FOSSPicks
FOSSPicks
Nate explores the top FOSS including a utility to "curse" MP4s, the latest Gnome desktop, a fantastic Hexen source port, and a minimalistic RSS aggregator.
The FOSS Rises
If you visit www.killedbygoogle.com, you'll find almost 300 projects that have been relegated to Google's graveyard. These include the Google toolbar, which for over 20 years provided a Google search bar in browsers such as Internet Explorer. Linux users are unlikely to mourn this, but gamers everywhere have been lamenting Google's decision to kill off Steam for Chromebook after less than four years.
Most Chromebooks run a heavily modified version of Gentoo (ChromeOS), so in theory, users can keep gaming by installing the Linux version of Steam. However, this will run in a container within a VM and there's no dedicated GPU access.
Like the Chrome browser, ChromeOS is based on an open source project but contains proprietary elements. That means when the gods of Google decide to remove a particular feature such as Steam, the end user is always going to get stiffed. Of course, projects get nixed in the world of open source, too. In this month's FOSSPicks, I've even covered a source port of Hexen II based on a previously abandoned Linux project. However, this is the beauty of a community-led approach to software development. When there's a demand for a project to be maintained, it will be fulfilled.
[...]
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
-
Fedora 43 Has Finally Landed
The Fedora Linux developers have announced their latest release, Fedora 43.
-
KDE Unleashes Plasma 6.5
The Plasma 6.5 desktop environment is now available with new features, improvements, and the usual bug fixes.
-
Xubuntu Site Possibly Hacked
It appears that the Xubuntu site was hacked and briefly served up a malicious ZIP file from its download page.
-
LMDE 7 Now Available
Linux Mint Debian Edition, version 7, has been officially released and is based on upstream Debian.
-
Linux Kernel 6.16 Reaches EOL
Linux kernel 6.16 has reached its end of life, which means you'll need to upgrade to the next stable release, Linux kernel 6.17.
-
Amazon Ditches Android for a Linux-Based OS
Amazon has migrated from Android to the Linux-based Vega OS for its Fire TV.
-
Cairo Dock 3.6 Now Available for More Compositors
If you're a fan of third-party desktop docks, then the latest release of Cairo Dock with Wayland support is for you.
-
System76 Unleashes Pop!_OS 24.04 Beta
System76's first beta of Pop!_OS 24.04 is an impressive feat.
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 is Available
Linus Torvalds has announced that the latest kernel has been released with plenty of core improvements and even more hardware support.
-
Kali Linux 2025.3 Released with New Hacking Tools
If you're a Kali Linux fan, you'll be glad to know that the third release of this famous pen-testing distribution is now available with updates for key components.

