https://www.howtogeek.com/how-i-replaced-audible-with-a-self-hosted-alternative/

AudioBookshelf is a self-hosted audiobook server. The best way to describe it is that it functions like Plex or Jellyfin, but designed specifically for audiobooks.

#OpenSource #SelfHosting #AudioBook

They're Not Wrong:

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/06/denmark-government-replaces-microsoft-with-linux-libreoffice

Up to half of employees at Denmark’s Ministry of Digital Affairs will be switched to Linux in place of Windows, and move from Office 365 to LibreOffice.

Denmark’s minister of digitization, Caroline Stage Olsen, confirmed the migration is in progress, adding that if all goes well the whole ministry will switch to using open source software by the autumn.

#Linux #openSource #LibreOffice #Denmark

https://appaddict.app/post/my-mac-contacted-63-different-apple-owned-domains-in-one-hour-while-not-is-use

A user found that their M2 MacBook Air on macOS 15.4 made DNS requests to 63 Apple domains in one hour, even while idle and not logged in. Despite using NextDNS to block telemetry and blacklisting Apple services, 25% of the device’s DNS queries still targeted Apple. In contrast, their 2019 Intel MacBook Pro with the same settings sent less than 3% of its queries to Apple, highlighting increased background activity on newer Apple hardware.

#privacy #apple

https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/06/3dmark-are-planning-a-linux-version-but-no-date-for-it-yet/

3D Mark will be releasing a Linux version of their benchmarking tool, which is good news, no info on exactly when however.

#3Dmark #Benchmark #Linux

#family

https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2025/06/kapitano-linux-clamav-antivirus-scanner

Kapitano a new GUI frontend for ClamAV.

It's GTK4/libadwaita based and supports on-demand scanning, but is geared towards monitoring specific folders, not system-wide scans

#Linux #OpenSource #Antivirus #Security

https://www.howtogeek.com/custom-rom-support-got-a-lot-worse-google-pixel/

Custom ROMS on Pixel devices will now be more difficult

From the Article:
- Google intentionally omitted Pixel device trees from Android 16, making custom ROM development much harder.
- Developers now face challenges like reverse engineering and potential hardware components breaking on custom ROMs.
- Google's shift towards using "Cuttlefish" as a primary reference target may negatively impact long-term device support.

#Pixel #Google #Android

https://www.howtogeek.com/free-apps-im-using-this-summer-to-pick-up-new-skills/

8 great apps for learning new skills:

- Skillshare for a Bit of Everything
- Babbel for Learning New Languages
- Mimo for Coding
- Yousician for a Virtual Music Companion
- Planta for Better Gardening
- Kitchen Stories for Spicing Up Cooking
- Sky Guide for Stargazing
- DailyArt for Improving Art Knowledge

#Education #Learning

💡 It's conference 🎤 season! Impress your audience with a slick QR code using these easy commands on Linux

✅ Add your content to a text file:
printf " Name: Zik Joseph\n Blog: https://zikusooka.com \n" > my_contacts.txt

✅ Convert text file (and contents) into QR code image:
qrencode -o zik.png -r my_contacts.txt

Thats all! Add zik.png to your slides. Easy, classy.

#ZikTIPS #TechTips #LinuxTips #Conference #Linux #FOSS #OpenSource

https://www.howtogeek.com/x-ways-smartphones-have-become-worse-over-the-years/

8 Ways smartphones have gotten WORSE over the years:

- The Unboxing Experience Has Become a Letdown
- No Headphone Jack Means You Have to Keep Buying Earbuds
- No MicroSD Card Slot Forces You to Buy More Internal Storage
- Fingerprint Reader on the Back Made More Sense
- Non-Removable Batteries Make Replacement Harder
- iPhones are eSIM-only in the US
- Repairability Is Overlooked to Push Frequent Upgrades
- Ads Within the Software Ruin User Experience

#Technology

https://www.howtogeek.com/why-im-switching-my-software-to-open-source-alternatives/

5 Great reasons to switch to Open Source apps:

- Modern Open Source Apps Are Well-Designed and Feature-Rich
- There's Rarely Any Telemetry
- Own Your Data
- You Can Personally Check If the App Is Secure
- It's Free to Use

#OpenSource

https://www.theverge.com/21276979/phone-protest-demonstration-activism-digital-how-to-security-privacy

How to secure your phone, when attending a protest. Top Points:

- Be aware
- If you can, leave your phone at home
- Use a password rather than biometrics to secure your data
- Encrypt your device
- Turn on airplane mode
- Use guided access or pin your screens
- Use secure apps
- Use a VPN
- Secure your social media accounts

The article also contains specific advice for taking photos, or if your phone is confiscated.

#Privacy #Protest

https://www.404media.co/wikipedia-pauses-ai-generated-summaries-after-editor-backlash/

The Wikimedia Foundation, the nonprofit organization which hosts and develops Wikipedia, has paused an experiment that showed users AI-generated summaries at the top of articles after an overwhelmingly negative reaction from the Wikipedia editors community.

#Wikipedia #AI

https://www.howtogeek.com/libreoffice-says-windows-10-u/

LibreOffice has joined the "End of 10" project to move Windows 10 PC Users to Linux.

#EndOf10 #Linux #LibreOffice #Windows #Windows10 #OpenSource

https://www.geeksaresexy.net/2025/06/11/windows-maintenance-tool-the-one-click-miracle-wrench-for-windows/

"Windows Maintenance Tools" Is a super simple, open Source, tool/script for Windows system maintenance

From GeeksareSexy.net:
"Windows Maintenance Tool, a vintage-looking batch script that packs twenty-four native repair commands into one old-school, menu-driven party. It is basically a mechanic’s garage for your computer, minus the grease stains and 90-dollar per hour labor."

#Windows #Repair #maintenance #OpenSource

https://lifehacker.com/tech/best-sites-that-remove-your-information-from-data-broker-sites

The article gives advice for opting out manually but also discusses in some detail 5 different services that will, for various fees, try to remove your info from everywhere it can manage.

The recommended services (in no particular order) are:
- Optery
- EasyOptOuts
- IDX
- Kanary
- Permission Slip (Free)

#Privacy #DataBroker #Data

https://www.howtogeek.com/self-hosting-gave-me-the-digital-freedom-i-wish-id-found-sooner/

Self-Hosting isn't just for neckbeards anymore. Anyone can do it, it's become fairly simple, and even more important, in the face of Big Techs constant privacy issues and data collection.

#Privacy #Security #selfhosting

https://www.howtogeek.com/games-to-play-with-your-significant-other/

10 Games to play with your significant other:
- A Way Out, It Takes Two, and Split Fiction
- Overcooked! 2
- Stardew Valley
- Escape Simulator
- Pizza Possum
- Spiritfarer
- Party Animals
- The Dark Pictures Anthology
- Fortnite
- Castle Crashers

#gaming #VideoGames

https://www.wired.com/story/airlines-dont-want-you-to-know-they-sold-your-flight-data-to-dhs/

A data broker owned by the country’s major airlines, including Delta, American Airlines, and United, collected US travelers’ domestic flight records, sold access to them to Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and then as part of the contract told CBP to not reveal where the data came from, according to internal CBP documents obtained by 404 Media. The data includes passenger names, their full flight itineraries, and financial details.

#Privacy