah has not hosted a dedicated website for this project, so you will have to make do with the GitLab repository that hosts the source code as well as the latest release of Hannah Montana Linux (v26.1 at the time of writing).
Btw, the main release isn't the only option on offer. 👇
The HML26 Lite image swaps Plasma and SDDM for LXQt and LightDM, making HML a more suitable option for people running RAM-constrained, older hardware.
And if you already run Plasma and just want the look without needing to install a whole new operating system, the exquisite pink theme has its own standalone repository.
I must say, this is mostly a passion project, and only time will tell how maintained this new avatar of HML will be. If you just want to distrohop and see what this offers, then this is a great fit, but if you intend to daily drive it, your mileage may vary.
Obsidian and Logseq may seem similar. Both are local-first note-taking apps, both use Markdown, and both are popular among people building their personal knowledge base.
But after using both for nearly three years, I can say this: they are not the same kind of tool. Obsidian feels like a powerful Markdown writing environment. Logseq feels like an outliner built for connecting ideas at the block level.
Both applications use Markdown as their primary note format. However, Logseq is also actively developing a database-based version alongside its traditional Markdown workflow.
I have written several tutorials on both Logseq and Obsidian here on It's FOSS. One of the frequently asked questions in the comments of those articles has been about the differences between Obsidian and Logseq.
But that major difference is not a difference for many. They want to know which tool they should use for their perfectly curated knowledge base.
So, I decided to compare both Logseq and Obsidian on certain points that I have noticed in my experience. Instead of trying to declare one as the winner, I'll explain where each application works well, where I struggled, and why I still use both in my daily workflow.
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Choose Obsidian if you prefer traditional Markdown files, folders, long-form writing, strong plugins, and a polished mobile app.
Choose Logseq if you prefer outlining, daily journals, block references, open source software, and idea-first note-taking.
I personally use Obsidian for writing long text, articles and Logseq for collecting and connecting ideas.
This is not a recommendation to switch to one application or the other. It is simply a collection of my experiences and the workflow that worked best for me.
Here is a quick comparison before we go into the details.
Feature
Obsidian
Logseq
Best for
Long-form notes, writing, structured vaults
Outlining, daily journals, block references
Note format
Markdown files
Markdown/Org, moving toward database
Open source
No
Yes
Learning curve
Easier
Steeper
Linking style
Page/file-level links
Block-level references
Mobile app
More polished
Less polished, especially on Android
Plugin ecosystem
Larger
Smaller, but more built-in features
Portability
Better
Good, but more Logseq-specific structure
Local Storage of Notes
How an application stores your notes is one of the most important aspects of any note-taking system. Fast access to your data and complete ownership of your notes are essential.
Fortunately, both Obsidian and Logseq follow a local-first approach.
Obsidian
Obsidian stores every note as a standard Markdown (.md) file inside a local folder called a Vault. Since all files remain on your computer by default, you have complete control over your data without depending on external servers or proprietary databases.
You can also create multiple vaults, allowing you to separate different projects or areas of work. Because everything is stored locally, your notes remain accessible even without internet connection.
Logseq
Logseq also stores notes locally using Markdown and Org-mode files. However, the project is gradually moving toward a local SQLite database architecture to improve performance, stability, and query capabilities.
Even with this transition, the developers have stated that they intend to continue supporting the traditional Markdown-based workflow for users who prefer plain text notes.
Like Obsidian, Logseq also allows you to maintain multiple collections of notes and switch between them easily.
Plain Markdown vs Logseq's Bulleted Markdown
Although both applications use Markdown, the editing experience is fundamentally different.
Obsidian
Obsidian follows the traditional Markdown editing approach, where an entire file becomes the main unit of work.
It is well suited for writing long articles, detailed documentation, or structured notes that resemble conventional documents.
Obsidian for Long form Notes
Logseq
Logseq is built around an outliner. Every line is a collapsible bullet, making each individual block the primary unit of information.
Outline Style notes in Logseq
Instead of thinking in pages, you naturally build ideas by nesting bullets and creating hierarchies through indentation.
Where Obsidian Feels Better for Writing
I use Obsidian whenever I'm writing article drafts or other long-form documents. Its editor feels much more comfortable for continuous writing, and organizing paragraphs is straightforward.
If you're writing regular articles or lengthy notes, Logseq can sometimes feel restrictive because everything starts as a bullet point.
I especially notice this when working with a table of contents. In Obsidian, the document structure is easier to visualize because there isn't a bullet interface surrounding every paragraph.
On the other hand, Logseq is excellent for collecting ideas before writing. Its outline-based interface makes it easy to brainstorm, collapse large sections into a single line, and gradually expand ideas whenever needed.
