iTechGuides is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more
FOSS Weekly #26.40, published by It’s FOSS on October 1, 2026, is a seven-minute Linux and open-source roundup. Its lead story covers specific French and Dutch public-sector initiatives involving NixOS—not a continent-wide government migration—alongside an introductory terminal course, a local-name setup for homelab services, Firefox Nova news and several project updates.
What does the NixOS public-sector story actually report?
The issue points to separate initiatives in France and the Netherlands. They share an interest in reducing reliance on outside technology vendors, but the reported stages and details differ; they do not show that European governments broadly have adopted NixOS.
France’s Sécurix workstation setup
According to the linked It’s FOSS report, France’s DINUM has been running Sécurix on internal machines. Sécurix is described as a hardened workstation configuration built on NixOS, not a NixOS fork, and it applies security guidance from ANSSI. The report described the project as MIT-licensed and in alpha, with v0.20.1 as the current release at that time.
What’s actually slowing this PC down?
Pick the symptom - the matching free tool is one click away.
The same report gave a 70-machine pilot and a target of roughly 250 staff workstations. Those are reported pilot and target figures, not evidence that a 250-workstation deployment was completed. The report’s details should be read as a snapshot, not as confirmation of Sécurix’s present release or deployment status.
#1 Best Overall
The Netherlands’ DAWO initiative
The issue frames DAWO as a formal Dutch initiative to replace outside software across public institutions with a NixOS-powered platform. That is distinct from the French account of internal workstation use and a stated deployment target. The report also notes that NixOS originated with Eelco Dolstra at Utrecht University and that the NixOS Foundation is a Dutch nonprofit. Those facts provide context for the sovereignty discussion; they do not, on their own, establish a security advantage or prove that a particular deployment is independent of vendors.
What does the free Linux terminal course teach?
The linked course is free, beginner-oriented and built around hands-on examples and exercises. It introduces directory navigation and creation, listing directory contents, and creating, reading, deleting, copying and moving files. It also covers editing files and getting help from the terminal.
The author explicitly says the course is not intended to make learners job-ready. It is a starting point for learning the basics; the author points readers seeking a next step to Linux books and a separate Bash course.
Free tools Windows power users keep installed
One-click scans. No signup required.
How does the homelab setup replace IP addresses and ports with local names?
The homelab walkthrough addresses a familiar annoyance: remembering a service’s changing IP address and port. Its approach combines stable IP assignments, AdGuard Home for local DNS, and Nginx Proxy Manager to route requests to the correct service port. The intended result is being able to enter a local hostname such as jellyfin.internal rather than an address-and-port combination.
The two entries for each service
- Give the device a stable address. The walkthrough assigns stable IP addresses to the devices hosting services. How to do that depends on the router and network configuration.
- Add a DNS rewrite in AdGuard Home. Create a local name for the service so devices using that DNS resolver can find it.
- Add a proxy host in Nginx Proxy Manager. Map the hostname to the service’s address and port so the proxy can send requests to the right destination.
For each service, the article describes both a DNS rewrite and a proxy host. Router menus, addresses and commands vary by setup, so treat the walkthrough as a reproducible design rather than a universal click-by-click recipe.
Hardware is optional
The author uses a ZimaBoard as an always-on server and also discusses a ZimaCube for local AI exploration. A ZimaBoard is one example of hardware that could fill the server role; the described software setup does not make that model a requirement or establish it as the best choice for every homelab.
Rank #4
What changed in Firefox Nova?
The linked It’s FOSS story reported that Firefox Nova became the default redesign with Firefox 157, in September 2026. It also mentioned a control for readers who dislike the pill-shaped appearance. This is release-specific news: the issue does not establish how the design or its controls may have changed in later Firefox versions.
The issue also links a video listing 21 useful Firefox features, but does not enumerate those features. It therefore serves as a pointer to the video rather than a feature-by-feature guide.
Best Value
What else is in this Linux and open-source roundup?
- Ubuntu: The issue reports that the kernel update cadence is moving from four weeks to two, and that the upgrade path from Ubuntu 24.04 LTS to 26.04.1 is enabled.
- AlmaLinux: A software certification catalog has been added.
- GhostBSD: The Mocka desktop is in development as a possible replacement for MATE.
- postmarketOS: The project has renamed to Nura. It’s FOSS reported more than 300 community submissions for the rename.
- F-Droid: The issue notes a major revamp.
- openSUSE Leap: Leap 16.1 is absorbing Leap Micro functionality through an optional installer mode.
- Tuxdle: It’s FOSS reported more than 500 plays a day shortly after the game launched.
These are brief newsletter reports, not full release notes or project documentation. Their appearance in the issue is useful for spotting developments, but does not supply deeper technical details or establish the current status of every project.
What is the Axon-Lite hardware highlight?
The issue highlights Vicharak’s Axon-Lite as a single-board computer concept built around swappable interface modules for voice, vision, sensing and AI data. The issue establishes the product name and concept, but not current availability, supported modules, performance or price, so it is not enough information to judge it as a purchase.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
