We ❤️ Open Source

A community education resource

Don Watkins

I am Don Watkins, a free and open source software (FOSS) advocate, former correspondent at Opensource.com, where I had the privilege of working and writing with a great group of individuals who are passionate about all things open source including open education. I am an advocate of public libraries and teach Python programming using Raspberry Pi computers. I have recently moved much of my social networking to mastodon.social/@linuxnerd. You can find me on LinkedIn. I am a husband, father, grandfather, US Navy veteran, Yoga, mindfulness, and chocolate chip cookies.

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We ❤️ Open Source

Don Watkins

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Articles by Don Watkins

My first Waymo ride: How open research shaped autonomous driving

How Linux Mint gave five “obsolete” library PCs a second life

Exploring Manjaro KDE Plasma after years with other Linux distros

Repairing a corrupted Windows drive with Linux Mint tools

QGIS meets mobile: A practical guide to field mapping with MerginMaps

My first experience with Manjaro Cinnamon as a Linux Mint user

Essential shortcuts and tips for faster note-taking

Meet the Meerkat: A compact Linux PC with surprising power for developers

How to create Windows boot disks on Linux without special tools

System76’s COSMIC desktop: A hands-on tour of Pop!_OS 24.04 LTS

15 open source backup solutions to protect your data in 2026

Your 2026 quick guide to free Office alternatives

6 must-read Linux and open source tutorials of the year

Zorin OS 18 review: The Linux distro designed for Windows users

How to turn any phrase into another language instantly

Getting started with VirtualBox on Linux: From hobbyist tinkering to production prep

How Linux Mint saved an eight-year-old PC

How I brought old family photos to life with AI colorization

From libraries to small businesses: Why WordPress remains the open web’s backbone

12 everyday technologies powered by Linux

Can AI take the grunt work out of grant work?

How to use GenAI to create Common Core-aligned lesson plans in minutes

How I use NotebookLM as my personal research assistant

How to plan a low sugar diet using AI in minutes

How to batch convert docx files using LibreOffice

A simple guide to installing Nextcloud with snap on Linux

VSCodium for middle school coding: A free, open source way to teach Python

Getting started with Inkscape: The free and open source vector graphics editor

Getting started with Jan: A private, open source alternative to ChatGPT

How I used Pinokio to run OpenAudio and clone a voice in seconds

Tired of complex AI installs? Try Pinokio

Getting started with Darktable: A powerful free, open source photography workflow app

Solving the right-click touchpad issue on Fedora KDE Plasma 42

Linux-ready hardware: What to look for before you buy

Getting started with Cronopete for Linux backups

KDE Plasma turns your old Windows 10 machine into a modern Linux desktop

Getting started with GIMP: The free and open source image editor

Exploring Fedora KDE on a new Lenovo laptop

Celebrating 20 years of Open Document Format: A milestone for digital freedom

How UTM makes Linux virtualization easy on Apple Silicon

How to restore Chrome audio on KDE Plasma

Capture and annotate Linux screenshots fast with KDE Spectacle

How to remove BitLocker encryption and install Linux on a locked laptop

The open source apps I use on macOS for AI, coding, and creativity

What is Openverse?

Exploring Signal: Open source encryption for modern communication

5 reasons to explore Open Clipart

How to put text on a path using Inkscape

10 essential networking commands for sysadmins

Getting started with Krita: A free digital painting tool for beginners and pros

10 open source tools you can start using today

How to quickly build a multi-distribution Linux USB drive with Ventoy

My top 5 must-have apps on Fedora 41 KDE Plasma

The top Linux, open source, and sysadmin podcasts on my list

ActivityPub explained: The protocol connecting the Fediverse

Pixelfed: The open source alternative to Instagram

Kiwix: The open source solution for offline content delivery

How to use the dd command to create bootable Linux drives

Getting started with Etherpad: The open source tool for collaboration

How Joplin Web Clipper can organize your web content and keep your data secure

Why Markdown is essential when you are writing for the web

5 simple ways to help open source projects without writing code

7 free multimedia and design tool tutorials

How to create a holiday card with open source tools

Open source for the holidays: Free tools to create cards, videos, and more

Why Joplin is my go-to note-taking app

How to remove metadata from photos using ExifCleaner

The case for open source solutions in HIPAA

How AI is making cancer detection faster and more accurate for doctors

Getting started with PhotoCollage tutorial

How to install and utilize Open WebUI

Maximize your Mastodon experience: Top open source clients I’ve tried

Exploring Hollama: A minimalist web interface for Ollama

Seamlessly convert Markdown documents to Office formats with Pandoc: A how-to guide

Harness the power of large language models part 4: Working with an AI chef