When you maintain proper indentation, every parent bullet can almost act as a separate note with all of its supporting information nested underneath.
Interlinking Notes
Linking related notes is one of the most important features of any PKM application because that's what separates it from just a random dump of notes and an organized, accessible knowledge base.
Obsidian
Obsidian connects notes by linking entire files using wiki-style links. It also includes a backlinks panel that shows every note linking to the current document.
Backlinks in Obsidian
To visualize these relationships, Obsidian provides an excellent graph view that displays how your notes connect with each other.
Logseq
Logseq does things differently by introducing block-level references.
Instead of linking only to entire pages, you can directly reference or embed an individual bullet from anywhere in your knowledge base.
Like Obsidian, Logseq also includes a graph view to visualize relationships between notes.
Backlinks and Page Graph
Why I Prefer Logseq for Connected Notes
When it comes to interlinked notes, I prefer Logseq every time. The biggest reason is block-level references.
Because Obsidian links entire files, I often end up creating many small notes just so they can be referenced from different places.
Logseq removes that need. If I organize my ideas using proper indentation, I can reference only the specific block I need while leaving the rest of the information in the same page.
Even better, hovering over a reference displays the complete parent block along with its nested content.
This allows me to keep large collections of related ideas together while still being able to reference individual parts wherever I need them.
There is one thing to keep in mind, though. This workflow depends heavily on proper indentation. If the structure becomes messy, references may not include all the information you expected.
Overall, I think Obsidian works better if you're intentionally following a Zettelkasten-style workflow with a strict "one idea, one note" philosophy.
Personally, I believe that Zettlekasten is one of the best ways to organize knowledge. The challenge is that maintaining such a system consistently can become difficult over time.
File Storage Architecture
The way notes are organized on disk and inside the application is very different in Obsidian and Logseq.
Obsidian
Obsidian follows the traditional file and folder approach. You are free to create any folder structure you like inside a vault, whether it is deeply nested or completely flat.
This gives you complete control over how your knowledge base is organized.
Obsidian Folder Structure
Logseq
While Logseq, instead of relying on folders, encourages you to organize information using daily journals, pages, tags, and block hierarchies.
Rather than maintaining a directory structure yourself, the organization gradually emerges through links and references.
Logseq Folder structure
Why Obsidian is Easier for Beginners
For most casual users and students, I feel Obsidian's approach is much easier to understand.
Logseq's organization model can be confusing at first. By the time you fully understand how pages, tags, and journals work together, you may already have created hundreds of notes that need to be reorganized.
One thing that initially confused me was the relationship between pages and tags. In many situations, they almost behave like the same thing.
If you come from a traditional folder-based workflow, it's easy to start creating pages as if they were folders. That usually leads to confusion later when your notes begin to grow.
Obsidian, on the other hand, follows a familiar file-and-folder hierarchy that almost everyone already understands. Logseq's approach is certainly powerful, but it requires careful planning from the beginning.
Notes portability
Being able to move your notes between applications is an important consideration. If you ever decide to switch tools, a portable note format can save a lot of effort and frustration.
Obsidian
Obsidian stores everything as standard Markdown files. Because Markdown is widely supported, you can open your notes in almost any text editor without losing the main content.
This makes your notes easy to access in the future, regardless of whether you continue using Obsidian.
Logseq
Logseq also stores notes in Markdown, but its heavy use of block structures and internal block identifiers makes those files less suitable for use in traditional Markdown editors.
While it do provide a way to export the current page to a proper markdown, the default note you created is always in a bullet-structure form.
Which One Is Easier to Move Away From?
Although Obsidian is highly portable, there are still a few things to keep in mind. Obsidian's wiki links are not part of the Markdown standard. If you open those files in another editor, internal links and embedded images may not work as expected.
The same applies to some Obsidian-specific features such as callout blocks.
Fortunately, Obsidian allows you to disable wiki links and use standard Markdown links instead. If long-term portability is important to you, this is a setting worth considering.
Disable Wikilink in Obsidian
Logseq has similar limitations because it also extends Markdown with its own features.
Overall, I still find Obsidian's notes easier to migrate to other applications than Logseq's Markdown files.
Plugin Ecosystem
A healthy plugin ecosystem can greatly extend the capabilities of a note-taking application.
Obsidian
Obsidian has one of the largest plugin ecosystems available. Thousands of community plugins can transform the editor into anything from a task manager to a database-like system using plugins such as Dataview.
Because the core application remains fairly minimal, many advanced features depend on community plugins.
Obsidian Plugin Marketplace
Logseq
Logseq has a much smaller plugin ecosystem. However, it includes many features that Obsidian users often install plugins for, including flashcards, PDF annotation, and advanced queries.
