03.18.23

Gemini version available ♊︎

Links 18/03/2023: Docker is Deleting Free Software Organisations

Posted in News Roundup at 4:46 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

  • GNU/Linux

  • Distributions and Operating Systems

    • Reviews

      • Web Pro NewsLinux Distro Reviews: openSUSE Tumbleweed — Part 2 – WebProNews

        Security is only a good thing if it’s not so restrictive that people begin disabling features for the sake of convenience, and this is where openSUSE’s disadvantages begin to shine through.

        Of all the distros that I have tried to date (Fedora, Manjaro, openSUSE, KDE Neon, Pop!_OS, Kubuntu, and Zorin OS), openSUSE’s security policies are by far the most restrictive. Want to adjust your network settings? You’ll need to enter your password. Want to install a Flatpak app? You’ll need to enter your password. Change your timezone? Enter your password.

        What’s more, the default firewall settings are so strict that printer discovery doesn’t work out of the box. To be clear, every single other distro I’ve tried automatically discovers my HP printer on my network and lets me print without installing any additional drivers.

        In contrast, openSUSE cannot even discover the printer without changing the firewall profile from the default ‘Public’ to ‘Home,’ or adding the mDNS service to the ‘Public’ profile. Even when making sure mDNS is enabled, openSUSE still requires “hplip” software/driver package installed.

        Is it possible to overcome these issues? Yes. But many people, especially less technical users, give up before figuring out how to jump through all these hoops. In fact, a quick look at openSUSE’s Reddit will reveal that two common solutions to printing on openSUSE are a) disable the firewall altogether or b) “don’t print on openSUSE.” Seriously…I have seen that advice multiple times…”don’t print on openSUSE.”

        The issues with printing on openSUSE are irritating enough that Linux creator Linus Torvalds famously dumped openSUSE and switched to Fedora because printing was just too hard to bother with. Fans of the distro will point out that it has gotten better since that day…but it’s still not good enough for the average desktop user.

    • New Releases

      • Help Net SecurityPenetration Testing with Kali Linux 2023 released: New modules, exercises, challenges (PEN-200)

        OffSec released the 2023 edition of Penetration Testing with Kali Linux (PEN-200). This new version, which incorporates the latest ethical hacking tools and techniques through real-world penetration testing simulations, offers many improvements and additions, including new Learning Modules and Learning Objectives to help learners focus on critical areas, new, progressive sets of machines (Challenge Labs) to assist learners in synthesizing materials; and private environments to create a superior learning experience.

    • Fedora Family / IBM

      • The Register UKReg FOSS desk test drive: First beta of Fedora 38 drops • The Register

        The Fedora project has released the beta version of Fedora 38. The Reg took it for a spin, and it handles well.

        The beta version of Fedora 38 is here, hitting the “early target” in its schedule. As usual, there’s an extensive changeset, which is worth scrutinizing for the full details of all the various subcomponents. We tried the beta in both VirtualBox and on bare metal, and so far, it has worked flawlessly – which is particularly impressive given the issues we had with Fedora 37 when it was at the same stage.

        We’ve covered some of what’s going into this release already, and we try not to repeat ourselves. Among the more visible changes, there will be two new “spins”: one with Budgie and one with Sway. Also, earlier this month, it turned out that some “legacy” components aren’t being dropped just yet. The default Workstation edition will come with GNOME 44, which itself just recently reached Release Candidate status and brings some welcome improvements.

        Among other highlights, it comes with the latest kernel 6.2. (Incidentally, this will also be used in Ubuntu 23.04, although that’s not yet reached beta stage – that milestone should be at the end of this month.)

    • Canonical/Ubuntu Family

      • KitGuruOnLogic’s new fanless mini-PC uses a heatsink as a chassis

        To meet the need for capable computing power in environments with difficult installation conditions, OnLogic has launched its Helix 401 fanless industrial computer. This small device, which has made its premiere at Embedded World 2023, is designed for use in edge computing, IoT, and many other applications.

