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Do a presentation at NTLUG.
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- Debian Project Leader Election 2025 results
The Debian Project Leader election resultshave been announced. AndreasTille has been re-elected and will serve another term throughApril 2026. LWN looked at the election andcandidates in early April.
- [$] Some __nonstring__ turbulence
New compiler releases often bring with them new warnings; those warningsare usually welcome, since they help developers find problems before theyturn into nasty bugs. Adapting to new warnings can also create disruptionin the development process, though, especially when an important developerupgrades to a new compiler at an unfortunate time. This is just thescenario that played out with the 6.15-rc3kernel release and the implementation of-Wunterminated-string-initialization in GCC 15.
- [$] Freezing filesystems for suspend
Sometimes worms have a tendency to multiply once their can is opened.James Bottomley recently encountered that situation; he led a session inthe filesystem track at the 2025 Linux Storage, Filesystem, MemoryManagement, and BPF Summit (LSFMM+BPF) to discuss filesystem behavior withrespect to suspending and resuming the system. As he noted in his topicproposal, he came at the problem because he needed a way toresynchronize the contents of efivarfsafter a system resume and thought there should be an API available to use.But, as the resulting thread shows, the filesystem freeze and thaw code hadnever been used by the system-wide suspend and resume code. Due to ascheduling mixup, though, several of us missed Bottomley's session,including Luis Chamberlain who has been working on hooking those two piecesup; what follows is largely from a second session that Chamberlain led,with some background information from the topic-proposal discussion and anemail exchange with Bottomley.
- Security updates for Thursday
Security updates have been issued by Debian (haproxy and openrazer), Fedora (c-ares and mingw-poppler), Red Hat (thunderbird), SUSE (epiphany, ffmpeg-6, gopass, and libsoup-3_0-0), and Ubuntu (erlang, haproxy, libapache2-mod-auth-openidc, libarchive, linux, linux-aws, linux-azure, linux-azure-5.15, linux-azure-fde, linux-azure-fde-5.15, linux-gcp, linux-gke, linux-gkeop, linux-hwe-5.15, linux-ibm, linux-intel-iotg, linux-kvm, linux-lowlatency, linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.15, linux-nvidia, linux-nvidia-tegra, linux-nvidia-tegra-igx, linux-oracle, linux-raspi, linux, linux-aws, linux-azure, linux-azure-6.8, linux-ibm, linux-lowlatency, linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.8, linux-nvidia, linux-nvidia-6.8, linux-nvidia-lowlatency, linux-oem-6.8, linux-oracle, linux-oracle-6.8, linux-aws-6.8, linux-aws-fips, linux-fips, linux-gcp-fips, linux-azure-fips, linux-gcp, linux-gke, linux-gkeop, linux-gcp-6.8, linux-ibm-5.15, linux-intel-iot-realtime, linux-realtime, linux-intel-iotg-5.15, linux-realtime, perl, and yelp, yelp-xsl).
- [$] LWN.net Weekly Edition for April 24, 2025
Inside this week's LWN.net Weekly Edition:
Front: Owen Le Blanc and MCC; UID/GID drift; DMA for UIO; More LSFMM+BPF 2025 coverage. Briefs: EU OS; RISC-V Fedora; Ubuntu 25.04; NLnet funding; Template strings; Tor Browser 14.5; Quotes; ... Announcements: Newsletters, conferences, security updates, patches, and more.
- [$] Addressing UID/GID drift in rpm-ostree and bootc
The Fedora Project is looking for solutions to an interestingproblem with its image-based editions and spins, such as the Atomic Desktopsor CoreOS, that arecreated with rpm-ostree or bootc. If a package thatis part of a image-based version has a user or group createddynamically on installation, and it owns files installed on thesystem, the system may be subject to user ID (UID) and group ID (GID) "drift"on updates. This "UID/GID drift" may come about when a new image withupdates is generated, and therefore files may have the wrongownership. This can have side-effects ranging from mildly inconvenient toserious. No solutions have been adopted just yet, but there are a fewideas on how to deal with the problem.
- NLnet announces funding for 42 FOSS projects
The NLnet Foundation has announcedthe projects that have received funding from its October callfor grant proposals from the NextGeneration Internet (NGI) Zero Commons Fund.
The selected projects all contribute, one way or another, to themission of the Commons Fund: reclaiming the public nature of theinternet. For example, there are people working on interesting openhardware projects such as the tablet MNT Reform Touchand the SolarFemtoTX motherboard — a collaborative effort to create anultra-low power motherboard that can run on solar power. LLM2FPGA aims to enablerunning open source LLMs locally on programmable chips ("FPGAs") usinga fully open-source toolchain. bcachefsreadies itself as the next generation filesystem for Linux, improvingperformance, scalability and reliability when compared to legacyfilesystems.
In all, 42 projects have been selected for the NGI grants which arebetween €5,000 and €50,000. See the announcement for thefull list of selected projects, and the current projects pagefor other recent projects funded by NLnet.
- [$] VFS write barriers
In the filesystem track at the 2025 Linux Storage, Filesystem, MemoryManagement, and BPF Summit (LSFMM+BPF), Amir Goldstein wanted to resumediscussinga feature that he had briefly introduced at the end of a 2023 summit session: filesystem "writebarriers". The idea is to have an operation that would wait for anyin-flight write()system calls, but not block any new write() calls as biggerhammers, such as freezing the filesystem,would do. His prototype implementation is used by a hierarchicalstorage management (HSM) system to create a crash-consistentchange log, but there may be other use cases to consider. He wantedto discuss implementation options and the possibility of providing anAPI for user-space applications.
- Security updates for Wednesday
Security updates have been issued by AlmaLinux (bluez, expat, and postgresql:12), Fedora (chromium, golang, LibRaw, moodle, openiked, ruby, and trafficserver), Red Hat (bluez, expat, gnutls, libtasn1, libxslt, mod_auth_openidc, mod_auth_openidc:2.3, ruby:3.1, thunderbird, and xmlrpc-c), and Ubuntu (linux, linux-aws, linux-gcp, linux-hwe-6.11, linux-lowlatency, linux-lowlatency-hwe-6.11, linux-oem-6.11, linux-oracle, linux-raspi, linux-realtime, linux-azure, linux-azure-6.11, linux-gcp-6.8, and matrix-synapse).
