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Links 15/09/2022: LibreOffice 7.4.1 and Red Hat Panic Over Staff Exodus



  • GNU/Linux

    • Audiocasts/Shows

    • Kernel Space

      • LWNConcurrent page-fault handling with per-VMA locks [LWN.net]

        The kernel is, in many ways, a marvel of scalability, but there is a longstanding pain point in the memory-management subsystem that has resisted all attempts at elimination: the mmap_lock. This lock was inevitably a topic at the 2022 Linux Storage, Filesystem, Memory-Management and BPF Summit (LSFMM), where the idea of using per-VMA locks was raised. Suren Baghdasaryan has posted an implementation of that idea — but with an interesting twist on how those locks are implemented.

        The mmap_lock (formerly called mmap_sem) is a reader/writer lock that controls access to a process's address space; before making changes there (mapping in a new range, for example), the kernel must acquire that lock. Page-fault handling must also acquire mmap_lock (in reader mode) to ensure that the address space doesn't change in surprising ways while a fault is being resolved. A process can have a large address space and many threads running (and incurring page faults) concurrently, turning mmap_lock into a significant bottleneck. Even if the lock itself is not contended, the constant cache-line bouncing hurts performance.

        Many attempts at solving the mmap_lock scalability problem have taken the form of speculative page-fault handling, where the work to resolve a fault is done without taking mmap_lock in the hope that the address space doesn't change in the meantime. Should concurrent access occur, the speculative page-fault code drops the work it has done and retries after taking mmap_lock. Various implementations have been shown over the years and they have demonstrated performance benefits, but the solutions are complex and none have managed to convince enough developers to be merged into the mainline kernel.

        An alternative approach that has often been considered is range locking. Rather than locking the entire address space to make a change to a small part of it, range locking ensures exclusive access to the address range of interest while allowing accesses to other parts of the address space to proceed concurrently. Range locking turns out to be tricky as well, though, and no implementation has gotten close to being considered for merging.

      • LWNWhat's in a (type) name? [LWN.net]

        The kernel's manual pages are in a bit of an interesting position. They are managed as a separate project, distinct from the kernel's documentation, and have the task of documenting both the kernel's system-call interface and the wrappers for that interface provided by the C library. Sometimes the two objectives come into conflict, as can be seen in a discussion that has been playing out over the course of the last year on whether to use C standard type names to describe kernel-defined structures. The C <stdint.h> header file defines a number of types for developers who need to specify exactly how they need an integer variable to be represented. For example, int16_t is a 16-bit, signed type, while uint64_t is a 64-bit, unsigned type. This level of control is needed when defining data structures that are implemented by hardware, are exchanged through communications protocols — or are passed between user and kernel space.

        The kernel, though, does not use these types to define its system-call interface. Instead, the kernel has its own types defined internally. Rather than use uint64_t, for example, the kernel's API definitions use __u64. That has been the situation for a long time — since before the standard C types existed — and is simply part of how the kernel project does things.

      • LWNA framework for code tagging [LWN.net]

        Kernel code can, at times, be quite inward looking; it often refers to itself. To enable this introspection, the kernel has evolved several mechanisms for identifying specific locations in the code and carrying out actions related to those locations. The code-tagging framework patch set, posted by Suren Baghdasaryan and Kent Overstreet, is an attempt to replace various ad hoc implementations with a single framework, and to add some new applications as well.

        There are a number of reasons for the kernel to need to identify specific locations within the code. For example, kernel code is not normally allowed to incur page faults, but the functions that access user-space memory will often do just that. To do the right thing in that situation, the kernel build process makes a note of the location of every user-space access operation; when a page fault happens, that list is checked and, if the fault happened in an expected location, it is handled normally. The kernel's dynamic debugging mechanism is another example; each debugging print statement is tracked and can be enabled independently.

        The usual trick for implementing this kind of mechanism is to create a special ELF section in the kernel binary; that section is then populated with structures recording the points of interest within the kernel. At run time, the kernel can locate that section, where it will find an array of structures with the needed information. At its core, the tagging framework is a set of functions and macros that make the creation of and access to this special section easier.

    • Applications

      • Linux Links5 Best Free and Open Source OCR Screen Capture Tools

         This article highlights OCR powered screen-capture tools to capture information instead of images. We only feature open source software here.

        Here’s our verdict of the tools succinctly summarized in a LinuxLinks styled ratings chart.

    • Instructionals/Technical

      • Linux Shell TipsHow to Install Latest Python on Ubuntu Linux

        Python is a high-level programming language that is continually taking the interest of many users in the Linux community. The Python general-purpose programming language is in the top ranks with other popular programming languages due to its applicability in web and software development.

      • Trend Oceans2 Ways to Capture Website Screenshots from the Command-line on Linux - TREND OCEANS

        You might be using ksnip or flameshot to take screenshots of single or multiple web pages. No doubt, both are great tools that provide you with rich full features that make it easy to take screenshots and later edit the image.

      • H2S MediaInstall VSFTPD FTP Server on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Linux

        This tutorial is to know how we can install, config, setup, and use the VSFTPD FTP server on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa using the command terminal.

        Vsftpd is an FTP server that is very consciously designed for security. For example, the program checks its configuration and the rights of all files it is to access before starting and refuses to start if it is configured incorrectly. We can use this open-source program to set up an FTP server on Ubuntu Linux.

      • H2S MediaInstall Discourse on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Linux - Linux Shout

        Discourse is open-source forum software that can also be used as a comment system for a website. The creators want to create the basis for modern Internet forums. Here we learn the commands to install the Discourse on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa Linux to create our own self-hosted Forum.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install NVIDIA Drivers on Fedora 37 Linux

        When it comes to graphics processing, speed is often of the essence. For any Linux user who relies on their system for gaming or graphic design, having the fastest drivers possible is essential. While most modern Linux distributions come with Nouveau drivers pre-installed, these are often not the most up-to-date or well-supported drivers available. However, the Nouveau open-source graphics device driver for Nvidia video cards is typically slower than Nvidia’s proprietary or open-source driver and lacks support for the latest hardware features and software technology. In most cases, upgrading to proper NVIDIA drivers will provide a much better experience. In some situations, the improvement in speed and performance can be substantial.

        The following tutorial will teach you how to install the Nvidia Drivers on Fedora 37 Linux from the Nvidia Proprietary Repository RPM Fusion or Nvidia RPM Cuda REPO using cli with the command line terminal.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install Brave Browser on Fedora 37 Linux

        Brave is a free and open-source web browser developed by Brave Software, Inc. based on the Chromium web browser. Brave is a privacy-focused internet browser that sets itself apart from other browsers by automatically blocking online advertisements and website trackers in its default settings. Brave claims its browser puts less strain on your computer’s performance than Google Chrome. Even with multiple tabs open at once, the new Brave Software uses 66% less memory and has 50 million more active users than before – a growth of 2X in 5 years! In addition to its privacy features, Brave also includes built-in security and performance enhancement tools, making it a well-rounded choice for those looking for a safe and fast browsing experience.

        In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install Brave Browser on Fedora 37 Linux by importing the official GPG keys and repository with step-by-step instructions on installing, updating, and removing the browser, including disabling/enabling the DNF repository. As a bonus, the beta and nightly optional installation methods are included, installed alongside stable.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install Avidemux on Linux Mint 21 LTS

        Avidemux is a free, open-source software application for non-linear video editing and transcoding multimedia files. It supports many file types, including AVI, DVD-compatible MPEG files, MP4, and ASF, using a variety of codecs. It is trendy as it allows users to cut, join, split, rotate videos, and add filters. Avidemux has a wide range of features that makes it a popular choice for video editing, including support for most popular video formats, the ability to cutting and joining video files without re-encoding, and power management features allowing you to automatically shutdown your computer when the job is done and much more. If you are looking for an easy-to-use video editor with all the features you need, then Avidemux is the right choice for you.

        The following tutorial will teach you how to install Avidemux on Linux Mint 21 LTS using the command line terminal and the LaunchPAD PPA by the XtraDEB team.

      • OpenSource.com24 of our favorite articles in a downloadable eBook

        One day in March of 2020, a few of my Opensource.com teammates and I grabbed lunch to talk about how we would work from home for the next couple of weeks until this pandemic got nipped in the bud. At the end of the work day, I packed up my laptop and walked out the door of our office building. Several months later, we were all still working from home. None of us had returned to our office-based workstations. In July 2020, using safety precautions, we were granted access to our workstation solely to retrieve personal items. My desk was left exactly as I left it that afternoon in March. Expiring snacks stashed in my secret drawer. Picture frames collecting dust. Comic strips pinned up.

