FOSSPicks
Vitomu
This fantastic little application for pulling audio from online video could be used to make an illicit copy of copyrighted material, which we genuinely don't want to encourage or obviously endorse. But it also has legitimate uses, especially when online content has become so ephemeral, often disappearing without warning. It's also a brilliant example of great design, because it performs a function that is either complicated to do manually, unreliable, or advertising-ridden when you use an online service. Vitomu simply waits for a video URL to appear on the clipboard; when it does, it lets you click a single button to convert the video at the end of the URL into an audio file. It's perfect for straight-to-video podcasts, and it works without requiring any complicated dependencies. Vitomu will even download the latest version of FFmpeg internally when you first start up the application.
While Vitomu performs its function without requiring a single click, there are some configuration options to explore. There's a range of audio formats to choose between, including FLAC, Ogg Vorbis, M4A and AAC alongside the default MP3. You also can change the bitrate. The minimalist look can be tweaked slightly, first by changing the font size and also by enabling a custom titlebar, though the effect is a subtle movement of the text if you're using a dark theme. The highlight color can be switched between pink and green, but either way the application always looks fantastic. It may seem like a simple task, but having one application that performs the job well, and transparently, without being another cookie gathering web page, can be a huge advantage, because you'll never need to remember the equivalent FFmpeg incantation or web address again.
Project Website
https://github.com/digimezzo/vitomu
Advanced note-taking
Knowte
Knowte is a note-taking application by Raphaël Godart, the same developer who created the Vitomu Internet video-to-audio converter also covered in this FOSSPicks. This is a good thing, because Vitomu is beautifully designed, and fortunately, Knowte borrows the same aesthetic. It's also a much more ambitious application that offers more than you'd typically expect from a note-taking application.
The first thing you notice is that there are five headings across the top of the main window: All, Today, Yesterday, This week, and Marked. Each heading embeds a counter that shows you how many notes you've taken for each period.
To create a note, you first need to create a notebook. This is like a folder in filesystem terminology, and it allows you to create notes for different categories, although you can also select All notes to show every note regardless of which notebook they're in. All these notes are also part of a collection, and you can create a new collection for an entirely new set of notes. This could work well for class notes, for example, or for taking notes during a project that are then archived as an old collection.
The notes themselves are written from a separate window that operates like a full-fledged text editor. There's a toolbar with formatting options, and you can use Markdown square bracket syntax to create checkbox items. The number of checked and unchecked items in this list is visible outside the note within the All notes view, so you can easily see the progress (or lack thereof!) of any to-do lists you've set yourself. It works brilliantly, and the design is always clear, concise and easy to understand. Notes appear to be stored as plain text within a JSON-formatted file tracked by a simple database. It's not as portable as simple Markdown, but it still means you could easily get to your data if necessary, or if Knowte ceases development.
Project Website
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Servers Targeted by Akira Ransomware
A group of bad actors who have already extorted $42 million have their sights set on the Linux platform.
-
TUXEDO Computers Unveils Linux Laptop Featuring AMD Ryzen CPU
This latest release is the first laptop to include the new CPU from Ryzen and Linux preinstalled.
-
XZ Gets the All-Clear
The back door xz vulnerability has been officially reverted for Fedora 40 and versions 38 and 39 were never affected.
-
Canonical Collaborates with Qualcomm on New Venture
This new joint effort is geared toward bringing Ubuntu and Ubuntu Core to Qualcomm-powered devices.
-
Kodi 21.0 Open-Source Entertainment Hub Released
After a year of development, the award-winning Kodi cross-platform, media center software is now available with many new additions and improvements.
-
Linux Usage Increases in Two Key Areas
If market share is your thing, you'll be happy to know that Linux is on the rise in two areas that, if they keep climbing, could have serious meaning for Linux's future.
-
Vulnerability Discovered in xz Libraries
An urgent alert for Fedora 40 has been posted and users should pay attention.
-
Canonical Bumps LTS Support to 12 years
If you're worried that your Ubuntu LTS release won't be supported long enough to last, Canonical has a surprise for you in the form of 12 years of security coverage.
-
Fedora 40 Beta Released Soon
With the official release of Fedora 40 coming in April, it's almost time to download the beta and see what's new.
-
New Pentesting Distribution to Compete with Kali Linux
SnoopGod is now available for your testing needs