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Links 26/03/2023: OpenMandriva ROME 23.03, Texinfo 7.0.3, and KBibTeX 0.10.0



  • GNU/Linux

    • Audiocasts/Shows

      • Open Source Security (Audio Show)Free Software Security/Josh Bressers: Episode 368 – The Sovereign Tech Fund with Fiona Krakenbürger

        Josh and Kurt talk to Fiona Krakenbürger about the Sovereign Tech Fund. This is a fund created by Germany to fund important open source projects. Fiona has amazing insight into how this fund was created, what it’s doing today to help fund open source. She discusses where we go from here and what the future will look like. The Sovereign Tech Fund is a forward thinking program to fund open source across the world. This episode is a window into the future.

      • GNU World Order (Audio Show)GNU World Order 505

        **polkit-kde-agent** , **powerdevil** , **poxml** , **print-manager** ,

        **prison** , **pulseaudio-qt** , **purpose** from the Slackware **kde**

        package set.

        shasum -a256=533bba40acd690d666ad17934dd66c073ea61784eaf85eacd398220cf0051a94

    • Kernel Space

      • Linux mailing listsLinux 6.3-rc4
        Things are looking pretty normal for this time of the release process.
        All the stats look very regular, and the diffstat mostly does too.
        
        

        I say "mostly", just because we had a bunch of xfs fixes last week, which makes the diffstat skew that way more than usual. But even that is mainly for a self-test addition. The actual code changes are much smaller.

        So instead of the usual 50+% drivers, the rc4 diffstat is about "one third drivers, one third filesystems, one third rest". Not all of the filesystem stuff is xfs, of course - we have cifs, btrfs and ksmbd fixes too.

        On the driver side, it's a mix, but networking and gpu shows up as usual. With USB and thunderbolt fixes showing up, and the rest being fairly random.

        And "the rest" is all the normal stuff. Self-tests, core networking, architecture updates, nothing odd there.

        Let's hope things stay normal. And, as normal, testing and reporting issues is appreciated,

        Linus
    • Graphics Stack

      • Free Desktop[ANNOUNCE] libinput 1.23.0
        libinput 1.23 is available!
        
        

        Thanks to Yinon Burgansky, this version has a new pointer acceleration profile: the "custom" profile. This profile allows users to tweak the exact response of their device based on their input speed.

        On X11, the code required to configure a custom acceleration profile was already merged [1]. In the Wayland world, now that libinput 1.23 has been released, compositors are able to expose this feature to their users.

        Peter Hutterer already covered how this feature works on his blog in detail, so make sure to have a look at his article [2].

        In addition to the new acceleration profile, this release includes a set of new quirks for different hardware. The work done for Razer hardware is especially noticeable.

        Finally, various bugs has been fixed and the CI has been improved.

        [1] https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xorg/driver/xf86-input-libinput/-/merge_requests/39 [2] http://who-t.blogspot.com/2023/01/libinput-and-custom-pointer.html

        Thanks to everyone involved for making this new version possible:

        Aksel Stokseth (1): add quirks for Logitech MX Master 3B

        Benjamin Tissoires (1): CI: bump b2c and kernel

        Bill A (1): quirks: add generic quirk for Dell 2-in-1 models for side volume buttons

        Cyril LEVIS (1): fix: add apple m2 keyboard quirks

        Diep Pham (1): quirk: Lenovo P14s Gen 1 AMD Trackpoint

        José Expósito (13): test: remove unused variable tablet-pad-leds: fix compiler warning when -Dlibwacom=false tablet: fix compiler warning when -Dlibwacom=false test: fix compiler warning when -Dlibwacom=false test: fix uninitialized variables sparse: make some variables static quirks: add quirks for Positivo-Vaio touchpad tools/record: fix quirk error message quirks: touchpad: add ModelPressurePad doc/user: fix trackpoint quirks path quirks: fix DWT on Legion 5i quirks: add a note to not quirk the Bolt Receiver libinput 1.23.0

        Lucas Zampieri (1): Allow rotation on all mice and for any angle

        Marge Yang (1): quirks: Dell Mayabay (Pressure Pad).

