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(Two Column)
- [$] Python JIT stabilization
On April 11, Brandt Bucher postedPEP 744 ("JIT Compilation"),which summarizes the current state of Python's new copy-and-patch just-in-time (JIT) compiler. The JIT is currentlyexperimental, but the PEP proposes some criteria for the circumstances under which itshould become a non-experimental part of Python.The discussion of the PEP hasn'treached a conclusion, butseveral members of the community have already raised questionsabout how the JIT would fit into future iterations of the Python language.
- Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) released
Version 24.04 LTS of the Ubuntu distribution is out.
This release continues Ubuntu's proud tradition of integrating the latest and greatest open source technologies into a high-quality, easy-to-use Linux distribution. The team has been hard at work through this cycle, together with the community and our partners, to introduce new features and fix bugs.
The list of changes and enhancements is long; click below for some details.More information can be found in therelease notes; see also thispage for a summary of security-related changes.
- [$] The state of realtime and embedded Linux
Linux, famously, appears in a wide range of systems. While servers andlarge data centers get a lot of the attention, and this year will always bethe year of the Linux desktop, there is also a great deal of Linux to befound in realtime and embedded applications. Two talks held in therealtime and embedded tracks of the 2024 OpenSource Summit North America provided listeners with an update on howLinux is doing in those areas. Work on realtime Linux appears to be nearingcompletion, while the embedded community is still pushing forward at fullspeed.
- Security updates for Thursday
Security updates have been issued by Fedora (curl, filezilla, flatpak, kubernetes, libfilezilla, thunderbird, and xen), Oracle (go-toolset:ol8, kernel, libreswan, shim, and tigervnc), Red Hat (buildah, gnutls, libreswan, tigervnc, and unbound), SUSE (cockpit-wicked, nrpe, and python-idna), and Ubuntu (dnsmasq, freerdp2, linux-azure-6.5, and thunderbird).
- GitHub comments used to distribute malware (BleepingComputer)
BleepingComputerreported on April 20 that some malware was being distributed via GitHub.Uploading files as part of a comment gives them a URL that appears to beassociated with a repository, even if the comment is never posted.
A GitHub flaw, or possibly a design decision, is being abused by threat actorsto distribute malware using URLs associated with Microsoft repositories, makingthe files appear trustworthy.
While most of the malware activity has been based around the Microsoft GitHubURLs, this "flaw" could be abused with any public repository on GitHub, allowingthreat actors to create very convincing lures.
- A new crash reporter for Firefox
On April 23, Mozillaannounced that Firefox's crash reporter has been rewritten in Rust, allowing theproject to address a backlog of issues.
Even though it is important to properly handle main process crashes, the crashreporter hasn't received significant development in a while (aside fromdevelopment to ensure that crash reports and telemetry continue to reliably bedelivered)! It has long been stuck in a local maximum of "good enough" and"scary to maintain": it features 3 individual GUI implementations (for Windows,GTK+ for Linux, and macOS), glue code abstracting a few things (mostly in C++,and Objective-C for macOS), a binary blob produced by obsoleted Appledevelopment tools, and no test suite. Because of this, there is a backlog offeatures and improvements which haven't been acted on.
- QEMU 9.0 released
Version 9.0 ofthe QEMU emulator has been released. "This release contains 2700+commits from 220 authors." The list of improvements is long; see theannouncement and thechangelog for details.
- [$] Existential types in Rust
For several years, contributors to the Rust project havebeen working to improve support for asynchronouscode. The benefits of these efforts are not confined to asynchronous code,however. Members of the Rust community have been working toward adding explicitexistential types to Rust since 2017. Existential types are not a common featureof programming languages (somethingthe RFC acknowledges), so the motivation for their inclusion might be somewhatobscure.
- Security updates for Wednesday
Security updates have been issued by Fedora (abseil-cpp, chromium, filezilla, libfilezilla, and xorg-x11-server-Xwayland), Oracle (firefox, gnutls, golang, java-1.8.0-openjdk, java-11-openjdk, java-17-openjdk, java-21-openjdk, kernel, libreswan, mod_http2, owO: thunderbird, and thunderbird), Red Hat (container-tools:rhel8, gnutls, grub2, kernel, kernel-rt, less, linux-firmware, opencryptoki, pcs, postgresql-jdbc, and thunderbird), Slackware (ruby), SUSE (kubernetes1.23, kubernetes1.24, and opensc), and Ubuntu (firefox, linux-azure, linux-lowlatency, linux-nvidia, and ruby-sanitize).
- Upgrading Fedora Linux Using DNF System Plugin
dnf-plugin-system-upgrade is a plugin for the DNF package manager and is used to upgrade your system to the current release of Fedora Linux. For Fedora Silverblue and Fedora CoreOS, which use rpm-ostree, you may refer to rpm-ostree documentation for details.