- [$] Code signing for BPF programs
The Linux kernel can be configured so thatkernel modules must be signed orotherwise authenticated to be loadedinto the kernel. Some BPF developers want that to be an option for BPF programsas well — after all, if those are going to run as part of the kernel,they should be subject to the same code-signing requirements. Blaise Boscaccyand Cong Wang presented two different visions for how BPF code signing couldwork at the 2025 Linux Storage, Filesystem, Memory-Management, and BPF Summit.
- Reclaiming Proxmox Storage Disk Space via Linux CLI
Managing storage in Proxmox VE can be challenging, especially when disk space usage doesn’t match expectations. This guide provides practical commands to analyze Proxmox storage from the Linux command line, identify space usage by virtual machines and containers, detect unaccounted storage space, and troubleshoot common storage issues to help optimize your Proxmox environment.
- Self-Hosted Finance Management: Setting Up Firefly III with Docker
Self-hosted budgeting applications provide complete control over your financial data while offering powerful tools to manage your personal finances. Firefly III is one of the best open-source options available, featuring comprehensive expense tracking, budgeting capabilities, and insightful reporting. This tutorial will guide you through setting up Firefly III using Docker on Debian or Ubuntu systems.
- What Is My Server Address?
Have you ever asked yourself, ‘What is my server address?’ This post explains the ins and outs of server IP addresses, their importance, and usage on a Linux-based OS. Every server or computer connected to the Internet has an IP address. Even machines without Internet connections possess local IP addresses.
- Waymo Reports 250,000 Paid Robotaxi Rides Per Week In US
Waymo is now providing over 250,000 paid robotaxi rides per week in the U.S., up from 200,000 in February, as it expands into cities like Austin and grows partnerships with Uber and automakers. CNBC reports: "We can't possibly do it all ourselves," said Pichai on a call with analysts for Alphabet's first-quarter earnings. Pichai noted that Waymo has not entirely defined its long-term business model, and there is "future optionality around personal ownership" of vehicles equipped with Waymo's self-driving technology. The company is also exploring the ways it can scale up its operations, he said. The 250,000 paid rides per week are up from 200,000 in February, before Waymo opened in Austin and expanded in the San Francisco Bay Area in March. Waymo, which is part of Alphabet's Other Bets segment, is already running its commercial, driverless ride-hailing services in the San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin regions.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- US Agency To Ease Self-Driving Vehicle Deployment Hurdles, Retain Reporting Rules
The Trump administration introduced a new framework to expedite self-driving vehicle deployment by reducing regulatory hurdles, while maintaining mandatory safety incident reporting. NHTSA is also expanding its exemption program, allowing domestically produced autonomous vehicles lacking traditional safety controls to operate on U.S. roads. Reuters reports: The Trump administration said Thursday it aims to speed up the deployment of self-driving vehicles but will maintain rules requiring reporting of safety incidents involving advanced vehicles. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy on Thursday released a new framework to boost autonomous vehicles. "This administration understands that we're in a race with China to out-innovate, and the stakes couldn't be higher," Duffy said. "Our new framework will slash red tape." The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said it will expand a program to exempt some self-driving vehicles from all safety requirements and will streamline but continue its requirement that vehicles equipped with certain advanced driver assistance systems or self-driving systems report safety incidents. NHTSA is expanding its Automated Vehicle Exemption Program to now include domestically produced vehicles that will allow companies to operate non-compliant imported vehicles on U.S. roads. It is currently only open to foreign assembled models.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- You'll Soon Manage a Team of AI Agents, Says Microsoft's Work Trend Report
ZipNada shares a report from ZDNet: Microsoft's latest research identifies a new type of organization known as the Frontier Firm, where on-demand intelligence requirements are managed by hybrid teams of AI agents and humans. The report identified real productivity gains from implementing AI into organizations, with one of the biggest being filling the capacity gap -- as many as 80% of the global workforce, both employees and leaders, report having too much work to do, but not enough time or energy to do it. ... According to the report, business leaders need to separate knowledge workers from knowledge work, acknowledging that humans who can complete higher-level tasks, such as creativity and judgment, should not be stuck answering emails. Rather, in the same way working professionals say they send emails or create pivot tables, soon they will be able to say they create and manage agents -- and Frontier Firms are showing the potential possibilities of this approach. ... "Everyone will need to manage agents," said Cambron. "I think it's exciting to me to think that, you know, with agents, every early-career person will be able to experience management from day one, from their first job."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Employee Monitoring App Leaks 21 Million Screenshots In Real Time
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Cybernews: Researchers at Cybernews have uncovered a major privacy breach involving WorkComposer, a workplace surveillance app used by over 200,000 people across countless companies. The app, designed to track productivity by logging activity and snapping regular screenshots of employees' screens, left over 21 million images exposed in an unsecured Amazon S3 bucket, broadcasting how workers go about their day frame by frame. The leaked data is extremely sensitive, as millions of screenshots from employees' devices could not only expose full-screen captures of emails, internal chats, and confidential business documents, but also contain login pages, credentials, API keys, and other sensitive information that could be exploited to attack businesses worldwide. After the company was contacted, access to the unsecured database was secured. An official comment has yet to be received.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Microsoft Brings Native PyTorch Arm Support To Windows Devices
Microsoft has announced native PyTorch support for Windows on Arm devices with the release of PyTorch 2.7, making it significantly easier for developers to build and run machine learning models directly on Arm-powered Windows machines. This eliminates the need for manual compilation and opens up performance gains for AI tasks like image classification, NLP, and generative AI. Neowin reports: With the release of PyTorch 2.7, native Arm builds for Windows on Arm are now readily available for Python 3.12. This means developers can simply install PyTorch using a standard package manager like pip. According to Microsoft: "This unlocks the potential to leverage the full performance of Arm64 architecture on Windows devices, like Copilot+ PCs, for machine learning experimentation, providing a robust platform for developers and researchers to innovate and refine their models."