        And a pile of several bound copies of Best of a decade on Opensource.com 2010-2019. Our last yearbook that was published (and printed)!

        Like most folks, the Opensource.com community had to pivot how we operated in order to stay connected. Sure, we continued our weekly video calls. But in-person conferences, a unique time where people would travel from all over the world to be together, were out of the question. Though some of this operational stuff has changed, the connection with one another has strengthened. It is due time to publish a new yearbook to honor that connection. This yearbook was created to celebrate our correspondents.

        The€ Opensource.com Correspondent Program€ recognizes the critical group of our most trusted and committed contributors. We recently closed out yet another successful program year with 24 correspondents. Each correspondent selected their favorite article to be included in this downloadable yearbook. In it,€ you'll find Raspberry Pi tutorials, career stories, home automation tips, Linux tricks, and much more.

      • OpenSource.comHow I switched from Docker Desktop to Colima

        DDEV is an open source tool that makes it simple to get local PHP development environments up and running within minutes. It’s powerful and flexible as a result of its per-project environment configurations, which can be extended, version controlled, and shared. In short, DDEV aims to allow development teams to use containers in their workflow without the complexities of bespoke configuration.

        DDEV replaces more traditional AMP stack solutions (WAMP, MAMP, XAMPP, and so on) with a flexible, modern, container-based solution. Because it uses containers, DDEV allows each project to use any set of applications, versions of web servers, database servers, search index servers, and other types of software.

        In March 2022, the DDEV team announced support for Colima, an open source Docker Desktop replacement for macOS and Linux. Colima is open source, and by all reports it’s got performance gains over its alternative, so using Colima seems like a no-brainer.

      • Linux HintDOS Flood With hping3

        This tutorial explains how to execute DDOS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks using the hping3 tool.

        After reading this article you will be able to install hping3 to execute both DOS and DDOS tests. Except for the installation process based on Debian, the rest of this document is valid for all Linux distributions.

        In case you are not familiar with DOS and DDOS attacks, you may want to start by reading a DOS and DDOS introduction.

        All steps described below include screenshots to make it easy for every Linux user to follow them.

      • OSTechNixRun All Programs In A Directory Via Sudo In Linux - OSTechNix

        This brief guide explains how to allow an user to run all programs in a directory via sudo and deny the user to run programs in other directories in Linux and Unix-like systems.

      • Its FOSSHow to Check if You are Using Wayland or Xorg?

        There is a technical transition taking place in the desktop Linux world.

        Most mainstream distros have started to move to the Wayland display server by default.

        But not all legacy components are compatible with the newer Wayland. They work only with the good old X or Xorg display server.

        So, when you are having trouble with your Linux system, it would be wise to check if the problem is coming because of the display server.

      • Trend OceansHow to Install Custom Fonts on Linux (Ubuntu, Debian, RedHat) - TREND OCEANS

        Linux gives you complete freedom to experiment with the user experience. For this reason, one can try to change the desktop environment to any window manager like i3wm, bspwm, xmonad, etc. Not only that, but you can also change your display manager and audio manager from what you have received from the installed distribution.

        But we are not here to change any of these things except the font, because after the installation you may not be able to view some of the fonts in Devnangari like Sanskrit, Hindi, Marathi, and Dravidian languages like Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, and Malayalam.

        Because of that, you might face problems reading content in your regional languages.

      • Linux HintInstall Wine on Linux Mint 20.3

        Wine is a helpful tool that allows you to run many Windows applications on Linux. Therefore, if you have just shifted from Windows to Linux, this tool can prove to be your best partner in helping you getting used to the Linux environment. This article is dedicated to the method of installing Wine on a Linux Mint 20.3 system.

      • Linux HintHow to Change the Password on Ubuntu 22.04

        A password is a word, phrase, or string of characters used to verify the identity of a user during the authentication process. It is used to differentiate an authorized user from an unauthorized user.

        Today we will explore how to change a password on Ubuntu 22.04 using two different ways. The first method involves changing the password using the command line (Terminal). In the second method, we will see how a password is changed using Graphical User Interface (GUI).

      • Vitux6 Ways to Harden your Debian system - VITUX

        Hardening refers to strengthening the security of your systems. Nowadays when data breaches are very common, even normal users are very much concerned about the security of their critical data. Therefore, in this article, we will share with you some of the best ways for hardening your Debian 11 and Debian 10 systems.

      • Install Nagios Server on Oracle Linux 9 - kifarunix.com

        In this guide, you will learn how to install Nagios Server on Oracle Linux 9. Nagios provides enterprise-class Open Source IT monitoring, network monitoring, server and applications monitoring.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install Telegram on Fedora 37 Linux

        Cross-platform messaging apps are becoming increasingly popular as they offer a convenient way to stay in touch with friends and family no matter where they are. Telegram is one such app that offers several unique features that set it apart from its competitors. Perhaps most notably, Telegram provides end-to-end encryption for all chats, meaning that only the sender and recipient can read the messages. This makes Telegram an ideal choice for those who value privacy and security. In addition, Telegram is entirely free to use and is available on various platforms, making it easy to stay connected with friends and family no matter where they are.

        In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install the Telegram client on Fedora 37 Linux using the command line terminal with two installation methods and some tips on maintaining Telegram in the future.

      • Linux Made SimpleHow to install SuperTux - Milestone 1 on a Chromebook

        Today we are looking at how to install SuperTux - Milestone 1 on a Chromebook. Please follow the video/audio guide as a tutorial where we explain the process step by step and use the commands below.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install Signal Messenger on Linux Mint 21 LTS

        There are a lot of messaging apps on the market these days. Most people probably use the default messaging app that comes with their phone, whether iMessage for Apple users or Messages for Android users. But there are plenty of other options, and more and more people are starting to use them. One of these is Signal messenger.

        Signal messenger is a free, open-source messaging app that has been around for several years and specializes in end-to-end encryption. This means that your communication is entirely secure from prying eyes, whether it’s the government or someone who happens to get ahold of your phone. If you need to communicate securely but find it hard because of the restrictions put on traditional messaging apps like WhatsApp or Facebook Messenger, Signal messenger is one of the better forms of communication for those that require the utmost privacy.

        In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install Signal Messenger on Linux Mint 21 LTS release series. The tutorial will use the command line terminal with complete steps to install the official repository and tips on updating and removing the software securely and adequately.

      • UNIX CopHow to install Homebrew on CentOS 9 Stream

        In this post, you will learn how to install Homebrew on CentOS 9 Stream. Sounds interesting? Let’s see.

      • Matthew Garrettmjg59 | git signatures with SSH certificates

        Last night I complained that git's SSH signature format didn't support using SSH certificates rather than raw keys, and was swiftly corrected, once again highlighting that the best way to make something happen is to complain about it on the internet in order to trigger the universe to retcon it into existence to make you look like a fool. But anyway. Let's talk about making this work!

      • Linux CapableHow to Install Atom Text Editor on Linux Mint 21 LTS [Ed: Atom is deprecated (dead end) and controlled by Microsoft; it's bloated garbage, nobody should use this]

        Atom is a free and open-source text and source code editor that supports many cross-platforms such as macOS, Linux, and Microsoft Windows with support for plugins written in JavaScript and embedded Git Control, developed by GitHub. The catchphrase that Atom calls itself is the “hackable text editor for the 21st century”. Atom, compared to competitors, is more user-friendly, with plenty of options for extensions to add syntax highlighting for languages and formats, add dynamic linting, and integrate debuggers, runtime environments, video and music player controls, and much more.

    • Games

      • GamingOnLinuxValheim is getting crossplay with an update now in testing

        Iron Gate have announced that Valheim is set for crossplay, with an update now available in testing to ensure you can play with friends anywhere. This is great, as Valheim is coming to consoles next year.

      • GamingOnLinuxIsonzo is a new WW1 FPS from the dev of Verdun out now

        Isonzo is the latest in the WW1 FPS series from the creator of Verdun and Tannenberg. It's out now and available with Native Linux support.

      • GamingOnLinuxRoadwarden, one of the best modern text-adventures around is out now

        For anyone who considers themselves even a remote fan of text-adventures, you should definitely take a look at Roadwarden. Developed by Moral Anxiety Studio, a solo development operation from Poland, and published by Assemble Entertainment.

      • GamingOnLinuxHeroes of Might and Magic II & III open source game engines get new releases

        This is a bit of a double event. Not only has the Heroes of Might and Magic II game engine fheroes2 seen a new release, but a surprise update of VCMI for Heroes of Might and Magic III was also released.

      • GamingOnLinuxThe Wandering Village is absolutely mesmerizing

        The Wandering Village from Stray Fawn Studio, a game about building a village on the back of a massive moving creature has just entered Early Access with Native Linux support.