        Peter Hutterer (36): doc/user: explicitly specify language as en test: print the usage from the symbols-leak-test Remove trailing whitespaces in the tree Remove a few empty lines with nothing but a lonely tab Remove duplicate empty lines in our source tools: fix a tab after space whitespace issue gitlab CI: add a job to check for whitespace issues quirks: allow overriding of AttrEventCode and AttrInputProp evdev: only read the trackpoint multiplier on trackpoints tools: add a libinput list-kernel-devices tool tools: add a --hid toggle to libinput-list-kernel-devices doc/user: document the new list-kernel-devices tool meson.build: fix a deprecation warning CI: give the meson-build.sh script a proper license tag CI: make the meson-build.sh script even more generic CI: use meson compile over ninja directly in meson-build.sh filter: add helper functions to create/destroy a delta smoothener doc/api: set HAVE_DOT to YES doc/user: fix sphinx warning tools: add --replay-after and --once to libinput replay CI: bump to use Fedora 37 gitlab CI: drop comment about weekly rebuild of images gitlab CI: remove a leftover use of a fedora image gitlab CI: explicitly run the test in the systemd service CI: update to latest ci-templates CI: add new workflow rules test: give the generic MT touchscreen realistic ranges quirks: fix duplicate section names quirks: change all 3-digit matches to zero-prefixed 4-digit matches tools: honor FDO_CI_CONCURRENT in the tools option parser test: drop the explicit -n auto to the tool options test CI: make the ci-fairy commit check verbose test: comment two tap tests test: add a quicks file validation test test: add a test to make sure we don't accidentally add Logitech receivers quirks: add a bunch more Razer internal keyboards

        Richard Stefun (1): Improve X280 support

        Tobias Bengfort (3): filter: simplify speed_factor() doc/user: fix tap in palm exclusion zone touchpad: rm dead tp_palm_tap_is_palm

        Yinon Burgansky (3): Introduce custom acceleration profile filter: validate custom acceleration function's points size filter: add scroll movement type to the custom acceleration profile

        Zhangyuan Nie (1): quicks: invert horizontal scrolling for Logitech MX Master 3S

        gogogoghost (1): quirk: Google Chromebook Atlas (Pixelbook go)

        hrdl (2): evdev-tablet: clip touch arbitration rectangle evdev: apply calibration for touch arbitration
      • Free Desktop[ANNOUNCE] mesa 23.0.1
        Hi list,
        
        

        I know this email is going out a little late, but better late than never. Which may also be the name of the 23.0.1 release. I must apologize, I was running behind to start with, and then the troubles with the CI pushed me even further behind. As such, there are still a great number of patches nominated that are not in the release. I basically got what I could in by the end of day Friday, and cut that as the release, and I'll continue to pull in patches over the next week and half to have a normally scheduled release on April 5th.

        There's a lot here, covering a wide swath of the mesa codebase, especially Intel, AMD, and Zink.

        Cheers, Dylan

    • Applications

    • Instructionals/Technical

      • Make Use OfHow to Install IDLE Python IDE in Ubuntu

        When starting out in Python, setting up a coding environment can be challenging. IDLE (Integrated Development Learning Environment) is a Python IDE that simplifies the process for the same. You can start coding immediately after you install it.

        IDLE is an easy-to-use IDE with features that make it easier for you to write and run Python code. It comes pre-installed with some operating systems, but on Linux, you need to install it. Learn how to install IDLE on Ubuntu and how to use its interactive shell.

      • How to Write a Simple Linux Bash Honeypot

        The first step in a malicious hacker attack is scanning. This means that an attacker will scan its target for open ports and vulnerabilities.

      • Linux CapableHow to Delete MySQL User Accounts

        MySQL is a widely used open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that allows you to store, organize, and retrieve data efficiently. User account management plays a crucial role in maintaining the security and integrity of your database.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install Kdenlive on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

        When it comes to video editing, Kdenlive stands out as a versatile and user-friendly solution for Linux users. Developed on the KDE platform, this open-source video editor has gained widespread popularity among multimedia enthusiasts and professionals alike.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install KTorrent on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

        KTorrent is an efficient and feature-rich BitTorrent client designed for the KDE Plasma desktop environment on Linux systems. Built with user-friendliness and flexibility, KTorrent offers advanced features catering to beginners and experienced users.

      • Linux CapableHow to Install MyPaint on Ubuntu 22.04 or 20.04

        MyPaint is a highly versatile and user-friendly open-source digital painting application designed to cater to artists of all levels. With its powerful, dynamic brush engine and sleek, intuitive interface, MyPaint has become a go-to tool for creatives looking for a seamless digital painting experience.

      • Linux CapableHow to Check the MySQL Version

        MySQL is an open-source relational database management system (RDBMS) that is widely used for web applications and content management systems. Knowing the MySQL version you are running can be essential for compatibility, security, and performance reasons.

      • ID RootHow To Install LibreOffice on Linux Mint 21

        In this tutorial, we will show you how to install LibreOffice on Linux Mint 21.

      • ID RootHow To Install MyPaint on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

        In this tutorial, we will show you how to install MyPaint on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS. For those of you who didn’t know, MyPaint is a free, open-source graphics application designed specifically for digital painting and drawing.

      • ID RootHow To Install ProcessWire on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS

        In this tutorial, we will show you how to install ProcessWire on Ubuntu 22.04 LTS.

      • ID RootHow To Install Audacity on Rocky Linux 9

        In this tutorial, we will show you how to install Audacity on Rocky Linux 9.

