This week was Linux 32nd’s birthday and many of you celebrated it in style with some very nice releases like the LibreOffice 7.6 office suite, QEMU 8.1 virtualization software, and Linux kernel 6.5.
Several distros were also released this week, including Bodhi Linux 7.0, Kali Linux 2023.3, and Mageia 9. Below, you can read this week’s hottest news and access all the distro and package downloads in 9to5Linux’s Linux weekly roundup for August 27th, 2023.
So nothing particularly odd or scary happened this last week, so there is no excuse to delay the 6.5 release.
I still have this nagging feeling that a lot of people are on vacation and that things have been quiet partly due to that. But this release has been going smoothly, so that's probably just me being paranoid. The biggest patches this last week were literally just to our selftests.
The shortlog below is obviously not the 6.5 release log, it's purely just the last week since rc7.
Anyway, this obviously means that the merge window for 6.6 starts tomorrow. I already have ~20 pull requests pending and ready to go, but before we start the next merge frenzy, please give this final release one last round of testing, ok?
Linus
Headline features in 6.5 include faster booting on large x86 systems, Arm Permission Indirection Extension support, Rust 1.68.2 support, unaccepted memory handling, "mount beneath" support for filesystems, the cachestat() system call, the ability to pass a pidfd via a SCM_CREDENTIALS control message, scope-based resource management for internal kernel code, the deprecation of the SLAB allocator, and more. See the LWN merge-window summaries (part 1, part 2) and the (in-progress) KernelNewbies 6.5 page for details.
After seven weeks of RCs, Linux kernel 6.5 is here with new features like MIDI 2.0 support in ALSA, ACPI support for the RISC-V architecture, Landlock support for UML (User-Mode Linux), better support for AMD “Zen” systems, as well as user-space support for the ARMv8.8 memcpy/memset instructions.
Also new in Linux 6.5 is Intel TPMI (Topology Aware Register and PM Capsule Interface) support for the power capping subsystem and a TPMI interface driver for Intel RAPL, and the “runnable boosting” feature in the EAS balancer to improve CPU utilization for specific workloads.
Update: 6.1.49 has also been released. ""This upgrade is only for all users of the 6.1 series that use the x86 platform OR the F2FS file system. If that's not you, feel free to ignore this release.""
Linux 6.5 kernel is here and builds upon the work of the previous Linux 6.4 kernel, along with some notable changes and additions.
Linus Torvalds mentioned that this was a smooth release overall...
Linus Torvalds has just announced the release of Linux 6.5 on the Linux Kernel Mailing List (LKML)...
The earlier Linux 6.4 release was outed about 2 months ago bringing us x86 linear address masking, support for Apple M2 Arm SoC, new ptrace() operations, the ability for unprivileged processes to poll for pressure-stall information, a detailed tutorial explaining how to build a trimmed kernel, among many other changes.
Whatever the reason for this release appearing on schedule, with no notable ructions, it has produced a version of the kernel unlikely to be regarded as particularly significant. Perhaps the most notable inclusion is default enablement of P-State on some AMD CPUs – meaning the kernel can manage cores more efficiently to balance performance and power consumption.
Based on the just-released Linux 6.5 kernel series, the GNU Linux-libre 6.5 kernel is here to rework the cleaning up of the iwlwifi driver to reflect the revamp of blob names in it and adjust the cleaning scripts to account for cleaned-up ARM dts files that were moved in the "source" tree.
The GNU Linux-libre 6.5 kernel also cleans up the usual assortment of new dts files that declare dependencies on binary blobs, updates the cleaning up of the amdgpu, adreno, rtl8xxxu, and x86 touchscreen drivers, as well as of the atomisp docs, and cleans up new drivers for rtw8851b and the TAS2781 speaker.
In this digital age, where ideas flow like a river, note-taking has evolved from scribbled scraps of paper to fantastic applications that help you to add and organize notes. From the simplest tools for quick reminders to comprehensive platforms designed for collaborative projects, you can use note-taking apps as per your preferences.
We will discuss the top 10 note-taking apps that can transform the art of jotting down thoughts on your Linux system.