Its philosophy is to provide most of the commonly used PKM features as part of the default installation.
Logseq Plugin Marketplace
Plugins vs Built-in Features: My Take
I actually give a thumbs up to the Obsidian's plugin model. Providing a simple editor and allowing users to choose only the features they need is a good design approach. Many modern applications, including Visual Studio Code, follow a similar philosophy.
The downside is that depending heavily on third-party plugins introduces additional security considerations.
Logseq takes the opposite approach by including most important features out of the box.
I repeat, one thing to remember for both applications is portability. Many plugins introduce their own syntax that goes beyond standard Markdown.
If your goal is to keep your notes compatible with other Markdown editors, it's worth being selective about which plugins you install.
Callout blocks are a good example. They work well inside the application but may not render correctly elsewhere.
Web Clipper
If you regularly save articles while browsing, a good web clipper becomes an essential part of your workflow. Though, you only need one reliable web clipper.
Obsidian
Obsidian offers an excellent web clipper extension that is available for Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and other browsers.
It lets you save web pages as Markdown notes. When used with Obsidian, the clipped notes are automatically populated with useful YAML front matter such as the title, source URL, author, and other metadata.
Logseq
At the time of writing, Logseq does not have an official web clipper. There have been ongoing discussions about one, but an official release is yet to arrive.
Why Obsidian’s Web Clipper Is More Useful
One thing I really like about the Obsidian Web Clipper is that it doesn't require Obsidian to be installed.
This means I can use it to save web pages as Markdown and then import those notes into other applications, including Logseq.
The only feature you miss without Obsidian is the ability to send clipped notes directly into a specific vault or folder with a single click. That integration naturally requires Obsidian to be installed.
Sync Features
Working on more than one computer? Sync is essential for your workflow.
Obsidian
Obsidian provides its own paid synchronization service called Obsidian Sync. I have used it extensively, and it has worked very well for me.
Since all notes remain local files, you can also use other synchronization solutions such as iCloud, Dropbox, or Syncthing instead of paying for the official service.
One thing worth mentioning is Android. Services like Dropbox and Google Drive do not automatically live synchronize a local folder in the background because of Android's storage restrictions.
This is not an Obsidian limitation. If you want continuous synchronization on Android, tools such as Syncthing generally provide a much better experience.
Logseq
Logseq also offers its own paid synchronization service.
Users can choose alternatives such as iCloud, although it has been known to have occasional issues.
The upcoming database version is also expected to improve real-time synchronization and collaboration between multiple devices.
My Sync Setup and Why I Avoid Direct Comparison
I personally don't use Logseq Sync. Instead, I keep my Logseq graph inside a private GitLab repository to avoid accidental data loss.
Because of that, I don't think it would be fair for me to compare the official synchronization services of both applications. If you've used both, I'd be interested in hearing about your experience in the comments.
Mobile Application Availability
A good note-taking application should work well on mobile devices too. After all, we don't always have a laptop with us.
Obsidian
Obsidian offers official mobile applications for both Android and iOS. In my experience, the app works very well, and Obsidian Sync integrates seamlessly across devices. Since I'm the only person using my vault, I haven't tested its collaboration features, so I won't comment on them.
Logseq
Logseq's mobile experience is currently less polished. There isn't an official Android app for the legacy Markdown version on the Play Store.
Android users can still install it by downloading the APK from the official GitHub repository. iPhone users, however, have an official release available on the App Store.
The new database version is currently being developed with iOS as the primary focus, and an Android release is not expected anytime soon.
Where Obsidian Feels Ahead on Mobile
Regarding Obsidian, one thing I did notice is that the interface can feel a little crowded on smaller screens. The ribbon menus, sidebars, and other interface elements take up a fair amount of space. If you prefer larger fonts while reading or writing notes, the interface can feel even more compact.
I rarely use Logseq on my phone, so I don't think I can fairly judge its mobile experience. It will be unfair if I tried it for the sake of this article, so I leave it to those who use it frequently to judge it, and I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Git Integration Possibilities
Git is not only an excellent version control system but also a reliable synchronization solution for users who prefer not to use paid cloud services.
Obsidian
Since an Obsidian vault is simply a folder containing Markdown files, it works naturally with Git.
In this setup, version history depends entirely on Git rather than the application itself.
Git in Obsidian
Logseq
Logseq also works well with Git when using the Markdown version. Its upcoming database architecture introduces another interesting feature.
Instead of relying entirely on Git history, the database is designed as a "time-travel database." Every change is stored as a timestamped transaction, allowing you to inspect previous states of your knowledge base directly from within the application.
