Bonum Certa Men Certa

Links 30/08/2022: Fwupd 1.8.4 and FTC Privacy Battles



  • GNU/Linux

    • Desktop/Laptop

      • Hacker NoonLinux Desktops and Hardware Enablement - It’s Time for a Change | HackerNoon

        When it comes to those we care about, we wish to see our loved ones succeed and become the best versions of themselves. We encourage them to push forward through this crazy thing we call life, and maybe even become a bit disappointed when someone we love makes a less-than-ideal decision.

        Perhaps the same can be said of fans of the Linux desktop. It's like family to us. But to say that our relationship with Linux on the desktop has been strained would be an understatement. We love our favorite desktop distribution. Perhaps not in the same way as we would feel for a human or canine family member, but we do want to see the Linux Desktop flourish - and dare I say it, succeed.

        Perhaps that's part of the reason why it sometimes becomes so irritating when we Linux enthusiasts witness Linux shooting itself in its own foot. Linux itself is incredibly successful, yet far from perfect - but still surprisingly popular depending on how you look at it. Chances are, the majority of your favorite sites and online services are powered by Linux. And while you were in the process of binge-watching the entirety of Star Trek: Strange New Worlds last week, it was probably a stripped-down variation of the Linux kernel running inside your television that presented Captain Pike's latest adventures onto your screen in glorious 4K.

        If you carry around an Android phone, you can thank Linux for facilitating your recent delivery call to your favorite Chinese restaurant. Who knows, perhaps some of you are reading this article from a Linux PC. (Maybe).

        [...]

        Soon, I'll let you know exactly why I feel as though the decisions being made for many popular distributions are causing the entire Linux desktop dream to be an exercise in futility.

    • Audiocasts/Shows

      • VideoHow Linux Respects Your Privacy (And How Windows Does NOT!) - Invidious

        I often claim that Linux is better for privacy than proprietary operating systems like Windows, Mac, ChromeOS, Android, iOS, etc. Usually, I talk about the things that are hidden from view, like the spyware and keyloggers that Windows secretly uses. Today though, I'm going to talk about easy-to-see, tangible benefits of using Linux if you are concerned about privacy.

    • Applications

      • 9to5LinuxFwupd 1.8.4 Adds Support for Star LabTop Mk III Linux Laptop, Google Prism

        Fwupd 1.8.4 is here to introduce support for new hardware, including the Star LabTop Mk III Linux laptop from UK-based Linux hardware vendor Star Labs, ThinkPad Thunderbolt 4 Dock, ThinkPad Universal Smart Dock, Elan non-HID touchpads, as well as Google Prism.

        It also adds new features like the ability to prompt users to fix the BIOS configuration in case of issues, support for reading and writing BIOS settings, support for loading a machine-default BIOS settings policy, the ability to load BIOS settings for host emulation, and a translated title and long description for HSI security attributes.

      • New fwupd 1.8.4 release - Technical Blog of Richard Hughes

        Today I tagged fwupd 1.8.4 which adds a few nice features and bug fixes. One specific enhancement I wanted to shout about is that we’re now supplying translated summary, description text and suggested actions for each HSI security failure. Two of the most common criticisms of the new GNOME security panel were “but what does it mean” and also “and what should I do” which ironically were fixed long before all the hubbub erupted. If you want to see both new bits of data then make sure you’re using gnome-control-center from the main branch and then install the new fwupd version – although if you’re stuck on a distro version of fwupd GNOME will still fallback to the single-line summary line as before.

    • Instructionals/Technical

      • OSTechNixInstall WINE, Winetricks, Lutris, GameMode With GameReady - OSTechNix

        Hello Linux gamers! Today I came up with an useful tip for you all. In this guide, we will see what is GameReady, how to install WINE, Winetricks, Lutris, GameMode and more using GameReady in Ubuntu and its derivatives!

      • TecMintHow to Install XFCE Desktop in Ubuntu and Linux Mint

        Xfce is a popular lightweight desktop environment for UNIX-like operating systems. It is designed to be fast and light on the utilization of system resources such as memory and CPU. In doing so, Xfce provides optimal performance and is usually recommended for old computers and PCs with low resource specifications.

        At the time of writing this guide, the latest version of Xfce is Xfce 4.16. It is written in C (GTK) and was released on December 22, 2020.

      • Linux Shell TipsHow to Block Image Hotlinking in Nginx Web Server

        Consider a scenario, you have finally managed to create and host your first web app under a Linux system and you wanted your web app to lure continuous user traffic, you beautified it with some custom images of which you have full copyright.

