KDE Adding Matrix to Its Instant Messaging Infrastructure, E3D Launches New 3D Printing Slicer, digiKam Announces Major 6.0.0 Release, Google to Acquire Alooma and KDE Plasma Bugfix Update 5.15.1 Is Out

News briefs for February 20, 2019.

KDE announces it's adding Matrix to its instant messaging infrastructure. Matrix "is an open protocol and network for decentralised communication, backed by an open standard and open source reference implementations for servers, clients, client SDKs, bridges, bots and more. It provides all the features you'd expect from a modern chat system: infinite scrollback, file transfer, typing notifications, read receipts, presence, search, push notifications, stickers, VoIP calling and conferencing, etc. It even provides end-to-end encryption (based on Signal's double ratchet algorithm) for when you want some privacy." For more information and how to get started, see the wiki page.

E3D, the UK hot-end manufacturer, has officially launched a beta of its new 3D printing slicer. Make reports that the new slicer named Pathio features 3D offsetting for perfect shells, logical grouped model settings, a good UI and scripting for power users. See the Pathio website to try out the beta.

digiKam 6.0.0 was released recently. This major release follows two years of intensive development and lots of work from students during the Summer of Code. New features include full support of video file management, raw file decoding engine supporting new cameras, simplified web service authentication using OAuth, new export tools and much more. Go here to download.

Google yesterday announced it intends to acquire Alooma, which "helps enterprise companies streamline database migration in the cloud". According to the announcement, "the addition of Alooma, subject to closing conditions, is a natural fit that allows us to offer customers a streamlined, automated migration experience to Google Cloud, and give them access to our full range of database services, from managed open source database offerings to solutions like Cloud Spanner and Cloud Bigtable".

KDE yesterday released a bugfix update to KDE Plasma 5: 5.15.1. This release adds "a month's worth of new translations and fixes from KDE's contributors" to the release announced a little more than one week ago. See the Plasma 5.15.1 changelog for the full list of changes and updates.

Jill Franklin is an editorial professional with more than 17 years experience in technical and scientific publishing, both print and digital. As Executive Editor of Linux Journal, she wrangles writers, develops content, manages projects, meets deadlines and makes sentences sparkle. She also was Managing Editor for TUX and Embedded Linux Journal, and the book Linux in the Workplace. Before entering the Linux and open-source realm, she was Managing Editor of several scientific and scholarly journals, including Veterinary Pathology, The Journal of Mammalogy, Toxicologic Pathology and The Journal of Scientific Exploration. In a previous life, she taught English literature and composition, managed a bookstore and tended bar. When she’s not bugging writers about deadlines or editing copy, she throws pots, gardens and reads.

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