      • Hackaday2022 Cyberdeck Contest: RPG Character Tracker

        While it would be a mistake to think there are any firm rules for what constitutes a cyberdeck, we can at least identify some common traits that would seem to give us a baseline description. For example, most deck builds we’ve seen have been fully-functional Linux computers, more often than not powered by some Raspberry Pi variant. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t room in the community for less computational powerful decks, or builds that are so bespoke that they can only perform a few selected tasks.

  • Distributions and Operating Systems

    • Reviews

      • LWNA look at Linux Mint 21 [LWN.net]

        Linux Mint 21 "Vanessa" was released on July 31. There are no real headline-grabbing features that come with the new release, as the project generally seeks to make incremental changes, rather than larger, potentially disruptive ones. Changes in this release include a new Bluetooth manager that brings several improvements, driverless printing and scanning by default, a process monitor to inform the user about resource-intensive background tasks, new functionality for the Timeshift system backup tool, and several major under-the-hood improvements to the Cinnamon desktop environment.

        Like previous releases, Linux Mint 21 is available in editions for the Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce desktop environments. Cinnamon is based on GNOME 3, but with major changes to make it more like other desktop environments with a bottom panel and menu similar to that used in Windows 7 and earlier, rather than the heavily redesigned interface of GNOME 3 and later. Cinnamon was created by the Linux Mint developers due to criticisms of changes in GNOME 3 that were seen as unnecessary. MATE is a continuation of GNOME 2 that was originally forked by an Arch Linux user for the same reason, and Xfce is a lightweight desktop environment designed for computers that may not run other environments well. All of the editions in Linux Mint use X11; Wayland support is not currently on the development roadmap for Cinnamon. MATE and Xfce are working on Wayland support separately from the Mint project, and a future release of Linux Mint is likely to include that work in those editions.

        [...]

        Mint 21 replaces Blueberry, the Bluetooth manager used in previous versions, with Blueman, which has more features and provides more information than Blueberry. Blueman also has better headset compatibility and improved audio profile support. Additionally, while Blueberry is a wrapper around the GNOME-specific gnome-bluetooth, Blueman is specifically designed to be cross-desktop.

    • New Releases

      • LinuxiacEndeavourOS Nova Released Primarily Addresses GRUB Issue

        EndeavourOS Nova, the new release in the Artemis series, focused primarily on resolving the GRUB issue that affected Arch Linux-based distros.

        EndeavourOS is a user-friendly Arch Linux-based rolling release distro with some handy new features that improve the user experience. In other words, it fits into a similar-but-different niche as Manjaro.

        It might be the perfect solution for less experienced Linux users to get the best Arch Linux offers. Additionally, despite its claim to be a terminal-focused distribution, it has excellent GUI tools that make handling an Arch Linux system simple for new users.

      • 9to5LinuxEndeavourOS Artemis Nova Released with Linux Kernel 5.19, Vanilla GRUB Experience

        EndeavourOS Artemis Nova is here a little over a month after EndeavourOS Artemis Neo, which was just a minor update only addressing a GRUB bootloader issue, and two and a half months after the major EndeavourOS Artemis release that introduced a built-in ARM installer and other big changes.

        Compared to the previous Artemis versions, EndeavourOS Artemis Nova is powered by a newer kernel stack based on the upstream Linux 5.19 kernel series. Linux kernel 5.19.7 is included by default in the live/installation image, which, of course, is intended only for new installations as existing users are already up to date.

    • SUSE/OpenSUSE

      • Plasma, Gear, Frameworks update in Tumbleweed

         In addition to some changes with YaST affecting grep, the rolling release had snapshots updating Plasma, Gear and Frameworks in that order.

        Snapshot 20220914 is finishing testing and the snapshot could be released before this article is published, which would make this week another full week of snapshots if the testing passes openQA.

        Frameworks 5.98.0 arrived in snapshot 20220913. The update deduplicated color loading codes with KConfigWidgets and Kirigami had a fix for a potential crash in imagecolors. Frameworks also delivered a lot of additions and fixes to KTextEditor. There were some fixes of inconsistencies in the completion config tab and KTextEditor enabled the clipboard history with non read-only. An update of fetchmail 6.4.33 removed an upstream patch and a wrapper script for HTMLDOC was added for use with Flatpak because the snapd version was broken. Audio format flac 1.4.0 added a FMA instruction set extension to speed up audio for x86_64 CPUs. There is also now a set of files available to test whether a FLAC decoder implements the format correctly. The update of libstorage-ng 4.5.44 fixed the resizing of Linux Unified Key Setup and did some Czech translations. Also updated in the snapshot was the 4.5.4 versions of yast2-bootloader and yast2-kdump.

    • Fedora Family / IBM

      • Enterprisers ProjectData scientist: A day in the life

        Over the last six years, I’ve made a living from modeling, primarily in New York City but also in Seattle and various countries worldwide. While I enjoy dressing up in NYC’s trendiest streetwear, by “modeling,” I mean predictive modeling, a central element of the applied data science I’ve done throughout my career.

        I started my data science journey at Custora, a New York-based company that built predictive marketing software for eCommerce businesses. After Custora was acquired by Amperity, I joined their data science team, where I’m now a lead data scientist. Amperity is partially remote, which has allowed me to work from anywhere with solid Wi-Fi and even more solid espresso.

        My experience in data science has been focused on building machine-learning pipelines as part of enterprise software. Such work relies more heavily on engineering prowess, infrastructural considerations, and high performance both computationally and efficaciously (I had to look that one up.) It also requires regular coordination between data scientists, machine learning engineers, back-end engineers, and product managers.

      • ZDNetRemote working: Red Hat tells staff they don't have to return to the office [Ed: Too late. A lot of the important technical and management staff from Red Hat already left the building. And the company, too.]

        Enterprise Linux heavyweight Red Hat will let its nearly 20,000-strong workforce choose whether or not to come back into the office.

        Red Hat chief people officer Jennifer Dudeck said in a blogpost the maker of the enterprise Linux platform Red Hat Enterprise Linux is going for an "office-flex" model where it allows staff to "come to the office as much as they need to, or not at all if they choose."

    • Debian Family

      • IT WireiTWire - Debian set to start vote on including non-free packages in install media

        The Debian GNU/Linux Project is set to start voting on a general resolution which outlines a way to solve the issues it faces in providing proprietary firmware on its install media.

        The issue was initially raised by former DPL leader Steve McIntyre in April and discussions about a solution have been continuing on the project's mailing lists.

        McIntyre told iTWire that he had given a talk on the subject during the annual conference in July and had started the GR process in August.

        As with every such resolution, there are a number of solutions proposed, in this case five.

      • Barry KaulerZoom SFS created using deb2sfs

        It is on the to-do list that will record these extra dependency requirements somewhere in /usr/local/easy_containers/templates/zoom. So won't have to remember them when do a future zoom deb2sfs.

        The SFS has been uploaded, so you can click on "sfs" icon to download and install it. It will only install to the main desktop, as audio is broken in a container.

    • Devices/Embedded

      • Linux GizmosIndustrial IoT gateway based on Raspberry Pi CM4 supports Ignition Edge

        The IGN800 accommodates the Raspberry Pi CM4 which features the Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A72 64-bit SoC. The memory system can be equipped with 4GB/8GB of RAM and a M.2 2280 B-key for SATA 3.0 storage. The specs mentions that the IGN800 can be configured with up to 32GB of eMMC but it seems that model is out of stock for now.

        The connectivity interface is flexible since the Wi-Fi antenna is optional and the dual GbE LAN ports are Power-over-Ethernet capable (PoE PD Module required).

        The IGN800 also features one HDMI display port, one USB Type-C, two USB 2.0, one USB 3.2 Gen 1 and a RS-232/422/485 via 5-pin terminal block.

      • CNX Software ModBerry 500 R1 industrial computer replaces Raspberry Pi CM4 with Radxa CM3 module
      • Linux GizmosIndustrial IoT gateway based on Raspberry Pi CM4 supports Ignition Edge

        OnLogic’s IGN800 is a fanless industrial-grade Edge Gateway powered by the Raspberry Pi CM4 and pre-loaded with Ignition Edge software. The device can be customized with up to 8GB of RAM, 32GB of eMMC storage, 2TB of SATA SSD and dual GbE LAN ports.

