IdeaWell

Project ideas from Hacker News discussions.

Linux is good now

Original Article

Hacker News Discussion

📝 Discussion Summary (Click to expand)

1. Linux Gaming Now Outperforms or Matches Windows

Proton and Steam have made most games viable, often with better stability and no ads.
"Gaming now works better on Linux than it does on Windows." - ErroneousBosh
"Proton has gotten so good now that I don't even bother checking compatibility before buying games." - tombert
"Games seem to run better on Linux than Windows." - tombert

2. Windows Deterioration Driving Switches

Bloat, ads, forced updates, and MS focus on cloud/AI erode appeal.
"Microsoft is so lost under Satya... Totally blinded by Azure and AI." - voidfunc
"besides ads and privacy concerns it's been such a delight not having to deal with unwanted updates." - diabllicseagull
"Windows 11 is rougher [than Linux distros]." - gcr

3. Persistent Roadblocks: Anti-Cheat and Nvidia

Kernel anti-cheat blocks multiplayer titles; Nvidia lags in DX12/Proton performance.
"The last remaining roadblock is kernel level anti-cheat frameworks." - fooker
"Nvidia cards seriously underperforming in DX12 games under Proton compared to Windows." - jsheard
"kernel level anti cheat... Most games work fine, others... nasty anti-cheat... won't let you play." - jetbalsa

🚀 Project Ideas

OpenAnticheat Attestation Service

Summary

  • A remote attestation service that allows Linux users to prove their system state to game servers without kernel-level rootkits.
  • Uses TPM 2.0 and "Endorsement Keys" to verify the boot chain (Grand Unified Bootloader, Kernel, and specific modules).
  • Solves the core hurdle of "kernel-level anti-cheat" by providing a cryptographic guarantee of system integrity.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Competitive Linux gamers and game developers
Core Feature TPM-backed remote attestation protocol
Tech Stack Rust, TPM 2.0, eBPF, systemd-stub
Difficulty High
Monetization Revenue-ready: B2B API for game studios

Notes

  • "Valve could totally ship their boxes with support for anticheat kernel-attestation."
  • HN users debated the dystopia of locked systems, but many agreed a "trustworthy boot chain" is the only viable path to parity with Windows' Vanguard/Ricochet.

HID-Remap GUI (OpenSource Input Manager)

Summary

  • A universal, user-friendly GUI for configuring high-end peripherals (Logitech, Razer, Fanatec) that lack Linux drivers.
  • Handles RGB lighting, macro mapping, and specialized hardware like sim-racing wheels or flight sticks.
  • Bridges the "equipment incompatibility" gap mentioned by simulation enthusiasts.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience High-end gamers and sim-racing enthusiasts
Core Feature Visual remapping and RGB control via HIDRAW
Tech Stack Python, Qt/GTK, udev
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "I haven’t found a tool that can access all the extra settings of my Logitech mouse... sim wheel/pedals setup."
  • Addresses the specific frustration of having to boot Windows just to turn off RGB or set DPI.

Cloud-Mirror (Open-Source Dropbox/OneDrive JIT Client)

Summary

  • A file system client that provides "online-only" placeholders for major cloud providers (OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox).
  • Downloads files on-demand (Just-In-Time) and hydrates the file system as needed, similar to Windows "Files on Demand."
  • Solves the "large directory" problem where users cannot sync TBs of data to a small laptop SSD.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Professional developers and office workers switching to Linux
Core Feature FUSE-based virtual filesystem with JIT hydration
Tech Stack Go/Rust, FUSE, Provider APIs
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "My work PC needs... 'online-only' functionality... I have used OneDrive and Google Drive heavily and there just are not good clients for Linux."
  • This is a major productivity blocker for enterprise users wanting to ditch Windows.