- How to rebase to Fedora Linux 40 on Silverblue
Fedora Silverblue is an operating system for your desktop built on Fedora Linux. It’s excellent for daily use, development, and container-based workflows. It offers numerous advantages such as being able to roll back in case of any problems. If you want to update or rebase to Fedora Linux 40 on your Fedora Silverblue system, this article tells you how. […]
- WordPress vs Squarespace: Evaluating the Pros and Cons
Choosing between WordPress vs Squarespace for your website can affect both your internal workflow and your visitor experience. Both platforms offer distinct features tailored to different needs, though there is overlap which makes them worth comparing. While both platforms are popular, they have plenty of differences that may make you reconsider which is best for your specific needs.
- New Rule Compels US Coal-Fired Power Plants To Capture Emissions - or Shut Down
Coal-fired power plants would be forced to capture smokestack emissions or shut down under a rule issued on Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). From a report: New limits on greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuel-fired electric plants are the Biden administration's most ambitious effort yet to roll back planet-warming pollution from the power sector, the nation's second-largest contributor to the climate crisis. The rules are a key part of Joe Biden's pledge to eliminate carbon pollution from the electricity sector by 2035 and economy-wide by 2050. The rule was among four separate measures targeting coal and natural gas plants that the EPA said would provide "regular certainty" to the power industry and encourage them to make investments to transition "to a clean energy economy." They also include requirements to reduce toxic wastewater pollutants from coal-fired plants and to safely manage so-called coal ash in unlined storage ponds. The new rules "reduce pollution from fossil fuel-fired power plants, protect communities from pollution and improve public health -- all while supporting the long-term, reliable supply of the electricity needed to power America forward," the EPA administrator, Michael Regan, told reporters at a White House briefing.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- iPhone Activation Market Share Hits New Low as Android Dominates
An anonymous reader shares a report: Consumer Intelligence Research Partners is out with a report on how iPhone activations compare to Android in the US. The latest data shows a notable drop over the last year bringing Apple's US smartphone market share of new activations back in time six years. CIRP shared its new iPhone report on its Substack this morning. The firm notes that while it believes Apple's installed smartphone base is higher than the recent share of US smartphone activations, the latter has taken a dive. As shown below, the metric peaked at 40% for Q1 and Q2 in 2023 with Apple seeing a decline to 33% of new smartphone activations in the US as of Q1 2024, says CIRP. That means 2 out of 3 new smartphone activations in the US are Android devices. Per CIRP's data, Apple hasn't seen numbers that low since 2017.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Net Neutrality is About To Make a Comeback
The Federal Communications Commission is set to vote to restore net neutrality on Thursday in the latest volley of a yearslong game of political ping-pong. From a report: The commission is expected to reclassify internet service providers (ISPs) -- e.g., broadband companies like AT&T and Comcast -- as common carriers under Title II of the Communications Act. That classification would open ISPs up to greater oversight by the FCC. The vote is widely expected to go in favor of reinstating net neutrality since FCC Chair Jessica Rosenworcel, a Democrat, controls the agency's agenda. Rosenworcel moved forward with the measure after a fifth commissioner was sworn in, restoring a Democratic majority on the panel. Net neutrality proponents say that oversight can help ensure fair access to an open internet by upholding principles like no blocking or throttling of internet traffic. Opponents, including industry players, fear it could halt innovation and subject ISPs to onerous price regulations. Update FCC Votes To Restore Net Neutrality.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Ford Just Reported a Massive Loss on Every Electric Vehicle It Sold
Ford's electric vehicle unit reported that losses soared in the first quarter to $1.3 billion, or $132,000 for each of the 10,000 vehicles it sold in the first three months of the year, helping to drag down earnings for the company overall. From a report: Ford, like most automakers, has announced plans to shift from traditional gas-powered vehicles to EVs in coming years. But it is the only traditional automaker to break out results of its retail EV sales. And the results it reported Wednesday show another sign of the profit pressures on the EV business at Ford and other automakers. The EV unit, which Ford calls Model e, sold 10,000 vehicles in the quarter, down 20% from the number it sold a year earlier. And its revenue plunged 84% to about $100 million, which Ford attributed mostly to price cuts for EVs across the industry. That resulted in the $1.3 billion loss before interest and taxes (EBIT), and the massive per-vehicle loss in the Model e unit. A price war among EVs for about a year and a half has made profitability very difficult said Ford CFO John Lawler. He said while Ford has removed about $5,000 in cost on each Mustang Mach-E, "revenue is dropping faster than we can take out the cost." In 2023, Ford Model e reported a full-year EBIT loss of $4.7 billion on sales of 116,000 EVs, or an average of $40,525 per vehicle, just more than a third of the first quarter loss.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Spotify Says Apple Has Rejected Its App Update With Price Information for EU Users
