Rabu, 27 Desember 2023

FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

Did you notice the number 23.52? Yes, this is the 52nd newsletter of this year. That's happening for the second year in a row when I was able to send you the newsletter each week of the year. Something to be proud of, surely.

There are more achievements and statistics: It's FOSS websites have been visited over 35 million times in 2023. We get most readers from US, UK, India, followed by Germany and Canada.

It's FOSS reached 100,000 followers on Twitter and 25,000 subscribers to the FOSS Weekly newsletter in 2023.

2024 will see some changes on It's FOSS. More tutorial series, some coverage on homelab and open source AI are on the roadmap, among other things. You should start seeing them by the end of January.

What would you like to see more on It's FOSS in 2024? You can suggest by replying to this email.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Let's see what you get in this edition of FOSS Weekly:

  • Rising distros of 2023
  • Exciting new apps of 2023
  • Clipboard managers
  • And other Linux news, videos and, of course, memes!

๐Ÿ“ฐ Linux news


๐Ÿ›’Linux book deals

FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

This Humble Bundle of Linux books could not have come at a better time. If improving your Linux skills is one of your new year resolutions, you could give this 'pay what you want' bundle a try.


๐ŸŒ Follow us on Google News

By the way, if you use Google, follow It's FOSS on Google News to get trusted It's FOSS content before other websites in Google search.

It’s FOSS - Google News
Read full articles from It’s FOSS and explore endless topics, magazines and more on your phone or tablet with Google News.
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

๐Ÿง  What we’re thinking about

RISC-V architecture presents immense potential for innovation and technological advancement.

Examining China’s Grand Strategy For RISC-V
On November 24, 2023, DAMO Academy (้”ๆ‘ฉ้™ข; literally “Dharma”), Alibaba’s research division, unveiled three ground-breaking processors rooted in the open-source RISC-V architecture. The Xuantie (็Ž„้“) C920, Xuantie C907, and Xuantie R910 processors promise to accelerate application of RISC-V technology into diverse sectors, from autonomous vehicles and artificial intelligence (AI) to enterprise hard drives and network communications (Mydrivers News, November 24). …
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

๐Ÿงฎ Linux Tips, Tutorials and More

Another year has come to an end, and we couldn't help but think of some underrated distros that took the spotlight in 2023.

7 Unknown Linux Distros that Emerged Winner in 2023
Distributions that caught your attention in 2023!
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

And the application that were loved by It's FOSS readers in 2023.

8 Exciting Open Source Apps Linux Users Loved Exploring in 2023
The best underrated apps that we discovered in 2023.
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

Using a clipboard manager can save you from the headache of lost text. We listed some good ones available for Linux:

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With Clipboard Managers in Linux
Save yourself time and frustration with a clipboard manager and never lose track of your copy-pasting.
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

And I know that GNOME users may face the issue of missing applet indicator for those Clipboard managers, so here's the 'fix' for that.

Also, something to help you with your new year learning resolution.

20 Best Linux Books You Can Download For Free Legally
Let me share the best resource to learn Linux for free. This is a collection of Linux PDFs that you can download for free to learn Linux.
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

๐Ÿ“น What we are watching

A rather detailed video showing Fish shell features.


✨ Project highlights

Xplorer might surprise you with its highly customizable nature and modern looks.

Xplorer: Not Just a Pretty Open-Source File Manager!
For a change, do you want to a try a new file manager? Xplorer is an interesting project to look at!
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

๐Ÿงฉ New quiz unit

An absolutely new kind of fun unit this week ๐Ÿ˜ธ

Spin the Wheel to Get Your Distro of 2024
Do you feel lucky, Tux?
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

The Plus Members-only puzzles will be back in 2024. As a Christmas gift, the puzzles are open for all.


๐Ÿ’ก Quick handy tip

FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

Use CTRL+ Left-Click on any location in the Nautilus File Manager location bar to open that location in a new window.

For example, to open the Test directory in a new window, press CTRL and Left-Click on that location on the location bar to open it in a new window.