0:00
/0:22
Git in Logseq
How I Use Git With Both Apps
Both applications provide community plugins that simplify Git operations through a graphical interface.
Between the two, I found Obsidian's Git plugin more polished and easier to understand. It exposes almost every Git operation you might need through a straightforward interface.
Ironically, I rarely use either plugin. I manage my repositories using Lazygit, so I generally prefer handling Git from the terminal.
Open Source vs Proprietary
The licensing model of an application doesn't necessarily affect how well it works, but it is still an important consideration for many users.
Obsidian
Obsidian is proprietary software. The application itself is closed source, meaning only the developers have access to its source code.
It is free for personal use, while commercial use requires a paid license. One important point is that many community plugins available for Obsidian are open source, even though the application itself is not.
Logseq
Logseq is fully open source under the AGPL-3.0 license. Its source code is publicly available, and anyone can inspect, modify, or fork the project.
All local features are available without requiring any payment.
Why I Still Use Obsidian Despite It Being Closed Source
Almost every application I use daily is open source. Obsidian is one of the few exceptions.
There are several reasons for that. I've been using it for a long time, migrating my notes without breaking links would take considerable effort, and I simply don't have enough time to rebuild my entire knowledge base.
Another reason, is the writing experience. For long-form writing, Obsidian is still one of the fastest and most comfortable editors I've used.
My long-term goal is to move toward a completely plain-text, wiki-style note system, but that is still some distance away.
Default Entry Point and Daily Workflow
One of the first things you'll notice when trying a new PKM application is how it expects you to work.
Obsidian
Obsidian starts with a blank note or an existing document. From there, you're free to organize your vault however you like.
You can create folders, move notes between them, and rearrange your structure whenever needed.
Because Obsidian automatically updates internal links, reorganizing notes is generally painless.
Logseq
Logseq is different. Every time you open the application, you're greeted by today's journal.
The idea is simple. Open the application, start writing, and organize everything later using links, pages, and tags.
This journal-first workflow is one of Logseq's biggest strengths, but it also comes with a learning curve.
Personally, I recommend spending some time understanding how Logseq works before filling it with notes.
Learning while building your knowledge base can easily lead to unnecessary pages, duplicate tags, and organizational problems that become frustrating to fix later. At least, that's exactly what happened to me.
Theming Support
A note-taking application should also be pleasant to use. If you enjoy the interface, you're more likely to keep coming back to read and write.
Obsidian
This is one area where Obsidian stands out. Thanks to its large community, there are hundreds of themes available, along with plugins that let you customize almost every part of the interface.
I personally use the Border theme most of the time. Combined with the Style Settings plugin, it lets me customize Obsidian exactly the way I want.
Occasionally, I switch to Retroma, which has a unique appearance that I really enjoy.
Retroma Theme in Obsidian
Logseq
Logseq isn't far behind, but its theme ecosystem is much smaller.
There are still several good community themes available, although they don't offer the same level of customization as Obsidian.
I usually switch between the Immersion Dark and Bonofix Dark themes.
If you're comfortable editing CSS, you can customize Logseq even further. However, I wouldn't recommend that approach to beginners who simply want to install the application and start taking notes.
Importing Notes Between Obsidian and Logseq
Both Obsidian and Logseq let you work with Markdown files, but moving an existing knowledge base from one application to the other is not as straightforward as it sounds. The biggest reason is the difference in how each application structures notes.
According to the documentation, you can import a folder of Markdown files into Logseq. In practice, however, the results may not always be ideal.
Because Logseq is built around an outline-based structure, imported Markdown files don't automatically adopt its bullet hierarchy. This becomes even more noticeable if you're using the Table of Contents plugin, where the structure may not appear as expected.
If you're particular about keeping your notes properly organized with consistent bullets and indentation, you'll likely have to spend time manually restructuring many of the imported notes.
Obsidian handles Logseq notes a little better. You can simply copy the Markdown files from Logseq's pages folder into an Obsidian vault, and the bullet structure is generally preserved. However, headings and overall formatting may still need some cleanup.
If you've built a large knowledge base in either application, migrating it perfectly to the other is difficult. The underlying architecture of the two applications is simply too different to make the process completely seamless.
Who Are Obsidian and Logseq For?
Although both applications solve similar problems, I think they are designed for different kinds of users.
Choose Obsidian If
You write long-form notes, prefer traditional files and folders, and enjoy customizing your workspace through plugins. It works particularly well if you're willing to invest time in organizing your knowledge base and maintaining a structured note system.
