Hello TUXEDO Fans and Open-Source Enthusiasts!
Hardly a week goes by without new software appearing in the Linux and open‑source world. This week, the spotlight is on KDE Plasma 6.6 and Nextcloud Hub 26. Behind these updates lie months of work by the developer community, bringing numerous improvements, optimizations, and practical features – from enhanced interfaces to expanded security functionalities.
But it’s not just established projects that keep things fresh: the Google Summer of Code continues to provide a steady flow of new ideas. Since 2005, Google has supported open‑source projects worldwide, guiding new developers through mentoring directly into contributions for popular applications. In line with this spirit, we’re presenting exciting software once again: KDiff3 as KDE App of the Week for developers, administrators, and power users, as well as the interactive wallpaper Boids in the Blue, which playfully visualizes your system’s workload.
Enjoy reading,The TUXEDO OS Team
Note: We would like to keep you updated on the latest developments in TUXEDO OS with the TWIX series and introduce you to exciting applications as well as practical tips related to the KDE desktop and TUXEDO OS. However, this section should not be a one-way street: your feedback, ideas, and suggestions for improvement are very welcome! For this purpose, we have created a thread on Reddit, where you can reach us directly.
Updates in TUXEDO OS
nvidia-driver-580 580.126.09
tuxedo-fix-grubd-base-entry 1.0.0
First release of the package
Fedora/OpenSUSE Leap only: Enables folder logic for /etc/default/grub.d
tuxedo-calamares-configuration 4.1.6
Fixed time zone localization
Improved language detection
displaylink 1:6.0.0–4tux2 (including new evdi)
Updated evdi to version 1.14.14 (support for Kernel ≥ 6.17)
Corrected dependencies
Improved installer script
Preview: linux 6.17
Planned upgrade to Kernel 6.17 by next week at the latest
Extensive testing currently underway – successful so far
KDE App of the Week: Comparing Files with KDiff3
This week’s KDE App of the Week is a tool that comes into play whenever differences between files or directories need to be highlighted: KDiff3 . The application presents discrepancies clearly, analyzes content line by line and character by character, and allows you to merge changes directly. This way, you always keep a clear overview of your files.
3-Way Comparison
KDiff3 lets you compare up to three files or entire directory structures simultaneously. Particularly useful is the three-way comparison: one file serves as the common base, while the other two versions are checked for changes. This method is well known from version control and helps resolve conflicts in a structured way, for example when working with feature branches or during code reviews.
The program integrates an editor that allows conflicts to be resolved directly in the comparison window. Typical use cases range from merging code to synchronizing configuration directories or reconciling backups. By analyzing differences character by character, even small changes become visible – things that a simple line-by-line comparison might easily miss.
The KDiff3 interface allows comparing up to three files or directories at once and displays differences clearly side by side.
In daily use, KDiff3 impresses with several practical features:
Three-way comparison with a common base file
Automatic merging of non-conflicting changes
Line- and character-level diff
Comparison of entire directory trees, including missing or additional files
Support for different encodings and line endings
Clear User Interface
KDiff3’s interface displays differences side by side and immediately shows which content should be accepted, adjusted, or discarded. This saves time and reduces errors, especially when resolving merge conflicts in version control systems. Comparing directories is another strong point: KDiff3 identifies changed or missing files, simplifying the synchronization of projects or backups.
Comparing two directories with KDiff3 makes it easy to see which files are the same and which differ, streamlining the merging of project states.
Availability
KDiff3 is not preinstalled in TUXEDO OS but is available in the Discover software store as a Debian package and Flatpak. Alternatively, you can install it via the terminal:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install kdiff3
For users seeking a comparable solution in the GNOME environment, the Python-based tool Meld is a solid alternative.
Info: Are you interested in Plasma development and want to know what new features are planned and which programs have been recently updated? You can find a detailed overview in the weekly column This week in Plasma by KDE developer Nate Graham.
TUXEDO OS Tips & Tricks: Fishes on Your Desktop with Boids in the Blue
Let’s quickly tick off the classic clichés every self-respecting software developer – or let’s be honest, hacker – should fulfill: frantically typing cryptic commands in a flickering terminal? No problem. With Hollywood , you can simulate the perfect movie scene with a single command (a great example can be seen in Paint it Green ).
What’s a bit harder to achieve, however, is having an aquarium right on your desktop. After all, you can’t just apt install fish and feed them with apt full-upgrade . Sure, apt install fish will give you the Fish shell, but that won’t fill the bellies of our hungry developer penguins.