        However, while comparing different web apps with a similar spectrum to yours, you discover your custom images are being used without your consent. These secondary sites are using your images’ direct link to display them on their platforms. Each time your web app loads, your custom images also load on their web app platforms.

        This issue is called image hotlinking and it’s quite difficult to link it to copyright violation since these platforms are only mirroring your images. If you are lucky enough to be using Nginx as your primary web server, we can find a workaround for this issue.

      • UbuntubuzzLibreOffice Calc Basics VIII: HLOOKUP

        This tutorial explains the horizontal variant of vlookup formula, called HLOOKUP, on LibreOffice Calc. We will learn first about data transposing, then manipulating it with the formula. As a reminder, if you haven't followed this LibreOffice Calc series, read the first and second parts here. Now let's try.

      • OpenSource.comClean up music tags with a Groovy script

        Lately, I've been looking at how Groovy streamlines Java. In this series, I'm developing several scripts to help in cleaning up my music collection. In my last article, I used the framework developed previously to create a list of unique file names and counts of occurrences of those file names in the music collection directory. I then used the Linux find command to get rid of files I didn't want.

        In this article, I demonstrate a Groovy script to clean up the motley assembly of tag fields.

        WARNING: This script alters music tags, so it is vital that you make a backup of the music collection you test your code on.

      • OpenSource.comShare screens on Linux with GNOME Connections | Opensource.com

        When someone needs to share their screen with you, or you need to share your screen with someone else, you have several options to choose from. Video conferencing software, like the open source Jitsi web app, and while we call that "screen sharing," it's really presenting. You're presenting your screen to others, but they can't interact with it. Sometimes you actually want to share your screen and your mouse cursor with a trusted friend or colleague, and the tool for that is VNC (Virtual Network Computing), and it's built into your Linux desktop.

        In any screen sharing scenario, there are two computers and possibly two users. For that reason, this article has two parts. The first part is for the person setting up their computer to accept screen sharing requests, and the second part is for the person trying to connect to someone else's screen.

      • AddictiveTipsHow to Install Linux Mint 21 with manual partitions

        If you’re a Linux Mint fan and want to know how to install the latest version of Linux Mint with manual partitions, this is the guide for you. Follow along as we go over how to set up Linux Mint 21 with manual partitioning.

        Please note that to install Linux Mint 21, you will need a computer with at least two cores and 2-4 GB of RAM. You’ll also need a removable USB flash drive.

      • AddictiveTipsHow to play GTFO on Linux

        GTFO is a survival horror FPS video game that is played cooperatively. It was developed and published by developer 10 Chambers and released on Microsoft Windows. Here’s how you can play GTFO on Linux.

      • AddictiveTipsHow to play Halo: Spartan Strike on Linux

        Halo: Spartan Strike is a twin-stick shooter game set in the Halo video game universe. It is the sequel to Halo: Spartan Assault. It was released on April 16, 2015, on Microsoft Windows, Windows Phone, and iOS. However, you can play it on your Linux PC with a few tweaks.

  • Distributions and Operating Systems

    • DebugPointCrystal Linux: Emerging Arch Linux Spin for GNOME Fans

      Often I think that we have sufficient Linux distros already. The count is nearing thousands, and fragmentation is at its peak. That is not good for quality software, especially in the open-source space.

      There is always a distro available for every use case you can think of.

      But Arch Linux is one of the sectors, it’s still emerging – just because of its debatable complex installation methods. That’s why most of the emerging Arch Linux distributions (such as Xero Linux, Hefftor Linux, Mabox, etc.) try to invent something unique in installation and other areas.

      Crystal Linux is one of those distros with a different take on installation while being super user-friendly.

    • 8 Best Linux Distros To Try In VirtualBox

      Whether you’re a Windows user looking to try out Linux or a seasoned user searching for new distros to experiment with, Linux on VirtualBox is a very convenient way to make the switch.

      With hundreds of distros to choose from, though, picking the best Linux for VirtualBox is a common problem that many users encounter.

      The short answer to this dilemma is very simple – pick whichever you prefer. For most users, pretty much any distro will be able to fulfill their general needs.

      But at the same time, it’s also true that certain distros are better suited for certain use cases, like Ubuntu or Fedora for beginners or Kali for pen-testing and security purposes.

      Depending on what you’re looking for in a distro, you should have a better idea of what Linux distro best suits your needs after reading this article.

  • Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

    • Its FOSSLive Debugger Tool for Apps, Sidekick, is Now Open Source

      Sidekick is a live application debugger, meaning it lets developers know about bugs and issues in their applications in real-time. It was primarily a paid tool for the job, with a 14-day trial plan to test it out.

      So, if you were hesitating to pay for the tool as a subscription, you can now self-host it and use it for free as per your requirements.

    • Its FOSS7 Best Open Source Library Management Software

      When it comes to managing the library, the library management software can make a world of difference. It can break or make your digital library management experience.

      And, with open-source library management software, an organization/library can save investment costs, have better privacy, and have more flexibility without any vendor lock-ins.

      So, I came up with the compilation of open-source library management software to provide you with some good options to help manage your digital library. You can use some tools for personal use-case, but many of them are geared toward public libraries.

    • Content Management Systems (CMS)

      • Linux Links7 Best Free and Open Source Elixir Static Site Generators

        While we employ built-in server caching which creates static versions of the site, we don’t generate a full, static HTML website based on raw data and a set of templates. However, sometimes a full, static HTML website is desirable. Because HTML pages are all prebuilt, they load extremely quickly in web browsers.

        There are lots of other advantages of running a full, static HTML website.

    • Programming/Development

      • FOSSLifeDevOps Approach Speeds Code Releases

        Software developers are releasing code faster than ever, according to the recent GitLab 2022 Global DevSecOps Survey, with 47% of developers citing DevOps or DevSecOps as their development methodology of choice

        According to the survey, 70% of teams surveyed said they release code “continuously, once a day, or every few days,” which is an increase of 11% from 2021. Additionally, “35% said they’re releasing code twice as fast, while 15% are releasing code between three and five times faster, and 8% said the code is flying out the door more than five times faster.”

      • [Old] Git Hooks

        Hooks in Git are executable scripts that are triggered when certain events happen in Git. It's a way to customize Git's internal behaviour, automate tasks, enforce policies, and bring consistency across the team.

        For example, hooks can check that passwords or access tokens are not committed, validate that commit messages conform to an agreed format, prevent unauthorized developers from pushing to a branch, update local directories after a checkout, and so on.

        Git supports both client-side and server-side hooks. Hooks can be written in any programming language though it's common to use Bash, Perl, Python or Ruby.

  • Leftovers

  • Gemini* and Gopher

    • Personal

      • How many words do you write in a day?

        I've been revamping my writing workflow, and took advantage of the opportunity to count the number of words I write daily.

        These word coutns are rounded daily averages of writing over the last month (since August 1st).

    • Technical


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



Recent Techrights' Posts

Linux Kernel Tainted by Software Patents That Make Linux Worse and the 'Linux' Foundation is Compiling Bribes to Enable This (Promotion of Monopolies and Tolerance of Software Patenting)
Why you need to reboot when a serious bug is found in Linux? "Licencing"...
Links 04/05/2026: Energy Shortages Become More Visible, Germans Reject Military Service, Merz Says US 'Humiliated' Over Iran
Links for the day
KDE's Cornelius Schumacher Explains Why You Should be Slop-Free
Output is not measured by quantity of words
Links 03/05/2026: Insolvent US Bailing Out Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Nvidia, Oracle, OpenAI, and SpaceX
Links for the day
 
