In today’s digital landscape, where privacy, customization, and performance matter more than ever, many Windows users are exploring alternatives. Linux, long seen as a powerful but complex option, has steadily matured into a user-friendly ecosystem. Yet, the jump from Windows to Linux still feels daunting for many. That’s where Zorin OS 18 enters the scene—a Linux distribution meticulously designed to simplify this migration and empower users to take control of their computing experience.
In this article, we’ll explore how Zorin OS 18 bridges the gap between Windows and Linux, making the switch not only possible but pleasant.
For decades, Windows has been the default operating system for millions. Familiarity with its interface, applications, and workflow creates a comfort zone that’s hard to leave. However, concerns about:
privacy and data collection,
system bloat,
forced updates,
and licensing costs
have pushed users to consider alternatives like Linux.
The challenge? Linux can feel alien. Terminology, desktop environments, file systems, and software management differ significantly from Windows. Many distributions, while powerful, don’t prioritize a gentle learning curve for Windows converts. This is precisely the problem Zorin OS 18 aims to solve.
Founded in 2008 by the Zorin brothers, Zorin OS was created with one mission: to make Linux accessible to everyone, especially Windows refugees. Unlike general-purpose distributions, Zorin OS focuses on:
familiarity: replicating the feel of Windows,
ease of use: minimizing reliance on the terminal,
polish: delivering a cohesive, attractive, and stable experience.
Zorin OS 18 represents the most refined iteration of this vision yet.
Zorin OS 18 ships with a default layout that feels instantly familiar to Windows 10 and 11 users. From the bottom taskbar to the start-menu-style launcher, even the system tray icons and window controls mimic what Windows users expect.
The result?
Users spend less time figuring out “where things are.”
The psychological barrier of switching is dramatically lowered.
GIMP 3.1.2 gives a first look at what’s coming in GIMP 3.2, including non-destructive editing, new file format support, and system theme integration.
The post Early Peek at GIMP 3.2: Here’s What to Expect appeared first on Linux Today.
IPFire 2.29 Core Update 195 open-source firewall is out, adding long-awaited WireGuard VPN support and easy-to-configure tunneling options.
The post IPFire 2.29 Core Update 195 Firewall Brings Native WireGuard Support appeared first on Linux Today.
DietPi 9.14, a Debian-based Linux distro for SBCs, lands with new Orange Pi 5 Ultra images, plus GZDoom support and SBC enhancements.
The post DietPi 9.14 Adds GZDoom, Expands Support to Orange Pi 5 Ultra appeared first on Linux Today.
Discover the latest in Linux news with our Weekly Wrap-Up for Week 24 (Jun 9 – 15, 2025). Stay informed on updates, trends, and community highlights.
The post Linuxiac Weekly Wrap-Up: Week 24 (Jun 9 – 15, 2025) appeared first on Linux Today.
SecurityScorecard’s STRIKE team has uncovered a network of compromised small office and home office (SOHO) devices they’re calling LapDogs.
The post Stealthy backdoor found hiding in SOHO devices running Linux appeared first on Linux Today.
Firefox 140 open-source web browser drops Pocket integration and introduces tab unloading to save memory, Android fingerprint lock for private tabs, and more.
The post Firefox 140 Now Available for Download, Here’s What’s New appeared first on Linux Today.
Discover the latest in Linux news with the 9to5Linux Weekly Roundup for June 15th, 2025. Stay updated on trends, releases, and community highlights.
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Discover the 15 best free and open source Linux webcam tools to enhance your video experience.
The post 15 Best Free and Open Source Linux Webcam Tools appeared first on Linux Today.
Discover the latest Void Linux release featuring XBPS Package Manager v0.60.
The post Void Linux Releases XBPS Package Manager v0.60 appeared first on Linux Today.
Discover the enhanced performance of PeaZip 10.5, the ultimate file and archive manager.
The post PeaZip 10.5 Brings Major Performance Boost to the File and Archive Manager appeared first on Linux Today.
In the world of Linux distributions, many projects aim to strike a balance between functionality, aesthetics, and security. Few, however, have achieved the level of polish and principled focus that Elementary OS brings to the table. With the release of Elementary OS 8, the developers have doubled down on their vision of an operating system that champions privacy and design simplicity without compromising usability. This article takes a look at how Elementary OS 8 prioritizes these values and why it deserves attention from privacy advocates and design enthusiasts alike.