      • Linux ITEmanuele Rocca: EFI and Secure Boot Notes

        To create a bootable EFI drive to use with QEMU, first make a disk image and create a vfat filesystem on it.

        $ dd if=/dev/zero of=boot.img bs=1M count=512
        $ sudo mkfs.vfat boot.img

        By default, EFI firmwares boot a specific file under /efi/boot/. The name of such file depends on the architecture: for example, on 64 bit x86 systems it is bootx64.efi, while on ARM it is bootaa64.efi.

        Copy /usr/lib/grub/x86_64-efi/monolithic/grubx64.efi from package grub-efi-amd64-bin to /efi/boot/bootx64.efi on the boot image, and that should be enough to start GRUB.

      • LinuxiacHow to Install VMware Workstation Player on Debian 11 (Bullseye)

        Install VMware Workstation Player on Debian 11 (Bullseye) and easily enjoy virtualization. Follow our step-by-step tutorial to get started.

      • FOSSLinuxMaximize functionality with these tmux plugins & extensions

        In this article, we will explore valuable tips and tricks for using Tmux plugins and extensions, including how to install them, configure them, and use them to streamline your workflow. Whether you are a beginner or an advanced user, this guide will provide you with the knowledge you need to take your Tmux experience to the next level.

      • FOSSLinuxSimplifying virtualization on Ubuntu with GNOME Boxes

        In this guide, we will provide a step-by-step tutorial on how to install and use Gnome Boxes on Ubuntu. We will cover the steps involved in installing Gnome Boxes, creating and managing virtual machines, and configuring virtual machine settings. We will also explore some popular use cases for Gnome Boxes.

      • FOSSLinuxExploring the Pop!_OS Desktop Environment

        In this guide, we will provide an introduction to the Pop!_OS desktop environment. We will cover its features, customization options, and differences from other popular desktop environments. We will also explore some popular tools and applications for working with Pop!_OS.

    • Games

    • Desktop Environments/WMs

      • K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt

        • Building Plasma against Qt6

          As you probably have heard by now the lastest development versions of Plasma and KDE Frameworks require Qt6. This transition has been in the works for a few years by now, but it was only somewhat recently that we took the plunge and started relying on Qt6 exclusively for Plasma. Plasma 5.27 is the last Plasma 5 release and continues in bugfix-only mode.

          For people who want to hack on Plasma features this raises the obvious question: How do I build Plasma 6 to hack on it?

          Before diving into this, a word of warning: Current Plasma master is in no way “ready for production”. There are known-broken things and things may temporarily regress at any time. That said, the only way to get towards a stable thing is to dig in and fix things. So let’s see how to do that.

          For this explanation I’m assuming you have build KDE software with kdesrc-build before. If not we have some extensive documentation for that. First you need at least Qt 6.4 installed. The usually best way to get that is from your distribution. If your distribution does not have Qt6 packaged yet please complain^Wtalk to them. CMake should complain about any missing Qt6 modules/development files, but make sure you have the qtpaths tool installed beforehand. It should be named something like qtpaths6 or qtpaths-qt6.

        • KBibTeX 0.10.0 released

          After the recent release of KBibTeX 0.9.3.2 as the last release of the 0.9.x branch, it is now time to make a stable release of KBibTeX 0.10.0. Tar-balls are as usual available at KDE’s download mirrors. Some of the changes were documented more than two years ago in a pre-release (0.9.90), but here are the highlights taken from the ChangeLog: [...]

  • Distributions and Operating Systems

    • It's FOSSblendOS Aims to Replace All Linux Distributions

      Sounds too far-fetched?

      Well, blendOS pitches itself to be the ultimate distro-blend.

      blendOS is a new project by Rudra Saraswat, known for Ubuntu-based remixes, and Ubuntu Unity in particular (which is now an official Ubuntu flavour).

      I would say the project has a pretty accurate name for what it wants to achieve.

      But, how does blendOS aim to be a replacement to all? What is it all about?

    • Arca NoaeI want ArcaOS 5.1!

      ArcaOS 5.1 is complete and ready for release. The holdup is really related to our distribution system, which is based on the WooCommerce platform.

    • Boiling SteamTime to Stop Using (and Recommending) Solus

      I’ve complained in the past about Solus (Linux distro) when they could not be bothered to fix their Steam Linux client packaging after Proton 5.13 was long out (they eventually did)...

    • Reviews

      • Distro WatchReview: siduction 22.1.1

        I like Debian and run it on almost every computer I own, so siduction felt very familiar to me. In some ways it was a preview of Debian 12, and in other ways, it was an interesting look at some advanced features that go beyond the conservativeness of vanilla Debian. The three major features covered in its release notes -- chroot helper, Nala, and snapper -- are all great features. I just wish the chroot helper worked with my eMMC drive, but siduction would not be the first distribution that had issues when the only storage available is eMMC storage.

