Highlights:

SERVICE: Welcome

Breaking Away

AI sure has been dominating the tech news. I guess I should admit, the fact that AI insiders are predicting that this technology will soon destroy humanity is probably news worth covering. But is it the only news?

NEWS: Updates on technologies, trends, and tools

In the news: Ubuntu Stonking Stingray Gets Even Rustier; AI Fixes Linux Bottlenecks Using "Hideous" Code; Advanced Video Coding Still Under Patent; 2,000 Vulnerabilities per Linux Release; Linux Exempt from California's Age Verification Law; China Switching from Windows to Linux; Pine64 Halts Production of Linux Devices; and The Bullet-Proof KDE Software Initiative Is Coming.

NEWS: Kernel News

Chronicler Zack Brown reports on process play in the Linux kernel community.

COVER STORIES: Air-Gapped AI with Ollama

Building an Air-Gapped AI System with Ollama

Do you trust a cloud-based AI with your sensitive data? If you're looking for privacy, or if you just want a less expensive way to experiment, an air-gapped local AI system might be on the cards.

REVIEWS: Stably Unstable

The Latest Quirky and Creative Linux Distros

This month, we explore TUXEDO OS Debian Open Beta, NetHydra 1.1.0, Manjaro Linux 26.1.0, and Soplos Linux 2026.08.

IN-DEPTH: Radicle

Serverless Collaboration with Radicle

The Radicle collaboration tool offers the power of Git without the need for a centralized server.

IN-DEPTH: uv, Ruff, and ty

Faster Python Development with Astral Tools

The ecosystem for Python developers has evolved remarkably during the past few years. Much of this is due to three new tools created by Astral: uv, Ruff, and ty.

IN-DEPTH: Tailscale SSH

Zero-Config Secure Remote Access on Linux

Traditional SSH requires public IP addresses, port forwarding, and constant key management. Tailscale offers a modern alternative built on WireGuard that eliminates open ports while providing zero-trust remote access.

IN-DEPTH: Crystal Clear

Go App Analyzes Sharpness Levels

Which image in a series is the sharpest? Mike Schilli explores the depths of sharpness physics with homemade Go tools.

IN-DEPTH: Technitium DNS Server

Blocking Ads and Malware with the Technitium DNS Server

The Technitium DNS server helps you get rid of web ads and other browsing annoyances.

NEWS: Raspberry Pi Cloud-Init

Making the Most of Cloud-Init on the Raspberry Pi

When booting a newer Raspberry Pi OS version, you might notice some cryptic cloud-init messages flash across the screen. We explain what they mean and how you can put them to good use.

NEWS: Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ 2

Testing the Raspberry Pi AI HAT+ 2

Chatbots are all the rage. A new AI HAT+ 2 for the Raspberry Pi 5 lets you run large language models.

LINUX VOICE: Introduction

This month in Linux Voice and Elvie.

LINUX VOICE: maddog's Doghouse

10 Reasons Resolved

The most common reasons people give for not using Linux don't hold up any more (if they ever did!).

LINUX VOICE: Sigil

Mastering ePub Editing on Linux

A comprehensive guide to building, editing, and perfecting ebooks with the Sigil open source ePub editor.

LINUX VOICE: Linux Boot Process

Anatomy of the Linux Boot Process

A deep dive into the Linux boot process covers UEFI, GRUB, kernel initialization, and userspace startup.

LINUX VOICE: FOSSPicks

Sparkling Gems and News from the World of Free and Open Source Software

This month, we explore the top FOSS, including a powerful video downloader, a command-line torrent client, and a privacy-focused grammar checker.

LINUX VOICE: Stylized

Mastering ASCII Art with Python

Transform images into terminal-friendly masterpieces using the Pillow library and custom Python scripts.