DP-Mirror (Hardware/Firmware Tooling for HDMI 2.1)

Summary

  • A specialized driver/utility suite to help Linux users achieve 4K@120Hz on TVs via DisplayPort-to-HDMI 2.1 adapters.
  • Focuses on enabling VRR (Variable Refresh Rate) and full chroma support which current open-source drivers struggle with due to HDMI licensing restrictions.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Home theater PC (HTPC) and living room gamers
Core Feature VRR and HDR passthrough for DP-HDMI adapters
Tech Stack C, Linux Kernel DRM/KMS, I2C
Difficulty High
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "TVs don't support displayport, so it makes Linux PCs like the Steam Machine inferior console replacements... licensing crap is the reason."
  • Addresses the hardware "bump" that keeps Linux out of the living room.

Gaming-VM "AirGap" Hypervisor

Summary

  • A turnkey hypervisor (based on KVM/pKVM) designed to run "untrusted" Windows games with kernel anti-cheat inside a secure, isolated container on Linux.
  • Provides optimized GPU passthrough and "stealth" techniques to hide the VM from anti-cheat detection.
  • Allows users to play Valorant or Battlefield without compromising their main Linux host.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Privacy-conscious gamers who play AAA titles
Core Feature Isolated guest with automated GPU passthrough
Tech Stack QEMU/KVM, Libvirt, Rust
Difficulty High
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "What if the kernel module is only run in a separate VM than your main one?"
  • Users want to "select the handcuffs at boot time" rather than having a rootkit on their primary OS.

Debloat-Win (LTSC-Style Configurator)

Summary

  • A service or tool that automates the transformation of standard Windows Home/Pro into a "silent" OS resembling the Enterprise LTSC edition.
  • Aggressively strips out AI (Recall/Copilot), ads, and telemetry that are causing users to flee to Linux.
  • Targeted at those who must stay on Windows for specific software (Adobe/CAD) but hate the DX (Developer Experience).

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Power users stuck on Windows due to software locks
Core Feature Group Policy and Registry automation
Tech Stack PowerShell, Win32 API
Difficulty Low
Monetization Revenue-ready: One-time license

Notes

  • "Windows is an inhospitable swamp... enshittifying Windows 11 to an absurd degree."
  • There is a massive demand for Windows to "get out of the way" like Linux does.

Linux Laptop "Efficiency Tuner"

Summary

  • A background service and GUI that mimics "Apple-style" power management for Linux laptops.
  • Automatically handles deep sleep (S3/Modern Standby), throttles background daemons when on battery, and optimizes Intel/AMD P-states.
  • Solves the "cooking in the backpack" and poor battery life complaints.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Laptop-first developers and nomadic workers
Core Feature Intelligent background-service suspend and CPU governor tuning
Tech Stack C/Rust, systemd, D-Bus
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "Inability to reliably suspend or sleep for laptops... find it absolutely cooking and near 0% when you take it out."
  • Battery life remains the final frontier for Linux laptop parity.

ProtonDB for Productivity (App-Check)

Summary

  • A crowdsourced database (modeled after ProtonDB) specifically for creative and engineering software (Adobe, Fusion 360, Unreal Engine).
  • Provides "Turnkey" install scripts and Wine/Proton configurations to get non-gaming apps working.
  • Focuses on GPU acceleration and Webview2 fixes which are common break points.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Designers, Engineers, and Artists
Core Feature Crowdsourced compatibility ratings and automated fix scripts
Tech Stack React, Node.js, Shell
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Hobby

Notes

  • "My work still requires Unreal Engine... CAD software for hobbies (Fusion 360)... all sort of just fail."
  • Gamers have ProtonDB; creative professionals need a similar community resource to bridge the gap.

E-Sports "League-Certified" LiveUSB

Summary

  • A specialized, immutable Linux distribution delivered via LiveUSB for competitive tournament play.
  • It includes pre-vetted drivers, the game client, and built-in remote attestation to ensure no cheats are present.
  • Targets the need for "competitive integrity" in a way that respects the hardware owner.

Details

Key Value
Target Audience Tournament organizers and pro players
Core Feature Immutable, attested, tournament-ready environment
Tech Stack NixOS/Fedora Silverblue, Secure Boot
Difficulty Medium
Monetization Revenue-ready: B2B for tournament organizers

Notes

  • "For competitive gaming, I think attested hardware & software actually is the right way to go... Don’t force kernel-level malware on everyone."
  • This provides a "neutral ground" for high-stakes competition.

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