Issue #215 / Oct 2018

Highlights:

This month we study some tricks for improving privacy on your Linux system. You’ll learn how to turn off the webcam and mic when they are not in use, and we’ll show you some extensions and advance configuration settings for dialing up your privacy in Firefox. Other highlights include:

• RSS Readers – With all the problems associated with getting news from social media, old-school RSS aggregators are making a comeback. We show you some leading contenders for organizing your news feeds.
• Pi Zero Sailboat – The Node-RED dashboard tool lets you build a simple user interface for your IoT creations.

Also, check out MakerSpace for a look at how to build web-based controls for a Raspberry Pi sailboat, and read on to LinuxVoice for an introduction to memory compression and a tutorial on getting useful information from LibreOffice metadata.

SERVICE: Welcome

Free as in Vote

I get this familiar feeling whenever an election year rolls around. I guess it is kind of like despair mixed with something more proactive, like maybe annoyance. I'm not talking about politics exactly, although I will admit that politics get pretty annoying. What really concerns me now is the backward nature of voting technology and the sense that nothing ever gets done about it.

SERVICE: This Month's DVD

The Complete Linux Magazine Archive DVD

This month’s DVD is the 2018 edition of the Linux Magazine Archive DVD – every article from all previous issues of Linux Magazine on a single, searchable disc. 

NEWS: NEWS

This month in the news: Chromebooks support Debian applications, Opera embraces Snap for Linux, Canonical fixes boot failure issues in Ubuntu, weird unofficial LibreOffice version shows up in the Microsoft Store, new version of the Spectre vulnerability allows attack from the network, and SUSE sold for $2.5 Billion. 

NEWS: Kernel News

Zack discusses the new GNSS GPS subsystem, new LoRaWAN subsystem, tracking compiler dependencies at config time, and uninlining for Debugging. 

COVER STORIES: Privacy in Firefox

Tweaks for protecting your privacy when surfing with the Firefox browser

The Firefox browser is not so private under its default settings, but several add-ons and configuration settings will help you keep the spies in the dark.

COVER STORIES: Privacy Hacks

Small tricks can have a big impact on your privacy

You don't have to dig deep into your toolbox to protect your privacy: With a few simple tricks, you can disable the webcam and microphone and permanently delete data from your hard disk.

COVER STORIES: Cryptomator

Encrypt cloud data easily and securely with Cryptomator

Cloud storage services help with data synchronization across multiple computers, but they do not usually provide encryption. Cryptomator adds encryption to the cloud storage environment.

REVIEWS: RSS Readers

We review six RSS readers

RSS feed readers bring order and clarity to the jungle of new news.

IN-DEPTH: Rockbox

Freeing Your Music Player with Rockbox

Turn your music player into open hardware with Rockbox's free firmware.

IN-DEPTH: Command Line – zstd

File Compression for Modern Computing

In an effort to meet modern computing needs, zstd offers a greater degree of compression at a faster compression rate, with unique options to enhance performance.

IN-DEPTH: Charly's Column – Reverse SSH Tunnel

Reverse SSH tunnel and autossh

This month, Charly Kühnast draws attention to a widely unknown weather phenomenon: The instability of rarely used tunnels leading to a Raspberry Pi. Read on for greater insights.

IN-DEPTH: Programming Snapshot – Go

Implementing fast queries for local files in Go

To find files quickly in the deeply nested subdirectories of his home directory, Mike whips up a Go program to index file metadata in an SQLite database.

NEWS: PiXtend V2

The new PiXtend V2 board at a glance

The PiXtend board extends the Raspberry Pi with many useful interfaces and functions for new target groups.

: RaspPi-Controlled Toy Sailboat

Dashboard for RaspPi-controlled toy sailboat with Node-RED

With Node-RED, you can create a web dashboard that instructs a Raspberry Pi to set the rudder position on a toy sailboat.

NEWS: Helping Hands

Social Hardware's Prosthetic Hand Development Kit

In true open hardware spirit, Social Hardware looks to produce a development kit for prosthetic hands to help rural amputees in India.

LINUX VOICE: Introduction

Introduction

This month in Linux Voice. 

LINUX VOICE: Doghouse – Linux History

Life of Linux

"maddog" takes us on a brief tour of Linux history.

LINUX VOICE: Memory Compression

Data compression costs virtually no computing power today. Why not save some space by putting data compression techniques to work on RAM and cache memory?

LINUX VOICE: Pass Password Manager

Pass is a simple shell script that helps you manage and synchronize passwords using Git.

LINUX VOICE: FOSSPicks

Sparkling gems and new releases from the world of Free and Open Source Software

Graham tears himself away from updating Arch Linux to search for the best new free software.

LINUX VOICE: Tutorials – ODF Metadata

Metadata in ODF Files

It is no secret that the native file format of LibreOffice and OpenOffice, the OpenDocument Format (ODF), is a truly open standard for word processing documents, spreadsheets, and presentations. What most people do not know is that ODF files contain lots of metadata that is very easy to read or modify.

LINUX VOICE: Tutorials – Docker

Docker 101

You might think Docker is a tool reserved for gnarly sys admins, useful only to service companies that run complicated SaaS applications, but that is not true: Docker is useful for everybody.