        The IGN800 accommodates the Raspberry Pi CM4 which features the Quad-Core ARM Cortex-A72 64-bit SoC. The memory system can be equipped with 4GB/8GB of RAM and a M.2 2280 B-key for SATA 3.0 storage. The specs mentions that the IGN800 can be configured with up to 32GB of eMMC but it seems that model is out of stock for now.€ 

      • HackadayESP32 Adds Bluetooth To An IPod Nano

        The iPod Nano was one of Apple’s masterworks, but it’s really tied down by its dependence on wired headphones. At least, that’s what [Tucker Osman] must have thought, as he spent an unreasonable amount of time designing a Bluetooth mod for the 3rd gen Nano. And it’s a thing of beauty — temperamental, brutally difficult to build, and fragile in use, but still beautiful. And while some purists try to keep their signal analog, [Tucker]’s coup d’etat is to intercept the iPod’s audio signal before the DAC chip, keeping the entire signal path digital to the Bluetooth speaker. Oh, and he also managed to make the volume and track skip buttons work, back across the wireless void.

    • Open Hardware/Modding

      • ArduinoThe UV Budgie shows IoT alerts in a fun way | Arduino Blog

        The Internet of Things (IoT) is now well-established and households around the world contain many IoT devices. Most of them were designed to blend as seamlessly as possible into their owners’ lives, which means that they tend to be unobtrusive. But “unobtrusive” is the last adjective you want to describe an important notification, which is why Jude Pullen built the UV Budgie.

        For those of you without an interest in ornithology, “budgie” is a shortening of “budgerigar” and is a nickname for the common parakeet. That name is appropriate for this device as it features an automata budgie that flaps and squawks according to the peak UV level for the day. UV rays can be dangerous, so this flapping budgie is a great way to get your kids attention and remind them to pack some sunscreen. A ding or announcement from Alexa won’t tear their eyes away from Minecraft, but a fluttering avian might.

    • Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

  • Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

    • Productivity Software/LibreOffice/Calligra

      • Document FoundationLibreOffice 7.4.1 Community available for download - The Document Foundation Blog

        LibreOffice 7.4.1 Community, the first maintenance release of LibreOffice 7.4, the volunteer-supported office suite for personal productivity on the desktop, is immediately available from https://www.libreoffice.org/download for Windows (Intel and Arm processors), macOS (Apple M1 and Intel processors), and Linux.

        LibreOffice offers the highest level of compatibility in the office suite market segment, with native support for the OpenDocument Format (ODF) – beating proprietary formats for security and robustness – to superior support for MS Office files, to filters for a large number of legacy document formats, to return ownership and control to users.

    • Education

      • IT WireOpen-source technology founder Dr Sanjiva Weerawarana to visit Australia

        The founder of open-source technology provider WSO2, Dr Sanjiva Weerawarana, is visiting Australia this month to discuss the latest in technology innovation and showcase the recently announced Avinya Foundation, a not-for-profit giving more children in Sri Lanka the opportunity for a professional future via vocational careers.

    • FSF

    • Licensing / Legal

      • VarietyWhy Disney Remains a Major Gaming Licensor — Not a Player

        But while control of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and “Star Wars” has been incredibly lucrative for the studio’s film and streaming television efforts, Disney’s 2016 decision to close its game publishing unit means Disney had to transition to a licensing model to capitalize on such IP [sic] for games.

        That decision may have seemed hasty in retrospect, given the continued prominence of the global games market, which is on the verge of hitting a $200 billion annual milestone.

    • Programming/Development

      • QtThe world’s going electric€ –€ are you ready to make a buzz?

        Where seeing or owning an electric car or hybrid was a rarity a few years back, the global demand for electric vehicles (EVs) has rapidly surged and it does not seem to be slowing down. With this increased need comes a correlated increase in charging points that are easily accessible and convenient to use. E-charging points, as the name suggests, are machines that charge a variety of different electric vehicles and micro mobility devices. The popularity of these has grown so much that the current expectation is for a whopping 25 million new charging points to be erected in Europe and in the US by 2030 to help further facilitate the comfort of EV users*.

      • rec-def: Program analysis case study – Blog – Joachim Breitner's Homepage

        At this week’s International Conference on Functional Programming I showed my rec-def Haskell library to a few people. As this crowd appreciates writing compilers, and example from the realm of program analysis is quite compelling.

      • Python

        • Linux HintHow To Calculate Matrices in Python Without NumPy

          The vertical series of objects in a Python matrix is generally known as the “columns,” whereas the horizontal series of things is referred to as the “rows.” Like a nested list, the rows and columns were placed on top of one another. If a matrix has “k” rows and “m” columns, and if “k” and “m” are positive integers, the order of such a matrix object is determined by “k-by-m”.

          A matrix can hold strings, numbers, and other data kinds of objects. In a matrix, data is stacked in both columns and rows. A key data structure supporting computations in science and math is the matrix. Since Python does not provide a built-in type for a matrix object, we treat either list among lists or even a nested list as a matrix.

        • LWNLazy imports for Python [LWN.net]

          Starting a Python application typically results in a flurry of imports as modules from various locations (and the modules they import) get added into the application process. All of that occurs before the application even gets started doing whatever it is the user actually launched it for; that delay can be significant—and annoying. Beyond that, many of those imports may not be necessary at all for the code path being followed, so eagerly doing the import is purely wasted time. A proposal back in May would add a way for applications to choose lazy imports, where the import is deferred until the module is actually used.

    • Standards/Consortia

      • StandICT.eu 2023 - 8th Open Call

        Please note that only the first 70 (seventy) eligible applications submitted in response to the call, taken in chronological order according to the time-stamp of submission will be evaluated by the External Pool of Evaluators for funding

        The main topic for the 8th Open Call will be “Resilience and Green Transition” .

  • Leftovers

    • GeorgeApostles Of Mara

      Mara, he who tempts with unfulfilled desires and inflicts the sorrows of want and disillusion, came upon a tribe of hunter-gatherers living their happy noble-savage life, in tune with nature and their own bodies, accepting life and death as they accepted day and night.

      He took the form of a tall man shrouded in dark robes embroidered with golden beetles flapping their wings to create a dissonant symphony of agonizing moans.

      And he gave them golden robes, but the robes were laced with leaded silk that would slowly drive them to madness.

      And he thought them ironwork to better hunt but knew the iron arrowheads will be used against their fellow men.

      And he gave them herbs to cure their sores, and to staunch their fevers, and to prevent childbirth, and to take away pain. But their effects were transitory and lead to greater suffering once treatment ceased.

    • Mexico News DailyLucha Libre legend ‘El Santo’ retired 40 years ago this week

      Forty years ago this week Mexico’s most famous Lucha Libre star retired from the ring, and now his son, El Hijo del Santo, will do the same — but not without one final fight.

    • HackadayRobot: Will Draw For Food

      Biological systems often figure out the best ways to get what they need to survive. Now a robot created by researchers at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Imperial College London, and the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign can make the same claim. The robot operates in front of a plate that has electrical terminals on one end and various obstacles between those terminals and the robot.

    • HackadayMaking A Tape Echo The Traditional Way

      [Juan Nicola] has taken inspiration from the musician hackers of old and re-purposed a reel-to-reel tape recorder into a tape-echo for his guitar with a built-in valve amplifier (video in Spanish).

    • The NationHaiti Is On Fire Again, and Again the US Does Nothing to Help

      On Tuesday, in a crescendo of popular anger, Port-au-Prince and Haiti’s provincial towns’ weeklong protests against the de facto government and its policies escalated at a dizzying pace. In preparation for the day’s protests, enormous barricades constructed of building materials, tin roofing, heavy iron gates, and a variety of junked vehicles were erected at important intersections in the capital during the darkness of the previous night. The capital’s population woke to these architectural blockades—interspersed with burning tires and piles of rocks. Hundreds of demonstrators emerged into the morning streets, although warned by news alerts that it might well be dangerous, to protest against gas shortages and soaring prices, the punitive rise in the cost of living, brutal gang violence, and the continued rule of the man presiding over the intensifying crisis, the country’s de facto prime minister, Ariel Henry.

    • The NationBeauty in Harlem
    • HackadayBig Noise From A 555 And A Little Embroidery

      [Sam Topley] specializes in making textile based, electronic instruments and sculptures using embroidery, and this little hoop packs some serious sound (Nitter).

    • Education

      • QuilletteMath for Future Scientists: Require Statistics, Not Calculus

        In short, America’s calculus push was launched over 60 years ago in the belief that calculus was necessary for national survival in the coming Space Age. But times have changed. We are now in the Information Age, and preparing students to build rockets is not as essential for the majority of science majors as learning to interpret and prioritize a sea of information. And far more scientific information circulates in the form of statistics than in any form related to calculus.