Choose Logseq If
You naturally think in outlines and bullet points. Its journal-first workflow, block-based organization, built-in flashcards, and PDF annotation tools make it an excellent choice for quickly capturing ideas before organizing them later.
It is also a strong option for users who prefer fully open-source software.
How I Use Them Both
For a long time, I've used both applications side by side.
I wouldn't generally recommend this approach unless you're comfortable managing two separate knowledge bases every day.
In my workflow, Obsidian is where I keep long-form notes, article drafts, and web clippings.
Logseq is where I quickly capture ideas, maintain journals, and collect thoughts before they grow into larger pieces of writing.
This workflow still works well for me because my overall note collection is manageable.
As my knowledge base continues to grow, however, I expect to simplify everything into a system that's easier to maintain over the long term.
Wrapping Up
📋
I'll revisit this comparison article when Logseq's upcoming database feature is available and well tested by me.
This article was never meant to declare one application objectively better than the other. Obsidian and Logseq reflect two different ways of thinking about notes.
Obsidian works better for me when I need a polished writing environment. Logseq works better when I want to collect, nest, and connect ideas quickly.
At the end of the day, the best note-taking app is the one that fits the way you actually work.
Which one do you use: Obsidian, Logseq, Joplin, Zim Wiki, or something else? Share your workflow in the comments.
Sipeed has been making tiny RISC-V and ARM boards for the maker crowd for years, and its NanoKVM line is already a familiar name if you have ever wanted BIOS-level remote access without paying enterprise IPMI prices.
Sipeed has announced a new entry in the NanoKVM line. It is called NanoKVM-Go, it is miniature and skips the usual pile of HDMI, USB, Ethernet, and power cables entirely. It comes with just USB-C cable to the target device and WiFi 6 for the connectivity. That's it.
The NanoKVM-Go is on Kickstarter and has already achived its funding goal by raising over a $130,000 against its target of approximately $6,000.
This tiny KVM also generated quite a buzz on Twitter, perhaps because it used the term "AI-native" in its campaign.
Yes, Sipeed is calling it the world's first "AI-native" KVM, built so that an AI agent can watch your screen and act on it at the hardware level. Interesting, right?
NanoKVM-Go Specifications
Here are the main hardware specifications for NanoKVM-GO:
Single USB-C cable for video, audio, keyboard/mouse, power pass-through, and virtual disk
4K capture at 45Hz, 2K at 90Hz, latency as low as 60ms at 1080p
Dual-band WiFi 6, up to 286Mbps, built-in Tailscale for remote access.
Go+ variant (comes with a built-in 3.2TOPS AI processor and PicoClaw) adds a local "Ambient Screen Intelligence" with 180-day searchable screen history
The device is priced to be $89 for Go and $129 for Go+. But if you back them in the crowdfunding campaign, you can get them for $69 and $99 respectively.
The main USB-C port on NanoKVM-Go carries video and audio (over DisplayPort Alt Mode), keyboard and mouse emulation, disk emulation for mounting OS images, and even a virtual network interface, all through that single cable. A separate auxiliary USB-C port handles power pass-through so your laptop or phone keeps charging during a long session.
It also powers an optional FingerBot accessory that can physically press a stuck computer's power button for a hard reboot. Yes, you read that right.
On the capture side, it does 4K at 45Hz or 2K at 90Hz, with latency Sipeed lists at 60ms for 1080p60, 80ms for 2K60, and 100ms for 4K30. That is over dual-band WiFi 6, rated up to 286Mbps, with Tailscale built in so you can reach the device remotely without setting up port forwarding.
Since it works with anything that supports USB-C DisplayPort Alt Mode, that covers MacBooks, Mac minis, any laptop with USB C port, iPhone 15 and later, several Android phones, and even the Steam Deck.
NanoKVM-GO board images shared by Sipeed on X
Under the hood is an unnamed SoC that is probably the same Axera Tech AX630C used in the existing NanoKVM Pro. It is paired with a dual-core Cortex-A53 and a 3.2 TOPS NPU. The base NanoKVM-Go gets 256MB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage, and the whole thing draws around 1.6W at 4K30.
NanoKVM-Go+
The NanoKVM-Go+ doubles the memory to 512MB and jumps to 64GB of eMMC, all in service of a feature Sipeed calls "Ambient Screen Intelligence,"which is basically its own version of the infamous Microsoft's Recall.
It continuously captures your screen, stores up to 180 days of history locally, and lets you search through it later with plain text, all processed on-device without cloud uploads or a subscription.
Whether you actually want a machine remembering everything on your screen for six months is up too you, but at least Sipeed is keeping it local instead of 'calling it home' like Microslop.
What could you use it for?
Well... remotely accessing and controlling your device is the most straight forward use.
