Hello TUXEDO Fans and Open-Source Enthusiasts!
Linux and Open Source are constantly evolving. This week brings positive news from German government offices: the OpenDocument Format (ODF), an open ISO standard for documents such as text files, spreadsheets, and presentations, is set to be introduced as a mandatory standard in public administration by the end of 2027, according to a resolution by the German federal government dated March 19, 2026.
The OpenDocument Format (ODF) was originally developed in 1999 at StarDivision, the predecessor of what is now LibreOffice. In December 2002, OASIS established the Open Office Technical Committee, which specified ODF as an open, XML-based standard. The goal is now for ODF to replace proprietary formats such as DOCX and XLSX. Whether this will be implemented consistently in practice remains to be seen. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that it succeeds!
Replacement is also a theme in this week’s TUXEDO OS Tips & Tricks section. We show you how to automatically save a Kate session — similar to what you may know from Notepad++ on Windows. As this week’s *App of the Week', we take a look at the slightly different photo application PhotoQt.
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 TUXEDO OS
linux-kernel v6.17.0–111019.1924 .04.2tux1
Rebased to a new upstream version
Fixes against CrackArmor
apparmor: validate DFA start states are in bounds in unpack_pdb
apparmor: fix memory leak in verify_header
apparmor: replace recursive profile removal with iterative approach
apparmor: fix: limit the number of levels of policy namespaces
apparmor: fix side-effect bug in match_char() macro usage
apparmor: fix missing bounds check on DEFAULT table in verify_dfa()
apparmor: Fix double free of ns_name in aa_replace_profiles()
apparmor: fix unprivileged local user can do privileged policy management
apparmor: fix differential encoding verification
apparmor: fix race on rawdata dereference
apparmor: fix race between freeing data and fs accessing it
WebFAI v6.0.5–2.3.3
Fixes “The dual-boot selection screen is shown even when no dual boot setup exists”
KDE App of the Week: PhotoQt - the slightly different Photo App
Diversity is one of the major strengths of Linux and of KDE in particular. We have already introduced several KDE applications here that approach photo handling from different angles. Today, we take a closer look at PhotoQt.
What is PhotoQt?
Developed with Qt/QML, PhotoQt follows a somewhat different concept than traditional image viewers and is primarily aimed at users who value speed, customization, and a streamlined interface. Its minimalist UI is combined with an unconventional interaction model and a very extensive feature set.
PhotoQt’s user interface is unusual but efficient.
What does PhotoQt offer?
By default, PhotoQt launches in fullscreen mode and largely avoids permanently visible controls. Instead, the application reveals its interface contextually—for example, when you move the mouse cursor to the edge of the screen. This results in a clean presentation and keeps the focus entirely on the displayed image.
The navigation bar appears on the right side when you move the mouse over it; the metadata appears from the left.
Beneath this minimalist surface lies a comprehensive set of features. PhotoQt supports a wide range of image formats, including modern formats such as WebP and HEIF. Metadata such as EXIF, IPTC, and XMP can be viewed directly. Additional features include slideshows, basic image editing functions like rotation, mirroring, and scaling, as well as support for 360-degree images and Motion Photos. If you prefer a customizable workflow, PhotoQt offers configurable keyboard shortcuts and a partially very fine-grained, customizable interface.
You can customize PhotoQt extensively in the settings.
In Comparison
Compared to the KDE default image viewer Gwenview , which we covered in TWIX #13–2025 , PhotoQt is less beginner-friendly but offers more flexibility and a broader feature set. While Gwenview presents itself as a lean standard viewer, PhotoQt positions itself as a tool for advanced users. It differs fundamentally from applications such as KPhotoAlbum , featured in TWIX #28–2025 , where the focus lies on managing large photo collections through tagging and organization. PhotoQt, in contrast, is primarily designed for viewing and fast navigation.
The difference is also evident when compared to minimalist viewers like Photos or similar Qt applications: these intentionally focus on reduced functionality, whereas PhotoQt maintains a minimalist appearance while offering significantly more capabilities under the hood.
Provisioning
PhotoQt is not pre-installed on TUXEDO OS, but can be installed via Discover as a native Debian package or as a Flatpak.
