Category: software

Quickgui and Quickemu: Quickly create and run optimised Windows, macOS and Linux virtual machines

Quickemu is a wrapper for the excellent QEMU that automatically “does the right thing” when creating virtual machines. No requirement for exhaustive configuration options. You decide what operating system you want to run and Quickemu takes care of the rest 🤖

  • quickget automatically downloads the upstream OS and creates the configuration 📀
  • quickemu enumerates your hardware and launches the virtual machine with the optimum configuration best suited to your computer ⚡️

The original objective of the project was to enable quick testing of Linux distributions where the virtual machines and their configuration can be stored anywhere (such as external USB storage or your home directory) and no elevated permissions are required to run the virtual machines.

Today, Quickemu includes comprehensive support for macOS, Windows, most of the BSDs, novel non-Linux operating systems such as FreeDOS, Haiku, KolibriOS, OpenIndiana, ReactOS, and more.

Quickgui is a graphical user interface for the Quickemu virtual machine manager. Quickgui enables you to create and manage virtual machines from a simple and elegant interface. Nearly 1000 operating systems supported including Windows, macOS, BSDs, and 100s of Linux distros. All with automated downloads and configuration.

Quickemu Github page and documentation
Quickgui Github page and documentation

Google Chrome warns uBlock Origin users to switch to Firefox (not EXACTLY what they said, but…)

Okay, I changed the headline a bit – the original headline is “Google Chrome warns uBlock Origin may soon be disabled”. But as far as I am concerned, they might as well be encouraging Chrome users to switch to Firefox, simply because uBlock Origin is a VERY popular extension and it will continue to work just fine in Firefox.

Google Chrome is now encouraging uBlock Origin users who have updated to the latest version to switch to other ad blockers before Manifest v2 extensions are disabled

Source: Google Chrome warns uBlock Origin may soon be disabled (BleepingComputer)

How to force Timeshift to schedule backups at a specific time of day

… this article deals with one particular and sometimes annoying quirk of Timeshift – it does not allow you to schedule backups at a particular time of day if you use its GUI to schedule backups (this assumes you are not doing hourly backups; in that case you probably want a backup to be made every hour no matter what). Maybe you are using Linux to run a home theater PC – in that case you probably don’t want Timeshift deciding to do a backup during prime time. Or in an office setting, you might not want Timeshift running during your busiest time of day. But Timeshift gives you no way to control that (unless you resort to running it from the Linux command line, and that may have certain other disadvantages). Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to force Timeshift to do its backups in the middle of the night, or at some other preferred time of day?

Well it turns out it is possible. …

Source: How to force Timeshift to schedule backups at a specific time of day – Two “Sort Of” Tech Guys

Six Bartender Alternatives to Manage Your Mac’s Menu Bar

Popular Mac menu bar management utility Bartender was recently quietly sold to another company … However, the new Bartender owner is a largely unknown entity that has reportedly hiked Bartender’s purchase options, and is alleged to have added code to the app that may be associated with collecting analytics data on users.

Given that Bartender requires extensive permissions to operate in macOS, including screen recording, the whole event has understandably left many users concerned about privacy … here are some alternative menu bar utilities that are worth considering.

Source: Six Bartender Alternatives to Manage Your Mac’s Menu Bar | MacRumors

Midnight Commander remote connect via Shell link (copy files over SSH) and SFTP link using FISH and public key authentication

In this post, I show you how to configure SSH for Midnight Commander to remotely copy or move files with the file manager’s Shell link feature and public key authentication. I will also explain the difference between files transferred over Shell Protocol (FISH) and Secure Copy Protocol (SCP) and say a word or two about Midnight Commander’s SFTP feature.

Source: Midnight Commander remote connect via Shell link (copy files over SSH) and SFTP link using FISH and public key authentication – 4sysops

SBC Case Builder v3.0 can create thousands of cases for popular SBCs and standard motherboards (mini-ITX, Pico-ITX, NUC…)

SBC Case Builder V3.0 case design utility has just been released with the ability to create over 1,000 standard cases – not including customization – for popular SBCs from Raspberry Pi, Hardkernel, Orange Pi, Radxa, and others, as well as standard motherboards following Mini-ITX, Pico-ITX, NUC, Nano-ITX, etc.., and SBC adapters following these standards, meaning you could install a Raspberry Pi 5 into a mini-ITX case if needed. … Once you have generated a case design, you can use the resulting OpenSCAD file with a 3D printer or CNC machine to build the enclosure.

Source: SBC Case Builder v3.0 can create thousands of cases for popular SBCs and standard motherboards (mini-ITX, Pico-ITX, NUC…) – CNX Software