        The Helix 401 is available with a variety of Intel 12th Gen Core and Celeron CPUs. Customers may choose the CPU that best meets their application requirements, with options ranging from a Celeron 7305E to an i7-1270PE. Whether you need an HX401 for general-purpose data handling or complex machine vision and AI tasks, the Intel Iris Xe iGPUs on these CPUs will help. Windows 11 Pro 64 Bit, Windows 10 IoT Enterprise, and Ubuntu 22.04 are among the operating systems available. In addition, the Helix 401 is Red Hat Certified for usage with Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8.7, 9.1, and future releases.

  • Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

    • Programming/Development

      • How to remove a package from PHP composer?

        PHP Composer is a package manager designed to install the libraries or dependencies required by a PHP application or project.

      • How to clear PHP composer cache or delete its folder?

        While working with PHP Composer, are you facing slow performance then to improve it and the efficiency of managing dependencies try to clear the cache of Composer for your Project.

      • Godot EngineRelease candidate: Godot 4.0.1 RC 1

        Following the biggest Godot release ever we’ve collected several critical fixes and smaller usability improvements to make your experience with 4.0 more pleasant. This is the first release candidate for early adopters to test the changes, with the stable 4.0.1 release coming soon after.

  • Leftovers

    • TediumField of Bankruptcies

      It’s hard out there trying to do something new, which is why we want to look back on some of the notable failed sports leagues.

  • Gemini* and Gopher

    • Personal

      • architects of cruelty

        They built walls as the world caved in
        fountains as the reservoirs dried up
        prepared feasts in famine

        now they lay in rags or in coffins
        shouting to the heavens for its cruelty
        but the kingdom of heaven’s walls held strong

        their cries lay unanswered
        their servants abandoned them
        the utopia they fancied unfurled

    • Technical

      • Accidental portrait

        I’ve been working on a pinball game. I wanted level 2 to work like Bagatalle. You can control the strength of the plunger that fires a ball into play, but that’s it. I put a few things on the playing field, and then worked on getting the plunger to work properly.


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

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DecorWhat Else is New


  1. IRC Proceedings: Friday, June 09, 2023

    IRC logs for Friday, June 09, 2023



  2. Links 10/06/2023: libei 1.0.0 and Qt Creator 11 Beta

    Links for the day



  3. Jim Zemlin Boasting in 2022: Linux Foundation Has Revenue of Over 200 Million Dollars; IRS in 2022: Linux Foundation Has Revenue of 139 Million Dollars

    As noted here months ago, the Linux Foundation is run by a lying, manipulative charlatan who merely milks the brand “Linux” to enrich himself; where is that anomaly coming from?



  4. 'Linux' Foundation: Spendings on Salaries Increased More Than 20% in One Year

    As per the document just published after it had been submitted 7 months ago, salary-related expenditures rose from 49,386,990 to 59,791,694 in one year



  5. Links 09/06/2023: JDBC FDW 0.3.1 and Godot 4.1 Beta

    Links for the day



  6. Gemini Links 09/06/2023: Thoughts on Flatpak and Apple Cultists

    Links for the day



  7. Trying to 'Finish the Job' of Bully de Blanc and Deb Nicholson by Rewriting History (and Even Terms) for Microsoft

    Heather J. Meeker is trying to rewrite history and now we can see who her financial masters and hosts are (lots of Microsoft); The media portrayed her as some kind of historian for Free software a few months ago (as funding had been secured), but she already outsources everything to proprietary software controlled by Microsoft. This will be corporate revisionism; moreover, there’s employment history with Microsoft. As an associate put it: “The employment history with Microsoft is a dead give away that she will only spew lies and disinformation” (using books and such; the revisionism is well funded); the latest blog from the OSI is also sponsored by Microsoft (both the blog post and the person who wrote it)



  8. Links 09/06/2023: Tor Browser 12.0.7 and Many Linux Devices

    Links for the day



  9. Linux Foundation Demotes Mr. Linux, Linus Torvalds, to Third (in Salaries), Only Uses Him for the Name

    The Linux [sic] Foundation‘s tax filings (divulged by the Nonprofit Explorer) show that it now pays “CHRIS ANISZCZYK” and “JAMES ZEMLIN” more than it pays “LINUS TORVALDS”, sans bonuses. Torvalds fell to third place already. Mr. Zemlin pays himself over $1.2 million a year. He doesn’t even use Linux. He lacks credentials and accomplishments (except for selling out to companies like Microsoft), but he keeps pandering to power and money (Bill Gates). It should be noted that the Torvalds bonus was added only after backlash had erupted.



