GNU/Linux and BSD Leftovers

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Aug 03, 2026

• Applications

  • OMG Ubuntu ☛ Linux App Release Roundup (July 2026)

    If you spent July dodging the summer heatwave, catch up on the best GNU/Linux app releases and updates you might have missed last month in this roundup. You likely already know about the Firefox 153 release, with its “new” container tabs confusing those who swear they’ve had ’em for ages. That update also enabled rounded window bottom corners on GTK-based GNU/Linux desktops, Ubuntu included. Slick system monitor Mission Center also dropped a big update, so if you like swotting over resource stats, don’t sleep on checking that out.

• Desktop Environments (DE)/Window Managers (WM)

  • GNOME Desktop/GTK

    • Lucas Baudin: Visual Signatures in Papers (and Papers 51.beta)

      We just merged the visual signature UI into Papers (GNOME Document Viewer), developed by Malika Asman during her Outreachy internship (funded by the GNOME Foundation).

      Compared to digital signatures, visual signatures do not require a cryptographic certificate. As such, they do not really guarantee the authenticity of a signed document, but they are still widely accepted or required (e.g. in administrative documents).

• Distributions and Operating Systems

  • Distro Watch ☛ Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

    [...] Meanwhile, the Debian project is expanding its debate on whether to accept contributions generated by LLM utilities and our Opinion Poll asks our readers to predict the outcome. [...]

  • Distro Watch ☛ Distribution Release: AerynOS 2026.08

    The AerynOS team have published an update to the experimental distribution. Snapshot 2026.08 includes improved filesystem support, including providing OpenZFS for data pools: [...]

  • BSD

    • DragonFly BSD Digest ☛ Toots back for the Digest

      Alert reader Nick pointed out that Mastodon posts to bsd.network for the Digest weren’t happening automatically.  The plugin was disabled and I don’t have a reason as to why.  I just turned it back on and we’ll see if this post comes through.

    • DragonFly BSD Digest ☛ Lazy Reading for 2026/08/02

      It’s a fun links week! Decker, a modern tool enough like Hypercard to make me notice.  (via) Dinos That Drive, a new book illustrated by the guy who brought you Behold!  The Dinosaurs! Be More Party Cannon. Hardcore IndieWeb.  (via) Describing the early Internet was surprisingly easy. The Cybernetics Digital Library.

  • Debian Family

    • Ben Hutchings: FOSS activity in July 2026

  • Canonical/Ubuntu Family

    • OMG Ubuntu ☛ Ubuntu’s ready for Alberta and Morocco time zone changes

      Times are literally changing and Ubuntu’s keeping pace – well, kinda. In November, most of Canada will turn its clocks back an hour, but the Western Canadian province of Alberta won’t. It’s decided to stay on daylight saving time permanently rather than fall back to standard time. Meanwhile, in September, Morocco is doing the reverse: after eight years of running an hour ahead of Greenwich Mean Time, it’s going back to GMT.