        If Debian-based distributions are your preferred Linux distributions, I highly recommend giving siduction a try. It offers many interesting things while remaining familiar. There are certainly plenty of Debian-based distributions out there, but siduction provides a lot of features that make it different from other distributions. Sure, it lacks the conservativeness of Debian Stable, but aside from the issue with the siduction-btrfs package on an ext4 install, I ran into no major issues when working on this review. Though, I am somewhat amused by absurdity of the root password issue, but that was 99% on me for doing something I knew would likely end up ending in the situation that it did.

    • PCLinuxOS/Mageia/Mandriva/OpenMandriva Family

      • LinuxiacOpenMandriva ROME 23.03 is Here: Get Ready to be Impressed

        Shining with KDE Plasma 5.27.3 and vanilla GNOME 43.3, OpenMandriva ROME 23.03 will impress and satisfy every user's taste.

      • 9to5LinuxOpenMandriva Lx 23.03 Released with Linux 6.2, Mesa 23, and KDE Plasma 5.27

        OpenMandriva Lx 23.03 is here almost three months after the introduction of OpenMandriva Lx 23.01 ROME as OpenMandriva’s first-ever rolling-release edition where you install once and receive updates forever.

        This release bumps the kernel to the latest Linux 6.2, ships with the latest and greatest KDE Plasma 5.27 LTS desktop environment series, which is accompanied by the KDE Frameworks 5.104 and KDE Gear 22.12.3 software suites, and features out-of-the-box support for the Flatpak universal and sandboxed binary format.

      • PCLOS OfficialOpera Browser 97.0.4719.28

        The Opera Browser has been updated to 97.0.4719.28 and available through our software repository. No need to go hunting all over the internet to find your favorite web browser when they are in the PCLinuxOS software repository!

      • PCLOS OfficialVivaldi Browser 5.7.2921.65

        The Vivaldi Browser has been updated tp 5.7.2921.65 and shipped to our software repository.

      • PCLOS OfficialPaleMoon Browser 32.1.0

        The PaleMoon Browser has been updated to 32.1.0 and available from the software repository.

      • PCLOS OfficialChromium Browser 111.0.5563.64

        The Chromium Browser has been updated to 111.0.5563.64 and available from the software repository.

      • PCLOS OfficialBrave Browser 1.49.128

        Brave Browser has been updated to 1.49.128 and has been shipped to the software repository. Brave Browser is one of the best Chromium based browsers on the market.

    • Devices/Embedded

    • Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

  • Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

    • Art

      • Libre ArtsLibreArts Weekly recap — 26 March 2023

        Week highlights: new releases of topologicpy and LSP plugins, new features and improvements in GIMP, Inkscape, FreeCAD, Olive, automatic generation of subtitles from audio is coming to Kdenlive.

        GIMP

        There’s some minor porting of various file support plugins to GimpProcedureDialog API going on. Other than that, no major changes.

      • David RevoyFa Bd Comics books on SCAMazon: don't buy them
        Achievement unlocked: we found with the Pepper&Carrot community Fa BD Comic, the publisher of the worst derivations of Pepper&Carrot made so far.

        Unfortunately, the product's are published under my name and also in the name of artists who sent fan-arts of Pepper&Carrot... That's why I write this article to describe a bit this scam and desktop publishing carnage happening right now on Amazon and inform the audience of Pepper&Carrot to not buy them.

        Brace yourself, cause we are going in the territory of the zero absolute of quality, graphic designs horrors, colorimetry nightmares and bad layout.

    • Content Management Systems (CMS)

      • Bryan Quigley: Email list to Ghost site - PastaDollar.com

        From a pricing perspective, the platform scales with your audience size. Importantly, Ghost does not take a cut of your membership subscription revenue. For this reason, the pricing incentives mean your Ghost site is more cost-effective when you have 100% paid members and 0% free members. I'm sure that ratio is a pipe dream for most publications, but that's how the business model works. Pricing is currently $9/mo for any site with 500 or fewer subscribers, including web hosting.

    • GNU Projects

      • GNUTexinfo 7.0.3 released
        We have released version 7.0.3 of Texinfo, the GNU documentation format.
        
        

        This is a minor bug-fix release containing minimal changes from the previous release (7.0.2).

        This package contains tools to produce documentation in various formats, including HTML and PDF, from source files in the Texinfo format. Texinfo is a text-based format with commands for marking text, document structuring and indexing.

        https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/texinfo/texinfo-7.0.3.tar.xz https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/texinfo/texinfo-7.0.3.tar.gz

        If automatic redirection fails, the list of mirrors is at: https://www.gnu.org/prep/ftp.html

        Failing that, you can use the main server: https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/texinfo/texinfo-7.0.3.tar.xz https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/texinfo/texinfo-7.0.3.tar.gz

        Please email any comments to bug-texinfo@gnu.org.

