Hello TUXEDO fans and open-source enthusiasts!
The editorial penguins have been busy again — with great dedication and even more patience, they pecked away at their keyboards. Not so easy without fingers on their flippers! But the effort paid off: after the hard work, there was a reward of mackerel spritz with gratinéed squid — you really should try it sometime. In this issue, we cover, among other things, the latest TUXEDO OS kernel, freshly caught NVIDIA driver fixes, and saying goodbye to Ubuntu 20.04 in tuxedo-tomte. Also, in the web of open communication: NeoChat and Matrix. Enjoy the read!
Happy reading,Your 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.
TUXEDO OS Updates
linux v5.15.0–10139.14920 .04.1tux1
Updated to the latest Ubuntu kernel (rebase)
nvidia-driver-570 (version 570.144)
Bugfix: Crashes of applications using render offloading with KDE Frameworks 6 have been resolved
tuxedo-tomte 2.51.0
Removed: Support for Ubuntu 20.04 (“Focal Fossa”)
Removed: Deprecated modules (thunderboltbootdelayfix, tuxedokeyboard, tuxedokeyboardite, tuxedonvmefix)
tuxedo-tomte 2.51.0-focal
This version is based on tuxedo-tomte 2.50.1 and is intended exclusively for Ubuntu 20.04.
Future changes will only be made for security-relevant issues or urgent exceptional cases.
KDE App of the Week: Decentralized, Secure Communication with NeoChat and Matrix
NeoChat is a modern, open-source chat client provided by the KDE project for the Matrix network. Matrix is a decentralized communication protocol that enables secure, federated chats — quite similar to email: anyone can run their own server or register with one of the public Matrix homeservers . Unlike proprietary messengers like WhatsApp or Signal, Matrix users are not tied to a central provider.
Matrix works with various clients and server implementations, fully embracing open standards. Communication between servers is encrypted, messages always remain under users’ control, and synchronization across multiple devices is supported. Besides NeoChat, there are many other clients — both graphical and terminal-based — as well as bridges to other services. For newcomers, the official KDE rooms on Matrix offer helpful spaces for support and community exchange.
NeoChat is KDE’s official client for the decentralized Matrix network. Ideal for secure chats without central control and full data ownership.
NeoChat integrates perfectly into KDE Plasma and is ideal for anyone who values privacy-friendly communication and a seamless desktop experience. Thanks to Matrix’s open infrastructure, users always retain control over their own communication. If you’re considering switching to an open messenger, NeoChat is a great starting point — like email, but for chats.
TUXEDO OS Tips & Tricks: Getting Started with KRunner
If you use KDE Plasma on your TUXEDO system, you should take a closer look at the KRunner feature. Behind the inconspicuous keyboard shortcut Alt + Space lies an extremely versatile tool that helps you complete tasks faster and more efficiently, without detours through menus or reaching for the mouse.
KRunner is a so-called „command line for the desktop“: a minimalist launcher that can be invoked anytime with a keyboard shortcut. You simply enter a term or command, and KRunner immediately shows you relevant results. These include installed applications, open windows, files, browser bookmarks, or even tabs.
Ideal for multitasking: With KRunner, you can launch programs, search your drives and the web, or skip the calculator altogether.
What at first glance appears to be a simple search bar turns out on closer inspection to be a powerful tool: you can start or close programs, check spelling, initiate web searches with your preferred search engine, or directly search Wikipedia, YouTube, or other sites. KRunner also solves simple calculations directly. Just enter a formula like 100/4 or sqrt(64) .
Starting and Closing Programs
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
fir
Starts Firefox
After just the first few letters, KRunner shows matches from the application menu. Pressing Enter launches the program.
kill fir
Closes Firefox
Using the command kill followed by the name of a running process, KRunner offers options to terminate it with SIGTERM or SIGKILL. Auto-completion by process name is supported.
Installing Software
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
ink
Opens “Get Inkscape…”
If the program is not installed, KRunner shows a link to the software center for easy installation.
Websites and Web Searches
Websites
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
MyBookmark
Opens the bookmark in the browser
If the “Bookmarks” plugin is enabled, locally saved browser bookmarks can be opened directly.
kde.org
Opens the specified website
KRunner automatically recognizes valid domains and opens them in the default browser.
https://tuxedocomputers.com
Opens the URL in the browser
Full URLs are also passed directly.