  10. HMRC is Just Taking Taxpayers' Money and Not Enforcing the Law (or Selectively Enforcing It for the Political Masters)

    What we've been demonstrating or highlighting so far this year is a defunct system of accountability, wherein the government officials and their associates are essentially above the law; can they endure the negative press that entails?



  11. GNU/Linux Decade in India: From 1.5% to 13.5%

    The world's largest population is quick to move away from Windows; not many adopt Apple (Indians don't care for overpriced junk), so GNU/Linux is growing fast



  12. IRC Proceedings: Thursday, June 08, 2023

    IRC logs for Thursday, June 08, 2023



  13. Links 09/06/2023: Microsoft's 'Online' ("Clown"/OneDrive) Storage Goes Down Again, Files Cannot be Reached

    Links for the day



  14. What Will Happen After All Major News Sites Die Isn't Pretty

    With webspam, chaff, sponsored puff pieces and worse things being presented as "the news" we're running out of actual purpose for the World Wide Web



  15. HMRC 3 Weeks Later: No Action, Same as 'Action Fraud' (Your Tax Money 'at Work')

    When people need police enforcement against a crime it turns out that police is “MIA” (missing in action); it might matter that Sirius worked with the British government, so there’s a reduced incentive to affirm crimes were committed and then arrest the perpetrators



  16. Links 08/06/2023: Istio 1.18 and FreeIPMI 1.6.11

    Links for the day



  17. Gemini Links 08/06/2023: Sourcehut, Gemini Identity, and BBS Comments on Cosmos

    Links for the day



  18. IRC Proceedings: Wednesday, June 07, 2023

    IRC logs for Wednesday, June 07, 2023



  19. The Need to Evolve on the Internet

    Tux Machines is one year away from its twentieth birthday and its increased focus on protocols aside from HTTP/S is paying off; Tux Machines also weaned itself off all social control media, including Mastodon and Diaspora (they're not the future, they're the past)



  20. EPO Management is Still Bullying the Staff (While Breaking the Law and Violating the European Patent Convention)

    Overloaded or overworked EPO workers are complaining about further deterioration at the workplace and their representatives say "this management style may well contribute to feelings of disengagement, depression, or even burn-out"



  21. His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) Not Responding After 20 Days (Well-Founded Report of Tax Fraud) and British Police Pretending Not to Exist

    The crimes of Sirius ‘Open Source’ have helped unearth a profound problem in the British law enforcement authorities; What good is a monopolistic taxman (called after the British Monarchy even in 2023) that cannot assess its own tax abuses? Or abuses connected to it via a contractor? Meanwhile, as per what I was told, the police is not responding to my MP and that’s ANOTHER scandal (police not only refusing to act against crimes, committed against many people, but moreover not responding to elected politicians)



  22. Links 08/06/2023: Cinnamon 5.8 and Leap 15.5 Release Mature

    Links for the day



  23. Gemini Links 08/06/2023: Emacs and Thoughts on Bubble

    Links for the day



  24. Links 07/06/2023: Reddit Layoffs and OpenGL 3.1 in Asahi Linux

    Links for the day



  25. Gemini Links 07/06/2023: Jukka Charting Geminispace

    Links for the day



  26. IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, June 06, 2023

    IRC logs for Tuesday, June 06, 2023



  27. NOW LIVE: Working for the Public — Universities, Software and Freedom - a Talk by Richard Stallman at Università di Pisa (Italy)

    As noted a few hours ago, Richard Stallman is delivering a talk at Università di Pisa this morning



  28. Richard Stallman's Talk is in Two Hours and There's a BigBlueButton Livestream

    Dr. Stallman is in Italy to give talks at universities this week; he will soon give a live talk, accessible in his site or directly at the source



  29. Links 06/06/2023: Angie 1.2.0, New EasyOS and EndeavourOS Released

    Links for the day



  30. Gemini Links 06/06/2023: OpenKuBSD, GrapheneOS, and More

    Links for the day


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