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- 5 DevOps shifts + AI isn't intelligent + Pop!_OS goes COSMIC
5 DevOps shifts + AI isn't intelligent + Pop!_OS goes COSMIC
Welcome to edition #45 of the We ❤️ Open Source newsletter!
This week we're questioning AI intelligence (a 1956 robot proves our point), exploring five forces reshaping DevOps in 2026, reviewing Pop!_OS 24.04's shiny new COSMIC desktop, and discovering open source alternatives for marketing automation and Office suites that actually respect your autonomy. Plus, Linux veteran David Both joins us on the We Love Open Source podcast.
Made and curated by real humans.🙂 This week we'll look at...
Technology, networking, and fun
Next Tuesday, January 13
We're kicking off 2026 next Tuesday evening, January 13 with our first live / in-person event of the year! Seven (7) world-class speakers will identify their "one big AI thing" as they look ahead at the year to come. If you live in the RTP region, please join us in person at the IMAX in downtown Raleigh. If you don't, join us via live stream. Either way, RSVP today to save your spot! It's 100% free, but an RSVP is required.
Articles
 | 2026 will redefine DevOps. Context engineering becomes the next critical skill. Vibe coding expands beyond writing code. Natural language replaces programming languages. AI demands more human expertise, not less. Discover five forces reshaping workflows, roles, and skills—and what your DevOps team must learn now to stay competitive in the AI-driven future. WHY WE ❤️ IT: DevOps has been a focus of the events we host for a decade. This article does a good job of explaining how it's changing in 2026. |
 | Marketing stacks are getting more expensive and more locked down. Open source is pushing back. This 2026 developer guide shows how to build a full marketing pipeline with automation, analytics, and AI using open source tools. From Mautic and Matomo to Hugging Face and community contributions, here is your full-stack playbook for what comes next. WHY WE ❤️ IT: This guide shows you how to replace expensive platforms with flexible alternatives you actually own—covering automation, privacy-first analytics, and AI integration. |
 | Looking for free, open source alternatives to Office? You have options. From LibreOffice's versatility to OnlyOffice's collaboration features, discover free office suites that respect your autonomy and keep your documents truly yours. Compare file compatibility, offline access, and open source alternatives that work on Windows, macOS, and Linux without the subscription trap. WHY WE ❤️ IT: We LOVE the Feature Comparison chart in this article! Easy to read and looks at key considerations like file compatibility, offline access, and whether or not it's open source, of course. |
What's in your technology toolbox?
System76 recently released COSMIC Desktop in December 2025, a brand new Linux desktop environment written entirely in Rust. Pop!_OS 24.04 brings automatic tiling, deep customization, and a polished experience built from the ground up. Was the wait worth it? Learn Linux TV delivers the full review.
From the We ❤️ Open Source Podcast
 | Is today's AI really intelligent? Linux veteran David Both says no, and he's got a 1956 robot to prove it. Watch as David explains what real AI requires, why sodium batteries matter, and how beauty is the ultimate defense against complexity in our latest We ❤️ Open Source podcast. |
Wrap Up
If you've made it this far (thank you!), check out everything we do, our YouTube channel with 1000's of open source talks, the many meetups we host around the southeast and NYC, the All Things AI spring event we co-host, and of course All Things Open, the largest open source tech conference on the US east coast.
We hope you learn something new this weekend!
How did you like the newsletter? |