Privacy isn’t just a feature in Elementary OS 8 — it’s a foundational principle. The developers have carefully considered how user data is handled at every level of the system.
AppCenter: A Curated, Privacy-Respecting StoreUnlike many popular app stores that may include proprietary apps with invasive tracking, the AppCenter in Elementary OS 8 focuses on open-source, privacy-friendly applications. Every app available through AppCenter undergoes a review process to ensure it adheres to the platform’s guidelines: no ads, no tracking, and no questionable data collection practices.
What sets AppCenter apart is its pay-what-you-want model, which allows users to support developers directly, eliminating the need for ad-supported or data-harvesting monetization schemes.
Flatpak SandboxingElementary OS 8 ships with first-class Flatpak support, enabling apps to run in isolated sandboxes. This technology ensures that applications can only access the data and hardware resources explicitly granted by the user. For example, a note-taking app installed via Flatpak won’t have access to your microphone, camera, or sensitive directories unless you allow it.
The adoption of Flatpak aligns perfectly with Elementary’s privacy goals, as it provides clear boundaries between apps and the rest of the system.
Zero Telemetry, Transparent FeedbackElementary OS 8 does not include any hidden telemetry or automatic data collection. Unlike some mainstream operating systems that quietly transmit usage statistics, crash reports, and device identifiers back to central servers, Elementary’s philosophy is that your data belongs to you.
When feedback is requested, such as through the optional Problem Reporting tool, users are clearly informed about what data will be sent and must opt in consciously.
Linux Mint has long held a cherished place in the hearts of Linux users seeking a balance between elegance, ease of use, and rock-solid stability. In 2025, that reputation is only strengthened with the release of Linux Mint 22, a version that brings not just incremental updates, but substantial improvements — particularly in the form of the latest Cinnamon 6.x desktop environment. Sleeker visuals, faster performance, and thoughtful refinements mark this release as one of the most polished in Mint’s history.
In this article, we’ll take a look into what makes Linux Mint 22 with Cinnamon a standout — from under-the-hood performance boosts to user-facing enhancements that elevate daily computing.
Linux Mint has consistently been among the most recommended distributions for both newcomers and seasoned Linux users. Its mission: to deliver a desktop experience that “just works” out of the box, with sensible defaults and a traditional desktop metaphor.
At the heart of this experience is Cinnamon, Mint’s flagship desktop environment born as a fork of GNOME Shell over a decade ago. Cinnamon has matured into an independent, cohesive environment that champions:
Simplicity.
Customizability.
Consistency.
Linux Mint 22’s release continues this tradition while embracing modern UI trends and leveraging powerful performance optimizations.
Cinnamon 6.x introduces a suite of visual and functional improvements designed to make Mint 22 feel both contemporary and familiar:
Refined Visuals: The theming engine has received significant attention. The default theme sports cleaner lines, flatter icons, and subtle gradients that provide depth without visual clutter.
Polished Animations: Transitions between windows, workspaces, and menus are noticeably smoother, thanks to improved animation handling that feels natural without being distracting.
Modernized Panels and Applets: Applets now integrate better with the system theme, and their configuration interfaces have been streamlined. The panel is slimmer, with better spacing for multi-resolution icons.
These changes might seem small on paper, but together they give Cinnamon 6.x an air of maturity and refinement, reducing visual noise while enhancing usability.
Where Linux Mint 22 truly shines is in its performance optimizations:
The Fedora Project has long stood at the forefront of Linux innovation, often acting as a proving ground for transformative technologies later adopted by the wider Linux ecosystem. With the release of Fedora 41, the project takes another major leap into the future by fully embracing immutable desktops through its newly unified and rebranded initiative: Fedora Atomic.
This bold shift represents more than a technical update — it signals a philosophical evolution in how Linux desktops are built, managed, and secured. Fedora Atomic is not just a feature of Fedora 41; it's the flagship identity for a new kind of Linux desktop. In this article, we explore the origins, architecture, benefits, and implications of Fedora Atomic as it makes its debut in Fedora 41.
An immutable desktop is a system whose core filesystem is read-only, meaning the foundational components of the operating system cannot be altered during regular use. This design flips traditional Linux system management on its head.
In mutable systems — like the standard Fedora Workstation or most desktop Linux distributions — the root filesystem is writable, allowing users or software to modify system libraries, configurations, and services at will. While this provides flexibility, it introduces risks of accidental misconfiguration, malware persistence, or system instability.
