

Linux Matters
Linux Matters
Experienced Open Source professionals exploring the tech we actually use. If it runs on Linux, we're into it. Whether you're tweaking your desktop, gaming, self-hosting, developing software, improving terminal productivity, or running production infrastructure — we cover the tools and workflows that actually matter. New episode every fortnight. Upbeat and family-friendly for Linux enthusiasts of all ages.
Episodes
Mentioned books

11 snips
Jun 24, 2025 • 27min
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
The hosts dive into the exciting transition of core Linux utilities to Rust, highlighting benefits like enhanced security. They discuss unique challenges faced with command-line utilities and share updates on a new travel website for nerdy excursions. From navigating web development issues to the quirks of CSS, they stress the importance of community collaboration. Don't miss their entertaining time-lapse chronicles of caterpillars transforming into butterflies, complete with humorous mishaps and tech tips!

Jun 10, 2025 • 35min
Nerdy Day Trips
In this episode:
Martin has been brutally reclaiming GitHub runner disk space using Nothing but Nix
This technique can be applied to other purposes. Get the technical details from Martin’s blog: The Nix Space Heist: Reclaiming 130GB in GitHub Actions
Alan has resurrected a very nerdy website.
Go to Nerdy Day Trips² and submit your favourite fascinating places to visit around the world - science museums, observatories, maker spaces, research facilities, and other spots that’ll scratch a curiosity itch.
Mark has been pushing the limits of his Steam Deck playing Avowed.
You can send your feedback via show@linuxmatters.sh or the Contact Form. If you’d like to hang out with other listeners and share your feedback with the community, you can join us on:
The Linux Matters Chatters on Telegram.
The Linux Matters Subreddit.
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us.
SponsorsHere's a high-five ✋ to our sponsors – give them a visit and keep our show thriving! TailscaleTailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Try Tailscale for free for up to 100 devices and 3 users, with no credit card required. Use code Linux25 for three free months of any Tailscale paid plan.

9 snips
May 27, 2025 • 31min
Python a-Go-Go
Alan dives into building a content pipeline with innovative AI-driven models. Mark shares his transition to Bookshelf Buddy, while Martin reflects on migrating to GoToSocial from Fosstodon. The discussion moves to mastering Python concurrency, comparing threading with Go routines. Insights on a new web app interface enhance user experiences with language models. Finally, practical tips for managing a social media instance on Raspberry Pi highlight the benefits of low-powered systems in community engagement.

May 13, 2025 • 33min
Thoccing Heavy
Get ready for some techy fun! Learn about building a Bookshelf Buddy device with Raspberry Pi, combining creativity and coding. Hear stories of automating Twitter while dodging anti-bot measures. Dive into the world of custom keyboards, where the hunt for the perfect model unveils quirks and modifications. Plus, discover the journey of creating a bot to secure driving test appointments amid network challenges. It's a geeky adventure filled with prototypes, programming, and keyboard love!

Apr 29, 2025 • 37min
High Precision Solid Metal Balls
A switch from traditional mice to trackballs leads to discussions about ergonomics and customization, with humorous takes on enhancing trackball designs. The hosts share favorites, like the Kensington SlimBlade Pro, and highlight Tailscale for remote access benefits. They dive into the nitty-gritty of modernizing software projects, streamlining workflows with git tools, and navigating self-hosted office solutions. The integration of OnlyOffice with Nextcloud takes center stage, showcasing a seamless blend of functionality and user-friendliness.

5 snips
Apr 15, 2025 • 27min
Crafting Bookshelf Buddy
In this episode:
Alan gives a talk about Luddites at Monki Gras 2025
Mark continues developing and names “Bookshelf Buddy”, a self-hosted replacement for the Yoto or Tonie audiobook players.
Martin keeps an eye on his resources with Resources
You can send your feedback via show@linuxmatters.sh or the Contact Form. If you’d like to hang out with other listeners and share your feedback with the community, you can join us on:
The Linux Matters Chatters on Telegram.
The Linux Matters Subreddit.
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us.
SponsorsHere's a high-five ✋ to our sponsors – give them a visit and keep our show thriving! TailscaleTailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Try Tailscale for free for up to 100 devices and 3 users, with no credit card required. Use code Linux25 for three free months of any Tailscale paid plan.

Apr 1, 2025 • 28min
Great Scott, 1.21 Jiggabits!
In this episode:
Mark has started developing a self-hosted replacement for the Yoto or Tonie audiobook players.
Alan has taken a look at Docs, but didn’t use it.
Martin has upgraded his home networking with Deco and YuanLey devices.
You can send your feedback via show@linuxmatters.sh or the Contact Form. If you’d like to hang out with other listeners and share your feedback with the community, you can join us on:
The Linux Matters Chatters on Telegram.
The Linux Matters Subreddit.
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us.
SponsorsHere's a high-five ✋ to our sponsors – give them a visit and keep our show thriving! TailscaleTailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Try Tailscale for free for up to 100 devices and 3 users, with no credit card required. Use code Linux25 for three free months of any Tailscale paid plan.

5 snips
Mar 18, 2025 • 32min
Moodling Myself Silly
In this episode:
Martin has created smiti18n (pronounced smitten) - A very complete internationalization library for Lua with LÖVE support 🌕💕
Mark has been hard at work Moodling himself silly on the run up to the Moodle 5.0 release
Alan has been wrangling with Django and has worries about contributing large patches to SavannahHQ
You can send your feedback via show@linuxmatters.sh or the Contact Form. If you’d like to hang out with other listeners and share your feedback with the community, you can join us on:
The Linux Matters Chatters on Telegram.
The Linux Matters Subreddit.
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us.
SponsorsHere's a high-five ✋ to our sponsors – give them a visit and keep our show thriving! TailscaleTailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Try Tailscale for free for up to 100 devices and 3 users, with no credit card required. Use code Linux25 for three free months of any Tailscale paid plan.

Mar 4, 2025 • 24min
Syfting Through a LÖVEly Rack
In this episode:
Mark built a server rack using parts from LinxcomUK (ebay) and Kenable.
Alan wrote a measure-syft for benchmarking syft performance.
Martin created the LÖVE Game Development & Automated Build System.
You can send your feedback via show@linuxmatters.sh or the Contact Form. If you’d like to hang out with other listeners and share your feedback with the community, you can join us on:
The Linux Matters Chatters on Telegram.
The Linux Matters Subreddit.
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us.
SponsorsHere's a high-five ✋ to our sponsors – give them a visit and keep our show thriving! TailscaleTailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Try Tailscale for free for up to 100 devices and 3 users, with no credit card required. Use code Linux25 for three free months of any Tailscale paid plan.

Feb 18, 2025 • 26min
Mark Down in the Console Caves
In this episode:
Alan switches from self hosted markdown to self hosted mark down served from a docker container running CodiMD.
Mark puts on his robe and wizard’s hat, and ventures into the Caves of Qud.
Martin switches his console to KMSCON.
You can send your feedback via show@linuxmatters.sh or the Contact Form. If you’d like to hang out with other listeners and share your feedback with the community, you can join us on:
The Linux Matters Chatters on Telegram.
The Linux Matters Subreddit.
If you enjoy the show, please consider supporting us.
SponsorsHere's a high-five ✋ to our sponsors – give them a visit and keep our show thriving! TailscaleTailscale makes creating software-defined networks easy: securely connecting users, services, and devices.Try Tailscale for free for up to 100 devices and 3 users, with no credit card required. Use code Linux25 for three free months of any Tailscale paid plan.