        Rubin goes on to illustrate how, in the 1980s, American educators began to suggest that statistics might be more important for the future than calculus, which led to the first AP Statistics exams in 1997. He says a college educator told him that this introduction of AP Statistics “occurred despite the best efforts of ‘the calculus mafia.’” The calculus mafia is, unfortunately, still alive and well today: In 2021, roughly 375,000 students took the AP Calculus AB or BC exams, while only about 183,000 took the AP Statistics exam.

      • JoinupHigh-level panel on personal data spaces with Natalia Aristimuño Pérez and Sir Tim Berners-Lee Permalink

        On the 22th of September, Interoperable Europe Digital Services Director Natalia Aristimuño Pérez will take part in a European high-level panel on personal data spaces at Digital Flanders’ annual GovTech Conference. Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the inventor of the World Wide Web, will join as special guest.

      • Telex (Hungary)Why I left public education after 13 years – a teacher's story

        Dorottya Lendvai knew she wanted to be a teacher when she was six years old. Now, after 13 years as a maths and physics teacher she decided to quit working in the public school system, because she suffered under the ever-increasing burdens, and would have liked to be able to look in the mirror. She had high hopes for the strike and the civil disobedience movement which started at the beginning of this year, but after seeing that this didn’t bring about a change, she had had enough. She says the hardest part was telling her students about it. One of her students’ parents even offered money to the school if she were to stay. She will still do some private tutoring, but seeing her name on the door of her old classroom at a recent visit still made her cry. She would consider returning, but for that to happen, the pay would have to be twice what it is now and the number of lessons limited to 18 per week. This is her story about why she left.

      • Telex (Hungary)Teachers' Unions turn to European Court of Human Rights about their right to strike
    • Hardware

      • Middle East EyeSaudi Arabia: Robots to relay sermons and call to prayer at Mecca's Grand Mosque

        Visitors can use their smartphones to scan the robot's barcodes to show content such as verses from the Quran and download it on their devices.

      • RTLHealth groups call for fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty

        Around 200 health organisations and more than 1,400 health professionals on Wednesday called for governments to establish a binding international treaty on phasing out fossil fuels, which they said pose "a grave and escalating threat to human health".

        A letter proposing the "fossil fuel non-proliferation treaty" said it could work similarly to the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control -- except this time the harmful controlled substances would be coal, oil and gas.

        The WHO was among the health organisations from around the world who signed the letter.

      • CNNFred Franzia, creator of ‘Two Buck Chuck,’ has died

        “Core to his vision was a belief that wine should be enjoyed and consumed on every American table,” Bronco’s statement said. “When asked how Bronco Wine Company can sell wine less expensive than a bottle of water, Fred T. Franzia famously countered, ‘They’re overcharging for the water — don’t you get it?’”

      • HackadayMokeylaser: A DIY Laser Engraver That You Can Easily Build

        [Mark aka Mokey] borrowed his friend’s open-frame laser engraver for a while, and found it somewhat lacking in features and a bit too pricey for what it was. Naturally, he thought he could do better (video, embedded below.) After a spot of modelling in Fusion 360, and some online shopping at the usual places, he had all the parts needed to construct an X-Y bot, and we reckon it looks like a pretty good starting point. [Mark] had a Sainsmart FL55 5.5W laser module kicking around, so that was dropped into the build, together with the usual Arduino plus CNC shield combo running GRBL.

      • HackadayFuture Brings CPU Modules, And The Future Is Now

        Modularity is a fun topic for us. There’s something satisfying about seeing a complex system split into parts and these parts made replaceable. We often want some parts of our devices swapped, after all – for repair or upgrade purposes, and often, it’s just fun to scour eBay for laptop parts, equipping your Thinkpad with the combination of parts that fits you best. Having always been fascinated by modularity, I believe that hackers deserve to know what’s been happening on the CPU module front over the past decade.

      • The Next PlatformArm Fills In Some Gaps– And Details – In Server Chip Roadmaps

        Let’s just say it right here at the beginning. The first wave of attempts at creating Arm server chips –Calxeda, Applied Micro, AMD, Marvell, Nvidia, and Samsung, among others – was disappointing. And so was the second wave – with Broadcom, Cavium, Qualcomm, and Nuvia – now that we think on it.

        But with the third wave of Arm server chips, being led by the hyperscalers and cloud builders (Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, Google, Alibaba, and Tencent – and a few independent chip designers (mainly Ampere Computing, HiSilicon, Nvidia, and SiPearl) working in concert with Arm Ltd, the creator and maintainer of the Arm architecture that is looking to go public (again), it looks like Arm server chips are here for the long haul.

    • Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

      • Michael West MediaPaid pandemic leave extended indefinitely - Michael West

        The payments for infected people off work were set to expire at the end of the month but will remain in place as long as mandatory isolation periods are in effect.

      • ScheerpostNYT Scolds China for Not ‘Learning to Live’—or Die—With Covid
      • TruthOutSanders Calls State of US Health Care an "International Embarrassment"
      • The NationThe Half Measures of Public Health Architecture

        The sudden onset of the Covid-19 pandemic inverted long-held assumptions. Jobs previously seen as disposable were now regarded as “essential.” Well-heeled professionals walked out on lucrative careers to focus on their lives beyond the market. Conservative politicians who had long taken fee-for-service health care as an article of faith acquiesced to free universal testing and treatment. And the belief that we are all connected changed from a dreamy left-wing mantra to a hard-headed principle of realpolitik.

      • Common DreamsOpinion | Covid-19 and 9/11: Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Cares

        On September 9, with virtually no press coverage, President Biden sent an official letter to Congress extending a state of emergency that was first declared in the aftermath of 9/11, more than two decades ago. "The terrorist threat ... continues," the letter declares. George W. Bush's original declaration of emergency led to trillions of dollars in military spending and the transformation of American society. Thousands of young Americans, and well over a million people in the Middle East, lost their lives.

    • Proprietary

      • Krebs On SecuritySay Hello to Crazy Thin ‘Deep Insert’ ATM Skimmers

        A number of financial institutions in and around New York City are dealing with a rash of super-thin “deep insert” skimming devices designed to fit inside the mouth of an ATM’s card acceptance slot. The card skimmers are paired with tiny pinhole cameras that are cleverly disguised as part of the cash machine. Here’s a look at some of the more sophisticated deep insert skimmer technology that fraud investigators have recently found in the wild.

      • ABCIranian nationals charged in alleged ransomware conspiracy [iophk: Windows TCO]

        The four-count grand jury indictment returned in Newark federal court charged the trio with [cracking] conspiracy, two counts of computer [cracking] and a count of computer extortion over an alleged ransomware conspiracy that targeted a range of organizations and critical infrastructure sectors such as healthcare centers, power companies and transportation services inside the U.S. and abroad.

        Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Aghda, and Amir Ravari [broke] into hundreds of computers inside the U.S. and around the world by often exploiting known vulnerabilities in network devices or software programs, the indictment said.

      • VOA NewsThree Iranian [Crackers] Charged in 'Ransomware-Style' Hacking Campaign [iophk: Windows TCO]

        The three Iranian nationals — identified as Mansour Ahmadi, Ahmad Khatibi Aghda and Amir Hossein Nickaein Ravari — are accused of carrying out "computer intrusions and ransomware-style extortion" between October 2020 and August 2022, according to a 30-page indictment unsealed Wednesday.

        The men remain at large and are believed to be in Iran, according to U.S. law enforcement officials.

      • The HillDOJ indicts Iranians for allegedly [cracking] and extorting US groups [iophk: Windows TCO]

        U.S. officials accused the defendants of exfiltrating data from the organizations’ computer systems and attempting to extort money from them by either threatening to release the stolen data or keeping the data encrypted unless the hackers were paid.

        The [crackers] allegedly demanded hundreds of thousands of dollars in ransom payments, which some victims paid to regain access to their data, a senior DOJ official said during a background call on Wednesday.

    • Linux Foundation

      • AAASCGIAR and the Linux Foundation partner to unl | EurekAlert! [Ed: No connection whatsoever to Linux, just openwashing (Microsoft) as a service]

        CGIAR and the Linux Foundation have formed a research partnership to develop a standard way of sharing data about agricultural fields at scale, which could deliver global benefits, including for the estimated 500 million smallholder farmers that produce about a third of the world’s food.

    • Security

      • Istio / Support for Istio 1.13 ends on October 12th, 2022

        According to Istio’s support policy, minor releases like 1.13 are supported until six weeks after the N+2 minor release (1.15 in this case). Istio 1.15 was released on August 31st, and support for 1.13 will end on October 12th, 2022.

        At that point we will stop back-porting fixes for security issues and critical bugs to 1.13, so we encourage you to upgrade to the latest version of Istio (1.15). If you don’t do this you may put yourself in the position of having to do a major upgrade on a short timeframe to pick up a critical fix.