        The Texinfo web page: https://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/

        Support free software ~ https://www.fsf.org/ ~ https://www.gnu.org/

        News:

        * texi2any . fix performance regression when Perl binary extension (XS) modules are not being used (e.g. with TEXINFO_XS=omit)

        * info . further fix of recoding of UTF-8 files to ASCII to avoid text disappearing from nodes . avoid possible freeze at start of a file with `-v nodeline=pointers'
      • GNUtexinfo @ Savannah: Texinfo 7.0.3 released

        We have released version 7.0.3 of Texinfo, the GNU documentation format. This is a minor bug-fix release. It's available via a mirror (xz is much smaller than gz, but gz is available too just in case): http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/texinfo/texinfo-7.0.3.tar.xz http://ftpmirror.gnu.org/texinfo/texinfo-7.0.3.tar.gz Please send any comments to bug-texinfo@gnu.org. Full announcement: https://lists.gnu.org/archive/html/bug-texinfo/2023-03/msg00087.html

      • GNUa2ps @ Savannah: a2ps 4.15.3 released [stable]
         GNU a2ps is an Any to PostScript filter.  Of course it processes plain
        text files, but also pretty prints quite a few popular languages.
        For more information, see https://www.gnu.org/software/a2ps/
        This release is a minor bug-fix release; no pressing need to update unless
        you’re affected by a bug it fixes (see the end of this message for details).
        Here are the compressed sources and a GPG detached signature:
        https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/a2ps/a2ps-4.15.3.tar.gz
        https://ftpmirror.gnu.org/a2ps/a2ps-4.15.3.tar.gz.sig
        b2ae4016b789a198c50a2f1dc0fefc11bda18ebe a2ps-4.15.3.tar.gz
        0A6B4OtNy/LUlj2J4d8rtm9x5m1ztBUsQ8+YOOaq98c a2ps-4.15.3.tar.gz
        The SHA256 checksum is base64 encoded, instead of the
        hexadecimal encoding that most checksum tools default to.
        gpg --verify a2ps-4.15.3.tar.gz.sig
        pub rsa2048 2013-12-11 [SC]
        2409 3F01 6FFE 8602 EF44 9BB8 4C8E F3DA 3FD3 7230
        uid Reuben Thomas <rrt@sc3d.org>
        uid keybase.io/rrt <rrt@keybase.io>
        gpg --locate-external-key rrt@sc3d.org
        gpg --recv-keys 4C8EF3DA3FD37230
        wget -q -O- 'https://savannah.gnu.org/project/release-gpgkeys.php?group=a2ps&download=1' | gpg --import -
        gpg --keyring gnu-keyring.gpg --verify a2ps-4.15.3.tar.gz.sig
        Gnulib v0.1-5892-g83006fa8c9
        * Noteworthy changes in release 4.15.3 (2023-03-26) [stable]
        * Bug fixes:
        - Fix fixps to use GhostScript’s ps2write device instead of defunct
        pswrite.
        * Build:
        - Fix a problem building PDF version of manual.
    • Programming/Development

      • Geeks For GeeksHow to Implement OTP View in Android?

        An OTP View or PinView in android is a widget that allows users to enter their PIN, OTP, etc.

      • RlangLittle useless-useful R functions – Transforming dataframe to markdown table
        Writing markdown documents outside RStudio (using the usual set of packages) has benefits and struggles. Huge struggle is transforming dataframe results into markdown table, using hypens and pipes.

      • RlangReading Remote Data Files

        Sometimes data arrives as a series of individual files each of which is organized in the same way—which is to say, each of which has the same variables, features, or columns.

      • Dirk EddelbuettelDirk Eddelbuettel: littler 0.3.18 on CRAN: New and Updated Scripts

        The nineteenth release of littler as a CRAN package landed this morning, following in the now seventeen year history (!!) as a package started by Jeff in 2006, and joined by me a few weeks later.

        littler is the first command-line interface for R as it predates Rscript. It allows for piping as well for shebang scripting via #!, uses command-line arguments more consistently and still starts faster. It also always loaded the methods package which Rscript only began to do in recent years.

        lives on Linux and Unix, has its difficulties on macOS due to yet-another-braindeadedness there (who ever thought case-insensitive filesystems as a default were a good idea?) and simply does not exist on Windows (yet – the build system could be extended – see RInside for an existence proof, and volunteers are welcome!). See the FAQ vignette on how to add it to your PATH. A few examples are highlighted at the Github repo, as well as in the examples vignette.

    • Standards/Consortia

  • Leftovers

  • Gemini* and Gopher

    • Personal

      • Sunset! 2023-03-25 (Fairbanks, AK, USA)

        I felt bad that my wife is not usually able to come along on these sunset chasing adventures, since one of us has to stay with the kids, so I decided to bring the whole family along this evening. I could only think of a few decent parking spots with the right view for this, so I settled on Hot Springs Gas, a gas station a little east of Fairbanks, which has a decent view to the west, and also a bathroom and snacks for children. It almost goes without saying that trying to watch the sunset while trapped in a vehicle with three young children for 50 minutes is far from a tranquil experience.

