news
Free and Open Source Software, Benchmark, and Review
-
PouchDB - local document database
PouchDB follows the CouchDB document model. Applications work with records containing JSON data, and each record has an identifier and revision information. This provides a consistent approach to handling documents across local and remote databases.
The software is particularly useful for web applications that need to remain operational when a network connection is unreliable. Records can be modified locally, with replication handling the transfer of changes when the remote database becomes available.
PouchDB also supports Node.js environments, making it useful beyond conventional browser applications.
Its replication model accommodates independently modified copies of documents. Applications can detect conflicting revisions and implement appropriate conflict-resolution behaviour.
This is free and open source software.
TextShine - graphical text transformation utility
The application accepts text from the clipboard or files and provides an interactive environment for examining and modifying that content. Results can be copied back to the clipboard, written to the original file or saved separately.
TextShine is particularly useful for cleaning up imported text, standardising formatting, restructuring lines and preparing content for other applications. Users can combine individual transformations into reusable custom actions, making it suitable for both occasional text editing and more elaborate processing tasks.
This is free and open source software.
ShinyCMS - Ruby on Rails content management system
The system uses a modular architecture so installations can enable the functionality they need. Developers can adapt themes, extend the platform with their own plugins and integrate custom application behaviour. Administrative permissions are controlled separately from access to public-facing content.
A single installation can combine a conventional website with community participation and email communication. The shared administration area makes it possible to handle these functions without building each one as a separate service.
This is free and open source software.
EarA - manage Nothing and CMF earbuds
The application communicates with compatible earbuds over Bluetooth using BlueZ and the devices’ RFCOMM control protocol. It integrates with PipeWire and PulseAudio for audio routing and offers a command-line interface for controlling supported functions.
Nothing Ear (a) has been tested extensively. CMF Buds 2 has verified support for battery reporting, listening modes, equaliser controls and Bluetooth audio. Other Nothing and CMF models have device profiles, although individual features may require further hardware testing.
This is free and open source software.
OpenLF2 - reimplementation of Little Fighter 2
Players fight against computer-controlled opponents or other players in a variety of game modes. The project aims to preserve the gameplay and behaviour of the original while providing a more flexible foundation for enhancements and community modifications.
OpenLF2 requires the original Little Fighter 2 installer to access the game’s graphics, sounds and other resources. These assets are not included with the project. The reimplementation reads the required resources directly from the installer rather than requiring the original game to be installed.
This is free and open source software.
bpmn-server - BPMN workflow execution engine
The engine handles process execution while a separate demonstration web application supplies modelling and administrative interfaces. This separation allows developers to connect BPMN workflows to their own application services and user interface. Persistent workflow information can be inspected after individual steps complete.
The workflow interface distinguishes a model, which describes the process, from a running instance. The same definition can drive multiple independent cases, each with its own data, execution history and task state.
This is free and open source software.
MaglevCMS - visual website builder for Ruby on Rails
Developers define the visual sections, blocks and themes available to editors, retaining control over the site’s appearance and behaviour. The open source edition is intended for a single site within an application; multi-site capabilities are associated with the separate commercial offering.
A typical use is a product site whose public design belongs to developers but whose marketing copy and images change frequently. Editors work in the existing application instead of administering a separate website.
This is free and open source software.
Datenstrom Yellow - lightweight flat-file content management system
Content can be edited directly in a web browser after signing in, or modified using an ordinary text editor. This approach accommodates authors who prefer a visual publishing workflow as well as developers who want direct control over their website files. Pages use Markdown for formatting, with support for HTML when more precise control is needed.
The core provides the essential functionality for publishing a website without a conventional administration dashboard. Additional capabilities are supplied through extensions, allowing site owners to add functionality as needed. Developers can customise the presentation using layouts and themes, or generate static pages for deployment without dynamic page rendering.
This is free and open source software.
tinystatus - compact static status page generator
A CSV file defines the checks, their expected results and the names displayed to visitors. Each invocation produces a snapshot of service conditions; regularly refreshed monitoring therefore requires an external scheduler.
Incident and maintenance information is maintained separately in a text file. This history is written by the administrator rather than automatically reconstructed from earlier checks.
This is free and open source software.
Minisforum M2 Pro Mini PC running Linux - Power Consumption
The M2 Pro uses Intel’s Core Ultra X7 358H, a 16-core, 16-thread Panther Lake processor with integrated Intel Arc B390 graphics. My review unit has 32 GB of LPDDR5X memory.
I’m running Ubuntu with GNOME for these tests. I measure how much power the M2 Pro draws at idle, during everyday desktop use and under sustained CPU load.
I compare it with one mini workstation, eight other mini PCs and two desktop PCs. The mini workstation is the Minisforum MS-02 Ultra with a Core Ultra 9 285HX. The desktops use Core i5-10400 and Core i5-12400F processors.
The other mini PCs are the Minisforum M2 (Core Ultra 7 356H), BOSGAME M7 (Core Ultra 9 285H), BOSGAME VTA-439 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 470), Minisforum UM890 Pro (Ryzen 9 8945HS), BOSGAME M6 (Ryzen AI 9 HX 370), ASRock Industrial NUC BOX-255H (Core Ultra 7 255H), Intel NUC (Core i7-1360P) and DreamQuest mini PC (Intel N100).