๐Ÿคฃ Meme of the week

Some people can be difficult to deal with, unless you call their bluff.

FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

๐Ÿ—“️ Tech Trivia

Linux creator Linus Torvalds was born on 28 Dec, 1969.

Incidentally, Debian creator Ian Murdock committed suicide on the same day in 2015. RIP!


๐Ÿง‘‍๐Ÿค‍๐Ÿง‘ FOSSverse corner

A FOSSer wonders how we can market Linux for it to reach an even wider audience.

Running an advertising campaign for Linux
Linux has several problems, because of which its market share is quite low on the desktop (including laptops). It’s not known by many people. Those who know about it are either professionals or hobbyists which are interested. To the average user who knows about it, it usually comes down to “isn’t Linux that software which makes computers difficult to use?” Lack of software. Especially specialist software (Adobe and Autodesk come to mind here, but there are others). Fracturing of the com…
FOSS Weekly #23.52: Winning Distros and Apps of 2023, Linux Books and More

❤️ With love

Share it with your Linux-using friends and encourage them to subscribe (hint: it's here).

Share the articles in Linux Subreddits and community forums.

By the way, I use Arch Linux help us achieve the goal of 125 Plus members by the end of 2023 by opting for It's FOSS Plus membership?

Happy holidays ๐Ÿ˜„



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Senin, 25 Desember 2023

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

Whenever you copy something, it gets stored in the system clipboard, a special short-term memory where your system stores the copied text.

I mean we all used those magical Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V shortcuts for copy pasting, right?

But imagine, that you copied something and when you were about to paste, you used Ctrl+C again instead of Ctrl+V. What a bummer! Now you have to copy the intended text again.

This is why you need a clipboard manager. It keeps a history of the text you copied. This way, you can access the text that you copied hours ago and everything else copied in between.

There are several such clipboard tools available. I will share share 7 clipboard managers for Linux users.

This list contains some advanced clipboard managers as well as some super simple ones so you can choose what fits the best for your use.

1. CopyQ

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

The CopyQ is one of the most feature-rich clipboard managers available on Linux.

But that does not compromise the usability. The user interface is simple and you can use tags for copied text or you can pin them.

Here are some more interesting features of CopyQ:

  • Ability to search and modify the copied items
  • Preserves copied items on reboot
  • You can specify actions based on copied items
  • Pin important items for ease of reachability
  • Use different tags for better identification

If you are interested, we have covered CopyQ in a separate article exploring all the features and installation:

CopyQ for Keeping a Track of Clipboard History in Linux
Ctrl+C and Ctrl+V work even better if you can access what you had copied earlier by accessing the clipboard history. CopyQ gives you that feature in Linux.
Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

To install CopyQ on Ubuntu, use the given command:

sudo apt install copyq

For Fedora Linux:

sudo dnf install copyq

Get CopyQ as a flatpak using the following:

flatpak install --user --from https://flathub.org/repo/appstream/com.github.hluk.copyq.flatpakref

2. GPaste

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

The GPaste is considered one of the best clipboard managers for the GNOME desktop manager as it blends well with the GNOME shell styling.

But that's not it! You get tonnes of features that you expect from any modern and advanced clipboard manager:

  • Support for images
  • Customizable shortcuts for better productivity
  • Support for GNOME extension for better reach
  • Ability to customize the history and size

To install GPaste on Ubuntu, use the following command:

sudo apt install gpaste-2

For Fedora Linux:

sudo dnf install gpaste

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S gpaste

The GNOME extension is no longer maintained so you can not install it from the official site but if you want to have it, here's how you do it on Ubuntu:

sudo apt install gnome-shell-extension-gpaste

3. Diodon

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

The Diodon aims to be the best clipboard manager for Unity desktop manager but when I tested it on GNOME and KDE, it worked just fine.

Diodon is simple and only gets you the basic feature that most users would want from a clipboard manager.