Typically, you would need to install a remote desktop or remote access solution on the host system that you want to control. But with this gadget attached to the machine, it becomes a 'plug and play'. You can assist your elderly parents and friends (if they have devices with USB-C) or control your homelab devices from outside the home network.
Let's talk about the "native AI" feature. See, every KVM function, keyboard input, mouse control, screen capture, is exposed as an MCP server that you can turn on yourself. That effectively turns the device into a hardware-level Computer Use Agent peripheral.
Instead of an AI agent needing screen-sharing software running on the target machine, it can drive the actual hardware through the KVM, which also means it works even if the target OS is frozen or sitting at a BIOS screen.
You can use Sipeed's own PicoClaw agent or go with OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, and Hermes Agent among other compatible options.
Sipeed is leaning on this to court the current wave of agentic AI tools, name-checking its own lightweight PicoClaw agent alongside OpenClaw, Claude Code, Codex, and Hermes Agent as compatible options.
The screen capture recall feature of Go+ is also helpful.
If you are running AI agents, you can let them run with your laptop lid closed (that's the running joke in the industry).
The announcement video could give you more ideas:
🛒 Pricing and Availability
NanoKVM-Go is live on Kickstarter now, and it's already comfortably funded past its original $50,000 HKD (about $6,374) goal.
The Early Bird tier for the base NanoKVM-Go is going for $69 (instead of $89), and the Super Early Bird for NanoKVM-Go+ is $99 (instead of $129). Shipping adds roughly $20 for international backers, and rewards are expected to go out in August 2026.
🚧
As with any crowdfunding campaign, treat the ship date as an estimate rather than a promise. Back it to support the project, not because you're counting on August delivery.
If you want to use this device in your AI workflow, go for the Go+ version.
Suggested Read: If KVMs are your thing, we also covered the LeafKVM, an open source Rust and Buildroot based KVM-over-IP device that takes a very different, fully open approach.
Crowdfunding is one of the best ways to turn an idea into an actual product. A creator pitches something, sets a funding goal, and backers decide whether it is worth building.
While most campaigns stay small, a few do break out completely. The original Pebble smartwatch asked for $100,000 in 2012, walked away with over $10 million, going on to ship more than two million watches. It has since returned as an open source-focused outfit.
HW Media Lab already knows that path. Its first product, WebScreen, a hackable secondary display for gamers and creators, asked Crowd Supply for $5,250 and came back with $10,718, more than double its goal.
Now they are back again with a new creation that focuses on modular, repairable USB-C docking.
Just a generic USB-C hub?
Not quite; the DockFrame is a modular USB-C hub built around Framework's open source Expansion Card slot standard. Instead of a fixed set of ports, it gives you four open slots that accept the same cards Framework sells for its laptops and desktops.
The hub itself operates on USB 3.2, with USB-C DisplayPort and Power Delivery passthrough up to 100 W on the downstream ports. The case is injection-molded and translucent, supports Framework's Desktop Tiles, and has a LEGO-compatible stud grid on the bottom so multiple units can be stacked once four slots stop being enough.
Slot in any of the Framework Expansion Cards, and DockFrame will treat them like they belong there. This means any spare USB-A, HDMI, Ethernet, or storage cards left over from a laptop upgrade do not have to sit in a drawer; they can go straight into the hub instead.
HW Media Lab builds its own Tool Cards too:
The Multimeter Card can read DC/AC voltage, current, and continuity.
The Mini Hub Card adds four USB 3.0 ports, each capable of 5 Gbps transfer speeds.
The Power Supply Card is a programmable buck-boost supply with USB PD input up to 100 W.
The BreadBoard Card carries a Seeed Studio XIAO board and standard 0.1 inch headers for prototyping work.
If none of the four fit what you need, you can design your own card using the same open slot standard or build a custom host app that talks to the onboard MCUs over USB serial, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or ESP-NOW.
Repairability is also a focus here, as the DockFrame is held together with screws instead of glue. Makers, embedded engineers, educators, and anyone tired of keeping a dock, a multimeter, and a bench supply as three separate boxes are the target audience here.
While you wait…
The DockFrame is yet to receive an official release date or a price tag. While you wait, you can keep an eye out on the Crowd Supply page for it, and if you want to share feedback, the official product page has a form you can fill out.
All the hardware-related files, like schematics, layouts, firmware, and the FreeCAD case files, should be available on GitHub once the crowdfunding campaign ends. You can track development by joining HW Lab's Discord server.
Brave has rolled out Containers with the Brave Browser 1.92 release, giving its Chromium-based browser something Firefox users have had for years now. And no, it is not some pre-installed extension doing the work; this functionality is built right into the browser for Linux, Windows, and macOS.