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- AMD Publishes Open-Source GIM Driver For GPU Virtualization, Radeon 'In The Roadmap'
AMD has open-sourced its "GPU-IOV Module" for enabling SR-IOV-based virtualization on Instinct accelerators using the Linux kernel and KVM hypervisor, with features like GPU scheduling and VF/PF management. Notably, AMD plans to extend this virtualization support to client Radeon GPUs. Phoronix reports: The AMD GPU-IOV Module is for the Linux kernel and for providing SR-IOV based hardware virtualization in conjunction with the KVM hypervisor. GIM provides the GPU IOV virtualization, virtual function (VF) configuration and enablement, GPU scheduling for world switch, hang detection and FLR reset, and PF/VF handshake capabilities. Initially the AMD GIM driver is for the Instinct MI300X hardware and tested atop Ubuntu 22.04 LTS with ROCm 6.4. Those interested can find the AMD GIM code currently via GitHub. It's not laid out in the repository or any other public communications I've seen what any upstreaming plans are for this GIM driver to get it into the mainline Linux kernel.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- New Android Spyware Is Targeting Russian Military Personnel On the Front Lines
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: Russian military personnel are being targeted with recently discovered Android malware that steals their contacts and tracks their location. The malware is hidden inside a modified app for Alpine Quest mapping software, which is used by, among others, hunters, athletes, and Russian personnel stationed in the war zone in Ukraine. The app displays various topographical maps for use online and offline. The trojanized Alpine Quest app is being pushed on a dedicated Telegram channel and in unofficial Android app repositories. The chief selling point of the trojanized app is that it provides a free version of Alpine Quest Pro, which is usually available only to paying users. The malicious module is named Android.Spy.1292.origin. In a blog post, researchers at Russia-based security firm Dr.Web wrote: "Because Android.Spy.1292.origin is embedded into a copy of the genuine app, it looks and operates as the original, which allows it to stay undetected and execute malicious tasks for longer periods of time. Each time it is launched, the trojan collects and sends the following data to the C&C server: - the user's mobile phone number and their accounts; - contacts from the phonebook; - the current date; - the current geolocation; - information about the files stored on the device; - the app's version." If there are files of interest to the threat actors, they can update the app with a module that steals them. The threat actors behind Android.Spy.1292.origin are particularly interested in confidential documents sent over Telegram and WhatsApp. They also show interest in the file locLog, the location log created by Alpine Quest. The modular design of the app makes it possible for it to receive additional updates that expand its capabilities even further.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- South Korea Says DeepSeek Transferred User Data, Prompts Without Consent
South Korea's data protection authority said on Thursday that Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek transferred user information and prompts without permission when the service was still available for download in the country's app market. From a report: The Personal Information Protection Commission said in a statement that Hangzhou DeepSeek Artificial Intelligence Co Ltd did not obtain user consent while transferring personal information to a number of companies in China and the United States at the time of its South Korean launch in January.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Apple To Strip Secret Robotics Unit From AI Chief Weeks After Moving Siri
An anonymous reader shares a report: Apple will remove its secret robotics unit from the command of its artificial intelligence chief, the latest shake-up in response to the company's AI struggles. Apple plans to relocate the robotics team from John Giannandrea's AI organization to the hardware division later this month, according to people with knowledge of the move. That will place it under Senior Vice President John Ternus, who oversees hardware engineering, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the change isn't public. The pending shift will mark the second major project to be removed from Giannandrea in the past month: The company stripped the flailing Siri voice assistant from his purview in March.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- India's Delhi Plans To Curb Gasoline Car Sales, Ban Gas-Guzzling Bikes To Shed Polluter Tag
India's capital New Delhi plans to limit gasoline and diesel-powered cars a family can buy as well as ban sales of fuel-guzzling motorbikes and scooters, according to a draft policy aimed at cleaning up one of the world's most polluted cities. From a report: The measures represent one of the most drastic steps the city has lined up to tackle pollution, which often forces local authorities to ban some construction, shut schools and disrupt flights in the city of more than 30 million people during the winter season. Under Delhi's new electric vehicle policy, the city government will also waive some local taxes on the purchase of hybrids, putting them on par with concessions given to EVs, while imposing a new levy of 0.5 rupees ($0.0059) on every litre of petrol sales, according to the 74-page draft seen by Reuters. The primary objective "is to unlock the next phase of EV adoption, reduce air pollution and contribute to India's energy independence and net-zero targets," the draft stated.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Microsoft mystery folder fix might need a fix of its own
This one weird trick can stop Windows updates dead in their tracks
Turns out Microsoft's latest patch job might need a patch of its own, again. This time, the culprit is a mysterious inetpub folder quietly deployed by Redmond, now hijacked by a security researcher to break Windows updates.…
- Decades-old bug in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas finally shows itself
Something broke on Windows 11 24H2, but dev who discovered it tells El Reg this time Microsoft's not to blame
Microsoft's Windows 11 24H2 update is frustrating some users, but it isn't the operating system at fault this time. Instead, it's down to a 20-year-old error in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.…
- Qualcomm says license fight was because Arm wants to make its own server chips
Alleges semi designer tried to obstruct Qualy's build of Arm-compatible custom cores
Qualcomm has amended its complaint against Arm in a 2024 lawsuit, adding more allegations about Arm's purported breach of license agreements and accusing it of "misrepresenting" their relationship by intending to make its own rival chips.…
- Security: Why Linux Is Better Than Windows Or Mac OS
Linux is a free and open source operating system that was released in 1991 developed and released by Linus Torvalds. Since its release it has reached a user base that is greatly widespread worldwide. Linux users swear by the reliability and freedom that this operating system offers, especially when compared to its counterparts, windows and [0]
- Essential Software That Are Not Available On Linux OS
An operating system is essentially the most important component in a computer. It manages the different hardware and software components of a computer in the most effective way. There are different types of operating system and everything comes with their own set of programs and software. You cannot expect a Linux program to have all [0]
- Things You Never Knew About Your Operating System
The advent of computers has brought about a revolution in our daily life. From computers that were so huge to fit in a room, we have come a very long way to desktops and even palmtops. These machines have become our virtual lockers, and a life without these network machines have become unimaginable. Sending mails, [0]
- How To Fully Optimize Your Operating System
Computers and systems are tricky and complicated. If you lack a thorough knowledge or even basic knowledge of computers, you will often find yourself in a bind. You must understand that something as complicated as a computer requires constant care and constant cleaning up of junk files. Unless you put in the time to configure [0]
- The Top Problems With Major Operating Systems
There is no such system which does not give you any problems. Even if the system and the operating system of your system is easy to understand, there will be some times when certain problems will arise. Most of these problems are easy to handle and easy to get rid of. But you must be [0]
- 8 Benefits Of Linux OS
Linux is a small and a fast-growing operating system. However, we can’t term it as software yet. As discussed in the article about what can a Linux OS do Linux is a kernel. Now, kernels are used for software and programs. These kernels are used by the computer and can be used with various third-party software [0]
- Things Linux OS Can Do That Other OS Cant
What Is Linux OS? Linux, similar to U-bix is an operating system which can be used for various computers, hand held devices, embedded devices, etc. The reason why Linux operated system is preferred by many, is because it is easy to use and re-use. Linux based operating system is technically not an Operating System. Operating [0]
- Packagekit Interview
Packagekit aims to make the management of applications in the Linux and GNU systems. The main objective to remove the pains it takes to create a system. Along with this in an interview, Richard Hughes, the developer of Packagekit said that he aims to make the Linux systems just as powerful as the Windows or [0]
- What’s New in Ubuntu?
