Conky vs hw-probe
Conky
conky.cchw-probe
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Conky | hw-probe |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 1 |
| Spec score · System Information Software | 7.7 (#13) | 8.2 (#7) |
| Audience | Conky is presented as a desktop system monitor for people who want configurable system information and can use its configuration, scripts, or programs. | The project is intended for Linux/BSD developers debugging computer problems and organizations simplifying hardware inventory. |
| License | The project states that Conky is licensed under GPLv3. | The software is dual-licensed under LGPL 2.1 or later and BSD-4-Clause. |
| Licensing | The project wiki says torsmo-based code is BSD-licensed and new Conky code is GPL 3.0-licensed. | The software is dual-licensed under LGPL-2.1-or-later and BSD-4-Clause. |
| Operating systems | The project lists Linux, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, DragonFlyBSD, NetBSD, Solaris, Haiku, and macOS as supported systems. | The project supports Linux distributions and BSD systems including FreeBSD, OpenBSD, NetBSD, DragonFly, MidnightBSD, GhostBSD, NomadBSD, FreeNAS and pfSense. |
| Purpose | Conky is a free, lightweight system monitor that displays information on a desktop or in other output formats. | hw-probe snapshots computer hardware and logs, checks device operability, and returns a permanent URL for viewing the probe. |
Plans
In their own words
hw-probe
hw-probe is a free hardware probing tool for Linux and BSD systems, aimed at debugging computer problems and managing hardware inventory. It captures a snapshot of hardware state and logs, then provides a permanent URL to view the probe. If a device lacks a driver, it can suggest a Linux kernel version or third-party driver using LKDDb data. Users can create an inventory ID and mark probes to locate their computers on Linux-Hardware.org. Its monitoring command schedules a daily cron probe and emails alerts about operating-system failures, configuration changes, and hardware degradation. Optional tests check graphics, drive read speed, CPU performance, and RAM. Installation options include AppImage, Docker, Snap, Flatpak, Live CD/USB, and native packages. Uploads use HTTPS; selected logs can be disabled, and private details are decorated before upload, though edge-case failures are acknowledged. MAC addresses and serial numbers are represented by prefixes of salted SHA-512 hashes. The tool is dual-licensed under LGPL-2.1-or-later and BSD-4-Clause. The Snap package runs in a sandbox with limited functionality.