News briefs for April 30, 2018.
Miner One announced via press release that it is launching its bitcoin-mining balloon today. You can watch the launch on Facebook[1]. Space Miner One[2] is a capsule and high-altitude balloon that will "perform data-mining operations at the edge of space". Miner One's goal is to "remind people that cryptocurrency is really about the future and the revolutionary technology at its heart: so-called blockchain technology."
After six years of development, a new stable version of GIMP[3] has been released. Version 2.10.0 has a new default Dark theme and supports HIDPI displays and the GEGL image processing library. GIMP 2.10.0 also includes new tools, better file format support and an upgraded user interface, among other things. See the release notes[4] for all the details.
The European Union wants online platforms to incorporate their own bot-detection mechanisms, TechCrunch reports[5]. This is "as part of a voluntary Code of Practice the European Commission now wants platforms to develop and apply—by this summer—as part of a wider package of proposals it's put out which are generally aimed at tackling the problematic spread and impact of disinformation online."
Ubuntu "Budgie" announced[6] its very first LTS version. This release features "more customisation options via budgie welcome, lots more Budgie Applets available to be installed, dynamic Workspaces, hot-corners and Window Shuffler" and more. See the release notes[7] for more info, and go here[8] to download.
Linux Mint published its monthly update[9] this morning. The report details what the Mint team is working on, including adapting to the Debian Stretch and Ubuntu Bionic package bases, finalizing Cinnamon 3.8, adding new features to Mint tools, working on documentation, plans for Mint 19 and LMDE 3 and more.
