It's FOSS Archives

Winsage

May 17, 2025

9 Months Later, Microsoft Finally Fixes Linux Dual-Booting Bug

In August 2024, a security update aimed at improving Secure Boot disrupted dual-booting of Windows and Linux due to a vulnerability in the GRUB bootloader. This allowed malicious actors to bypass Secure Boot protections. Microsoft released a patch, KB5058385, on May 13, 2025, to resolve the issue by enhancing the Secure Boot Advanced Targeting (SBAT) system's ability to recognize legitimate Linux bootloaders, preventing them from being blocked. The patch is applicable to various versions of Windows, including Windows 11 (multiple versions) and Windows Server (multiple versions). The update will be automatically applied through Windows Update for affected installations.

Winsage

April 30, 2025

You can run Arch Linux in Windows now

Arch Linux has officially become available as a distribution for the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). This release follows earlier reports from It's Foss News in February. WSL allows users to run a complete Linux environment on Windows, and the addition of Arch Linux introduces a rolling release model. The Arch Linux WSL image is maintained by Robin Candau and is built and released monthly through a GitLab CI schedule, with systemd support included. Users are advised to run pacman -Syu after their first launch to ensure they have the latest updates. To use Arch Linux on WSL, WSL 2 must be installed. The installation process involves running commands in PowerShell: PLACEHOLDER2f45746c1eb6702b for WSL 2, followed by PLACEHOLDERcebb97c90d3dc3e4 to add Arch Linux, and then PLACEHOLDERff7af59bfa5f1c11 to boot into it. Users should also update their system with PLACEHOLDERe23a8bb0ce81dc13. WSL 2 supports running Linux GUI desktops via Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP), but available images are primarily command-line based.

AppWizard

March 8, 2025

Good News! Google Starts Rolling Out Native Linux Terminal to Android Devices

Google has introduced a native Linux Terminal app for Android, leveraging the Android Virtualization Framework to run a local virtual machine powered by Debian. The app is currently being rolled out to select Google Pixel devices as part of the March Pixel Drop and requires a 500 MB download to set up. Users must enable developer mode to access the app, which allows them to adjust storage, configure network settings, and recover the virtual machine's storage partition.

AppWizard

December 23, 2024

These Are The Most Useful FOSS Android Apps I Discovered in 2024

Exodus is an app that tracks data collection and app permissions for privacy-conscious users. Simple Keyboard is a minimalistic, customizable keyboard app that does not collect user data. Currencies provides real-time currency exchange rates without ads or tracking. Password Monitor checks for compromised passwords and offers security suggestions. Ente Auth is an offline authentication tool with end-to-end encryption and optional cloud backup. Seal is a download manager that supports various platforms and customizable options. Hacki is a client for Hacker News that allows voting, commenting, and saving articles. NetGuard is an open-source firewall app that enables users to manage internet access for specific applications without root access.

AppWizard

December 20, 2024

freeDictionaryApp: Open Source Android App That Helps You Get Information on a Word

freeDictionaryApp is a free and open-source dictionary application for Android, developed by Yamin Siahmargooei using Kotlin. It is based on the Free Dictionary API, which has not been updated in two years. The app features an intuitive user interface with a search bar, providing word types, definitions, examples, and a text-to-speech function. Users can save favorite words, access search history, generate random words, and share word details easily. However, it only supports single-word searches. The app can be installed via F-Droid or downloaded from its GitHub repository.

AppWizard

December 6, 2024

Linkora: The Ultimate Open Source Tool to Organize Links on Android

Linkora is a FOSS Android application developed using Kotlin that helps users manage and organize links in one accessible location. It allows users to add links easily, categorize them into folders, and offers features such as archiving, copying, sharing, and searching for links. Users can create new panels for specific topics and customize their viewing experience with different layout options. The app supports data migration in JSON and HTML formats and is available for installation on F-Droid, with its source code hosted on GitHub.

AppWizard

November 15, 2024

Seal: A Nifty Open Source Android App to Download YouTube Video and Audio

The landscape of video consumption has shifted towards online streaming platforms like YouTube, Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu, making local storage of videos less common. Users often prefer to download practical videos such as DIY guides and educational content for offline access, especially with creator consent. Seal is an Android application designed for downloading YouTube videos, built on the yt-dlp framework. Users can paste a video link, customize download settings, and track download progress. Seal supports features like downloading entire playlists and subtitles, but it can only run one download at a time. The app is available for download on F-Droid, with its APK and source code on GitHub.

AppWizard

November 8, 2024

Timed Silence: An Open Source Android App to Automatically Silence Your Phone

Timed Silence is a Kotlin-based application for Android, created by Felix Nüsse, that manages smartphone volume settings, allowing users to mute, vibrate, or ring with sound. The app requires initial setup permissions and features an intuitive interface with a pause/play button. Users can create custom schedules, including pre-defined ones for "Night" and "Day." The app effectively activates Do Not Disturb (DND) at scheduled times, muting notifications while allowing calls and messages from specified contacts. Additional features include Calendar integration, Keywords for managing volume levels, Bluetooth compatibility, and a Sanity Check for priority contacts. The app is available on F-Droid, with source code and APKs on GitHub.

AppWizard

November 1, 2024

Open Source App ‘Easy Watermark’ on Android Helps You Protect Your Images

Easy Watermark is an open-source application for Android developed in Kotlin by rosu, designed to simplify the watermarking process for images. It features a user-friendly interface that allows users to add text and emoji watermarks with ease. The app provides various editing options, including fonts, sizes, colors, and angles, as well as a single tile mode to prevent watermark duplication. Users can also add custom logos using the 'Icon' option. Easy Watermark can be installed from F-Droid or purchased on the Play Store, and its source code is available on GitHub.

AppWizard

October 26, 2024

Eternity is an Open Source Android Client to Access Lemmy Instances

Lemmy is an open-source and decentralized alternative to Reddit, gaining popularity among users seeking alternatives to mainstream social media. Eternity is a Java-based Lemmy client for Android, developed by Balazs Ádám Toldi, which allows users to access Lemmy instances more easily. It supports multiple accounts, offers intuitive post interaction features, and provides community metrics. Eternity includes rich text editing for posts, a profile page for user activity, dark mode options, and customizable settings. The app is available on F-Droid and the Play Store, and its source code can be accessed on Codeberg.

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