Top 5 Linux Distros with the COSMIC Desktop Environment (2025 Edition)
https://techrefreshing.com/linux-distros-with-the-cosmic-desktop-environment/
#COSMICDesktop #Linux2025 #PopOS
#FedoraCOSMIC #ArchLinux #CachyOS
#NixOS #System76 #LinuxDistro
#OpenSource #LinuxGaming #DesktopEnvironment
(more Linux news in original post)
KDE Gear 25.04 released with improved Orca screen reader integration for Dolphin, support for navigating files with the arrow keys and selecting them using Enter, support for PGP/GPG-based signatures in Okular, additional token import options for Keysmith TOTP app, OpenTimelineIO import/export support and revamped audio waveform editor for Kdenlive, “Copy Link Address” context menu item and support for sorting rooms in the sidebar based on their most recent activity in NeoChat, option to save drafts of toots and schedule them to be sent later in Tokodon, websocket blocking for Falkon browser, and a lot more:
https://9to5linux.com/kde-gear-25-04-applications-suite-officially-released-heres-whats-new
LXQt 2.2 released with ability to set the default Wayland compositor and the screen locker by distribution or system-wide, improved support for multi-monitor setups by handling screens by names rather than numbers, other Wayland improvements, updates to PCManFM-Qt and QTerminal:
https://9to5linux.com/lxqt-2-2-desktop-environment-released-with-many-wayland-improvements
PipeWire 1.4.2 released with extra checks for MIDI to avoid 100% CPU usage on older kernels, support for using header metadata by default in the videoadapter plugin, improved pw-cat verbose sndfile format debug, etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/pipewire-1-4-2-adds-extra-midi-checks-to-avoid-100-cpu-usage-on-older-kernels
(FOSS news in comment)
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
Ubuntu 25.04 released with Linux kernel 6.14, GNOME 48, improved hardware support, improved dual-boot support for the installer etc.:
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/04/ubuntu-25-04-release-now-available-for-download
("OS installer – better dual-boot support, ‘replace Ubuntu’ option + more" - oh yeah! Just replace Ubuntu with Linux Mint or Debian lol)
(Sry, I couldn't resist)
Fedora 42 released with Linux kernel 6.14, GNOME 48, new Anaconda WebUI installer, KDE edition no longer a spin, new COSMIC spin, etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/fedora-linux-42-is-out-now-powered-by-linux-kernel-6-14-and-gnome-48-desktop
Fedora Asahi Remix 42 released with KDE Plasma 6.3, FEX integration providing better x86 and x86-64 emulation, microphone support for MacBooks, GNOME version with GNOME 48, etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/fedora-asahi-remix-42-released-for-apple-silicon-macs-with-kde-plasma-6-3
Nitrux project introduces NX AppHub, a new AppImage "repository" and software center to build AppImages from curated YAML recipes:
https://9to5linux.com/nitrux-project-introduces-nx-apphub-a-new-system-to-provide-apps-for-nitrux
(It will be for Nitrux-only though which kind of defeats the purpose of AppImage to be a global, portable format imo)
MX Linux 23.6 released with Debian 12.10 base, Xfce 4.20, improved Package Installer, new UEFI Manager, updated kernel, etc.:
https://betanews.com/2025/04/14/debian-12-mx-linux-236-windows-11-alternative-dreams/
("Windows 11 feels more like a marketing platform than an operating system" - the article made a really good point here lol)
Manjaro 25 released with GNOME 48, KDE Plasma 6.3, Xfce 4.18, Linux kernel 6.12:
https://betanews.com/2025/04/15/manjaro-25-zetar-linux-release-gnome-plasma-xfce/
GNOME 48.1 released with improved HDR support, support for Mutter to announce workspace changes to the screen reader, Mutter updated to 48.2 to fix more bugs etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-48-1-desktop-is-out-to-improve-hdr-support-and-fix-various-issues
GNOME 47.6 released with fix for black screen issue on multi-monitor setups with NVIDIA driver, other bug fixes:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-47-6-fixes-black-screen-issue-on-multi-monitor-setups-with-nvidia-driver
(more Linux and FOSS news in comment)
@Lu
Thank you for the pointer!