What Is Ubuntu? Ubuntu is open source software. It is useful for Linux based computers. The software is marketed by the Canonical Ltd., Ubuntu community. Ubuntu was first released in late October in 2004. The Ubuntu program uses Java, Python, C, C++ and C# programming languages. What Is New? The version 17.04 is now available here [0]
- Ext3 Reiserfs Xfs In Windows With Regards To Colinux
The problem with Windows is that there are various limitations to the computer and there is only so much you can do with it. You can access the Ext3 Reiserfs Xfs by using the coLinux tool. Download the tool from the official site or from the sourceforge site. Edit the connection to “TAP Win32 Adapter [0]
- Oddly, in defense of Google keeping Chrome
As much as Im a fan of breaking up Google, Im not entirely sure carving Chrome out of Google without a further plan for what happens to the browser is a great idea. I mean, Google is bad, but but things could be so, so much worse. OpenAI would be interested in buying Googles Chrome if antitrust enforcers are successful in forcing the Alphabet unit to sell the popular web browser as part of a bid to restore competition in search, an OpenAI executive testified on Tuesday at Googles antitrust trial in Washington. ↫ Jody Godoy at Reuters OpenAI is not the only AI! vulture circling the skies. Perplexity Chief Business Officer Dmitry Shevelenko said he didn’t want to testify in a trial about how to resolve Google’s search monopoly because he feared retribution from Google. But after being subpoenaed to appear in court, he seized the moment to pitch a business opportunity for his AI company: buying Chrome. ↫ Lauren Feiner at the Verge Or, you know, what about, I dont know, fucking Yahoo!? Legacy search brand Yahoo has been working on its own web browser prototype, and says it would like to buy Google’s Chrome if the company is forced by a court to sell it. ↫ Lauren Feiner at the Verge If the courts really want Google to divest Chrome, the least-worst position it could possibly end up is in some sort of open source foundation or similar legal construction, where no one company has total control over the worlds most popular browser. Of course, such a construction isnt exactly ideal either it will become a battleground of corporate interests soaked with the blood of ordinary users but anything, anything is better than cud peddlers like OpenAI or whatever the hell Yahoo! even is these days. As users, we really should not want Google to be forced to divest Chrome at this point in time. No matter the outcome, users are going to be screwed even harder than if it were to stay with Google. I hate to say this, but I dont see an option thats better than having Chrome remain part of Google. The big problem here is that there is no coherent strategy to deal with the big technology companies in the United States. Were looking at individual lawsuits where judges and medieval nonsense like juries try to deal with individual companies, which, even if, say, Google gets broken up, would do nothing but strengthen the other big technology companies. If, I dont know, Android suddenly had to make it on its own as a company, its not users who would benefit, but Apple. Is that the goal of antitrust? What you really need to deal with the inordinate power of the big technology companies is legislation that deals with the sector as a whole, instead of letting random courts and people forced to do jury duty decide what to do with Google or Amazon or whatever. The European Union is doing this to great success so far, getting all the major players to make sweeping changes to the benefit of users in the EU. If the United States is serious about dealing with the abusive behaviour of the big technology companies, its going to need to draft and pass legislation similar to the European Unions DMA and DSA. Of course, thats not going to happen. The United States Congress is broken beyond repair, the US president and his gaggle of incompetents are too busy destroying the US economy and infecting children with measles, and the big tech companies themselves are just bribing US politicians in broad daylight. The odds of the US being able to draft and pass effective big tech antitrust regulations is lower than zero. OpenAI Chrome. You feeling better yet about the open web?
- Steam to highlight accessibility support for games on store pages
The Steam store and desktop client will soon be able to help players find games that feature accessibility support. If your game has accessibility features, you can now enter that information in the Steamworks edit store section for your app. ↫ Steam announcements page I have a lot of criticism for the Steam client application its a overly complex, unattractive, buggy, slow, top-heavy Chrome engine wrapped in an ugly user interface but this is a great change and very welcome addition to Steam. Basically, with this, game developers can indicate which accessibility features their game has, allowing users to specifically search for those features, create filters, make sure they can play the game before buying, and so on. The client-side part of the feature is not yet available it seems Valve is giving developers some time to fill in the necessary information but once it is, youll be able to tell at a glance what accessibility a game has. Such information on the store page of games tends to be a great marketing tool, with reviews quickly pointing out if certain expected features are not present. Any game that lacks support for the Steam Deck or Proton, for instance, will often have a few reviews at the top mentioning as such, and games with invasive DRM cant get away with that either without reviews on Steam pointing it out. I wouldnt be surprised if these accessibility feature listings well quickly become another thing users will simply expect to be there. Regardless, this is great news for people who rely on such features, but even if you dont specifically accessibility features are often just useful features, period.
- A tour inside the IBM z17
Welcome to a photo-driven tour of the IBM z17. Ive scoured the image library to pull dig deep inside these machines that most people dont get an opportunity to see inside, and Ill share some of the specifications gleaned from the announcement and related Redbooks. ↫ Elizabeth K. Joseph at the IBM community website These IBM mainframes dont have to be beautiful, but they always are. I wish I could see a z17 up close hopefully IBM will release a detailed video walkthrough of one of these at some point, including taking one apart and putting it back together.
- Fedora change proposal would remove the X11 GNOME session from Fedora 43
Im sure this wont make anybody mad, and we can all have a reasonable discussion about this. A change proposal for Fedora suggests Fedora should drop the X11 GNOME session from Fedora 43, moving GNOMEs target of removing X11 in GNOME 50 to the Fedora release carrying GNOME 49. Fedora 43 will be released in roughly six months. The reasoning behind the proposal should be no surprise. This Change effectively implements the GNOME 50 target in GNOME 49 because there is no one to support any issues with GNOME X11 upstream. The X11 session is already quite buggy, with serious unfixed issues in Mutter (like rhbz#2179566 and glgo#GNOME/mutter#3868) and recently Phoronix could not benchmark GNOME X11 vs Wayland because GNOME on X11 wasnt even working due to bugs!. Dropping the GNOME X11 session now allows us to reconcile with reality that the GNOME X11 session is simply not supported anymore (either by us or upstream GNOME). ↫ Fedora change proposal If youre still using legacy X11 on Fedora GNOME for some reason, upgrading to Fedora 43 would mean being moved to Wayland. If you would want to continue using X11, youd need to install a different login manager than GDM, and a desktop environment that still supports X11 (like Cinnamon or Xfce). Since all of this is the plan anyway, what this proposal effectively does is move the removal of X11 from Fedora GNOME ahead by six months. Do note that this is only a change proposal for now, and it will have to be voted on and agreed upon before it becomes official policy. This is just yet another nail in the coffin of X11 on Linux, as more and more distributions and desktop environments move to eliminate it entirely from their installations and stacks in favour of Wayland. Big concerns here for some X11 users are definitely accessibility, where tools are still relatively young, and to a lesser degree NVIDIA users, whose GPU drivers are a bit of a mess when it comes to Wayland. To this day, NVIDIA with Wayland can be very hit or miss. Regardless, we all know which way the winds blowing.