As a new Linux user, you may be completely overwhelmed with the sheer number of choices you have regarding distributions you can install on your computer. What is the difference between Ubuntu, Fedora, openSUSE, and Arch? Ultimately, the short answer is package management.
Each Linux distro offers users a unique method of installing and maintaining their system, with varying degrees of user-friendliness and usability. This guide will serve as a short primer on performing basic tasks in each package management system, so you can decide which is right for you.
Want to change gedit's default color scheme on your Linux PC? There are plenty of ways to do so, including creating your own color scheme.
Set up a network-shared folder using Samba but don't know how to access it from your Android or iOS smartphone? Here's how to get started.
If you're fed up with the default wallpaper on your Chromebook, consider changing it to something you fancy.
The subnet-router anycast address is a unique IPv6 address that is autoconfigured on a device that is a router (meaning net.ipv6.conf.all.forwarding=1 in Linux context) when the subnet prefix length is shorter than a /127. In theory, when a host on the subnet/local link sends a packet to this address, it reaches the closest router in the subnet from the host; this can mean the host itself if IPv6 forwarding is enabled. This implies the initial leading zero address of an IPv6 subnet (::) is going to be auto-injected into the host’s (router) local routing table as an address of type, anycast. So, for example, if 2001:db8::/64 is your subnet, then 2001:db8:: is the subnet-router anycast address.
As mentioned in several previous posts, I’m moving a server from one chassis to another. None of the hardware is coming over. Just the jails and data.
Recently, I’ve been trying out two new 12TB drives. I’m looking forward to the reduced noise level, as well as the reduced power consumption and heat.
Loki provides a RESTful API to store and read logs. Let’s push a log from a Java app. Loki expects the following payload structure: [...]
After that, reboot the system. Make sure to enter the BIOS (typically, using the F2, F8, F10, or F12 keys). As someone who cares about low power consumption (reduced carbon footprint), I never thought I'd share this tip: turn off all power management or energy saving options. Typical keywords for this are "ACPI", "APM" or anything that has "power" in its name. This is important to make sure the system is ready to execute all commands at the right time (literally).
Nautilus in GNOME 45 already received a search performance boost, support for dropping images directly from web pages, an improved Grid View that now indicates starred files too, the ability to display bytes size as a tooltip for folder properties, and a more adaptive design for the sidebar.
But there’s room for more new features as Nautilus now received new “Search Everywhere” buttons to expand the search scope and a modern full-height sidebar layout, along with refined sidebar sizing and folding threshold. This is what Nautilus looks like in GNOME 45.
In a remarkable stride towards technological advancement in West Africa, the ingenious collaboration between Professor Dr. Edward Danso Ansong and research assistant, Dominic Damoah has birthed an epoch-making breakthrough – Trend OS...
Void certainly stands out in the Linux community. In a world with dozens of spins of Arch Linux and Ubuntu, Void is a rare gem, trying different approaches and offering an unusually clean and capable experience. The project is light on resources, blazingly fast, and (in my experience) stable.
Since the last time I tried Void, the developers have fixed the sound issues I experienced in the past and managed to keep everything else running well without introducing any new problems. In fact, Void seems to be error-free. I can't recall running into any error messages, glitches, or crashes during my trial and that's quite unusual.
Void is a capable distribution and, while it uses some lighter, custom tools, it provides a great deal of functionality.
I am a fan of what Void is doing and how it is accomplishing its goals. The distribution is light, fast, clean, stable, and well documented. If I had any concerns it would be just two things. First, the distribution requires a degree of familiarity with Linux. This is not a beginner-friendly project. People using Void need to be comfortable with the command line, documentation, and text menus. In this way, Void shares some style elements with Arch or OpenBSD. The other warning I would share is Void has a smaller repository of software. All the basics are there, but there are some niche tools, alternative web browsers, and such which are missing. These can often be supplied through other means, such as Flatpak or a container.
In short, for people with a bit of Linux experience who want a clean, efficient distribution and who don't mind using the command line, Void is one of the best options I've encountered in recent years.