        We care about you and your clusters, so please be kind to yourself and upgrade.

      • Paul SchaubUsing Pushdown Automata to verify Packet Sequences - vanitasvitae’s blog

        As a software developer, most of my work day is spent working practically by coding and hacking away. Recently though I stumbled across an interesting problem which required another, more theoretical approach;

        An OpenPGP message contains of a sequence of packets. There are signatures, encrypted data packets and their accompanying encrypted session keys, compressed data and literal data, the latter being the packet that in the end contains the plaintext body of the message.

        Those packets can be sequential, e.g. a one-pass-signature followed by a literal data packet and then a signature, or nested, where for example an encrypted data packet contains a compressed data packet, in turn containing a literal data packet. A typical OpenPGP message can be visualized as follows:

        [...]

        From “start” we transition to “OpenPGP Message” by pushing ‘#’ and ‘m’ on the stack. The we read “Compressed Packet from input, pop ‘m’ from the stack and transition to state “Compressed Message”. Since the “Literal Packet” is part of the Compressed Packet”s contents, we now create a new child PDA with input stream “Literal Packet”. After initializing this PDA by pushing ‘#’ and ‘m’ to the stack, we then transition from “OpenPGP Message” to “Literal Message” by reading “Literal Packet” and popping ‘m’, after which we transition to “Valid” by popping ‘#’. Now this PDA is ended up in a valid state, so our parent PDA can transition from “Compressed Message” by reading nothing from the input (remember, the “Compressed Packet” was the only packet in this PDAs stream), popping ‘#’, leaving us with an empty stack and empty input in the valid state.

        In PGPainless’ code I am planning to implement OpenPGP message validation by using InputStreams with individual PDAs. If a packet contains nested data (such as the Compressed or Encrypted Packet), a new InputStream will be opened on the decompressed/decrypted data. This new InputStream will in turn have a its own PDA to ensure that the content of the packet forms a valid OpenPGP message on its own. The parent stream on the other hand must check, whether the PDA of it’s child stream ended up in a valid state before accepting its own packet stream.

      • Help Net Security5 Kali Linux books you should read this year - Help Net Security

        Kali Linux is a Linux distribution designed for digital forensics, penetration testing, security research, and reverse engineering.

        Here is a selection of books for different experience levels, you can either start from scratch or get advanced tips – there’s something for everyone.

      • The NationThe Digital Soldiers Taking America’s Forever Wars Online

        The three men and three women stood with their right arms raised. Behind them the remains of the daylight hued the sky a bluish gray. As a fire danced at their feet, they gazed straight ahead at a camera recording their words. The square-jawed man in the middle, retired Lt. Gen. Michael T. Flynn, spoke first. The others, including members of his family, repeated after him.

      • Integrity/Availability/Authenticity

        • [Old] Caleb HearthSigning Git Commits with Your SSH Key

          You may already be signing your Git commits with a GPG key, but as of today you can instead choose to sign with your SSH key! Signing in SSH is a relatively new feature that lets you use your private SSH key to sign arbitrary text and others to verify that signature with your public key.

      • Privacy/Surveillance

        • Online Identity is Complicated

          To be clear, I’m not trying to land on one side of the identity debate or another. I’m trying to inject nuance into the conversation and make sure we don’t leave certain groups out of the conversation as a whole, as we have done so many times before. A perennial problem in almost all of tech is we don’t stop to consider externalities, especially in how things will affect marginalized folks.

        • ReutersS.Korea fines Google, Meta billions of won for privacy violations

          In a statement, the Personal Information Protection Commission said it fined Google 69.2 billion won ($50 million) and Meta 30.8 billion won ($22 million).

          The privacy panel said the firms did not clearly inform service users and obtain their prior consent when collecting and analysing behavioural information to infer their interests or use them for customised advertisements.

        • RTLGoogle, Meta face record fines in South Korea over privacy violations

          South Korea has fined Google and Meta more than $71 million collectively for gathering users' personal information without consent for tailored ads, regulators said Wednesday, the country's highest-ever data protection fines.

          Investigations into the two US tech giants found they had been "collecting and analysing" data on their users, and monitoring their use of websites and applications, the Personal Information Protection Commission said.

        • RFIGoogle, Meta face record fines in South Korea over privacy violations

          South Korea has fined Google and Meta more than $71 million collectively for gathering users' personal information without consent for tailored ads, regulators said Wednesday, the country's highest-ever data protection fines.

        • CNASouth Korea fines Google, Meta billions of won for privacy violations

          South Korea levied millions of dollars in fines on Alphabet's Google and Meta Platforms for privacy law violations, authorities said on Wednesday (Sep 14), as Meta considers fighting the decision in court.

        • BarronsGoogle, Meta Face Record Fines In South Korea Over Privacy Violations

          Regulators said the majority of the users in South Korea -- 82 percent for Google and 98 percent for Meta -- had unknowingly allowed them to collect data on their online use.

        • Internet Freedom FoundationThe National Commission for Safai Karamcharis takes action to protect sanitation workers from workplace surveillance

          In a significant step, the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) has directed four municipal corporations using GPS tracking devices on sanitation workers to furnish a factual report to them. This step was taken pursuant to our joint letter with All India Lawyers Association For Justice (AILAJ) to the NCSK in which had raised concerns about the increasing surveillance of sanitation workers.

          [...]

          After reports concerning the use of GPS tracking devices on Safai Karamcharis by the Ranchi Municipal Corporation came to light, the All India Lawyers Association For Justice (AILAJ) reached out to us to initiate a joint letter to express concerns over such violations. We sent a joint letter dated May 30, 2022 to the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) to urge them to investigate this issue and to take the necessary steps to ensure that all Safai Karamcharis are safeguarded from this imposition. The joint letter received endorsements by 18 organisations and 187 individuals. However, we did not receive any response from NCSK on the joint letter. As a result, we sent a letter to follow-up on our joint letter on August 8, 2022.

        • Common DreamsOpinion | Down With the Corporate Bean-Counters Who Spy on Their Workers

          For generations, workers have been punished by corporate bosses for watching the clock. But now, the corporate clock is watching workers! They count this as progress.

    • Defence/Aggression

    • Transparency/Investigative Reporting

      • TechdirtGavin Newsom Signs Hugely Problematic ‘Transparency’ Bill Into Law

        We’re still waiting to see if California Governor Gavin Newsom will sign the California Age Appropriate Design Code (AB 2273) into law, though all indications are that he will. However, he has now signed a different bad bill into law. He has happily signed what he calls the “nation-leading social media transparency measure” AB 587 into law. The bill is a disaster whether or not you support the goal of “transparency” for social media companies. Actually, the bill is a disaster especially if you support more transparency from social media companies.

      • The NationBiden vs. Newsom on Farmworkers’ Right To Vote

        “I strongly support California’s Agricultural Labor Relations Voting Choice Act (AB 2183),” Biden announced on September 6. Noting that farmworkers had worked through the pandemic, he declared, “The least we owe them is an easier path to make a free and fair choice to organize a union. Government should work to remove—not erect—barriers to workers organizing.”

    • Environment

      • Energy

      • Wildlife/Nature

      • Overpopulation

        • Middle East MonitorHalf a million children on Somalia face acute malnutrition

          An official in one Somali region described famished people walking long distances with children on their shoulders to escape from drought and violence inflicted by Al Shabaab militants. Some children died along the way.

        • CaliforniaCalifornia’s drought regulators lose big case. What it means for state’s power to police water

          Earlier this year the board ordered roughly 4,500 farms, cities and other entities to stop taking water out of the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers, the 1,100-square-mile watershed that provides about two-thirds of California’s population with drinking water. The board’s orders this year have included senior rights holders such as the city of San Francisco and the Modesto and Turlock irrigation districts, all of which pull water from the Tuolumne River.

        • The HillCan we save the diminishing Colorado River?

          At present, whatever water one state gets, another can expect to lose. And each state has its own body of water law that generally gives priority to historic withdrawal patterns. That body of law is important, but unfortunately, the times have changed. Maybe we should look at some past experiences with extreme water scarcity and consider institutional changes that could make things better for people in the dry southwestern states.

        • New York TimesU.S. Population Growth Has Nearly Flatlined. Is That So Bad?

          But is a population slowdown as much of a crisis as some have made it out to be, or could it actually bring welcome changes? Here’s a look at a longstanding demographic debate.

    • Finance

    • AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

      • NBCReality Winner, imprisoned for leaking classified report, calls case against Trump 'incredibly ironic'

        Winner had been working for national security contractor Pluribus International at Fort Gordon in Georgia when prosecutors say she smuggled out a classified report in her pantyhose detailing the Russian government's efforts to pierce a Florida-based voting software supplier ahead of the 2016 presidential election. That information was later reported by The Intercept news outlet.