Looking at the evolution i feel that users act more and more on their dissatisfaction with #CinnamonDesktop.
I note that:
* the number of downloads of #MATEDesktop increased 50% in a year;
* the number of downloads of #EDGEDesktop decreased 50% in a year.
A #desktopenvironment has to work properly out of the box.
If it includes cpu and storage killers like #baloo, as the desktop environment #KDE does, then it is a k.o. criteria. Then you shouldn't use it.
Dear people from KDE: please remove baloo from KDE for the time being. It's not an essential feature, and it only causes problems atm.
You can fix it, but you shouldn't include it in this broken state in "normal" releases.
This post will discuss how to install XFCE on Ubuntu 24.04. XFCE is the default desktop environment of Xubuntu (a well-known distribution of Ubuntu).
https://greenwebpage.com/community/how-to-install-xfce-desktop-on-ubuntu-24-04/
Work on the KDE Plasma desktop sounds like it continues to go very well, with some really important bug fixes arriving to make the experience a lot nicer. My favourite Linux desktop environment and what powers the Desktop Mode on Steam Deck.
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/03/kde-plasma-6-3-4-fixes-the-most-common-plasma-crash-now-down-to-zero-very-high-priority-bugs/
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
GNOME 48 "Bengaluru" released with dynamic triple buffering to boost the performance on low-end GPUs, Wayland color management protocol support, new Adwaita fonts, HDR (High Dynamic Range) support, new Wellbeing feature with screen time tracking, new Display Control utility, new windows centered by default, OSD notifications for headphone connections, new Papers app as the default document viewer, notifications grouped by apps, improvements to Nautilus and Software, Loupe got image editing support etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-48-bengaluru-desktop-environment-officially-released-this-is-whats-new
Serpent OS changes name to AerynOS, because of "serpent" having a negative association:
https://9to5linux.com/ikey-dohertys-serpent-os-changes-name-to-aerynos
(Instead of a "negative" name, now it has a name that's hard to spell correctly, judging from how many people spell Python incorrectly lol)
Fedora 42 Beta available with new KDE edition (not spin anymore!), COSMIC spin, refreshed Anaconda installer, DNF5 improvements etc.:
https://betanews.com/2025/03/18/fedora-linux-42-beta-asahi-kde-cosmic-new-features/
Kali Linux 2025.1 released with Xfce 4.20, KDE Plasma 6.2, refreshed theme, new keyboard shortcuts, kernel update, new partition layout etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/kali-linux-2025-1-ethical-hacking-distro-is-here-with-xfce-4-20-refreshed-theme
Lead developer of the Dash to Panel GNOME extension quits due to drama around the animated heart icon with a donation message:
https://news.itsfoss.com/dash-to-panel-drama/
(Linux isn't Linux without a drama each week...)