      • Rain, rain, rain

        It rained most of Wednesday and Thursday, and all day yesterday and today. I'm wondering if it's going to wash away all the cherry blossoms. The trees are out in full bloom now.

      • Do I need Windows

        Not the operating system, but the display concept. Do I actually need them?

        I've been thinking a bit about my computing setup, primarily, how I plan to reconfigure my desktop machine to move off of Manjaro. It has been "fine", but I've found delays and fuck ups from their end, and some "choices" they've made to just not align with my personal computing preferences.

        // FWIW, I'm the type of gal that expects my computer to work the same every time I boot it. If you, computer, decide to update something that I didn't explicitly authorize in the updater? See Ya!! And Ubuntu, and now Manjaro have broken that rule. Which is often why I stick to mainline distros like Debian, or Arch + a DE and not get "out of the box" type stuff, since that's someone/group controlling the direction, and I'm perfectly capable of doing nothing thanks :)

      • What a nice day

        It was a really nice 22c/71f today; it was nice and sunny and HOT. I had to run to the store around lunch time and I was hot wearing a thin jacket. Kids on the street were in T-shirts and shorts. Too bad it's going to rain the rest of the week :/

        Also at lunch was the news that Japan won the WBC (World Baseball Classic.) It was, of course, all over the TV on most of the channels. I checked the news back home but the only bit there was this story way down the page. It took a while to find it cnn.com, too.

    • Technical

      • Gave up TWTXT

        After some time of trying I have decided that TWTXT is not for me. In its current form it shares many negatives of other social networks while almost nothing to offer (for me). Unlike the Gopher, it's useless on older computers (SSL is required for most people's files).

        I don't say I will not try it once more in future but at the moment I have no use for it.

      • systemd, a Retrospective

        Ah, systemd. More or less this was Linux under new management, same as the old management. For example, systemd on RedHat Enterprise 7 (2014) had a charming feature where, sometimes, it would fail to shutdown a host, and one would eventually stride to the server room and apply the Paperclip of +3 System Slaying. Such already unbent paperclips had been hung on the racks for exactly this purpose. RedHat 7 (2000) also had this feature. Folks with money might have remote management, or maybe a data centre tech would be wandering about Europe at 2 AM as one kept the Sev-1 line informed of their progress. Regardless, there was a manual reset because of a wedge at shutdown. Different clowns, same act.

        [..]

        That systemd generated more than 20 log lines by default for each and every mailman cron job on RHEL7 was charming. What was the point of all that log spam? I forget how I squelched it; RedHat Linux is fairly maintenance heavy.

        [...]

        The past tense means I haven't really touched Linux in a while; there is an Alpine Linux virt under vmd(8) somewhere, gently unused. And a big-endian Debian MIPS qemu thing used even less to test that code does not assume little-endian. OpenBSD gets the complexity and maintenance needs just about right.

      • Monitor your remote host network quality using smokeping on OpenBSD

        If you need to more the network quality of a link, or the network availability of a remote host, I'd recommend you to take a look at Smokeping.

      • Emphasis vs Italics

        Same goes for strong and b.

        I like that it gives you a choice between _ and *, that they mean the same thing, and that you can mix and match them, and that double means stronger. That was a good design decision that was a lot easier to remember than the other markup formats I was using before. So solutions where “_ is cite and * is em” are no good, especially when they don’t fix things like Linnaean names.

        I suggest that Markdown installations that do allow fallthrough HTML should stick with em and strong as the default, since those are the most common cases and fallthrough HTML can handle the special cases, but Markdown installations on online forums that disable fallthrough HTML (i.e. where Markdown is used in lieu of bbcode or Wiki syntax), it should generate i and b instead of em and strong. It’s less wrong.

      • Announce: release of run-many=1.0.0

        I just uploaded first release of "run-many" tool that is standalone implementation of colored interleaved output like "docker-compose up" or "devenv up".

      • Signal Corps Sergeant 1st Class

        I was just looking at an old photo of my great grandfather. He was in the 99th aero squad in WWI, which I think I've written about previously. Maybe not.

        In any case, I noticed that in this photo, he had handwritten the names and ranks of the people around him, who were all officers. But, none of them had sleeve insignia, except him. He didn't bother writing his own name or rank, of course. Saving the memories for himself, I think.

      • Will I outlive NetBSD?

        I was recently reading a detailed account of Apple UNIX, a Macintosh-compatible UNIX operating system published by Apple for Macintosh computers with m68k CPUs. The account appeared to have been written in 2001, based on one screenshot of the author's PC desktop. The account concludes by recommending that operators of m68k-based Macintosh computers who wish to run UNIX on their machines find an alternative to Apple UNIX for a number of reasons. They recommend NetBSD.

