Linux Format

Linux Format is your complete guide to the world of Linux. Whether you've just discovered Linux, or you're a full-time guru, Linux Format has everything you need to make the most of your OS. The editorial formula is a mix of features, reviews and practical tutorials that tackle topics as far ranging as installing software to socket programming and network management. Thought-provoking features and interviews also provide a focus on key technologies, trends and issues in the fast-paced world of Free and Open Source software.

MEET THE TEAM • We’re going retro mad this issue, so we asked our writing collective what’s their guilty-pleasure, nostalgic retrocomputing crush? No judgement here…

To the rescue!

We salute Peter Eckersley, tech scientist and activist • The ex-Electronic Frontier Foundation chief and co-founder of Let’s Encrypt sadly passed away on 2 September, 2022.

Godot 4.0 hits beta

TIME TO MERGE

Google bug bounty launched

WHAT A TO-DO!

New app store for Ubuntu spotted

Intel backs Krita

New Chromebook

VIDEO CODECS

Distro watch

Kernel Watch • Jon Masters summarises the latest happenings in the Linux kernel, so that you don’t have to.

NO MOORE

Answers

Mailserver

Snapmaker 2.0 3-in-1 • Who wants an expensive, jack-of-all-trades 3D printer, asks Denise Bertacchi?

RebornOS 10.2021 • David Rutland’s mum ends every conversation with, “I use Arch BTW.” With RebornOS, she never even needed to open a terminal.

Openmamba 3.6.21 • David Rutland was hoping for something of a snake theme with Openmamba. Instead, he got Red Hat with a KDE Plasma desktop.

MX Linux 21.2.1 KDE • David Rutland finds that ‘Wildflower,’ a Systemd-free, Plasma lovefest, seems to suffer from some recurring stability issues. It’s still good, though.

Salix 15.0 • Salix OS is a willowy Slackware derivative that’s easy to use and comes with a well-themed Xfce desktop. Just what David Rutland’s looking for…

Two Point Campus • “You want job training?” laughs The Management at Fraser Brown, who knows deep down this is the closest he’ll get to a degree course…

Lightweight distros • Michael Reed takes a look at five distributions that make the most of limited hardware while still offering an impressive desktop experience.

Package management • Is it easy to add/remove software? How extensive are the repositories?

Ease of installation • Did we have to jump through hoops to install and were there any extras?

Memory and disk space • Low memory usage can help if a computer doesn’t have enough resources.

Rating the desktop environment

Live experience • In many scenarios, a working Linux set up on a flash drive can be a life-saver.

Default applications • What’s the set of programs that the distro gives you from the get-go?

Ease of configuration • We want to see tools that are easy to use and intuitive while offering a good range of options.

The Verdict

RETRO EMULATION • The Linux Format team all have their favourite retro memories, and Jonni Bidwell is here to regale y’all with them.

Relive past computers • A roundup of the computers that made us smile (and occasionally swear).

Retro gaming on the Pi • Set up RetroPie and set a course for nostalgic reverie.

Those magnificent machines of the 1980s • The eight-bit machines managed to do a huge amount with just a smidgeon of memory and CPUs that would faint looking at long division.

16-bit hits • For many, us included, the golden age of computing was characterised by the Amiga 500 or Atari ST.

Astro Pi Mission Zero 2022/23 blasts off! • Getting the young ‘uns interested in...