Community Notes
GETTING CONNECTED
This month, I want to take a look at some of the informal communities that exist all around us. I’m not talking about your local Linux User Group – these days, the LUGs often have formal committees, structures, and even presidents. I’m talking about the more unofficial online communities that many of us participate in. Like many, I’m an IRC addict. I spend a lot of my spare time hanging out on the Linux and Free Software channels on the Freenode and OFTC networks (as well as others). I’ve used IRC for years, and I’m comfortable with it. But there’s a lot more out there these days than plain old IRC. Tale of Gale On my last journey across the Atlantic, I hooked up with an old friend who’s recently moved to the greater Boston area. He and I had the usual chitchat and quickly ended up geeking out, watching the 1980s cult classic move Real Genius. For those of you who get out a little more often, this movie is about a bunch of nerdy students designing dangerous weapons for the military who ultimately end up saving the world. The usual kind of stuff. But during the movie, my friend told me that a large amount of the footage was shot at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).
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
-
LibreOffice 25.2 Has Arrived
If you've been hoping for a release that offers more UI customizations, you're in for a treat.
-
TuxCare Has a Big AlmaLinux 9 Announcement in Store
TuxCare announced it has successfully completed a Security Technical Implementation Guide for AlmaLinux OS 9.
-
First Release Candidate for Linux Kernel 6.14 Now Available
Linus Torvalds has officially released the first release candidate for kernel 6.14 and it includes over 500,000 lines of modified code, making for a small release.
-
System76 Refreshes Meerkat Mini PC
If you're looking for a small form factor PC powered by Linux, System76 has exactly what you need in the Meerkat mini PC.
-
Gnome 48 Alpha Ready for Testing
The latest Gnome desktop alpha is now available with plenty of new features and improvements.
-
Wine 10 Includes Plenty to Excite Users
With its latest release, Wine has the usual crop of bug fixes and improvements, along with some exciting new features.
-
Linux Kernel 6.13 Offers Improvements for AMD/Apple Users
The latest Linux kernel is now available, and it includes plenty of improvements, especially for those who use AMD or Apple-based systems.
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.
-
Budgie 10.10 Scheduled for Q1 2025 with a Surprising Desktop Update
If Budgie is your desktop environment of choice, 2025 is going to be a great year for you.