      • Fedora Deprecates Legacy BIOS Installs

        As of release 37, Fedora has deprecated legacy BIOS installs [0] - you can still boot and presumably upgrade an existing OS install over the network, but you can no longer install it fresh.

        I think the biggest issue with this decision for me is the lack of awareness around e-waste and re-purposing of old hardware that may have many years of useful life left. I know I am not alone in that I mostly buy refurbished or older computers. I keep them for years and maintain them or replace parts in them as needed, and only junk them when they are truly dead.

      • Trisquel 11 on a New Desktop

        I needed to replace my aging desktop, which is my daily driver for work, so last week I purchased a refurbished "business desktop" with four CPU cores, a large SSD and plenty of RAM (32GB), which is more computing power than I have ever had. My old desktop has half that amount of RAM with a SATA HDD, and was beginning to groan under the weight of all the web-based and other apps I'm forced to use while at work. Things like Google apps and Slack were noticeably sluggish.

      • Internet/Gemini

        • What happened to index.gmi?

          I am quite sure that Gemini server on tilde.pink user to serve directory index automatically, now I have to regenerate "index.gmi" manually. I understand that it makes server simpler which is good, but that broke by dist/ directory, which is bad. Did I miss an announcement?

        • Tinylog

          I had a feeling looking at my capsule that there should be a last time stamp for every section. Because without that reader must check every link if there was any change. So I implemented a script for that...

        • Gophersphere is (still!) volatile

          Gophersphere was crowded at the beginning of the 90s. And it was empty at the end of the same decade. We are aware that most of that content was lost. The only archive which is available is from 2007 and we are naming it The Wayback Machine. The same as that from Internet Archive. But Internet Archive which is operating The Wayback Machine for WWW has 802 billion web pages, not some small amount of final stage content of Gophersphere. Probably there isn't any other backup of Gophersphere from the earlier years. And we can only weep for that.


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



Recent Techrights' Posts

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The case is now being escalated to a Foreign Secretary and former Deputy Prime Minister
No Slop Found in RSS Feeds, Only in Google News
No slopfarm will survive for very long, certainly it'll go bust as soon as readers (if it had any) know what it is
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Dr. Andy Farnell on How GAFAM, NVIDIA and Others Lie to People Via the Sponsored Media to Prop Up Lies Under the Guise of "AI"
Lots of key aspects are covered
 
