Bonum Certa Men Certa

Slopwatch: LinuxSecurity, linuxconfig.org, and Plagiarised Phoronix

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Sep 20, 2025,
updated Sep 20, 2025

This latest Slopwatch will be quite short, starting with a pattern we've long noticed about "NPM" (Microsoft) taking the blame or some particular developers named, even if it happens on Microsoft's watch and it is in fact Microsoft transmitting malware to people's servers and other devices:

Slop or fake: NPM Attack Exposes Supply Chain Risks in Open Source Software

We've meanwhile also noticed that Lucas Rees (linuxconfig.org) experiments/dabbles in a new kind of slop image generator to complement the LLM slop, which is what his Web site became infested with this year (he seems to be editing and reformatting slop, but it's still slop):

Slop or fake: Debian 13 ‘Trixie’ Released: Major Advancements in Open-Source OS Development

Another new fake:

Slop or fake: Ubuntu Studio 25.10 “Questing Quokka” Beta Launched

Aside from the slop images the structure of the text is a giveaway. The text doesn't "read" like it's made by a human either. It's a "smooth-talking" robot:

Ubuntu Studio 25.10 “Questing Quokka” Beta has officially launched, bringing significant improvements to creative professionals and multimedia enthusiasts. This latest Ubuntu Studio 25.10 release introduces major desktop environment upgrades, enhanced audio production capabilities, and substantial updates to creative applications that position it as a leading choice for content creators

In Google News, this notorious slopfarm is still having a go at "Linux", probably just plagiarising articles from Phoronix and slapping slop images on top of these:

Slop or fake: Linux Patch Optimizes Networking, Cuts Latency by 20% in Data Centers

Slop or fake: AMD Integrates ACPI C4 Support in Linux Kernel for Ryzen Power Savings

Today, for a change, the proportion of Google News results that are slop is relatively low.

Many articles out there are nowadays fake. The best way to temporarily tackle this issue is to identity the culprits (people and domains). Then more people will quit paying attention to their slop.

Other Recent Techrights' Posts

Techrights Was Months Ahead of "XBox" News (Mass Layoffs)
Next: end of XBox as a console
More Commentary on June 2026 IBM Layoffs and Why They Happen
It sounds a lot like what happened to the EPO
The Cyber Show: Remember That Code is Art
The article is very long, very profound, and speaks of "the next installation"
Only Days After Mass Layoffs in Microsoft's Azure There Are Headlines About Much-Expected XBox Layoffs
XBox as a console is basically dead or "fast-dying"
 
Sonny Piers Finally Spills the Beans on GNOME Cover-up, Points Finger at Robert McQueen, Misusing "Defamation" to Silence Critics of Wrongdoing
Robert McQueen, who is extremely connected to Garrett (they share digital nests)
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: Transcending Partisan Rivalry in the National Interest
Up until now, Campinos has generally been regarded as a Portuguese "asset" on the international stage
Gratitude to Whistleblowers or Sources of Techrights
Whistleblowers are what makes journalism work
Links 12/06/2026: "NearlyFreeSpeech" No More, Openwashing by Google (DiffusionGemma)
Links for the day
Today There's a Massive EPO Strike (Like Every Friday), Workers Explain Further Cuts Despite the EPO Making More Income by Granting Illegal Patents (or Invalid Patents Illegally)
"Recent exchange with the Administration on the implications of the SAP on the Education and Childcare Allowance"
Communicating With Freedom - Part IV - Quibble Now in quibble.chat, Open for Contributions Via Codeberg
Today we continue the series about Quibble
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: The Importance of Having "Pals from the Palacete"
for his reappointment bid to succeed, Campinos will need to be able to rely on the support of both the Portuguese Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, and the President of the European Council, António Costa
Cyber Show on How Updates or Upgrades Break Workflows, Even in Free Software
"We did a big upgrade on the AV production pipeline"
Discussions About IBM Layoffs in June, Including by RTO and PIPs
mass layoffs are becoming increasingly difficult to conceal
Gemini Links 12/06/2026: Decks and Work Essay
Links for the day
"Rolling Strikes" Continue at the European Patent Office, the Administrative Council Needs to Take Action Against Crooked Office Management
This coming weekend we'll talk about some of the other issues and concerns expressed by the union
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Thursday, June 11, 2026
IRC logs for Thursday, June 11, 2026
Links 11/06/2026: Disputes Over Copyright Infringement, Failure to Meet Climate Goals, "ChatGPT Caught Recommending “Products” That Are Just Scams"
Links for the day
Gemini Links 11/06/2026: Programmable Systems and Slop "is Coming for Your Serifs"
Links for the day
SLAPP Censorship - Part 103 Out of 200: Telling People What They Know and Don't Know About Death Threats They Receive
patronising letters sent on behalf of the Serial Strangler from Microsoft
IBM Genies in the Bottle
for ordinary people working who at at IBM, it's not hard to see that IBM is floundering
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, June 10, 2026
IRC logs for Wednesday, June 10, 2026
Links 11/06/2026: LF Openwashing of Slop and "Azerbaijan Bans TikTok and Other Social Media Apps in School"
Links for the day
European Patent Office (EPO) Series: The Centre (in Portugal) Falls Apart…
Luís Montenegro became embroiled in a conflict-of-interest controversy
IBM Lost About 18% of Its "Market Value" This Month
In IBM's case, a lot of the latest "pump" was Arvind's "quantum" hype/fantasy
Gemini Links 10/06/2026: Signal to Noise, Cancer, and Permacomputing
Links for the day
Links 10/06/2026: More Microsoft Layoffs, Sweden to "Ban Mobile Phones in Schools"
Links for the day
Communities and "Prosumers."
today's meetup will be about community
Gemini and Gopher Links 10/06/2026: Roasting, Changes, and Harms of Slop
Links for the day
Microsoft Azure Shrinking With More Mass Layoffs
"Reports suggest the layoffs will impact close to 200 out of 400 workers, who are set to cease employment at Azure on July 6"
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 09, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, June 09, 2026