        Winner said she was motivated to act on a belief that the American public wasn't getting the full truth.

        [...]

        Winner said she is on probation until November 2024, and remains prohibited from traveling out of southern Texas, must adhere to a nightly curfew and report any interaction with the media.

      • NBCRussia spent $300 million secretly interfering in foreign politics, U.S. says

        Moscow has covertly funded political parties, officials and politicians in at least two dozen nations across four continents since 2014, the U.S. said Tuesday, as the Kremlin’s role in other countries’ affairs comes under greater scrutiny after its invasion of Ukraine.

        President Joe Biden’s administration is sharing details of the review with 110 countries as part of its campaign to expose Russia’s actions by making them public.

      • VOA NewsIndian Court Allows Hindu Petition for Prayer at 17th Century Mosque

        Built by Islamic Mughal emperor Aurangzeb in 1669, allegedly after the demolition of a Shiva temple at the site, the mosque has become the latest potential flashpoint between India's majority Hindu community and its Muslim minority, who make up some 13% of the country's 1.4 billion people.

      • India TimesWhy Twitter's former security head is testifying

        Zatko's complaint alleges that the company misled regulators about its poor cybersecurity defenses and its negligence in attempting to root out fake accounts that spread disinformation, according to a whistleblower complaint filed with U.S. officials.

        Among Zatko's most serious accusations is that Twitter violated the terms of a 2011 FTC settlement by falsely claiming that it had put stronger measures in place to protect the security and privacy of its users. Zatko also accuses the company of deceptions involving its handling of "spam" or fake accounts, an allegation that is at the core of Musk's attempt to back out of the Twitter takeover.

        His 84-page complaint alleges that he found "extreme, egregious deficiencies" on the platform, including issues with "user privacy, digital and physical security, and platform integrity/content moderation."

      • Broadband BreakfastTwitter Whistleblower Says Company Needs to Work to Permanently Delete User Data

        Peiter Zatko, who was fired from Twitter in January due to performance issues, blew the whistle on the company last month by alleging Twitter’s lack of sufficient security and privacy safeguards poses a national security risk. He alleged that the company does not delete user data when accounts are deleted.

        On Tuesday, Zatko told the Senate Judiciary committee that the company needs to take the step of ensuring that the personal information of users are deleted when they destroy their accounts.

        He alleged company engineers can access any user data on Twitter, including home addresses, phone numbers and contact lists, and sell the data without company executives knowing.

      • TechdirtTwitter Shareholders Approve Sale Of The Company To Some Dude Who Still Doesn’t Understand He Signed A Binding Contract To Buy It

        Matt Levine, over at Bloomberg, whose coverage of the Elon Musk/Twitter saga has been excellent (his coverage of most things has been excellent, but especially the Musk/Twitter stuff), recently wrote that he was coming to the conclusion that Elon Musk simply does not know what a merger agreement means.

      • TruthOutThe Queen's Death Brings Growing Hope for Irish Unification
      • The NationKing Charles III May Keep His Head—His Kingdom Is Another Story

        London—Charles is a name that most English monarchs have avoided since the 17th century. Let’s therefore start where we really should. A century and a half before the French Revolution, the English fought a civil war and made a bourgeois revolution, funded by merchants. They executed the king (Charles I) on January 30, 1649, abolished the House of Lords and declared a republican state: The Commonwealth that ruled over England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales may not have lasted very long, but it left an enduring mark. The restoration of 1660 was a compromise. The absolutist state could not be resuscitated. The “divine right of kings” was never allowed back. But the reconstituted monarchy proved to be remarkably resilient. From his perch at Princeton, Arno Mayer explained this development in his classic 1981 account, The Persistence of the Old Regime:1The [post 1660] monarchy and landed elite tamed the industrialization of England without succumbing to it…. England never became a “bourgeois order” run by a “conquering” bourgeoisie.… There was no movement to remove the crown, the royal court, the House of Lords, and the ascriptive public service nobility. Despite the decline of agriculture and despite insular security, which vitiated the need for a strong military caste, the landed classes managed to perpetuate the “archaic” political order and culture.2

      • Democracy Now“Major Step Towards a United Ireland”: As Britain Mourns Queen, Northern Ireland Considers Its Future

        We speak with journalist and activist Eamonn McCann about Queen Elizabeth II’s legacy in Ireland and the impact of her recent death on the prospects of Irish unification. This comes as King Charles III visited Northern Ireland Tuesday on his national tour commemorating his mother, whose reign oversaw more than 3,600 deaths over three decades in Northern Ireland in fighting between the Irish Republican Army and forces backed by Britain. “There is a great confidence among nationalist and republican leaders in Northern Ireland that we are now moving inexorably towards a united Ireland,” says McCann, a former member of the Northern Ireland Assembly.

      • Common DreamsOpinion | No, MAGA Republicans Are Not Anti-War Allies

        Something strange is happening in the United States. As the Biden administration continues to go all in on proxy-war in Ukraine, the only politicians speaking up are… MAGA Republicans? Far-Right leaders like Margerie Taylor Greene and Josh Hawley are some of the only elected officials opposing the constant stream of weapons for war and NATO expansion. This leads some people who oppose war to consider joining forces with MAGA.€ 

      • Counter PunchThe Queen is Dead. Republic Now!

        Even John Lydon, who as Johnny Rotten once wrote; “God save the queen. She ain’t no human being. There is no future In England’s dreaming” got involved. He posted the following message on social media: “Rest in peace Queen Elizabeth II. Send her victorious From all at johnlydon.com”.

      • Counter PunchQueenly Saturation

        States of class, inequality and hereditary systems of rule are almost titillating, a reminder that the American Revolution was less radical than a revolt begun reluctantly by aristocratic, plantation owning slavers.€  Indeed, Britain’s royal institutions, in many ways, were reconstituted and applied to the rough timber of US expansion in the form of a Republic. The batons of empire were changed, but the purpose remained the same.

      • Counter PunchCotton Mouth: Political Careerist vs. Ranked Choice Voting

        If this had been a standard “first past the post” election in which a candidate could achieve victory with a mere plurality, Peltola would have won that way too: She received 39.57% of first-round votes to Palin’s 30.79% and Begich’s 28.09%. The ranked choice “instant runoff” merely confirmed that a majority of Alaska’s voters, rather than a mere plurality, preferred Peltola to Palin.

      • Counter PunchBannon: Another Trumpster in the Dumpster
      • TruthOutPoll Shows Historic Tie Between Dems & GOP Over Enthusiasm to Vote in Midterms
      • MeduzaMunicipal council candidate accuses Moscow government of rigging election in her favor — Meduza

        Russian Communist Party (KPRF) candidate Daria Bagina, who officially won a seat in her district’s municipal council in an election that ended on September 11, announced Tuesday that she does not consider the results legitimate. On Twitter, Bagina, who ran in Moscow’s Akademichesky District, accused the Moscow Mayor's Office of using the city’s remote electronic voting (DEG) system to stuff ballots in her favor.

      • Common DreamsGeorgia GOP Senate Hopeful Herschel Walker Says He's All In on Federal Abortion Ban

        "This November, bodily autonomy is on the ballot."

      • Common Dreams'Extremely Traumatizing': Louisiana Woman Forced to Travel 2,500 Miles for Abortion Speaks Out

        "Basically, they said I had to carry my baby to bury my baby."

      • Common DreamsOpinion | Scam Alert! Beware the GOP's Other Midterm Effort to Halt Democracy

        Get ready. If you're a Democratic voter, there's a chance you'll show up to vote this November and discover you can't because you're no longer registered. Millions will be blindsided this way, and it could turn elections toward Republicans across the nation.

      • Pro PublicaFor Donald Trump, Information Has Always Been Power

        It’s true that Trump likes to collect shiny objects, like the framed Time magazine cover that was stowed, according to the U.S. Justice Department, alongside documents marked top secret. It’s true, as The Associated Press reported, that Trump has a “penchant for collecting” items that demonstrate his connection to famous people, like Shaquille O’Neal’s giant shoe, which he kept in his office in New York’s Trump Tower.

      • TruthOutAfropessimism Forces Us to Rethink Our Most Basic Assumptions About Society
      • Misinformation/Disinformation

    • Censorship/Free Speech

    • Freedom of Information / Freedom of the Press

    • Civil Rights/Policing

    • Digital Restrictions (DRM)

    • Monopolies

      • The HillCalifornia sues Amazon, alleges tech giant stifled competition

        California Attorney General Rob Bonta (D) sued Amazon on Wednesday, alleging the e-commerce giant has stifled competition in a way that has increased prices for California consumers.