Attacks on Techrights Make Techrights Stronger and Attract More Whistleblowers to Techrights
The harder they attack us, the more productive we become
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now The Register MS not only promotes a Ponzi scheme but also bags money to pretend Google respects women
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European Patent Office (EPO) to "Eventually Eliminate the Tasks Performed by Formalities Officers"; EPO Run by People Without Experience in Patents
full paper
RMS is 73 Next Week
Richard Matthew Stallman (RMS) turns 73 exactly 7 days from now
Iran & FSFE: blackmailing women, from football to the French Government (CNIL)
Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
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Reprinted with permission from Daniel Pocock
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Links 09/03/2026: Many Security Breaches and a Pandemic of Censorship
Links for the day
People Who Work or Worked at IBM Hate It
bluewashing is only the first step
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We assume he'll travel back to Boston after that
IBM's Fedora as a Booster of Slop Disguised as Code or Computer Programs
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Richard Stallman (RMS) Talk Five Hours From Now
there is growing recognition for what he really did for everybody
EPO Strike 10 Days From Now, Planning Assembly Tomorrow, Last Couple of Strikes Had High Participation Rates (1,500-1,600 Staff Went on Strike)
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Links 09/03/2026: GAFAM Outsourcing, "MAGA Political Meddling" in EU, Indonesia Bans Social Control Media for Children Under 16
Links for the day
Using Slop (and Slop in Articles) to Attack Copyleft 'on Budget'
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Why The Register MS Sold Out to Microsoft: They're Losing Lots of Money, The Register MS is Bleeding to Death, Based on Its Own Financial Records
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Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 7 Out of 200: Like With the Serial Strangler From Microsoft, Misuse of UK-GDPR to Try to Hide Embarrassing Facts
They do and say really bad things, then allege it's a "privacy violation" to mention those things
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Sunday, March 08, 2026
IRC logs for Sunday, March 08, 2026
Gemini Links 09/03/2026: Exponentials and Tailscale
Links for the day
Sloppyleft
Article by Alexandre Oliva
Hard to Replace 'Human Touch'
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The talk is in English
The Slop Companies Gamble at Our Economy's Expense and They Know It's a Losing Bet (So It's a de Facto Robbery)
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Suppressing Speech by Blackmail, the Iran Story
When Debian wanted to stage a seemingly legitimate election it needed to have more than one candidate running; so eventually the female partner of a geek rose to the challenge (had no coding skills at all, no technical history in Debian) and lost to the "incumbent German"
Too Focused on Buzzwords the Media is Paid to Saturate the Collective Mind With
Just because companies do really bad things in the digital realm does not imply "AI" or follow from "AI"
Discrimination and Prejudice Against Female Journalists
we can shame people who attack a reporter on the grounds of gender
An American War on GNU/Linux, Software Freedom, and British Investigative, Science-Based Reporting - Part II - Trying to Put People in Prison for Committing the Act of Journalism
This is abuse of process
Attack on Copyright and Copyleft by Code Conversion Is Nothing New, It Predates Slop (Code Produced by LLMs) by Several Decades
Even back in the 90s many people converted programs from one language to another. That could invalidate copyleft (and copyright), which already existed
Almost a Slopless Weekend for "Linux"
Let's hope slop will come to an end or sites will cease linking to slop
Insiders Explain Why IBM is Dying and the Inherent Culture Problem
There are many ways to shave this IBM cat
Links 08/03/2026: Microsoft Lost $400 Million on "Project Blackbird" and Half the States Sue Over Illegal Tariffs
Links for the day
Links 08/03/2026: Cisco Holes Again and "Blatant Problem With OpenAI That Endangers Kids"
Links for the day
Activism/Journalism in Our Blood
one must fight for one's principles
Gemini Protocol in Its Prime
What's particularly neat about Gemini Protocol is that it's fast and cheap
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 6 Out of 200: Intentionally Misnaming Women, People Who Offered to Testify That They Too Had Been Subjected to Similar Abuse
Today it is International Women's Day
Even Fedora Leadership Cannot Figure Out the Microsoft Kill Switch/Back Door, 'Secure' Boot
It does not actually enhance security
Bruce Perens: Richard Stallman "Has Achieved His Goal"
Stallman's next talk is tomorrow
Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Saturday, March 07, 2026
IRC logs for Saturday, March 07, 2026
Gemini Links 07/03/2026: Buying Woodland, Indra 1.3.0 Available, and LLM Exhaustion
Links for the day
The Harder They Attempt to Take Down This Site (and Take Away Liberties), the More People Will See This Site
We'll carry on as usual, as from sunlight comes justice
An American War on GNU/Linux, Software Freedom, and British Investigative, Science-Based Reporting - Part I - A Matter of National Security
Those people are Americans who try to advance the interests of American corporations by weaponising courts abroad
Why They Always Try to Shoot the Messenger (When the Message Harms Profits)
A matter of economics
Coinbase - Like Block - is in Huge Trouble, Its Debt Nearly Doubled in Half a Year
The real reason Block is collapsing is its debt
Starting Another New Series This Evening, It's About American Folly
today commences a series long in the making (years)
Nations Stand to Benefit From Gender Equality and Increased Participation by Women
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Microsoft is Losing It, Now It's Censoring Its Critics and Sceptics
Whether the measurements made by statCounter are accurate or not, the trends (long-term) typically make sense
WIRED (Conde Nast) Reviews Are Paid-for Marketing Spam, They Change Dates on Old 'Articles' to Make Them Look Relevant and New
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Gemini Links 07/03/2026: Humour, Chilling, and Oversized 'Phones'
Links for the day
Cyber|Show by Andy and Helen Recommended by Techrights and Tux Machines
If your time is limited and you look for informative essays and shows (audio)
Links 07/03/2026: CJEU to Finally Examine Behaviour of the Illegal and Unconstitutional Unified Patent Kangaroo Court, Creative Commons (CC) Hosts Open Heritage Statement Event in Amsterdam
Links for the day
Microsoft's Thailand Problem
It's definitely not Windows
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GNU/Linux has shown some growth there too
Microsofters' SLAPP Censorship - Part 5 Out of 200: Clearly Not a Security Professional/Expert, Only Ever Pretending to be One
"The Claimant says he is “a computer security expert”, but his background and his track record in the education sense (genetics) does not support this assertion."
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Links for the day
The Corporate Media Repeated the Lies Told by Jack Dorsey ("AI" Hype), Now It Does the Same for Larry Ellison
Disregard the hundreds of headlines that say mass layoffs at Oracle are due to "AI" something
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As long as "trendy" technology goes in a negative direction there will be a growing portion in society looking for alternatives
Spooking or Chasing Away Women (From Computer Science)
The status quo discourages women from even trying to study Computer Science and related disciplines
"IBM Has Changed So Much in the Last Decade to the Point It's Completely Unrecognizable."
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The Register MS, Sponsored by Communist Party of China (CPC)
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Over at Tux Machines...
GNU/Linux news for the past day
IRC Proceedings: Friday, March 06, 2026
IRC logs for Friday, March 06, 2026
Gemini Links 07/03/2026: Coffee Problem, Marchintosh, Learning, and "Selectively Disabling HTTP"
Links for the day