PINE64 RISC-V tablet (PineTab-V) gets new Debian-based distro, new accelerometer, a fix for a slow charging issue, an LED status indicator light, and a unique identifier for the PineTab-V in the EEPROM:
https://news.itsfoss.com/pinetab-v-upgrade/
(FOSS news in comment)
GNOME 48 "Bengaluru" Released with Battery Saver, Digital Wellbeing Tools, HDR Support and More! #GNOME #DesktopEnvironment #Linux #Releases #Opensource
https://ostechnix.com/gnome-48-bengaluru-released/
Garuda COSMIC: A First Look At The Alpha Release #Garudalinux #Cosmic #DesktopEnvironment #Linux
https://ostechnix.com/garuda-cosmic-alpha-release/
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
GNOME 48 RC available with dynamic triple buffering, Wayland color management protocol, support for centering new windows by default, NVIDIA improvements, updates for Nautilus and Settings etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-48-rc-adds-dynamic-triple-buffering-wayland-color-management-protocol
KDE Plasma 6.4 will include color code recognition for KRunner to display the color with textual representation, Disks & Devices widget will automatically check newly-connected disks for file system errors and offer corrections, fixes for keyboard navigation issues, Spectacle redesign etc.:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/3/kde-team-unveils-new-features-and-enhancements-planned-for-upcoming-kde-plasma-6-4-release/
KDE Gear 24.12.3 released with improvements for Dolphin, Konsole, Tokodon, Kasts, Konqueror, Itinerary, PlasmaTube, Kate, Kdenlive, AudioTube, NeoChat, Okular etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/kde-gear-24-12-3-improves-dolphin-konsole-tokodon-itinerary-kasts-and-more
PipeWire 1.4 released with RISC-V support, MIDI2 support, JACK Control API etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/pipewire-1-4-is-out-with-risc-v-support-midi2-support-jack-control-api-and-more
Wine 10.3 released with Wayland clipboard support, initial Vulkan video decoding, Compiler-RT included in ARM builds, improved Winelib C++ compatibility etc.:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/3/wine-10-3-maintenance-update-adds-wayland-clipboard-support-vulkan-video-decoding-and-more/
Ubuntu 25.04 will include Papers instead of Evince for PDF reader:
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/03/ubuntu-25-04-new-pdf-viewer-app-official
Tails 6.13 released with enhanced Wi-Fi troubleshooting, updated Tor client and Tor Browser, ability to detect partitioning errors when Tails is started for the first time, bug fixes:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/3/tails-6-13-released-with-enhanced-wi-fi-troubleshooting-and-key-software-updates/
Ubuntu Touch (UBports) 20.04 OTA-8 released with VoLTE support for Volla phone users, support for WPA3-protected Wi-Fi networks, bug fixes, security updates:
https://9to5linux.com/ubuntu-touch-ota-8-released-with-volte-support-for-volla-phone-users
(FOSS news in comment)
Why doesn't #Opera follow my desktop environment's window paradigm on #LinuxMint + #Cinnamon? I have the buttons layout (Close, Maximize, Minimize, etc.) justified left (sort of the way MacOS does it) and here's Opera doing it's own thing just completely ignoring the way I've got things set up in Linux.
Here's an idea for the Opera devs... don't assume you know what the user wants or will do with your product.
#Linux #UI #UX #DesktopEnvironment #windows #behavior
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
KDE Plasma 6.3 released with improved fractional scaling, pixel-perfect zoom, improved Night Light, redesigned Drawing Tablet settings page, System Monitor has lower resource consumption, GPU monitoring now also works on FreeBSD, notification if an apps stops due to running out of memory, Discover can open Flatpak URLs, highlight changed permissions, and indicates whether app is from original devs etc.:
https://ostechnix.com/kde-plasma-6-3-released/
KDE Frameworks 6.11 released with search providers for Nix packages, Docker Hub and Mozilla Developer Network in KRunner, option to undo changes text in filename field for open/save dialogs in KDE apps, keyboard navigation and accessibility improvements to Plasma Discover and Kirigami UI components etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/kde-frameworks-6-11-adds-search-providers-for-nix-packages-docker-hub-and-more
(Pretty cool stuff, especially the extra search providers for KRunner. I use MDN quite a lot during the development of FosseryWeb)
GNOME 48 Beta is available for public testing with Adwaita fonts, improved screen time limit support, new GNOME Display Control (gdctl) utility, GDM (GNOME Display Manager) no longer requires Xwayland if it’s installed in a Wayland-only environment, support for opening Flatpak URLs in Software etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-48-beta-is-now-available-for-public-testing-with-adwaita-fonts-new-wallpaper
GNOME 47.4 released with performance improvements for Nautilus, bug fixes for other GNOME programs:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-47-4-released-with-performance-improvements-for-nautilus-bug-fixes
GNOME website is updated with new design, more colors, simplified header, simple animations:
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/02/gnome-website-revamp-goes-live
Post 1/4
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
GNOME 48 will include sidebar for Text Editor, new default fonts, Digital Health / Wellbeing functionality:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/GNOME-Text-Editor-Sidebar
(After FosseryWeb sidebar, get ready to have a sidebar in Text Editor too lol)
GTK 5 drops X11 support, introduces Android backend for the toolkit:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/GTK-X11-Now-Deprecated
(Meanwhile on Wayland, many video chat services don't support screen sharing, video recording is still problematic (at least on Debian), but no problem, just drop X11 and ignore the mentioned use cases...)
