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Issue #293: Trojan Horse

We're all taught to fear Trojan horse programs, but what are they really? This month we steal a look inside to show how attackers use Trojans to stash their nefarious code in ordinary applications.

On the DVD: debian 12.9 Live Gnome and archlinux 2025.02.01

Issue #292: What Comes After Git?

Git is practically part of the woodwork in open source circles, but can we do better? The Pijul developers think we can. This month we look at the ambitious Pijul project and the effort to build a next-generation version management system based on patches rather than snapshots.

On the DVD: AlmaLinux 9.5 and Manjaro GNOME 24.2

Issue #291: Optimizing Linux

All the classic Linux distros are optimized for some abstract "general purpose" use case that no one matches exactly. If you want to get better performance out of your system, you'll need to tune it yourself. This month we study some steps for tweaking system and network performance.

On the DVD: Linux Mint 22 Cinnamon Edition and EndeavourOS Neo

Issue #290: LibreOffice Alternatives

LibreOffice is the reigning king of the Linux desktop, but some users would rather explore the other offerings before opting for the perennial default office suite. We explore some of the leading contenders.

On the DVD: Fedora 41 Workstation Live and Manjaro Xfce 24.1.1

Issue #289: Coding with AI

Futurists predict a day when computers will write the computer programs. Are we there already? This month we separate fact from hype to examine some of the popular AI-based coding tools and explore what they can (and can't) do well.

On the DVD: Kubuntu 24.10 and Kali Linux 2024.3

November 2024: Smart Home

If you listen to megavendors like Google and Amazon, the only path to a smart home is through the cloud, but the Linux community has a better way. We'll show you some open source smart home tools with no cost and no spying.

On the DVD: Rocky Linux 9.4 and MX Linux MX-23.3

Issue #287: Ollama

Many Linux users are intrigued by Large Language Model (LLM) tools like ChatGPT, but if you really want to be methodical about testing and experimenting, why get tangled in the cloud? Ollama lets you run LLMs locally on a home computer.

On the DVD: Debian 12.6 and Clonezilla 3.1.3-16

Issue #286: Git Ready

The Git version control system is an integral part of the Linux environment. If you're looking for a better foundation in Git, or if you already know the basics and are ready to start building Git into your own custom apps, we'll make you Git ready.

On the DVD: openSUSE Leap 15.6 and Tails 6.4

Issue #285: Kernel Exploits

Is Linux secure? Only if you keep up with the patches. This month, we take a close look at how intruders attack unsafe versions of the Linux kernel through known and well-publicized exploits. We’ll show you how to set up your own out-of-date kernel to practice on, and we’ll introduce you to some of the tools and techniques attackers use to gain root access.

On the DVD: AlmaLinux 9.4 Boot DVD and Fedora Workstation 40 Live