In this implementation, each container keeps its own cookies and site data storage separate from the rest, even if you visit the same website across containers. By default, this feature ships with four categories: Personal, Work, Social, and School. Each one of them can be edited or deleted to suit your workflow.
The default Container categories are useful, I must say.
You can make new ones too! I made one to test how containers worked, named it "It's FOSS," and picked a color and icon for it from the available options.
The idea itself isn't new. Brave points back to a Mozilla concept doc from 2015 that laid out the original pitch for container tabs in Firefox, complete with cookie isolation, per-container icons, and even auto-naming.
I didn't really login to either service when I took this, but you get the idea, right?
Mozilla eventually built a version of this right into the browser, with a Multi-Account Containers extension being made available for people who are unable to access Containers on their installation or want site auto-assignment and cross-device syncing.
There's more
Alongside named containers, Brave Browser also lets you spin up a temporary one straight from the right-click menu, for whenever you want quick isolation without setting up and naming a permanent container.
I tried it out myself, and instead of asking me to name anything, Brave auto-generated a random two-word name along with its own icon and color; mine came out as "Enter victory."
It still worked like any other container while it was open; I just did not have to set it up first.
Another thing to watch out for is that Brave is rolling out Containers gradually, so not everyone will see it on their installation just yet, and the feature is also being offered on Brave Origin, which, if you remember, is free for Linux users.
Get access now!
If you have already updated to Brave Browser 1.92 and still don't see a Containers option in your settings menu, then you could force-enable it by following these steps.
First, visit this address in your browser: brave://flags. Here, type containers into the search bar and click on the dropdown menu.
Now, click on Enabled to activate this feature on your installation and relaunch the browser. Next, visit the Settings page, and under the "Content" page, look for the Containers category and enable it.
This is how I got it running on my Fedora Workstation setup, so you should also be able to do the same on other platforms and even on Brave Origin.
Collabora Productivity got into the desktop editor market last year when they launched Collabora Office, an office suite built on the same rendering mechanism as Collabora Online, but focused on offline use.
They came up with this so people could get the same editing experience online or offline without needing to re-learn their way around the interface. It is still LibreOffice code under the hood, but instead of the traditional VCL interface, it uses a JavaScript, CSS, WebGL, and Canvas stack.
That shared codebase means updates move fast between Collabora's products, which is why the first major update for Collabora Office already pulls in features from CODE 26.04.
A refined document suite
Illustration sourced from Collabora Productivity.
Open any one of the three editors without a document loaded, and you will land on the new start screen. It will show your recent documents with file type icons, a template gallery, and provide quick access features like AI and document signing once a file's open.
Of course the bigger addition here is AI. I know you are tired of seeing every other open source office suite dipping themselves in Clanker paint, but fret not, as Collabora has kept AI off by default.
Switching it on means picking your own model provider, self-hosting a model, or choosing a vendor you already trust, and plugging in your own credentials. Collabora stays out of the loop entirely and the assistant gets no access to your documents unless you hand it over yourself.
When enabled, it drafts and rewrites text in Writer, sorts out broken formulas in Calc before you go hunting for the error yourself, and turns rough notes into an actual slide deck in Impress.
It can also generate images and summarize documents when you don't have time to go through them manually.
For the rest of the release, Office 26.04 ships what the CODE 26.04 release came with.
So for Writer, you get a reworked document comparison tool that color-codes insertions/deletions and any moved content while flagging who made each change and when.
All of that is viewable side by side or through the tracked changes panel. There's also a new multi-page view, richer style previews, Navigator search, and Markdown import/export.
Writer, Calc, and Impress.
Calc picked up just as much. Per-user sheet views let each person set their own filters and layout without touching anyone else's, and a new table design tab brings proper table styles along with calculated pivot fields.
Formula errors now show up in a floating helper dialog right on the cell, so you can inspect and fix the problem without scrolling through the sheet. A batch of new functions has also landed, including TEXTSPLIT, HSTACK, and WRAPROWS.
Over in Impress, follow-me presenting lets viewers scroll back through earlier slides on their own without ever jumping ahead of whoever's presenting. Similarly, slides can be grouped into sections, a single deck can mix multiple slide sizes, and multi-monitor support is better than before.
You also get better font embedding for presentations that render consistently wherever they're opened.
If you were looking out for enterprise support, Collabora says that they are working on it and that this release acts as a preview of what's to come. I asked Michael Meeks, the CEO of Collabora Productivity, what enterprise users, particularly those looking to deploy Collabora Office on Linux, can expect.