There’s an elegant solution, though: Boids in the Blue brings an interactive aquarium straight to your desktop. This live wallpaper displays animated fish schools that multiply, flee your mouse cursor, avoid an orca, and can even be fed. Don’t worry – you’re not adopting a digital pet. The fish demand no attention; they just take a little CPU time for themselves.
Boids in the Blue runs on our TUXEDO OS test system as an animated live wallpaper. A bit of extra processing power and battery is a fair trade for the fun.
Installing Boids in the Blue
Boids in the Blue is integrated directly into the KDE Store. On TUXEDO OS, setup takes just a few steps: right-click on an empty area of the desktop and select Desktop and Wappaper . Open the integrated store via Get New Plugins… .
Search for „Boids“ and click Install to start the installation. Then, load the current KPackage in the download manager. The wallpaper module will then be ready to use immediately.
Install Boids in the Blue directly via the KDE Store in the desktop settings. With a few clicks, the live wallpaper is downloaded and ready to go.
After installation, activate the new wallpaper module. Make sure to change the layout to „Desktop“ to interact with the fish and the orca.
Now switch the Wallpaper Type from Image to Boids in the Blue v1.1 . Equally important is changing the Layout from Folder View to Desktop . Only then can you interact with the aquarium. Click Apply , and the first fish start swimming across your desktop.
In the settings, you can customize your aquarium: the number, size, and speed of fish, jellyfish, and the orca, their shyness toward the mouse, and whether the orca should chase your cursor. You can also adjust swarm behavior. This way, you create your own personal underwater desktop. If you ever dislike your settings, you can reset everything to default at any time.
Note: Switching to Desktop mode hides desktop icons. Files and folders can no longer be placed directly on the background. KDE widgets, however, continue to work normally. The switch is not mandatory, but without it, you cannot feed the fish or have them respond to your cursor.
Feeding or Scaring the Fish
Once the aquarium is active, the fish swim in coordinated patterns. This is based on the so-called Boids Algorithm , which simulates swarm behavior by having individual „boids“ – that is, simulated agents – follow simple rules: maintain distance, seek proximity, and steer collectively. Interested? Then check out this video from Useless Game Dev .
The same rules govern how the fish react to your mouse. Depending on your settings, they will swim away while the orcas actively chases the cursor. Don’t worry – if it „catches“ your cursor, you can continue working normally. The predator fish follow the mouse but do not eat it.
Left-clicking the desktop drops a worm into the water, which the fish will eat. After having eaten ten worms, a new baby fish is added to the school. Holding the left mouse button generates bubbles that the fish flee from, turning your desktop into a playful little scene.
A full school of fish moves dynamically across the KDE desktop. The live wallpaper reacts to mouse movements, creating an unusually lively background.
Even behind transparent windows like the terminal, the aquarium is rendered in real time. The smooth animation uses some CPU power but remains practical for everyday use.
CPU Load Remains Moderate
The wallpaper does have some impact on system load. On our test system with an Intel Core i7‑12700H, the KDE System Monitor shows about 4% CPU usage at idle for the wallpaper. This is moderate, but it means the fan may not stay completely off at all times.
When usag rises beyond a certain percentage, the fish react by turning red. You can adjust this threshold and the response speed in the settings. Optionally, the water color can also follow a day-night cycle. This way, your desktop not only comes alive visually but also reflects system activity.
To add a little movement to your Plasma desktop, give this aquarium a try. And if you discover other creative desktop toys, feel free to write to us – your tip might appear here soon.
Ubuntu Security Updates
The security updates listed here from Ubuntu are directly integrated into TUXEDO OS:
USN-8053–1: libvpx vulnerability
USN-8028–7: Linux kernel (Low Latency NVIDIA) vulnerabilities
USN-8052–1: Linux kernel (Low Latency) vulnerabilities
USN-8031–3: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
USN-8050–1: Apache Traffic Server vulnerability
USN-8051–1: libssh vulnerabilities
USN-8031–2: Linux kernel (GCP FIPS) vulnerabilities
USN-8049–1: Nova vulnerability
USN-8028–5: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
USN-8048–1: Linux kernel (OEM) vulnerabilities
USN-8028–4: Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
USN-8028–3: Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
USN-8046–1: FRR vulnerabilities
USN-8044–1: alsa-lib vulnerability
USN-8043–1: GnuTLS vulnerabilities
USN-8042–1: FreeRDP vulnerabilities
USN-8022–2: Expat vulnerabilities
USN-8025–2: .NET vulnerability