        The lawsuit alleges that Amazon requires merchants to enter into agreements that penalize them if their products are offered for a lower price for sale off Amazon, leading to higher prices for consumers.

      • NPRCalifornia sues Amazon, alleging its policies cause higher prices everywhere

        The lawsuit, filed by state Attorney General Rob Bonta, focuses on the way Amazon — the largest online retailer — deals with third-party merchants, who account for most of the sales on the platform.

        California alleges that Amazon penalizes sellers and suppliers that offer cheaper prices elsewhere on the [Internet], including Walmart and Target, for example by displaying their items lower or less prominently or outright blocking their new postings.

      • The HillGoogle must face most of Texas-led antitrust case, court says

        Google will have to face most of the Texas-led antitrust case over the tech giant’s ad dominance, a judge ruled Tuesday.

        U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel ruled against Google’s motion to dismiss the case filed by 16 states and Puerto Rico, though he did toss one count alleging Google and Facebook colluded on an advertising agreement.

      • India TimesGoogle suffers setback in court fight against EU fine

        The EU General Court largely concurred with the Commission's conclusion that Google had acted unfairly by forcing mobile phone makers to pre-install its search engine and Chrome apps on devices to carry its Play app store. Additionally, Google placed limitations on mobile network providers.

        According to the court, the general court accepted the Commission's finding that Google imposed unlawful limitations on makers of Android smartphones and mobile network operators to consolidate the dominating position of its search engine.

      • IT WireiTWire - EU gives Google little relief in verdict on record fine appeal

        Google has gained very little from a bid to try and get a €4.34 billion (US$4.33 billion, A$6.42 billion) fine imposed by the EU withdrawn, with judges at a tribunal largely confirming the bloc's decision to impose the fine.

        The fine was imposed in July 2018, with the EU accusing Google of breaching anti-trust rules relevant to Android. The company appealed the imposition of the penalty to the EU General Court.

        The Luxembourg-based tribunal said on Wednesday: "The General Court largely confirms the commission’s decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine.”

        It cut the penalty to €4.1 billion on the grounds that there were some faults in the EU regulator's analysis and because it agreed that Google's right to fair trial had been infringed to some extent. Details of the court's arguments are here.

      • RTLGoogle handed setback as EU court upholds record fine

        The court, however, said the fine should be slightly reduced to 4.125 billion euros ($4.1 billion), instead of the 4.3 billion euros decided by the commission in 2018, after reviewing the duration of the infringement.

      • ReutersGoogle loses challenge against EU antitrust decision, other probes loom

        "The General Court largely confirms the Commission's decision that Google imposed unlawful restrictions on manufacturers of Android mobile devices and mobile network operators in order to consolidate the dominant position of its search engine," the court said.

      • Indian ExpressEU court’s ruling on record $4.4 bn Google fine may set precedent

        A ruling on Wednesday by Europe’s General Court on whether Alphabet’s Google should face a record EU antitrust fine of 4.34 billion euro ($4.4 billion) for using its Android mobile operating system to quash rivals could set a precedent for other regulators looking into its business practices.

      • US News And World ReportGoogle Loses Challenge Against EU Antitrust Decision, Other Probes Loom

        The Commission in its 2018 decision said Google used Android to cement its dominance in general internet search via payments to large manufacturers and mobile network operators and restrictions.

      • Trademarks

        • TechdirtLuka Doncic’s Trademark Dispute With His Mother Is In Uncharted Trademark Territory

          Normally when we talk about trademark disputes, they tend to look fairly similar. Some entity is upset and/or sues over a trademark they have and we spend some time analyzing whether the trademark itself ever should have been granted, whether there is true customer confusion to worry about, whether the plaintiff is simply bullying, etc. But the story of Luka Doncic’s attempt to wrest control over the trademark for his own name and jersey number is something completely different and has us in uncharted territory.

      • Copyrights

        • Torrent FreakUS Lawmakers Urge Verisign to Help Tackle Online Piracy

          A group of U.S. lawmakers wants domain name registry Verisign to help tackle online piracy. The company has a key role in the domain names system, overseeing many popular TLDs including .com, .tv and .net. Verisign believes that it should operate in a content-neutral manner but it doesn't rule out that, through the right protocols and processes, it can help to address piracy as well.

        • TechdirtLegacy News Orgs’ Hatred Of Google Runs So Deep They’re Willing To Give Up Fair Use To Punish Google

          We’ve been writing a bit about the JCPA — the Journalism Competition and Preservation Act — the very bad bill from Senator Amy Klobuchar that would create all sorts of problems, from allowing news orgs to demand money for links (breaking the fundamental nature of how the web works), to creating a “must carry” provision that could force disinformation providers into Google News, to an underhanded method of trying to revamp copyright law, without ever admitting its revamping copyright law. We’ve explained all of these problems in previous posts.

  • Gemini* and Gopher

    • Personal

      • Debord's “Society of the Spectacle”

        i recently read Guy Debord's 1967 work “The Society of the Spectacle”[a]. i found it dense, but ultimately comprehensible[b]. The following is a collection of quotes that particularly stood out to me, irrespective of whether or not i agree with them. (In particular, i found Debord's repeated invocations of “false consciousness” to be .... problematic.)

      • Guess who won again

        The Italian Grand Prix always has an atmosphere because of the Italian fans. It's not always the best race, though. Verstappen had an easy win. Again.

        During the Schumacher years you knew who was going to win, and it was impressive, but you watched to see if anyone could beat him. This year has become like that with Verstappen.


* Gemini (Primer) links can be opened using Gemini software. It's like the World Wide Web but a lot lighter.



Recent Techrights' Posts

With 9 Mentions of Azure In Its Latest Blog Post, Canonical is Again Promoting Microsoft and Intel Vendor Lock-in, Surveillance, Back Doors, Considerable Power Waste, and Defects That Cannot be Fixed
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Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
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IRC logs for Wednesday, March 27, 2024
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Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
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a social control media 'scandal' this week
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, March 26, 2024
IRC logs for Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
Windows/Client at Microsoft Falling Sharply (Well Over 10% Decline Every Quarter), So For His Next Trick the Ponzi in Chief Merges Units, Spices Everything Up With "AI"
Hiding the steep decline of Windows/Client at Microsoft?
Free technology in housing and construction
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
We Need Open Standards With Free Software Implementations, Not "Interoperability" Alone
Sadly we're confronting misguided managers and a bunch of clowns trying to herd us all - sometimes without consent - into "clown computing"
Microsoft's Collapse in the Web Server Space Continued This Month
Microsoft is the "2%", just like Windows in some countries
Links 26/03/2024: Inflation Problems, Strikes in Finland
Links for the day
Gemini Links 26/03/2024: Losing Children, Carbon Tax Discussed
Links for the day
Mark Shuttleworth resigns from Debian: volunteer suicide and Albania questions unanswered, mass resignations continue
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
Links 26/03/2024: 6,000 Layoffs at Dell, Microsoft “XBox is in Real Trouble as a Hardware Manufacturer”
Links for the day
Gemini Links 26/03/2024: Microsofters Still Trying to 'Extend' Gemini Protocol
Links for the day
Look What IBM's Red Hat is Turning CentOS Into
For 17 years our site ran on CentOS. Thankfully we're done with that...
The Julian Paul Assange Verdict: The High Court Has Granted Assange Leave to Appeal Extradition to the United States, Decision Adjourned to May 20th Pending Assurances
The decision is out
The Microsoft and Apple Antitrust Issues Have Some But Not Many Commonalities
gist of the comparison to Microsoft
ZDNet, Sponsored by Microsoft for Paid-for Propaganda (in 'Article' Clothing), Has Added Pop-Up or Overlay to All Pages, Saying "813 Partners Will Store and Access Information on Your Device"
Avoiding ZDNet may become imperative given what it has turned into
Julian Assange Verdict 3 Hours Away
Their decision is due to be published at 1030 GMT
People Who Cover Suicide Aren't Suicidal
Assange didn't just "deteriorate". This deterioration was involuntary and very much imposed upon him.
Overworking Kills
The body usually (but not always) knows best
Former Red Hat Chief (CEO), Who Decided to Leave the Company Earlier This Month, Talks About "Cloud Company Red Hat" to CNBC
shows a lack of foresight and dependence on buzzwords
IRC Proceedings: Monday, March 25, 2024
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Over at Tux Machines...
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a considerable share exists
In At Least Two Nations Windows is Now Measured at 2% "Market Share" (Microsoft Really Does Not Want People to Notice That)
Ignore the mindless "AI"-washing
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The scale of IRC