For deeper integration of the browser into the Plasma workspace, you need the „Plasma Integration“ add-on. This extension is available for Firefox and Chrome and all Chromium-based browsers and brings a range of useful features:
Download notifications: As soon as you download a file, a system-wide Plasma notification appears, similar to file transfers in the Dolphin file manager.Media playback control: The multimedia widget on the desktop can control audio and video playback directly from the browser, including pause, skip, and volume adjustment.Search tabs via KRunner: Open KRunner and type the title of an open tab. The corresponding browser tab can be accessed directly.Send links to your smartphone: Using KDE Connect , you can forward websites to your connected mobile device with one click.
To allow KRunner access to browser history, open tabs, and other browser details, you need to install the Plasma Integration extension.
Web Searches
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
gg:linux
Searches Google for „linux“
Shortcut for web search using Google.
dd:kde
Searches DuckDuckGo for „kde“
Other search engines like DuckDuckGo are also available. Can be customized via the plugin settings.
wp:kernel
Opens the Wikipedia entry for „kernel“
Search on Wikipedia. For the German Wikipedia, the shortcut needs to be adjusted accordingly.
yt:tuxedo notebook
Searches YouTube for videos with „tuxedo notebook“ in the title
You can also enter multiple words as a search term. Here it is a YouTube search.
To discover more search shortcuts or create your own, open the KRunner settings via the slider icon to the left of the input field. Then select Configure Enabled Search Plugins… . In the displayed list, find the entry Web Search Keywords . Click the Configure… button next to it. A list of all available web searches with their associated keywords will open. If needed, you can add your own shortcuts or modify existing ones here.
Files, Folders, and Devices
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
home
Opens your „Personal Folder,“ i.e., the home directory
KRunner searches local paths. Autocompletion is possible.
sticky
Opens a drive or a already mounted device
Also detects named USB sticks or external drives.
smb://homeserver
Connects to a Samba share
KRunner supports network paths with protocol specification.
fish://user:password@server.example.com
Connects via fish protocol over SSH
Especially useful for remote access via KDE Connect or SSH.
example
Opens file or folder from „Recently Used“ entries or the search with Kfind/Baloo
Note: The integration of the Baloo search is currently buggy .
Calculations
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
144*12
Shows 1728
Basic arithmetic operations are interpreted directly.
= cos(pi) + ln(e2 )
Shows the result 1
Combination of trigonometric and logarithmic functions.
= solve( 2*x2 - 8 = 0 )
Returns (2 -2)
Symbolic equation solving for a quadratic equation.
= 75 N / 15 kg
Returns 5 m/s²
Force divided by mass results in acceleration.
50 kilometers in miles
Returns 31.07 miles (mi)
Automatic conversion of distances.
3 liters in gallons
Returns 0.79 US gallons (gal)
Supports liquid volume conversion.
100 euros in yen
Shows the current exchange rate
Based on up-to-date rates, if available.
Time and Date
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
time
Shows the current time
Corresponds to the system time of the computer.
date
Shows today’s date
In the system language format.
time mexico
Shows the current time in Mexico
Time zones are recognized and calculated.
time tok
Shows the current time in Tokyo
Abbreviations like “tok” for “Tokyo” work reliably.
Miscellaneous
Input in KRunner
What Happens
Note
spell definately
Detects the common spelling mistake “definately” and suggests “effeminately”, ”determinately” and “definitely” as possible corrections.
Additional languages can be activated in the module settings
keyboard
Opens System Settings » Keyboard
KRunner directly finds the relevant settings sections.
wifi
Opens System Settings » WiFi & Networking
Terms like “wireless” or “network” also lead to the correct settings.
screen brightness 80
Sets screen brightness to 80%
Works on supported hardware.
sleep
Puts the system into sleep mode
Power management functions are directly accessible.
lock
Locks the current session
Useful for quickly locking via keyboard.
restart
Restarts the computer
Performs the same restart as via the regular start menu.
Another advantage: The search is organized into categories and offers a history that can be searched and used for autocomplete. The individual functions are implemented modularly as plugins and can be individually enabled, disabled, or customized in the System Settings (Workspace » Search » Plasma Search ), for example by adding your own web search shortcuts.
Even if you have mainly used the classic application menu so far, it’s worth taking a closer look at KRunner. Many of its plugins are used anyway, and often tasks are simply faster with KRunner. Give it a try: press Alt + Space , type your search term, hit Enter — done.
Ubuntu Security Updates
The security updates listed here from Ubuntu are directly integrated into TUXEDO OS:
USN-7508–1: Open VM Tools vulnerability
USN-7507–1: Rack vulnerabilities
USN-7505–1: Abseil vulnerability