IBM's "FutureNow" is the Rebranding of the Client Innovation Center (CIC), for Lobbying Purposes by IBM While Halving People's Salaries
So says a new comment
Libera.​Chat Openly and Publicly Admits It Has an LLM Slop Problem (Chatbots in Its Channels)
If there's a policy that bans chatbots (not humans), there's even a moral imperative for it
Microsoft: Yes, We Are Losing Windows Users and Yes, We Have Problems With Payroll (So We Lay Off Essential Workers)
From what we can gather, "hey hi" is now the name of everything at Microsoft
Ubuntu.com While Ubuntu.com is Under DDoS Attack and Intermittently Offline Due to Windows Botnets: Don't Use Ubuntu, Use Windows Instead
Unbelievable, as this is their advice when Windows zombies hammer away at their Web site and general infrastructure
Links 04/05/2026: "DNC Covering Up Its 2024 Autopsy" and Rudy Giuliani in Critical Condition
Links for the day
ChromeOS and GNU/Linux Exceed 5% in New Zealand
Can we expect New Zealand and Australia to divest from GAFAM?
The Real News is Botnets (e.g. Windows With Back Doors), Not Iran
Let's focus on the botnets [...] Microsoft's aim is the opposite of security
SLAPP Censorship - Part 66 Out of 200: Alex Graveley Did Illegal Things, Then Asserted Mentioning Those Illegal Things is Privacy Violation
Alex Graveley "has suffered damage and distress" when the public found out he told women to kill themselves
The Corrupt Lecture the Non-Corrupt - Part XII - Outsourcing Everything to Microsoft, Which is Illegal
Today's EPO isn't about technology or law
Melissa Chan on Why Press Freedom Matters to Everyone, Not Just Journalists
dispelling a myth
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, May 03, 2026
IRC logs for Sunday, May 03, 2026
Gemini Links 04/05/2026: Another Old Web Pillar Gone and Simple Lobsters Mirror for Gemini
Links for the day
SLAPP Censorship - Part 65 Out of 200: Graveley and Garrett Claims Are Word-by-Word Similar (They Also Collaborated All Along)
We'll keep it short today
IBM Has a Long and Rich History of Showing Chatbots Bear No Business Prospects (From Jeopardy to Watson Healthcare and McDonalds)
Watson Healthcare is already in the dustpan, so they are rebranding it again
Europe Decoupling is Bad News for GAFAM, Especially Bad to Microsoft
Countries want independence
India Needs to Recognise That the World Wide Web is Monoculture in India
In the US, a judge with Indian roots dealt with a case related to this; why won't India?
All-Time Lows for Windows Down Under
seeing the demise of Windows in Australia (historically a slow or low adopter of GNU/Linux) is good news
IBM's Kyndryl Accounting Fraud Explained and More Recently the Insiders Talk About Mass Layoffs
Judging by how the media totally ignored 800+ layoffs at IBM's Confluent and 400+ layoffs at Red Hat a few weeks ago don't expect to hear anything about Kyndryl layoffs
Links 03/05/2026: Water Shortages Crises and Slop Fakes "Are Coming for Your Bank Account" (Slop-Enabled Fraud)
Links for the day
All-Time Lows for Windows in Spain and Portugal
data which became publicly available less than 24 hours ago in statCounter
The Corrupt Lecture the Non-Corrupt - Part XI - EPO 'Products' to Cement Asian and American Monopolies
Only a fool would believe Lame Duck Campinos
Microsoft Windows Falls Below 9% in South Africa
As one can expect, GNU/Linux is measured as going up in France
Gemini Links 03/05/2026: The Black Side of the Web, LiveJournal, Chimarrão
Links for the day
A Month Since Mass Layoffs at Red Hat (400+ Engineers Laid Off), The Media Didn't Cover It
We are very concerned about the state of the media
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, May 02, 2026
IRC logs for Saturday, May 02, 2026
Gemini Links 02/05/2026: Strange Psychosis and TUIs
Links for the day
Links 02/05/2026: Microsoft Has Begun Rebranding Vista 11 as 'XBox' (Because the Console is Dying), Slop Rejected by Oscars
Links for the day
IBM's CEO 10 Years Ago in IBM-Sponsored Forbes: "For those willing to embrace [blockchains], the future will indeed be bright."
How well did this prediction materialise?
SLAPP Censorship - Part 64 Out of 200: Not Amused by Repeated Threats (to "Shut Down" My "Existence" While Mentioning My Wife Too)
it's about censorship
RightsCon Cancellation as a Data Point in a World Gone Astray
RightsCon should not even be controversial
The NHS is Under Attack by Anthropic and Microsoft (or Their Lemmings That Infect the NHS)
They are kidding themselves if they seriously believe Web-facing source code repositories are the real threat to patients
cPanel is Not Linux, cPanel is Proprietary Software
It's fair to say I've used cPanel for 23 years
Links 02/05/2026: Gen Z is Turning Against Slop and OpenAI/Microsoft Rift Explained
Links for the day
Storage and Memory Prices Are Rising Not Because of High Demand (Production Can Match Demand), It's Partly Because of Price-Fixing (Same as Food Price Increases)
Sophisticated robberies are still robberies
Thousands of Layoffs at IBM, So IBM Pays Mainstream Media to Claim That IBM is Hiring (Paid Lies)
This is a story about the media failing us, not just IBM failing as a company
A Look at DataStax Bluewashing (IBM and Layoffs)
IBM is a place that many people leave or get pushed out of
Gemini Links 02/05/2026: Leaving Session, Alhena 5.5.7, and Slop Failing Customers
Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, May 01, 2026
IRC logs for Friday, May 01, 2026