KDE Gear 24.12.2 released with improvements for Dolphin, Itinerary, Tokodon, Kate, Kamera, Kdenlive, NeoChat etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/kde-gear-24-12-2-improves-dolphin-itinerary-tokodon-and-many-other-kde-apps
CachyOS ISO snapshot for February includes Linux kernel 6.13, NVIDIA 570 driver, KDE Plasma 6.2.5, enabled tap-to-click by default for the X11 session etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/cachyos-iso-snapshot-for-february-2025-brings-linux-kernel-6-13-nvidia-570-driver
Tails 6.12 released with security fixes for Tor circuits and persistent storage, bug fixes:
https://9to5linux.com/tails-6-12-anonymous-os-fixes-security-issues-in-tor-circuits-persistent-storage
(FOSS news in reply)
What's your favorite #desktopenvironment ? #linux 
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
Linux kernel 6.13 released with AMD GPU improvements, Nouveau driver fixes, improved network stability, memory leak fixes, security updates etc.:
https://ostechnix.com/linux-kernel-6-13-released/
GNU Linux-Libre kernel 6.13 released with rtw8812a, rtw8821a, bmi270, aw88081, ntp8835 and ntp8918 drivers removed:
https://9to5linux.com/gnu-linux-libre-6-13-kernel-released-for-software-freedom-lovers
GNOME 48 alpha available for public testing, with OSD notifications for headphone connections, support for screen time and health breaks, support for screen time limits, various improvements:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-48-alpha-is-now-available-for-public-testing-heres-whats-new
GNOME 47.3 released with improved frame rate for monitors attached to secondary GPUs, improved input-output latency of cursor movements, enhanced Xwayland support, bug fixes:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-47-3-improves-frame-rate-for-monitors-attached-to-secondary-gpus
GNOME 46.8 released with quicker thumbnail loading in Nautilus, improved support for the Trisquel GNU/Linux distro in Boxes, bug fixes:
https://9to5linux.com/gnome-46-8-release-speeds-up-thumbnail-loading-in-the-nautilus-file-manager
Archinstall 3.0.2 released with support for Wayfire Wayland compositor, improved Btrfs support, improved local and remote mirror list parsing etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/arch-linux-installer-archinstall-gets-support-for-the-wayfire-wayland-compositor
Solus 4.7 released with Linux kernel 6.12 LTS, Budgie 10.9.2, GNOME 47, KDE Plasma 6.2, Xfce 4.20, out-of-the-box support for more NVIDIA GPUs, updated packages:
https://9to5linux.com/solus-4-7-released-with-linux-6-12-lts-gnome-47-kde-plasma-6-2-and-xfce-4-20
Rhino Linux 2025.01 released with Linux kernel 6.12.3, dynamic workspaces, Hello Rhino app with project links, new GRUB theme, new Rhino Stampede package for testing latest features, Pacstall updates:
https://ostechnix.com/rhino-linux-2025-1-released/
Wine 10.0 released with full support for the ARM64EC architecture, improved high-DPI scaling, support for Vulkan child window rendering under X11, compatibility with Vulkan 1.4.303 etc.:
https://betanews.com/2025/01/21/wine-10-linux-windows-apps/
(FOSS news in reply)
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
SteamOS becomes available on handhelds other than Steam Deck, including Lenovo Legion Go S:
https://news.itsfoss.com/steamos-rolling-out/
Budgie 10.10 will be Wayland-only, planned for first quarter of 2025:
https://9to5linux.com/budgie-10-10-desktop-will-be-wayland-only-as-work-continues-on-budgie-11
COSMIC Alpha 5 released with new media player, enhanced Alt+Tab, improved Variable Refresh Rate handling, new Users page in Settings etc.:
https://ostechnix.com/cosmic-alpha-5-released/
KDE Plasma 6.3 is available for beta testing, with ability to clone a panel, set keyboard shortcuts to move windows between Custom Tiling tile zones, support for remembering the active virtual desktop per activity etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/kde-plasma-6-3-is-now-available-for-public-beta-testing-heres-whats-new
KDE Frameworks 6.10 released with support for converting between "rack units" in KRunner, new Breeze open-link icon, new icons for the PCManFM-Qt file manager etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/kde-frameworks-6-10-adds-support-for-converting-between-rack-units-in-krunner
Flatpak 1.16 released USB device listing, support for KDE search completion, support for compiling Flatpak using Meson instead of Autotools, support for creating a private Wayland socket with the “security context” extension to allow the compositor to identify connections from sandboxed apps as belonging to the sandbox etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/flatpak-1-16-linux-app-sandboxing-and-distribution-framework-officially-released
Slackware-based distro Absolute Linux gets discontinued due to rising expenses and lack of time of lead dev:
https://news.itsfoss.com/absolute-linux-discontinued/
Debian 12.9 released with 72 bug fixes and 38 security updates:
https://9to5linux.com/debian-12-9-bookworm-arrives-with-72-bug-fixes-and-38-security-updates
Tails 6.11 released with important security fixes, detection of partitioning errors when running Tails from a USB flash drive:
https://9to5linux.com/tails-6-11-anonymous-linux-os-released-with-critical-security-fixes-and-new-features
(FOSS news in reply)
Which Linux distro would you recommend to newcomers in 2025?
Happy new year to everyone! I’m back in full time making icons again after a half break here between Christmas and new year. A Cosmic DE screenshot in abstract art and custom made icons to fit it. I’m almost finish the “Cosmic Storm” icon set and it look good.
@SethStorm666 looks great!
This week's Linux and FOSS news:
LINUX NEWS
Xfce 4.20 released with experimental Wayland support (Labwc and Wayfire compositors), HiDPI displays, support for SVG wallpapers on large screens, support for setting custom colors for icon labels and icon backgrounds, etc.:
https://9to5linux.com/xfce-4-20-desktop-environment-released-with-experimental-wayland-support
Kali Linux 2024.4 released with Linux kernel 6.11.2, GNOME 47, Python 3.12, Pipx instead of Pip, new tools, discontinued 32-bit builds, improved Raspberry Pi support etc.:
https://news.itsfoss.com/kali-linux-2024-4-release/
Fedora Asahi Remix 42 released with KDE Plasma 6.2, GNOME 47, x86/x86-64 emulation integration including support for AAA games based on Vulkan 1.4, initial setup wizard based on Calamares:
https://9to5linux.com/fedora-asahi-remix-41-released-for-apple-silicon-macs-with-kde-plasma-6-2
Ubuntu provides users easier access to latest Intel drivers with support for Intel Arc B580 and B570 “Battlemage” discrete GPUs:
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2024/12/ubuntu-intel-battlemage-gpu-driver-preview
System76's AMD-powered Pangolin Linux laptop gets 2K display, AMD Ryzen 8945HS processor, AMD Radeon 780M integrated graphics, up to 96GB DDR5 5600 MHz RAM, up to 16TB storage:
https://9to5linux.com/system76-refreshes-their-amd-powered-pangolin-linux-laptop-with-2k-display
DXVK 2.5.2 released with implementation for D3D9 shader validation interfaces, bug fixes for The Sims 2 and other games:
https://9to5linux.com/dxvk-2-5-2-improves-support-for-alpha-protocol-borderlands-2-and-other-games
(FOSS news in reply)