- TacOS: an x86_64 UNIX-like OS from scratch
TacOS is a UNIX-like kernel which is able to run DOOM, among various other smaller userspace programs. It has things like a VFS, scheduler, TempFS, devices, context switching, virtual memory management, physical page frame allocation, and a port of Doom. It runs both on real hardware (tested on my laptop) and in the Qemu emulator. ↫ TacOS GitHub page TacOS great name is written in C, and explicitly a hobby and toy project. The codes licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0.
- How a 20 year old bug in GTA San Andreas surfaced in Windows 11 24H2
The headline sets the stage, and the article delivers. This was the most interesting bug I’ve encountered for a while. I initially had a hard time believing that a bug like this would directly tie to a specific OS release, but I was proven completely wrong. At the end of the day, it was a simple bug in San Andreas and this function should have never worked right, and yet, at least on PC it hid itself for two decades. This is an interesting lesson in compatibility: even changes to the stack layout of the internal implementations can have compatibility implications if an application is bugged and unintentionally relies on a specific behavior. This is also not the first time I encountered issues like this: regular visitors might remember Bully: Scholarship Edition which famously broke on Windows 10, for very similar reasons. Just like in this case, Bully should have never worked properly to begin with, but instead, it got away with making incorrect assumptions for years, before changes in Windows 10 finally made it run out of luck. ↫ Adrian Zdanowicz Incredible story.
- The wonderful world of Linux package managers
One of the strong points of Linux has always been how solid the experience of installing and managing software is. Contrarily to what happens in the Windows and macOS world, software on Linux is obtained through something called a package manager, a piece of software that manages any piece of software the user installs, as well as its dependencies, automatically. ↫ Luca Bramè at Libre.News It truly is. I cant imagine using any operating system that relies (almost) exclusively on me going out to individual websites to download random installers or disk images, all with their own unique update mechanisms I need to keep track of, that eat up resources and interrupt my workflow. The combination of Fedoras repositorys with the odd Copr or Flatpak package all managed transparently through KDEs Discover is effectively perfect. I never have to manually install anything, nor do I ever have to rely on tarballs like back in the dark ages. Dealing with a Windows or macOS machine is a nightmare compared to this. Managing applications on those operating systems feels hopelessly archaic and outdated, and I have no idea how users tolerate that kind of nonsense. Theyve got a dozen or more updaters running in the background, cluttering up the system tray and eating resources, or whenever they open an application they get an annoying popup interrupting their work to ask them to update. Its barbaric and user-hostile, and nobody should be dealing with that in 2025. Its also highly unlikely things will ever improve for Windows or macOS users, since any attempt to bolt a package manager into them invariably fails. The official Windows and macOS application stores have been abject failures in more ways than one, and tools like winget are just glorified download managers that run regular installers in silent mode incredibly crude and only really good for batch-downloading some installers. The Linux world is far from perfect, but they nailed application management early on, and the competition has basically sat still ever since.
- European Commission: Apples Core Technology Fee and other hurdles are illegal under the DMA
The fines werent the only Digital Markets Act news coming from this fine continent today. The European Commission also closed its investigation into Apples user choice obligations under the DMA, and while Apple has made good progress in a few areas, the EC states Apple is still acting illegally in a variety of others. First, the good news for Apple: the European Commission is happy with Apples changes regarding browser choice, the ability to remove preinstalled iOS applications, and the ability to change a whole bunch of default settings that are all locked outside of the EU. These are valuable and welcome changes, and Im glad the European Union, the European Parliament, and the Commission have forced Apple to become less hostile to European consumers. Second, theres the bad news for Apple. Under the DMA, Apple is obligated to allow for third-party application stores, and the ability for users to download and install applications directly from the internet. In this area, Apple is still breaking European Union law. The Commission takes the preliminary view that Apple failed to comply with this obligation in view of the conditions it imposes on app (and app store) developers. Developers wanting to use alternative app distribution channels on iOS are disincentivised from doing so as this requires them to opt for business terms which include a new fee (Apples Core Technology Fee). Apple also introduced overly strict eligibility requirements, hampering developers ability to distribute their apps through alternative channels. Finally, Apple makes it overly burdensome and confusing for end users to install apps when using such alternative app distribution channels. ↫ European Commission press release This outcome was entirely expected, and pretty much everyone except Apples PR attack dogs knew Apples malicious compliance, fees, and onerous hurdles were going to be a hard sell. Im glad the European Commission seems unimpressed with Trumps sabre-rattling about the EUs consumer protection laws, and is continuing to whip US tech companies in line, making sure they stop violating our consumer protection laws. Since these are the outcomes of a preliminary investigation, Apple now has the chance to argue its case.
- Apple fined for €500 million by EC, Facebook for €200 million
The European Commission has levied fines against both Apple and Facebook for violating the Digital Markets Act. Apple has to pay a €500 million fine, and Facebook a €200 million fine. Apple is breaking EU law by not allowing application developers to inform users of other offers outside the App Store. The Commission found that Apple fails to comply with this obligation. Due to a number of restrictions imposed by Apple, app developers cannot fully benefit from the advantages of alternative distribution channels outside the App Store. Similarly, consumers cannot fully benefit from alternative and cheaper offers as Apple prevents app developers from directly informing consumers of such offers. The company has failed to demonstrate that these restrictions are objectively necessary and proportionate. ↫ European Commission press release Not only is Apple ordered to pay the €500 million fine, they also have to remove any and all of the illegal restrictions they put in place. Facebook, meanwhile, was fined for not offering an equally functional services but without combining user data from different services. The company did offer a choice between paying and not paying whereby the latter involved data collection and combination but this model violated the DMA. The Commission found that this model is not compliant with the DMA, as it did not give users the required specific choice to opt for a service that uses less of their personal data but is otherwise equivalent to the ‘personalised ads service. Metas model also did not allow users to exercise their right to freely consent to the combination of their personal data. ↫ European Commission press release Facebook did later amend their model to make it compliant with the DMA, and so the fine only covers the few months Facebook was violating EU law. Fun additional note: the EC also mentions that the Facebook Marketplace is no longer a gatekeeper service under the DMA, since its user numbers has dropped below the threshold. Facebook seems to be having some engagement issues in Europe, and you love to hear it. Both companies are required to pay and comply within 60 days, or further periodic penalty payments will be levied.
