FOSS Weekly #25.51: Pop OS 24.04 Release, Fresh Editor, eBPF Tools, Cinnamon 6.6, NTFSPlus and More Linux Stuff

We are approaching the end of 2025, and with it, the completion of the first quarter of this century.

The end of the year often brings a sense of nostalgia. Lately, it made me think about the first time I used Linux, nearly 16 years ago. It was Ubuntu 9.04. Since then, Ubuntu has experimented with many ideas. Some worked well, others didn’t.

For example, Ubuntu once had its own cloud storage service. It helped with file synchronization and made system migrations and version upgrades smoother. Over time, however, several such projects were discontinued.

Looking back, I think some of the ideas were ahead of the time and definitely worth trying.

7 Projects Killed by Ubuntu (But I Still Miss Them)

Over the span of the past 15 years, Ubuntu started several projects. Not all of them are active today. And yet, they live in our memory.

It's FOSSAbhishek Prakash

Here's the highlight of this edition of FOSS Weekly:

• Denmark's VPN ban scare.
• The Tor Project's Rustification.
• Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS finally arriving.
• A new text terminal-based text editor.
• And other Linux news, tips, and, of course, memes!
• This week of FOSS Weekly is supported by Depot.

🔆 Guide to Docker Build Cache

Your Docker builds are slow, and you don't know why. Depot explains how layer caching actually works, why changing one file rebuilds everything after it, and when the cache helps versus hurts.

Learn the difference between bind mounts and cache mounts, discover why RUN apt-get update doesn't fetch new packages on rebuilds, and see how to structure your Dockerfile so dependencies don't rebuild on every code change. The guide covers multi-stage builds, cache invalidation patterns, and BuildKit features that make images smaller and builds faster—with command-line examples and real-world optimizations you can apply right away.

The ultimate guide to Docker build cache

Ever wondered when Docker reuses cached layers and when it rebuilds from scratch? This guide breaks down the mechanics of how caching works, how cache invalidation cascades through your builds, and how different instructions affect the cache.

DepotAndrea Anderson

📰 Linux and Open Source News

• GNOME has forbidden vibe coded shell extensions.
• A recently proposed bill in Denmark has people worried.
• OpenShot 3.4 is here with major upgrades across the board.
• Rhino Linux 2025.4 is out as the project's final release of 2025.
• Cinnamon 6.6 has arrived just in time before the next Linux Mint release.
• The Tor Project has certainly been busy with its Rust transition, as the latest Arti release looks promising.
• Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS is finally here, and it's looking good.

Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS Review: Is This the Linux Distro of the Year 2025?

After years of development, System76’s Rust-based desktop delivers.

It's FOSSSourav Rudra

🧠 What We’re Thinking About

Is SysAdmin a good career choice going into 2026? I think so, yes. But you need to skill up.

Is SysAdmin Still a Good Career Choice in 2026?

Insights from an Interview with Hirdaypal Singh Lamba, Salesforce Consultant.

It's FOSSAbhishek Prakash

YouTube's AI moderation is enshittification at its finest.

🧮 Linux Tips, Tutorials, and Learnings

NTFSPlus aims to bring faster and cleaner NTFS support to Linux.

What is NTFSPlus and Why Does It Matter for Linux Users?

NTFSPlus is a fresh implementation of the classic in-kernel ntfs driver. Can it end the current NTFS woes for Linux users?

It's FOSSRoland Taylor

If choice stresses you out, Linux might not be your thing.

15 Signs Linux Is Not For You

If you recognized yourself in a few of these points, that doesn’t mean Linux isn’t for you. In fact, you can count it as an invitation. It just means you’ve spent a long time in an ecosystem that treats you more like a product than a participant.

It's FOSSRoland Taylor

From tracing fleeting processes to spotting network issues, these utilities make hard problems easy to see.

12 eBPF-Powered CLI Utilities That Every Modern Linux Sysadmin Should Master

Classic Linux tools are always there, but eBPF is the natural upgrade as it looks directly in the kernel. Once you start using these tools, it’s hard to imagine managing Linux systems without them.

It's FOSSNeville Ondara

👷 AI, Homelab and Hardware Corner

Does your cat have a habit of dragging in de*d rats? Then Catflap Prey Detector could be what you are looking for. An It's FOSS reader made it himself and shared the code in his GitHub repo.

GitHub - fl2o/catflap-prey-detector: AI-powered catflap system that detects when your cat is carrying prey and automatically blocks the catflap.

AI-powered catflap system that detects when your cat is carrying prey and automatically blocks the catflap. - fl2o/catflap-prey-detector

GitHubfl2o

If you are building a NAS, these open source OSes will not disappoint you.

Here are Your Choices for an Open Source NAS Operating System

Building a NAS in your homelab? Here are the choices of operating systems you can use.

It's FOSSPulkit Chandak

Lightweight, powerful, or stylish? Explore the best Raspberry Pi desktop operating systems:

Your Raspberry Pi Can Be a Real Desktop (If You Pick the Right OS)

Here are the operating system choices when you want to use Raspberry Pi in a desktop setup.

It's FOSSAbhishek Prakash

✨ Apps and Projects Highlights

If you find Nano difficult to use, you will like Fresh, a fresh new terminal-based text editor. And yes, it is written in Rust.

Easier Than Nano! Fresh is a Fresh New Rust-based Terminal Editor for Linux

Rust-based editor combines fast performance with GUI-style shortcuts that just work.

It's FOSSSourav Rudra

SnapScope is a vibe-coded tool for scanning Snap packages for any lurking threats.

Check Your Snap Packages for Vulnerabilities With This Vibe-Coded Tool

Snapscope makes it easy to scan any Snap package for security issues.

It's FOSSSourav Rudra

📽️ Videos I Am Creating for You

There are two apps to manage GNOME Extensions and the official app is not as good as the other. Watch it in action in this week's video.

💡 Quick Handy Tip

In the terminal, you can extend a text selection by holding Shift and clicking elsewhere. First select a word (or part of a word), then hold Shift and click another location to select everything up to that point. This also works inside the Nano editor.

🎋 Fun in the FOSSverse

Match the Linux distros with their logos in this quick puzzle!

Match the Distros With Their Logos

An enjoyable drag and drop quiz to match the Linux distros with their logos.

It's FOSSAbhishek Prakash

🤣 Meme of the Week: Windows who? Is it some sort of niche farming tool? 🤔

🗓️ Tech Trivia: On December 16, 2003, the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 was signed into United States law, establishing the nation’s first federal standards for commercial e-mail in an effort to reduce unsolicited messages, though waivers for political and religious content have led critics to question its effectiveness.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 From the Community: Pro FOSSer Ernie has posted a very insightful thread on how computers communicate today.

How computers communicate, from the ARPANET to today’s Internet

I’m going to describe how the Internet works, hopefully in human comprehensible terms. I’ll try to explain each technical term as I get to it so you can understand what the technicians are talking about when you need help, and maybe understand what’s happening when you ‘go’ to a website. To begin, the technology we use to communicate with other computers on the Internet today, is essentially the same as that used on the ARPANET when the technology was first being developed and implemented. I’ll…

It's FOSS Communityernie

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