Alternatively, you can install PhotoQt from the command line using the following command:
sudo apt update && sudo apt install photoqt
Conclusion
PhotoQt is not a typical image viewer for beginners, but a powerful tool for users who want to tailor their image viewing experience and are willing to adapt to a slightly different interaction concept.
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: Automatically Save Kate Sessions Like in Notepad++
Many Windows users switching to Linux especially miss Notepad++ . Alongside classics like 7zip or Total Commander, it is one of those applications Windows users rarely go without. Cross-platform alternatives such as the now discontinued Notepadqq or the revived Notepadqq-ng , as well as Notepad Next , try to replicate the convenience of Notepad++.
NotepadNext can be installed on TUXEDO OS via Flatpak or AppImage, providing a cross-platform alternative to Notepad++ for users moving from Windows.
Under TUXEDO OS, you don’t have to look far: Kate comes included as a powerful editor with an excellent reputation in the community. Give it a try before searching for a direct Notepad++ replacement. Kate offers many features appreciated by experienced users and can be flexibly configured to match your workflow just like in Notepad++.
Automatically Save Your Work
One useful feature of Notepad++ is missing in Kate by default: automatically restoring open files after a restart. In Notepad++, you can continue working without manually saving each file. In Kate, you normally need to explicitly save files before closing and reopen them at the next start. Users who work quickly and rely on automatic restoration will appreciate this feature. Fortunately, Kate can be configured to automatically restore all files, open tabs, and cursor positions.
Set Up and Automatically Restore Sessions in Kate
To do this, start by creating a new session in Kate via New Session and save it deliberately through Sessions » Save Session under any name, for example, „Standard Start Session“. Then open Kate’s configuration under Settings » Configure Kate… and go to the Session section, where you enable Load last used session . From that point on, Kate will automatically resume exactly where you left off. All previously open files will be restored, the active tab and cursor will return to their last position. Only the last selected text portion will not be preserved.
Create a new session in Kate to automatically save your work and resume exactly at the same position the next time you start the editor.
Save the session under a clear name, for example „Standard Start Session,“ so it will automatically reload at the next start of Kate.
Enable „Restore Last Used Session“ in Kate settings so that all open files and tabs are automatically restored the next time the editor is started.
After starting Kate, all previously open files, the active tab, and cursor are restored, allowing you to continue working immediately without manually reopening anything.
Ubuntu Security Updates
The Ubuntu security updates listed here are generally incorporated directly into TUXEDO OS. Some updates are only available from Ubuntu for a fee and are therefore not made available to the community until a later date. Unfortunately, we have no control over this:
USN-8128–1: CryptX vulnerabilities
USN-8126–1: Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
USN-8125–1: Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
USN-8094–4: Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
USN-8124–1: Bind vulnerabilities
USN-8123–1: Mbed TLS vulnerabilities
USN-8098–8: Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
USN-8098–7: Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
USN-8122–1: PJSIP vulnerabilities
USN-8121–1: Linux kernel (AWS FIPS) vulnerability
USN-8098–6: Linux kernel (FIPS) vulnerabilities
USN-8098–5: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
USN-8120–1: Redis vulnerability
USN-8112–5: Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
USN-8112–4: Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
USN-8112–3: Linux kernel (Azure) vulnerabilities
USN-8059–9: Linux kernel (Azure FIPS) vulnerabilities
USN-8098–4: Linux kernel vulnerabilities
USN-8094–3: Linux kernel (Real-time) vulnerabilities
USN-8119–2: systemd vulnerabilities
USN-8119–1: systemd vulnerabilities
USN-8118–1: sized-chunks vulnerabilities
USN-8117–1: strongSwan vulnerability
USN-8095–4: Linux kernel (AWS) vulnerabilities
USN-8096–5: Linux kernel (NVIDIA Tegra IGX) vulnerabilities
USN-8116–1: Linux kernel (Intel IoTG Real-time) vulnerabilities
USN-8115–1: pyOpenSSL vulnerabilities
USN-8114–1: GVfs vulnerabilities
USN-8113–1: LibTIFF vulnerabilities