The Bodhi team is thrilled to announce the long-awaited release of Bodhi Linux 7.0. Built on the Ubuntu 22.04 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish) base, Bodhi 7.0 is a momentous step forward. With a strong commitment to improving user experience, performance, and adhering to its core values of minimalism and customization, this release marks a significant milestone in the evolution of Bodhi Linux.
Mageia is a user-friendly, stable, and versatile Linux distribution, originally forked from the Mandriva Linux in 2010, focusing on ease of use for new users.
It is a community-driven project offering a choice of several desktop environments, including KDE Plasma, GNOME, Xfce, and LXQt, which uses RPM for software packaging and distribution.
With roots traced back to Mandrake Linux, Mageia and OpenMandriva, who just recently released ROME 23.08, are the two modern successors to this once-legendary distribution.
Today, Mageia 9 (which comes with Linux kernel 6.4) is finally released. The operating system stands as a comprehensive update, catering to both the everyday user and the technically savvy. Whether you're into productivity, creativity, or just exploring, Mageia 9 has something for you. In fact, this Linux distribution should be an excellent choice for those wanting to switch from Microsoft’s Windows 11.
Firstly, Mageia has poured meticulous care into the installation process. Those upgrading from Mageia 8 will appreciate the seamless transition, with the RPM database shifting from Berkeley DB to SQLite. Installation geeks might appreciate being able to utilize different ports with an HTTP server and the myriad of bug fixes.
tl;dr In a recent thread on Mastodon, it was revealed that Ubuntu 23.04 users can’t install the Steam deb package from the Ubuntu archive without jumping through some technical hoops. It turns out this was a mistake, a bug was filed, and future builds shouldn’t have this problem.
It’s not immediately apparent whether the (currently ‘broken’) ISO images for Ubuntu 23.04 will be rebuilt (unlikely) or if this will stay broken in 23.04, and users will need to ‘cope’.
To check if you’re affected in Ubuntu 23.04 on a 64-bit (x86_64) installation, run this command...
This Banana Pi device doesn’t have a dedicated GPU, but it includes diverse audio interfaces including a built-in audio Codec, 1x I2S, 8x ADC, 2x DAC, 1x 3.5mm audio jack and various MIC pins via the 40-pin expansion header. The company suggests that this device can be used for speech-recognition or IoT applications.
The 40-pin expansion header provides support for GPIOs, I2S, MIC, Line-in, Line-out and ADC. Similarly, the 12-pin header offers support for GPIOs, UART, I2C, SPI, PWM and JTAG.
The Banana Pi wiki provides instructions to get started with this board in addition to Buildroot and Debian images.
Sick of Android? Don't want to be locked to a proprietary ecosystem? Security and privacy are becoming increasingly important for smartphone users, but what is the answer?
Is it possible to abandon Android and iOS for another mobile operating system?
When you want an alternative operating system, Linux is usually the answer. But which Linux phone OSes are available to install today? When you want to replace Android with Linux, here are the Linux mobile distros you should try.
A recent report by IANS revealed that on an average, around 3,000 techies were being fired every day in January. Major tech giants like Meta, Google and Microsoft announced large-scale layoffs at the beginning of this year, causing panic amongst tech workers across the globe. As a result, thousands lost their jobs and many families were affected. Even though reports now say that the pace of tech layoffs has slowed down, those people who lost their jobs earlier this year continue looking for new opportunities.
One such Meta employee, who was notified of his layoff along with 10,000 others earlier this year, shared his layoff story on LinkedIn. Saying that he lost his job as part of Mark Zuckerberg's 'year of efficiency', the former Meta employee said that layoffs have been a challenging phase of his life.
Buying your record clean only works if you aren’t that bad to begin with.
Lefty lunatics only have the luxury of believing in what they say either because they can afford to live somewhere else and not look at the problem or because they live with their parents and don’t have to want for things.
They certainly don’t need to buy a gun, because they can hire a private security army to guard the gate of their housing addition after they move behind a wall. So your Second Amendment Rights can go right in the garbage as far as they’re concerned.
These people are too dangerous to give power to.
That’s why I always vote to “impeach and remove the judges”.
I think the judges have all grown too comfortable where they are based on what I see unfolding in the real world, where I live.
Many people blame the bad economy for crime.