Free Software that I rely on. One per day.

Day 13:

VideoLAN Client, a.k.a. VLC

Some distro maintainers apparently hate it. It is very customizable, which results in multiple and frequent UI changes.

But damn is it useful! I MUST have it.

I have found very few video formats that VLC won't play, at least if you install all the codecs (some of which are non-free, which is why you have to install them later -- but that's not VLC's fault).

It is my usual music player, and video player. I use it to check my newly-edited videos.

Somewhere in there is a way to edit metadata in files -- I know I've used it, though not in a long time.

And if I go to "Media -> Convert/Save", it can convert video formats, which can be a life-saver.

If my computer should shut down suddenly, my screenlogging script will produce a corrupted video. VLC can read it and convert into a corrected format that other programs can read. Handy!

https://www.videolan.org/

#FreeSoftwareAdvent #VLC #VideoLan #MusicPlayer #VideoPlayer #Multimedia

(Linux news in previous posts of thread)

FOSS NEWS

Introducing Proton Sheets: Protect the data that drives your business:
https://proton.me/blog/sheets-proton-drive

Proton Pass 1.33 introduces clipboard clearing and improved offline mode:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/12/proton-pass-1-33-introduces-clipboard-clearing-and-improved-offline-mode/

VLC 3.0.22 adds Dark Qt Mode, AMD Frame Rate Doubler, and Codec improvements:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/12/vlc-3-0-22-adds-dark-qt-mode-amd-frame-rate-doubler-and-codec-improvements/

LibreOffice 26.2 Alpha 1 Released For Testing:
https://www.phoronix.com/news/LibreOffice-26.2-Alpha-1

ONLYOFFICE Docs 9.2 introduces AI grammar checks, shortcut customization, macros and more:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/12/onlyoffice-docs-9-2-introduces-ai-grammar-checks-shortcut-customization-macros-and-more/

PeaZip 10.8 Open-Source Archive Manager Overhauls Previewing Inside Archives:
https://9to5linux.com/peazip-10-8-open-source-archive-manager-overhauls-previewing-inside-archives

Audacity 3.7.6 Audio Editor Adds FFmpeg 8 Support, Spectrogram Wavelet Analysis:
https://9to5linux.com/audacity-3-7-6-audio-editor-adds-ffmpeg-8-support-spectrogram-wavelet-analysis

Organic Maps adds Wikipedia in new languages and region highlighting:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/12/organic-maps-adds-wikipedia-in-new-languages-and-region-highlighting/

Calibre 8.16 Open-Source E-Book Manager Adds More AI Features, Bug Fixes:
https://9to5linux.com/calibre-8-16-open-source-e-book-manager-adds-more-ai-features-bug-fixes

Sigil & PageEdit 2.7.0 released with Qt 6.9.3, dynamic automation menu, UI tweaks and more:
https://alternativeto.net/news/2025/12/sigil-and-pageedit-2-7-0-released-with-qt-6-9-3-dynamic-automation-menu-ui-tweaks-and-more/

UZDoom the successor to GZDoom has a first proper release out now:
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/12/uzdoom-the-successor-to-gzdoom-has-a-first-proper-release-out-now/

The response to s&box from Facepunch going open source has been "overwhelmingly positive":
https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2025/12/the-response-to-sandbox-from-facepunch-going-open-source-has-been-overwhelmingly-positive/

(more FOSS news in comment)

#WeeklyNews #OpenSource #FOSSNews #FOSS #Proton #ProtonSheets #ProtonPasss #VLC #LibreOffice #ONLYOFFICE #PeaZip #Audacity #OrganicMaps #Calibre #Sigil #UZDoom #GZDoom #sbox #FOSSGame #FOSSGaming #OpenSourceGame #OfficeSuite #PasswordManager #Maps #Ebook #AudioEditor #VideoPlayer #FosseryTech