Juan Moyano/Getty Images One important thing you need to know about Linux and its ancestor, Unix, is Unix developer Terry Lambert’s famous quote: “It is not Unix’s job to stop you from shooting your foot. If you so choose to do so, then it is Unix’s job to deliver Mr. Bullet to Mr Foot in […] More
COSMIC desktop might look like the Pop!_OS of old but it’s a very different beast. Jack WallenZDNETAh, Linux! For the longest time, the open-source operating system was considered to be geared specifically for developers and computer scientists. Modern distributions are far more general purpose now — but that doesn’t mean there aren’t certain distros that are also ideal platforms for developers.What makes a distribution right for developers? Although I consider app compatibility, stability, and flexibility to be essential attributes for most any Linux distribution, developers also need the right tools for their jobs — such as compilers, libraries, and emulators — as well as access to custom repositories and support for specialized hardware.Also: The 5 best Linux distributions for students – from middle school to collegeFor those looking to shift their development to the open-source operating system, here’s my list of distributions that should be right up your alley.1. Pop!_OSPop!_OS is built specifically for STEM and creative professionals who use their computers as a means to discover and create. The Pop!_OS desktop — currently transitioning toward the COSMIC Desktop — has been streamlined for efficient workflow and organization.On top of that, you can customize your workflow, configuring it to be navigated primarily via the keyboard (which makes for a highly efficient interface). And with on-demand tiling, you can quickly switch between having the desktop manage window placement or doing it manually. Also: What is immutable Linux? Here’s why you’d run an immutable Linux distroAnother reason I place Pop!_OS on this list is that it comes pre-installed on System76 hardware, which helps make it run like an absolute beast for compiling your applications and testing. Pop!_OS also has access to apps for machine learning, engineering, media production, bioinformatics, and more.You can download and install Pop!_OS for free.2. DebianAlthough I was tempted to place Ubuntu on this list, I opted to go with what many consider the “mother of all Ubuntu distributions.” The reason for this title is because so many distributions are based on Debian. If you plan on developing for an Ubuntu-based distribution, why not use the original?Debian is also one of the oldest Linux distributions on the market and is often considered the most stable operating system available. On top of that, Debian boasts the largest number of repositories for open-source software, ensuring that it will have the tools you need to get the job done. You’d be hard-pressed to find a more reliable desktop OS for development with as much documentation as you’ll find in Debian. More
Before this update, the Photos app was full of tabs. As someone who needs everything in one place, I found it messy and unorganized. Finding specific albums or putting things in easily findable places was hard.While many would argue that the new Photos app is even more convoluted, I’d say it helps that it’s also extremely customizable. All the content rests on one screen; one scroll motion down accesses your entire camera roll, while one scroll motion up houses all of your albums, collections, people, and more. You can change this in app, by scrolling to the bottom and selecting, “Customize and Reorder.”Also: How to use the Photos app on your iPhone with iOS 18″Recent days” is a new addition that will help me keep track of daily content. It rests near your albums and keeps all of the photos you took during the day, minus the screenshots (which we all have a plethora of).For example, during the Apple launch, my phone was essentially exploding with content, screenshots and all. With this new feature, I can click on that date and weed through all of the hands-on content I received without the interruption of screenshots.With customization, you can keep this collection at the top of your feed, or any other categories that would help you stay the most organized. Now I can pull content from a certain day without having to scroll all the way back, and hopefully it does the same for you. More
Matthew Miller/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe Mobvoi TicWatch Pro 5 Enduro More
Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images If you were a Peacock subscriber between 2019 to 2024, you may have some cash coming your way thanks to a new class action settlement. A recent filing alleges that Peacock violated California law by automatically renewing customers’ subscriptions without proper disclosures or authorization. California law states that companies must display […] More
Kerry Wan/ZDNETApple announced significant updates for the iPhone with iOS 18 during its June WWDC event and a new iPhone 16 lineup just last week. In addition to a customizable home screen, Control Center, and lock screen, iOS 18 will give users a Photos app overhaul, new Messages enhancements, a new Passwords app, and many artificial intelligence (AI) updates under Apple Intelligence to enhance app functionality.Also: Every iPhone model that can be updated to Apple’s iOS 18 (and which ones can’t)While the official iOS 18 general release is today, users have already been able to download a public beta version that Apple released in July after the iOS 18 developer beta launch. How to install iOS 18 More
Petri Oeschger/Getty Images Tech giant Oracle might owe you money. A new class action lawsuit charges that Oracle — since 2018 — has illegally tracked individuals’ activity both online and offline. Also: The best secure browsers for privacy in 2024: Expert tested According to the suit, the Texas-based company — which sells database software, […] More
GoogleThe increasingly popular generative artificial intelligence technique known as retrieval-augmented generation — or RAG, for short — has been a pet project of enterprises, but now it’s coming to the AI main stage.Google last week unveiled DataGemma, which is a combination of Google’s Gemma open-source large language models (LLMs) and its Data Commons project for publicly available data. DataGemma uses RAG approaches to fetch the data before giving an answer to a query prompt. The premise is to ground generative AI, to prevent “hallucinations,” says Google, “by harnessing the knowledge of Data Commons to enhance LLM factuality and reasoning.”Also: What are o1 and o1-mini? OpenAI’s mystery AI models are finally hereWhile RAG is becoming a popular approach for enabling enterprises to ground LLMs in their proprietary corporate data, using Data Commons represents the first implementation to date of RAG at the scale of cloud-based Gen AI.Data Commons is an open-source development framework that lets one build publicly available databases. It also gathers actual data from institutions such as the United Nations that have made their data available to the public.In connecting the two, Google notes, it is taking “two distinct approaches.” More