- Linux on IBM Z and LinuxONE open source software report
Linux on IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE use the s390x hardware architecture to run various Linux distributions, including SUSE Linux Enterprise Server (SLES), Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL), and Ubuntu. Tens of thousands of software packages are tested and distributed through these projects, and various community distributions. ↫ Elizabeth K. Joseph at the IBM community website Various Linux distributions are available for the s390x architecture, but physical access to such hardware from IBM is, of course, relatively limited. As such, its great that IBM tests a variety of open source packages for Linux on s390x, and details the results. If you go to this table, youll find the detailed list of tested packages, which mostly focuses on development and enterprise software. IBM also offers virtual machine access to s390x hardware, and you can get such access for free for 120 days, allowing you to test Red Hat, SUSE, and Ubuntu on IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE. This could definitely make for a fun weekend project to mess around with.
- Debugging and Profiling Linux Applications with GDB and strace
by George Whittaker
Debugging and profiling are critical skills in a developer's toolbox, especially when working with low-level system applications. Whether you're tracking down a segmentation fault in a C program or understanding why a daemon fails silently, mastering tools like GDB (GNU Debugger) and strace can dramatically improve your efficiency and understanding of program behavior.
In this guide, we’ll dive deep into these two powerful tools, exploring how they work, how to use them effectively, and how they complement each other in diagnosing and resolving complex issues.
The Essence of Debugging and ProfilingWhat is Debugging?
Debugging is the systematic process of identifying, isolating, and fixing bugs—errors or unexpected behaviors in your code. It’s an integral part of development that ensures software quality and stability. While high-level languages may offer interactive debuggers, compiled languages like C and C++ often require robust tools like GDB for line-by-line inspection.
What is Profiling?
Profiling, on the other hand, is about performance analysis. It helps you understand where your application spends time, which functions are called frequently, and how system resources are being utilized. While GDB can aid in debugging, strace provides a view of how a program interacts with the operating system, making it ideal for performance tuning and root cause analysis of runtime issues.
Getting Hands-On with GDBWhat is GDB?
GDB is the standard debugger for GNU systems. It allows you to inspect the internal state of a program while it’s running or after it crashes. With GDB, you can set breakpoints, step through code, inspect variables, view call stacks, and even modify program execution flow.
Preparing Your Program
To make your program debuggable with GDB, compile it with debug symbols using the -g flag:
gcc -g -o myapp myapp.c
This embeds symbol information like function names, variable types, and line numbers, which are essential for meaningful debugging.
Basic GDB Commands
Here are some fundamental commands you'll use frequently:
gdb ./myapp # Start GDB with your program run # Start the program inside GDB break main # Set a breakpoint at the 'main' function break filename:line# Break at specific line next # Step over a function step # Step into a function continue # Resume program execution print varname # Inspect the value of a variable backtrace # Show the current function call stack quit # Exit GDB
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- Debian Package Management: Aptitude vs. Apt-Get in Ubuntu
by George Whittaker
Package management is at the heart of every Linux system. It’s what makes installing, updating, and managing software on Linux-based distributions not just possible but streamlined and elegant. For users of Debian and its popular derivative Ubuntu, two powerful tools often stand at the center of debate: apt-get and aptitude. Though both are capable of managing packages effectively, they have unique characteristics that make them better suited to different use cases.
This article provides a comparison of apt-get and aptitude, helping you understand their roles, differences, and when to use one over the other.
Understanding the Debian Package Management Ecosystem
Before diving into the specifics, it's helpful to understand the ecosystem in which both tools operate.
What is a Package Manager?
A package manager is software that automates the process of installing, upgrading, configuring, and removing software packages from a computer. In Debian-based systems, packages are distributed in .deb format.
The APT System
APT, or Advanced Package Tool, is the foundation of package management in Debian-based systems. It works with core components such as:
dpkg – the base tool that installs and manages .deb files
apt-get / apt – command-line front-ends for retrieving and managing packages from repositories
apt-cache – used for searching and querying package information
aptitude – a higher-level package manager that interacts with APT and dpkg under the hood
What is apt-get?A Brief History
apt-get has been a trusted part of Debian since the late 1990s. It was designed to provide a consistent command-line interface to the APT system and has been widely used in scripts and system automation.
Core Features
Handles package installation, upgrade, and removal
Fetches and resolves dependencies automatically
Interacts directly with APT repositories
Common Commands
Here are some frequently used apt-get commands:
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- Ubuntu Unity vs. GNOME: Choosing the Right Ubuntu Experience for Your Workflow
by George Whittaker
Ubuntu is one of the most popular Linux distributions, renowned for its ease of use, extensive community support, and frequent updates. While the core of Ubuntu remains consistent, the desktop environment—what users interact with visually—can vary. Two prominent options for Ubuntu users are Unity and GNOME. Each offers a distinct experience with unique design philosophies, features, and workflows.
Whether you're a seasoned Linux user or a curious newcomer, understanding the differences between Unity and GNOME can help you tailor your Ubuntu setup to better suit your needs. This article explores both environments to help you make an informed choice.
A Tale of Two Desktops: History and EvolutionUnity: Canonical's Custom Vision
Unity was first introduced by Canonical in 2010 with the release of Ubuntu 10.10 Netbook Edition. It was developed to create a consistent user experience across desktop and mobile devices, long before convergence became a buzzword.
Unity became Ubuntu’s default desktop starting with Ubuntu 11.04. Its vertical launcher, global menu, and Dash search aimed to improve efficiency and streamline user interaction. However, despite its innovation, Unity had its critics. Performance issues on lower-end hardware and resistance to change from GNOME users caused friction in the community.
In 2017, Canonical made the unexpected decision to abandon Unity development and return to GNOME, starting with Ubuntu 17.10. But Unity didn’t disappear—it was adopted by the open source community and lives on in the form of Ubuntu Unity, an official Ubuntu flavor.
