LibreOffice Flatpak'd, Linux Misconceptions, Windows 10 or Else
Today in Linux news Stephan Bergmann announced LibreOffice's availability in a Flatpak bundle, bringing convenience and security to distributors. In other news, Microsoft has begun practically forcing Windows 10 upgrades upon their loyal customers while Samsung has advised its customers against upgrading. Martin Gräßlin announced virtual framebuffer support for KWayland and Bertel King, Jr. dispelled some common Linux misconceptions.
Everyone seems quite excited about LibreOffice being packaged in a Flatpak bundle. Stephan Bergmann, longtime office developer and Red Hat associate, today announced a beta of LibreOffice 5.2 Flatpak. Flatpak is the new name for xdg-app, changed mainly for aesthetics and in homage to IKEA flat packaging - no, seriously. xdg-app is a sort of containerization for the desktop, or "sandboxing" as they prefer. Benefits include easier cross-distribution support and security through sandboxing. So, having LibreOffice available in this format will assure its availability to those using (and providing) that technology. Some developers think Flatpak (or similar tech like Atomic) may become the preferred way updates to Linux distributions and its applications will be handled in the future as well. Bergmann also included instructions for those wishing to test it.
Bertel King, Jr. today addressed some misconceptions he's heard about Linux. First he said Linux is no longer used and developed just by "neckbeards" and "dudes in their basement." No, Linux is more diverse than ever including himself which he said is "black." He addressed the 'Linux is difficult to use question' (are folks still saying that?) by saying, "You need zero coding skills to install or use Linux. Installation consists of downloading a file, installing it on a flash drive, restarting your computer, and following on-screen prompts. In many ways, Linux is more welcoming to first-time computer users than Windows." He also addressed security, appearance, and gaming concluding, "I'm willing to bet that with the right introduction, you could get by using Linux. You may even fall in love."
That will surely be good to know for some as Microsoft is leaving their customers with no choice but to upgrade to Windows 10. All of the outs users had before are now gone as The Register reported today. "Microsoft’s Windows 10 nagware campaign has entered a new phase, with all options to evade or escape an upgrade finally blocked." This comes just days after Samsung had to tell their customers not to upgrade to Windows 10 because of driver issues that will render much of their hardware inoperative, also reported by The Reg.
In other news:
* Introducing a virtual framebuffer Wayland server in KWayland
* New Kernel, KDE Applications to arrive in Tumbleweed
* The Linux Foundation Announces Keynote Speakers and Full Schedule for LinuxCon