free software

Researchers have published a fully mapped, open-source wiring diagram of the fruit fly brain, giving anyone free access to the complete connectome of roughly 140,000 neurons. Thai tech communities are sharing the news, framing it as a milestone for open science: a brain, even an insect's, released like software under an open licence. The dataset is expected to speed up neuroscience and AI research worldwide.

Keypunch, a typing practice app available through the GNOME app catalog, is being promoted as a free and open-source tool for improving typing speed. Its developers highlight that it contains no ads and no tracking, and is built specifically for typing practice. Users in the free software community are sharing and recommending it as a polished, privacy-friendly option.

An artist has published a guide explaining how to set up dithered brushes, or screentones, in GIMP so the software behaves like traditional monochrome drawing programs. The tutorial walks through configuring the free image editor to reproduce the pixel-level shading familiar from classic black-and-white illustration and manga work, and is being shared among digital artists working with monochrome tools.

A roundup of six little-known open source applications is drawing attention, with the author presenting lesser-known free software alternatives and including one of their own projects at the end. The piece highlights how capable open source tools often go unnoticed, and viewers are discussing which apps are worth trying.

A new open-source AI animation tool has been made available, drawing strong attention online with tens of thousands of engagements. The release lets users animate images or characters using artificial intelligence without paying for proprietary software. The open-source community is welcoming the tool, though details on its exact capabilities and who developed it remain limited in early coverage.

The Document Foundation's LibreOffice 26.8 passed four million downloads in September, a figure the project addressed in a talk at the LinuxDays conference in Prague. The free open-source office suite continues to see strong uptake worldwide. Supporters point to the milestone as a sign of sustained interest in free software alternatives to commercial office software, with the talk now available to watch online.

A user in Germany reports that after trying the Android app Gadgetbridge, they cancelled their planned order of a PineTime smartwatch. The open-source app makes many smartwatches usable without the manufacturers' proprietary companion software. The short post draws modest attention, with a few likes, among people interested in open-source alternatives for wearables and free software on Android.

A Linux enthusiast is sharing a short list of personally recommended free and open source applications available in Linux repositories, aimed at users overwhelmed by the sheer number of choices. The suggestions are grouped by how people use their computers, and the post has drawn modest engagement from the free software community.

A social media user has made their first donation through the Liberapay platform, choosing to support Akkoma, the federated microblogging software, saying the project has brought them a lot of joy. The post highlights how members of the fediverse community fund the free and open-source software they rely on, and encourages others to back the projects they use daily.

NoPing has rolled out a new version of its connection optimization software, saying the redesign makes it easier to find your game, configure optimization, and activate the best network route with fewer steps. The company says players get more control and can focus on gaming, and is offering a free trial to attract new users.

Hostsharing has released a new edition of its handbook 'Freie Software im Verein' (Free Software in Clubs), timed to coincide with the diday event. The updated guide offers more pages, more tips and more software recommendations, while stressing it makes no claim to completeness. The group argues free software is not only the best remedy against digital dependency but also a practical resource for associations.

Developer Mirko Brombin says he will soon publish a podcast app called Podcasts as one of several new Singularity Apps, noting it is the one he personally uses the most. He says the upcoming applications all follow the libsingularity design and points to sinty.dev for more details, targeting the Linux and open-source community.

TUXEDO Computers is holding its DI.DAY event today, offering talks and workshops introducing the basics of Linux, presenting its own TUXEDO OS distribution and giving installation tips. The company is inviting visitors to discover free software and digital sovereignty, and encouraging them to bring their own laptops to get hands-on help.

A new free, open-source image editor called PhotoSuite is drawing attention for offering a Photoshop-like workflow with native PSD and PSB file support. It runs on Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it a notable option for users seeking a no-cost alternative to Adobe's software across all three desktop platforms.

The open-source Android note-taking app XNotes has received an update bringing expanded PDF functions, including support for handwritten notes. A user shared the news on F-Droid, calling it their tool of choice. The app remains free and available through the open-source app store.

A Spanish-language joke about how the internet works is circulating on Monday, framed as light humor to liven up the start of the week. The post carries tags about open source and free software, suggesting the joke pokes fun at internet infrastructure from a software-freedom angle. Engagement so far is small, but the item is gaining a bit of attention among Spanish-speaking tech communities.

Commentators in Galicia are arguing that Bitcoin deserves recognition beyond cryptocurrency speculation, describing Satoshi Nakamoto's invention as a landmark in anonymous, free and decentralized software. The argument frames Bitcoin as a way to own and transfer value through code alone, without reliance on banks or states, and is prompting debate about separating the technology's significance from the conduct of its loudest financial promoters.

A maker known as Robin's Lab has completed a first live stream on a newly launched YouTube channel, using the time to build the channel's branding entirely with free and open-source software running on Linux, including OBS and Kubuntu tools. The creator describes it as the start of a new journey for the project.

A free open-source audio editor now allows AI agents to cut and rearrange tracks directly within the software, while keeping every automated edit fully undoable. The approach lets users experiment with machine-assisted editing without losing manual control over their projects, drawing attention in the creative software community.

The GNOME project has announced that the upcoming GNOME 51 release will bring changes to Loupe, its default image viewer. The app will now display more image information, including the creator, copyright details, equipment used such as the camera and lens, and the color profile. The announcement is part of a wider rollout of improvements planned for GNOME 51, and is being welcomed by free and open source software supporters.

Developer Ruben Wardy has published a blog post describing his experience and offering a practical guide to running a project stand at FOSDEM, the free and open source software conference held annually in Brussels. The post covers lessons learned and tips for others preparing to represent their project at the event, and is being shared among open source community members.

A free software discovery day has been announced in Mérignac, near Bordeaux, for Saturday 10 October 2026, running from 10am to 4pm. The event, listed on the French free software agenda, will include talks, round tables, demonstrations and an install party helping people replace Windows with Linux. Organisers are promoting it to education and local communities interested in open source software.

The association Freie Software und Bildung e.V. is holding a monthly event on the first Sunday of each month from 2 pm at the Klimabüro on Schulstraße 5 in Gütersloh, aimed at people from the city and the surrounding district. The gatherings focus on "Digital Independence Day", encouraging people to reduce dependence on big tech platforms and explore free, open-source software alternatives. Attendance is open, with no registration apparently required.