GNOME: The Linux Standard
GNOME is one of the oldest and most respected desktop environments in the Linux ecosystem. Launched in 1999, it focuses on simplicity, accessibility, and ease of use. The release of GNOME 3 in 2011 marked a major redesign, introducing GNOME Shell, which departed from the traditional desktop metaphor in favor of a more modern and minimal interface.
GNOME became the default Ubuntu desktop again in 2017 and has since seen continuous refinement. With support from major distributions like Fedora, Debian, and Ubuntu, GNOME enjoys a broad user base and robust development activity.
Interface Design and User ExperienceUnity: Efficiency Meets Innovation
Unity's interface is distinct and immediately recognizable. Here are some key components:
Launcher (Dock): Positioned vertically on the left side, the Launcher holds pinned and running applications. It’s space-efficient and easily navigated via mouse or keyboard.
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- The Power of Linux Shell Environment Variables
by George Whittaker
If you're working in a Linux environment, chances are you've encountered environment variables—even if you didn’t realize it at the time. They quietly power much of what goes on behind the scenes in your shell sessions, influencing everything from what shell prompt you see to which programs are available when you type a command. Whether you're an experienced sysadmin or a new Linux user, mastering environment variables is essential for customizing and controlling your shell experience.
In this guide, we'll take a dive into environment variables in the Linux shell. By the end, you'll not only know how to view and set these variables, but also how to persist them, use them in scripts, and troubleshoot issues effectively.
What Are Environment Variables?
At a basic level, environment variables are dynamic named values that affect the behavior of running processes on your Linux system. Think of them as configuration settings that your shell (like Bash or Zsh) and applications refer to in order to understand how they should operate.
For example:
The PATH variable tells the shell where to look for executable files.
The HOME variable stores the path to your home directory.
The LANG variable defines your system’s language and character encoding.
Environment Variables vs Shell Variables
There is an important distinction between shell variables and environment variables:
Shell variables are local to the shell session in which they are defined.
Environment variables are shell variables that have been exported, meaning they are inherited by child processes spawned from the shell.
Viewing Environment Variables
Before you can modify or use environment variables, it's important to know how to inspect them.
View All Environment Variables
printenv
or
env
Both commands list environment variables currently set for the session.
View a Specific Variable
echo $HOME
This will display the current user's home directory.
View All Shell Variables
set
This command displays all shell variables and functions. It's broader than printenv.
Setting and Exporting Environment Variables
You can define your own variables or temporarily change existing ones within your shell.
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- Git on Linux: A Beginner’s Guide to Version Control and Project Management
by George Whittaker
Version control is a fundamental tool in modern software development, enabling teams and individuals to track, manage, and collaborate on projects with confidence. Whether you're working on a simple script or a large-scale application, keeping track of changes, collaborating with others, and rolling back to previous versions are essential aspects of development. Among various version control systems, Git has emerged as the most widely used and trusted tool — especially on Linux, where it integrates seamlessly with the system's workflow.
This guide will walk you through the basics of Git on Linux, explaining what Git is, how to install it, and how to start using it to manage your projects efficiently. Whether you're a new developer or transitioning from another system, this comprehensive introduction will help you get started with Git the right way.
What Is Git and Why Use It?
Git is a distributed version control system (DVCS) originally created by Linus Torvalds in 2005 to support the development of the Linux kernel. It allows developers to keep track of every change made to their source code, collaborate with other developers, and manage different versions of their projects over time.
Key Features of Git:
Distributed Architecture: Every user has a full copy of the repository, including its history. This means you can work offline and still have full version control capabilities.
Speed and Efficiency: Git is optimized for performance, handling large repositories and files with ease.
Branching and Merging: Git makes it easy to create and manage branches, allowing for efficient parallel development and experimentation.
Integrity and Security: Every change is checksummed and stored securely using SHA-1 hashing, ensuring that your project’s history cannot be tampered with.
Compared to older systems like Subversion (SVN) or CVS, Git offers far greater flexibility and is better suited to both small personal projects and large collaborative efforts.
Installing Git on Linux
Installing Git on Linux is straightforward thanks to package managers available in every major distribution.
For Ubuntu/Debian-based Systems:
sudo apt update sudo apt install git
For Fedora:
sudo dnf install git
For Arch Linux:
sudo pacman -S git
After installation, verify it with:
git --version
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- Mastering Linux File Permissions and Ownership
by George Whittaker
In the world of Linux, where multi-user systems and server security are foundational principles, understanding file permissions and ownership is crucial. Whether you're a beginner exploring your first Linux distribution or a seasoned system administrator managing critical servers, knowing how permissions work is key to ensuring the integrity, privacy, and functionality of your system.
This guide will take you deep into the core of Linux file permissions and ownership—what they are, how they work, how to modify them, and why they matter.
Why File Permissions and Ownership Matter in Linux
Linux is built from the ground up as a multi-user operating system. This means:
Multiple users can operate on the same system simultaneously.
Different users have different levels of access and control.
Without a permissions system, there would be no way to protect files from unauthorized access, modification, or deletion. File permissions and ownership form the first layer of defense against accidental or malicious activity.
Linux Permission Basics: Read, Write, Execute
Each file and directory in Linux has three basic types of permissions:
Read (r) – Permission to view the contents of a file or list the contents of a directory.
Write (w) – Permission to modify a file or create, rename, or delete files within a directory.
Execute (x) – For files, allows execution as a program or script. For directories, allows entering the directory (cd).
Permission Categories: User, Group, Others
Permissions are assigned to three distinct sets of users:
User (u) – The file's owner.
Group (g) – A group associated with the file.
Others (o) – Everyone else.
So for every file or directory, Linux evaluates nine permission bits, forming three sets of rwx, like so:
rwxr-xr--
This breakdown means:
rwx for the owner
r-x for the group
r-- for others
Understanding the Permission String
When you list files with ls -l, you’ll see something like this:
-rwxr-xr-- 1 alice developers 4096 Apr 4 14:00 script.sh
Let’s dissect it:
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- How to List Groups in Linux Like a Pro
by George Whittaker
In Linux, groups play a central role in managing user permissions and access control. Whether you're an experienced system administrator or a curious new user, understanding how to list and analyze group information is a fundamental skill. This guide explores everything you need to know about listing groups in Linux, using a variety of tools and techniques to get exactly the information you need.
What Are Groups in Linux and Why Do They Matter?
Linux is a multi-user operating system, and one of its strengths lies in the fine-grained control it offers over who can do what. Groups are a way to organize users so that multiple people can share access to files, devices, or system privileges.