He said that:
Enterprises can start evaluating this today, support will arrive in a few weeks. They can look forward to smoother workflows, less training with a more attractive and ergonomic UX shared with Collabora Online, built-in AI support and more. We look forward to enterprise user feedback.
I recently had a very interesting conversation with a reader who suggested that I should not ignore AI. Because this is the next new normal and we have to adapt.
I agree but in the context of local AI. Local AI is the popular term used for the open source models that live on your system, stay offline and don't send data anywhere.
Sure, it's not for everyone and not every one would be interested in AI, irrespective of whether it is open source or not.
And that's why I am creating a separate newsletter called "Local AI Weekly" for people who are interested in learning and using the local (open source) AI.
FOSS Weekly will have the usual Linux and open source material that you love. No changes on that end. If you don't like AI, nothing changes for you.
📰 Linux and open source news that matter
David Plummer, the ex-Microsoft engineer who built the original Windows Task Manager, has had enough of what Notepad has become, his response is TinyRetroPad, a fully functional Notepad clone built in x86 assembly that comes in around 2.5KB.
Proton's Lumo 2.0 fills the gaps that made the original feel half-baked.
Memory is in; web search now actually searches, returning cited results instead of falling back on training data; and image generation is finally possible.
If you're not a developer or bug hunter, Ubuntu 26.10 Snapshot 2 isn't really worth your time yet; the user-facing stuff (GNOME 51, voice typing) is still months out. But Canonical has done some backend work that should simplify image delivery.
The Wine 11.12 release is mostly housekeeping, with fixes for two gamepad bugs worth knowing about. Need for Speed: Most Wanted had a stuck Up input firing on its own, and Super Hexagon went deaf to keyboard and mouse once a controller was plugged in.
The Linux Foundation has launched Akrites, a body for open source vulnerability handling, with roughly 20 founding members, including Anthropic, AWS, Google, Microsoft, GitHub, Red Hat, and NVIDIA.
Additionally, they have also announced their intent to launch the Agent Name Service, an open DNS-based standard for verifying AI agent identities. Here, every agent gets a versioned name and certificate tied to standard domain verification, with every registration and change logged in a tamper-evident, publicly auditable record.
Nate Graham of KDE has announced a fairly basic Developer Mode for KDE Linux that is supposed to let developers jump into a session tailored for Plasma or distro-related work.
ONLYOFFICE is now 16 years old. I did not know that it was inexostence for so many years. ONLYOFFICE gained popularity in the last few years as an open source office suite that has good compatibility with MS Office documentation format. That solves a major pain point for people who rely heavily on docx and xlsx and other such document formats.
If someone you know just switched to Linux and is intimidated by the terminal, we have a course to point them to. These are ten short chapters, all hands-on, that will walk them through core file operations.
KDE's System Monitor is a lot more flexible than its default layout suggests. Join us as we guide you through building your own page from scratch, picking chart styles, and organizing everything neatly with rows, columns, and sections.
Purism's Linux-powered Librem 16 laptop starts at $2,899 for the base configuration and tops out at an absurd $11,944 if you max out every build-your-own option.
Why should you opt for It's FOSS Plus membership:
✅ Ad-free reading experience ✅ Badges in the comment section and forum ✅ Supporting creation of educational Linux materials ✅ Free Linux eBook
KDE Step is a physics simulation tool that turns abstract concepts like harmonic motion, orbital mechanics, and electrostatic equilibrium into something you can actually watch play out.
In KDE Plasma, go to Settings -> Default Applications -> File Associations.
Here, search for a file type of your choice; as an example, I chose an .svg image below.
Now, arrange the applications in order of your choosing. Like Gwenview, Inkscape, and GIMP, then apply the changes.
Now, in Dolphin file manager, you can double-left-click (first app in the list) to open the image in Gwenview, middle-click (second app in the list) to open in Inkscape, and Shift+middle-click (third app in the list) to open in GIMP.
You can do this for other file formats as well.
🎋 Fun in the FOSSverse
Some choices in this puzzle don't belong with the rest. Can you get them all?
The terminal can bite you if you go to it ill-prepared. 🙃
🗓️ Tech Trivia: IBM just announced the world's first sub-1nm chip. The transistors are only 0.7nm wide, called 7 angstroms, and the new "nanostack" design packs about 100 billion of them into a chip the size of a fingernail. IBM says that this is 70% more efficient than their previous 2nm chips.
🧑🤝🧑 From the Community: Pro FOSSer Mikael is wondering what everyone thinks of AUR. Seeing the recent fiasco surrounding it, this is a well-timed thread.
Lastly a question for those who read the entire newsletter properly. Would you be interested in a text-only version of FOSS Weekly?