Immutable desktops tackle these issues with several key principles:
Read-Only Root Filesystem: Ensures the core system is consistent and protected.
Atomic Updates: System updates are applied as a whole, transactional unit. If something breaks, you can simply roll back to the previous working version.
Separation of Concerns: Applications are isolated in containers (e.g., Flatpaks), and development environments run in dedicated containers (e.g., Toolbox).
Reproducibility and Consistency: Identical environments across systems, ideal for testing and deployment pipelines.
Fedora Atomic is the embodiment of these principles — and Fedora 41 is the foundation upon which it stands.
Fedora Atomic is not built from scratch. It is the evolution of Fedora Silverblue, Kinoite, and Sericea, which previously offered immutable desktop environments with GNOME, KDE Plasma, and Sway respectively. In Fedora 41, these projects are now rebranded and unified under the Fedora Atomic name, creating a streamlined identity and experience for users.
In the realm of Linux desktop distributions, few names stand out as prominently as Pop!_OS, the custom-built operating system from System76. Known for its user-centric design, seamless hardware integration, and a progressive attitude toward Linux usability, Pop!_OS has earned a special place in the hearts of developers, engineers, gamers, and power users alike.
With the release of Pop!_OS 24.04, System76 boldly pushes the limits of what Linux desktops can do—particularly in the domain of hybrid graphics. This version introduces a host of under-the-hood improvements and user-facing enhancements aimed at solving a long-standing pain point for Linux laptop users: managing systems that have both integrated and dedicated GPUs.
This article dives into what makes Pop!_OS 24.04 a game-changer, focusing especially on its sophisticated, yet user-friendly approach to hybrid graphics.
Pop!_OS 24.04 is based on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, meaning it inherits long-term support, stability, and updated software packages. But Pop!_OS never simply repackages Ubuntu; it transforms it. Here are some of the standout features introduced in this release:
COSMIC Desktop Enhancements: System76’s in-house desktop environment has matured, delivering better window management, smoother animations, and more customization options. COSMIC is designed from the ground up using Rust, and this release brings faster performance and reduced resource consumption.
Kernel and Driver Upgrades: Linux kernel 6.8+ ensures better hardware compatibility and performance, especially for newer CPUs and GPUs. The latest NVIDIA and Mesa drivers are pre-integrated and optimized.
Refined Installer and Recovery: The Pop!_OS installer now includes better detection for hybrid graphics setups and offers system recovery options right from the boot menu.
However, the crown jewel of 24.04 is undoubtedly its radical improvements in hybrid graphics support.
Most modern laptops come with two GPUs:
Integrated GPU (iGPU) – Built into the CPU (e.g., Intel Iris Xe, AMD Radeon Graphics), offering energy-efficient graphics rendering.
Discrete GPU (dGPU) – A powerful standalone GPU (e.g., NVIDIA RTX, AMD Radeon), ideal for gaming, 3D modeling, and heavy computation.
This setup, known as hybrid graphics, allows users to conserve battery power when performance isn’t needed and tap into powerful hardware when it is.
Ubuntu has long stood as a bastion of accessibility, polish, and power in the Linux ecosystem. With the arrival of Ubuntu 25.04, codenamed “Plucky Puffin”, Canonical has once again demonstrated its commitment to delivering a modern, forward-thinking operating system. This release isn’t just a routine update — it’s a confident stride into a future where Linux desktops are visually stunning, developer-friendly, and brimming with potential.
From the sleek new GNOME 48 desktop environment to the long-awaited HDR (High Dynamic Range) support, Ubuntu 25.04 introduces meaningful innovations for casual users, creative professionals, and hardcore enthusiasts alike. Let’s explore this release in depth.
Ubuntu releases are known for their quirky animal-themed codenames, but “Plucky Puffin” feels particularly fitting. The word plucky denotes courage and determination — a nod to the OS’s bold push into new visual territories and its refined user experience. The puffin, a resilient seabird, suggests adaptability and elegance — both apt descriptors for Ubuntu’s trajectory in 2025.
Canonical has positioned Ubuntu 25.04 as a springboard for technological maturity ahead of the next long-term support (LTS) release. While it’s a standard, short-term release with 9 months of support, it packs significant under-the-hood improvements and user-facing features that elevate it beyond expectations.
