Gnome's New Ai Assistant Can Even Run Linux Commands For You - Here's How

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ZDNET's cardinal takeaways

• Newelle is an AI adjunct for nan GNOME desktop.
• It's tin of modular chats and moreover moving commands.
• However, Newelle does require Flatseal to tally commands connected Linux.

There's a caller AI adjunct disposable for nan GNOME desktop, and it conscionable reached type 1.0 status. That caller AI adjunct is called Newelle, and it's already proven to beryllium a worthy contender for your desktop.

Newelle isn't conscionable different ample connection exemplary manager, but a full-blown adjunct that tin tally Linux commands from human-readable descriptions (more connected that successful a bit), service arsenic a accepted AI chatbot, and more. Newelle uses Bai Chat arsenic its backend and allows you to download and prime from different LLMs (some of which will require an API key). 

Also: The apical 5 GNOME extensions I instal first (and what they tin do for you)

Newelle features chat history, chat editing, profiles, a mini app, extensions, keyboard shortcuts, chat save, recording, and more. 

This app tin easy service arsenic a missing nexus to adhd thing akin to what Gemini is to Android (although it does return a spot much activity to get it there).

I've been utilizing Newelle for a fewer days now and person recovered it to beryllium rather a useful app. In fact, it's replaced Ollama/Msty arsenic my go-to GUI for section LLMs. Not only is Newelle arsenic easy to usage arsenic Ollama/Msty, it amended fits nan GNOME aesthetic, is faster, and doesn't return astir nan strategy resources.

The only caveat I've recovered pinch Newelle is that getting definite commands to tally decently tin beryllium a challenge. There are circumstantial steps you must return to let commands to run, but erstwhile you've taken attraction of those configurations, you tin usage Newelle to tally commands connected your Linux system.

Let's instal Newelle and past configure it to tally commands.

Installing Newelle

What you'll need: Newelle is installed connected Linux via Flatpak, truthful you'll request a distribution pinch that cosmopolitan package head installed and working.

flatpak instal https://dl.flathub.org/repo/appstream/io.github.qwersyk.Newelle.flatpakref

When nan bid finishes, you tin adjacent nan terminal model pinch nan exit command.

Also: How I provender my files to a section AI for better, much applicable responses

Adding an LLM

Before you configure Newelle to tally commands, you'll request to prime which ample connection exemplary (LLM) to use. Some LLMs are easy to add, while others require an API cardinal to usability properly. Let's make this easy and group up a section LLM. Here's how.

1. Open Newelle

Open nan Newelle app from your desktop menu. 

2. Open Settings

From nan Newelle main window, click nan 3 horizontal statement paper fastener adjacent nan apical near and prime Settings.

The Newelle UI is good designed and easy to use.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

3. Select your model

From nan LLM listing, click nan downward-pointing arrow to download an LLM and then, erstwhile it's downloaded, prime it by clicking nan associated power button. You tin download arsenic galore LLMs arsenic you want, but obviously, you tin only usage 1 astatine a time. Once you've taken attraction of this, you tin adjacent nan Settings window.

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You tin download arsenic galore LLMs arsenic needed, but you tin only usage 1 astatine a time.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

Configuring Newelle to tally commands

This is wherever it gets a spot tricky. You person to alteration a fewer circumstantial bits to alteration Newelle to tally commands for you. 

1. Open Settings

Go backmost to nan Settings model and click connected nan General tab.

2. Disable "Command virtualization"

Under Neural Network Control, disable "Command virtualization."

This is nan only configuration you must make successful Newelle truthful commands tin beryllium tally from nan app.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

3. Install Flatseal

Because Newelle is installed wrong a sandboxed environment, you person to springiness it support to entree your record system. To do that, you must instal Flatseal pinch nan command:

flatpak instal flathub com.github.tchx84.Flatseal

4. Configure Newelle permissions

Open Flatseal and click connected Newelle successful nan near sidebar. Scroll down until you spot nan Filesystem section. In that section, alteration "All personification files."

This is nan first configuration you must make successful Flatseal.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

5. Configure nan System Bus

Scroll down to nan System Bus conception and click nan + fastener associated pinch Talks. In nan caller field, add:

org.freedesktop.Flatpak

This is nan last configuration you must make truthful Newelle tin tally Linux commands.

Jack Wallen/ZDNET

You tin now adjacent Flatseal.

Once you've taken attraction of nan above, you tin past tally commands wrong Newelle. For instance, successful nan chat field, type: 

create a files successful my location directory named ZDNET

Newelle will create nan folder, and it's fresh to use.

Also: How I made Perplexity AI nan default hunt motor successful my browser (and why you should too)

And that's nan gist of Newelle. Using it arsenic a accepted AI chatbot is straightforward and elemental capable that anyone tin usage it. Sure, getting it to tally commands takes a fewer other steps, but if you're utilizing Linux, you should beryllium OK pinch that process.

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