Here are some interesting features of Diodon:

  • Support for tray icon support by default
  • Ability to sync clipboards
  • Pastes selected items automatically
  • Image support

To install Diodon in Ubuntu, use the following:

sudo apt install diodon

For Fedora Linux:

sudo dnf install diodon

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S diodon

4. Parcellite

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

Parcellite is one of those utilities that look super simple from the front and when you dig in, you get a taste of advancement.

From typing to searching in the clipboard to creating actions for better control, it offers almost everything you can expect from the clipboard.

Here are some interesting features you get with Paecellite:

  • Persistent history
  • Synchronize with other clipboards
  • Type to search
  • Trim whitespace and newlines

To install Parcellite on Ubuntu, use the given command:

sudo apt install parcellite

For Fedora Linux:

sudo dnf install parcellite

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S parcellite

5. Keepboard

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

The most prominent feature of the Keepboard is how it groups the copied items. Apart from that, you can also save your favorites for future use as well.

But here are some other features of Keepboard:

  • Auto-paste when you double-click or enter the copied item from Keepboard.
  • Give custom names for your favorite items and groups.
  • Ability to search items.
  • Customizable shortcuts.

The UI looks dated to me. It could surely benefit with a more modern interface. If you don't have any issues with that, you can surely give it a try.

The sad part is the only way to install Kepboard is to install it as a snap package:

sudo snap install keepboard

6. Qclipper

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

If you are looking for a lightweight option that does only one thing: saves your copied text then Qlipper is the perfect option for you.

Apart from being one of the most lightweight keyboard managers, it has some other features too:

  • Ability to change the system icon
  • Extension support
  • Specify the number of items to store
  • Trim whitespace from the copied line

Looks interesting? Here's how you install Qclipper on Ubuntu:

sudo apt install qlipper

For Fedora Linux:

sudo dnf install qlipper

For Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S qlipper

7. Clipboard (for terminal use only)

Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

Ever thought you'd ever need a clipboard in Linux? Well, I used to use the cp command to copy files in Linux but the Clipboard utility has made things pretty easy for me.

Don't confuse it with the cp command as it is a full-fledged clipboard crafted for the terminal users and here are some great features you get:

  • Integration with the existing GUI clipboard on Linux
  • Eye candy design
  • Blazing fast
  • No configuration is required and easy to use

The easiest way to get this utility is to use the Flatpak or snap package as it is not available in the default repository of most Linux distributions.

For Flatpak:

flatpak install app.getclipboard.Clipboard
alias cb='flatpak run app.getclipboard.Clipboard'

For Snap package:

sudo snap install clipboard
alias cb='snap run clipboard'

Each of these methods requires you to set up an alias to make it work and the command which I mentioned will only add alias temporarily.

To create an alias permanently, you can refer to this detailed guide:

Linux Alias Command: Set, Create and Remove Aliases
Alias command in Linux saves a lot of your time and improves your efficiency. Learn how to use this command properly and see some of the common aliases I use.
Ctrl+C Ctrl+V Made Better With These Clipboard Managers in Linux

My take on clipboard managers

If you ask me, I love using tools that are not super fancy and get the job done and if your ideology aligns with mine, you should use CopyQ which has amazing features but is minimal enough that does not crips me out.

Sure, you may not agree with me and this is why I wrote this article with other such options.

๐Ÿ’ฌ Now, it's your turn. Which of the above mentioned clipboard managers you use or willing to use? Do you know any other such tool that should be added to the list here? Share it in the comments please.



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Rabu, 20 Desember 2023

FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays ๐Ÿง‘‍๐ŸŽ„

To keep up with the holiday spirit, you may give your Linux desktop some Christmas touch with these tips.

Give Your Linux System a Christmas Touch With These Tricks
’Tis the season for celebration. Customize your Linux desktop with the Christmas spirit.
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

We are lagging behind with our goal to reach 125 Plus members by the end of 2023. Help us with that by opting for It's FOSS Plus membership?

๐Ÿ’ฌ Let's see what you get in this edition of FOSS Weekly:

  • Broadcom being greedy after VMWare acquisition.
  • Mozilla doing something that Google will probably never do (and that's a good thing).
  • A trip down memory lane alongside a few coverages focusing on AI.
  • IBM has free AI courses.
  • Christmas themed puzzles and riddles.
  • And other Linux news, videos and, of course, memes!