One of the crown jewels of Ubuntu 25.04 is GNOME 48, the latest iteration of the popular desktop environment. GNOME 48 continues to refine the modern, minimalist ethos that has become its signature — but this time, with more responsiveness, better gesture support, and improved multitasking.
Visual Enhancements and Layout TweaksThe Activities Overview is smoother and now integrates multitouch gestures on laptops and touchscreens. Swipe-based workspace switching feels intuitive and immediate.
New settings panels have been reorganized for clarity, especially in areas like display, accessibility, and power management.
The Files (Nautilus) app has received subtle UI updates and performance boosts, with quicker load times and enhanced file indexing.
GNOME 48 is noticeably lighter on RAM, thanks to backend improvements in Mutter (the window manager) and GTK 4 refinements.
Accessibility tools like screen readers and magnifiers now offer smoother integration for users with visual or physical impairments.
Linux is a treasure trove of powerful tools, many of which remain undiscovered by casual users. While staples like grep
, awk
, sed
, and top
dominate tutorials and guides, there's a second layer of utilities—lesser-known yet immensely powerful—that can dramatically improve your daily efficiency and control over your system.
In this article, we dive into 10 underrated Linux tools that can help you streamline your workflow, improve productivity, and unlock new levels of system mastery. Whether you’re a developer, sysadmin, or Linux hobbyist, these tools deserve a place in your arsenal.
fd
: Find Files Fast with SimplicityThe traditional find
command is incredibly powerful but notoriously verbose and complex. Enter fd
, a modern, user-friendly alternative.
Cleaner syntax (fd pattern
instead of find . -name pattern
)
Recursive by default
Colorized output
Ignores .gitignore
files for cleaner results
fd ".conf"
Finds all files containing .conf
in the name, starting from the current directory.
Quickly locate configuration files, scripts, or assets without navigating nested directories or crafting complex expressions.
bat
: cat
on Steroidsbat
is a drop-in replacement for cat
with superpowers. It adds syntax highlighting, Git integration, and line numbers to your file viewing experience.
Syntax highlighting for dozens of languages
Git blame annotations
Works as a pager with automatic line wrapping
bat /etc/ssh/sshd_config
You’ll get a beautifully highlighted and numbered output, much easier to parse than with cat
.
Perfect for reading scripts, configs, and logs with visual clarity—especially helpful during debugging or code reviews.
ripgrep
: Blazing-Fast Text SearchAlso known as rg
, ripgrep
is a command-line search tool that recursively searches your current directory for a regex pattern, similar to grep
—but much faster and more intuitive.
Over the last decade, the open-source movement has not only transformed the world of software, but also catalyzed a sweeping revolution in hardware tinkering. At the heart of this shift lies a convergence of accessible microcomputers like the Raspberry Pi and microcontrollers like Arduino—each supercharged by the robust ecosystem of Linux. This combination offers hobbyists, engineers, and creators a versatile, low-cost, and endlessly customizable toolkit for automating their homes, collecting environmental data, and even experimenting with artificial intelligence at the edge.
This article serves as your dive into the world of Linux-based DIY automation. Whether you're looking to build a smart garden, a weather station, or simply learn how to use Bash scripts to control physical components, you're in for a journey that fuses digital logic with real-world interaction.
The Raspberry Pi is a credit card-sized computer capable of running full-fledged Linux distributions such as Raspberry Pi OS, Ubuntu, or even lightweight server OSes like DietPi. It features a Broadcom SoC, USB ports, HDMI output, Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and a 40-pin GPIO header for interfacing with sensors, relays, and other peripherals.
Key Features:
Runs full Linux OSes.
Offers Python, C/C++, and shell scripting environments.
Suitable for tasks requiring networking, databases, file systems, and multimedia.
Use Cases:
Home automation hub.
Data logging and processing.
Media streaming and game emulation.
Arduino, by contrast, is not a full computer but a microcontroller. Devices like the Arduino Uno or Nano excel at reading analog sensors, controlling motors, and maintaining precise timing. They are programmed using the Arduino IDE, which runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Key Features:
Real-time control of electronic components.
Lightweight and low-power.
Supports C/C++ with a vast array of libraries.
Use Cases:
Reading temperature, humidity, motion sensors.
Driving LEDs, motors, and servos.
Reliable execution of small, repeatable tasks.
Download Raspberry Pi Imager from raspberrypi.com.