Each group has:
A group name
A Group ID (GID)
A list of users who are members of the group
Types of Groups:
Primary group: Each user has one primary group defined in /etc/passwd. Files the user creates are associated with this group by default.
Secondary (or supplementary) groups: Users can belong to additional groups, which allow access to other resources.
How to List All Groups on a Linux System
To see every group that exists on the system, you can use the following methods:
getent group
getent group
This is the preferred method on modern systems because it queries the system’s name service switch configuration (NSS). It includes local and possibly remote group sources (like LDAP or NIS).
Example output:
sudo:x:27: docker:x:999:user1,user2 developers:x:1001:user3
cat /etc/group
cat /etc/group
This command prints the content of the /etc/group file, which is the local group database. It’s simple and fast, but it only shows local groups.
Each line is formatted as:
group_name:password_placeholder:GID:user1,user2,...
compgen -g (Bash built-in)
compgen -g
This command outputs only the group names, which is helpful for scripting or cleaner views.
How to List Groups for a Specific User
You might want to know which groups a particular user belongs to. Here’s how:
groups username
groups john
Outputs a space-separated list of groups that john belongs to. If no username is given, it shows groups for the current user.
id username
id alice
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- EU OS: A Bold Step Toward Digital Sovereignty for Europe
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A new initiative, called "EU OS," has been launched to develop a Linux-based operating system tailored specifically for the public sector organizations of the European Union (EU). This community-driven project aims to address the EU's unique needs and challenges, focusing on fostering digital sovereignty, reducing dependency on external vendors, and building a secure, self-sufficient digital ecosystem.
What Is EU OS?
EU OS is not an entirely novel operating system. Instead, it builds upon a Linux foundation derived from Fedora, with the KDE Plasma desktop environment. It draws inspiration from previous efforts such as France's GendBuntu and Munich's LiMux, which aimed to provide Linux-based systems for public sector use. The goal remains the same: to create a standardized Linux distribution that can be adapted to different regional, national, and sector-specific needs within the EU.
Rather than reinventing the wheel, EU OS focuses on standardization, offering a solid Linux foundation that can be customized according to the unique requirements of various organizations. This approach makes EU OS a practical choice for the public sector, ensuring broad compatibility and ease of implementation across diverse environments.
The Vision Behind EU OS
The guiding principle of EU OS is the concept of "public money – public code," ensuring that taxpayer money is used transparently and effectively. By adopting an open-source model, EU OS eliminates licensing fees, which not only lowers costs but also reduces the dependency on a select group of software vendors. This provides the EU’s public sector organizations with greater flexibility and control over their IT infrastructure, free from the constraints of vendor lock-in.
Additionally, EU OS offers flexibility in terms of software migration and hardware upgrades. Organizations can adapt to new technologies and manage their IT evolution at a manageable cost, both in terms of finances and time.
However, there are some concerns about the choice of Fedora as the base for EU OS. While Fedora is a solid and reliable distribution, it is backed by the United States-based Red Hat. Some argue that using European-backed projects such as openSUSE or KDE's upcoming distribution might have aligned better with the EU's goal of strengthening digital sovereignty.
Conclusion
EU OS marks a significant step towards Europe's digital independence by providing a robust, standardized Linux distribution for the public sector. By reducing reliance on proprietary software and vendors, it paves the way for a more flexible, cost-effective, and secure digital ecosystem. While the choice of Fedora as the base for the project has raised some questions, the overall vision of EU OS offers a promising future for Europe's public sector in the digital age.
Source: It's FOSS
European Union
- Linus Torvalds Acknowledges Missed Release of Linux 6.14 Due to Oversight
Linus Torvalds Acknowledges Missed Release of Linux 6.14 Due to Oversight
Linux kernel lead developer Linus Torvalds has admitted to forgetting to release version 6.14, attributing the oversight to his own lapse in memory. Torvalds is known for releasing new Linux kernel candidates and final versions on Sunday afternoons, typically accompanied by a post detailing the release. If he is unavailable due to travel or other commitments, he usually informs the community ahead of time, so users don’t worry if there’s a delay.
In his post on March 16, Torvalds gave no indication that the release might be delayed, instead stating, “I expect to release the final 6.14 next weekend unless something very surprising happens.” However, Sunday, March 23rd passed without any announcement.
On March 24th, Torvalds wrote in a follow-up message, “I’d love to have some good excuse for why I didn’t do the 6.14 release yesterday on my regular Sunday afternoon schedule,” adding, “But no. It’s just pure incompetence.” He further explained that while he had been clearing up unrelated tasks, he simply forgot to finalize the release. “D'oh,” he joked.
Despite this minor delay, Torvalds’ track record of successfully managing the Linux kernel’s development process over the years remains strong. A single day’s delay is not critical, especially since most Linux users don't urgently need the very latest version.
The new 6.14 release introduces several important features, including enhanced support for writing drivers in Rust—an ongoing topic of discussion among developers—support for Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite mobile chip, a fix for the GhostWrite vulnerability in certain RISC-V processors from Alibaba’s T-Head Semiconductor, and a completed NTSYNC driver update that improves the WINE emulator’s ability to run Windows applications, particularly games, on Linux.
Although the 6.14 release went smoothly aside from the delay, Torvalds expressed that version 6.15 may present more challenges due to the volume of pending pull requests. “Judging by my pending pile of pull requests, 6.15 will be much busier,” he noted.
You can download the latest kernel here.
Linus Torvalds kernel
- AerynOS 2025.03 Alpha Released with GNOME 48, Mesa 25, and Linux Kernel 6.13.8
Image
AerynOS 2025.03 has officially been released, introducing a variety of exciting features for Linux users. The release includes the highly anticipated GNOME 48 desktop environment, which comes with significant improvements like HDR support, dynamic triple buffering, and a Wayland color management protocol. Other updates include a battery charge limiting feature and a Wellbeing option aimed at improving user experience.
This release, while still in alpha, incorporates Linux kernel 6.13.8 and the updated Mesa 25.0.2 graphics stack, alongside tools like LLVM 19.1.7 and Vulkan SDK 1.4.309.0. Additionally, the Moss package manager now integrates os-info to generate more detailed OS metadata via a JSON file.
Future plans for AerynOS include automated package updates, easier rollback management, improved disk handling with Rust, and fractional scaling enabled by default. The installer has also been revamped to support full disk wipes and dynamic partitioning.
Although still considered an alpha release, AerynOS 2025.03 can be downloaded and tested right now from its official website.
Source: 9to5Linux
AerynOS
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