๐Ÿ“ฐ Linux news

Zorin OS 17 is available now. The new desktop effects make it an attractive choice.

Zorin OS 17 Introduces a Hybrid User Experience to Linux Distros
Zorin OS 17 has landed!
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

Fresh on the heels of Broadcom's acquisition of VMware, the perpetual license is no more.

Broadcom Drops A Hammer on VMware Customers After Acquisition
VMware customers may not like the intention behind the changes made.
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

๐ŸŒ Follow us on Google News

By the way, if you use Google, follow It's FOSS on Google News to get trusted It's FOSS content before other websites in Google search.

It’s FOSS - Google News
Read full articles from It’s FOSS and explore endless topics, magazines and more on your phone or tablet with Google News.
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

๐Ÿง  What we’re thinking about

Mozilla has done something that Google will probably never do for their Android web browser.

New extensions you’ll love now available on Firefox for Android | The Mozilla Blog
Today, Mozilla announced more than 450 new extensions (software that adds new features or functionality to the browser) to users on Firefox for Android at
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

๐Ÿงฎ Linux Tips, Tutorials and More

Here are some compelling reasons why you should switch to Fish from Bash.

11 Fish Shell Features That Make it More Awesome Than Bash
You should try Fish, even if you are vegan or allergic to seafood :P
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

IBM will teach you the ways of AI, if you have a few hours to spare.

Have 10 hours? IBM will train you in AI fundamentals - for free
I already took IBM’s AI ethics class and plan to complete the rest to earn my digital credential in AI over the holiday break.
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

๐Ÿ“น What we are watching

Nick from The Linux Experiment takes a look at the state of Linux as we head into 2024.


✨ Project highlights

Ready for a trip down memory lane? This time we took a stroll around the DG/UX UNIX OS.

Blast from the Past: DG/UX UNIX Operating System
Relive the nostalgia with me as I recall my experience with the DG/UX UNIX OS and Data General’s AViiON workstations and servers.
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

๐Ÿงฉ New quizzes

Enjoy the Christmas special puzzles and riddles. There are more on the quiz page.

Christmas Special: Journey to the North
Get into the holiday spirit with this series of challenges.
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

The Plus Members-only puzzles will be back in 2024. As a Christmas gift, the puzzles are open for all.


๐Ÿ’ก Quick handy tip

FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

You can prevent entering characters accidentally on a running GNOME terminal session by making it read-only.

To do this, click on the top-right hamburger menu and check the option called “Read-Only”.

It can also be done by right-clicking on a terminal window and selecting “Read-Only”

Revert the same process to resume input of characters.


๐Ÿคฃ Meme of the week

Cheers to that! ๐Ÿฅ‚

FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

๐Ÿ—“️ Tech Trivia

On December 18, 1987, Larry Wall released Perl 1.0. Perl became a popular scripting language among the Unix and later Linux sysadmins.


๐Ÿง‘‍๐Ÿค‍๐Ÿง‘ FOSSverse corner

One of our longtime FOSSers has shared a detailed tutorial on how to use the 'runit' init system.

Multiboot: setting grub parameters
I learnt something about grub today. Say we have 2 Linux distros, A and B , with grub configured to multiboot. Let distro A be the controller of grub. So A has grub installed and has a /boot/grub/grub.cfg file produced by running update-grub ( and os-prober). B may have no grub installed at all, and รจven if it has grub, it may have no /boot/grub/grub.cfg file. Now lets say I want to set a linux boot parameter for B… I go to /etc/default/grub in B and add a line GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=“init=/…
FOSS Weekly #23.51: Fish Shell, Free AI Course, Zorin 17, DG/UX UNIX and More

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Share it with your Linux-using friends and encourage them to subscribe (hint: it's here).

Share the articles in Linux Subreddits and community forums.

Become a Plus member, support our work and keep us motivated ๐Ÿ™

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