Apple has rejected Spotify's new version of its iOS app with in-app pricing information for users in the European Union, the audio streaming firm said on Thursday. Reuters: The Swedish company submitted a new version of its app to Apple with basic pricing and website information, which is a minimum requirement under the European Commission's ruling in its music streaming case, it said in a post on X on Wednesday. Spotify said the Cupertino, California based-Apple rejected its update in a response directly sent to the company. "Apple has once again defied the European Commission's decision, rejecting our update for attempting to communicate with customers about our prices unless we pay Apple a new tax. Their disregard for consumers and developers is matched only by their disdain for the law," a spokesperson for Spotify said in a statement. In March, Brussels fined Apple with 1.84 billion euros ($1.97 billion) for thwarting competition from music streaming rivals via restrictions on its App Store, marking its first ever EU antitrust penalty, following a 2019 complaint from Spotify.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- AI Could Kill Off Most Call Centres, Says TCS Head
The head of Indian IT company Tata Consultancy Services has said AI will result in "minimal" need for call centres in as soon as a year, with AI's rapid advances set to upend a vast industry across Asia and beyond. From a report: K Krithivasan, TCS chief executive, told the Financial Times that while "we have not seen any job reduction" so far, wider adoption of generative AI among multinational clients would overhaul the kind of customer help centres that have created mass employment in countries such as India and the Philippines. "In an ideal phase, if you ask me, there should be very minimal incoming call centres having incoming calls at all," he said. "We are in a situation where the technology should be able to predict a call coming and then proactively address the customer's pain point." He said chatbots would soon be able to analyse a customer's transaction history and do much of the work done by call centre agents. "That's where we are going...I don't think we are there today -- maybe a year or so down the line," he said.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- US Fertility Rate Falls To Lowest In a Century
An anonymous reader quotes a report from CNN: The fertility rate in the United States has been trending down for decades, and a new report shows that another drop in births in 2023 brought the rate down to the lowest it's been in more than century. There were about 3.6 million babies born in 2023, or 54.4 live births for every 1,000 females ages 15 to 44, according to provisional data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's National Center for Health Statistics. After a steep plunge in the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, the fertility rate has fluctuated. But the 3% drop between 2022 and 2023 brought the rate just below the previous low from 2020, which was 56 births for every 1,000 women of reproductive age. The birth rate fell among most age groups between 2022 and 2023, the new report shows. The teen birth rate reached another record low of 13.2 births per 1,000 females ages 15 to 19, which is 79% lower than it was at the most recent peak from 1991. However, the rate of decline was slower than it's been for the past decade and a half. Meanwhile, births continued to shift to older mothers. Older age groups saw smaller decreases in birth rates, and the birth rate was highest among women ages 30 to 34 -- with about 95 births for every 1,000 women in this group in 2023. Women 40 and older were the only group to see an increase in birth rate, although -- at less than 13 births for every 1,000 women -- it remained lower than any other age group.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Vast DNA Tree of Life For Plants Revealed By Global Science Team
An international team of scientists used 1.8 billion letters of genetic code from more than 9,500 species covering almost 8,000 known flowering plant genera to create the most up-to-date understanding of the flowering plant tree of life. The research has been published in the journal Nature. Phys.Org reports: The major milestone for plant science, led by [Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew] and involving 138 organizations internationally, was built on 15 times more data than any comparable studies of the flowering plant tree of life. Among the species sequenced for this study, more than 800 have never had their DNA sequenced before. The sheer amount of data unlocked by this research, which would take a single computer 18 years to process, is a huge stride towards building a tree of life for all 330,000 known species of flowering plants -- a massive undertaking by Kew's Tree of Life Initiative. The flowering plant tree of life, much like our own family tree, enables us to understand how different species are related to each other. The tree of life is uncovered by comparing DNA sequences between different species to identify changes (mutations) that accumulate over time like a molecular fossil record. Our understanding of the tree of life is improving rapidly in tandem with advances in DNA sequencing technology. For this study, new genomic techniques were developed to magnetically capture hundreds of genes and hundreds of thousands of letters of genetic code from every sample, orders of magnitude more than earlier methods. A key advantage of the team's approach is that it enables a wide diversity of plant material, old and new, to be sequenced, even when the DNA is badly damaged. The vast treasure troves of dried plant material in the world's herbarium collections, which comprise nearly 400 million scientific specimens of plants, can now be studied genetically. [...] Across all 9,506 species sequenced, more than 3,400 came from material sourced from 163 herbaria in 48 countries. Additional material from plant collections around the world (e.g., DNA banks, seeds, living collections) have been vital for filling key knowledge gaps to shed new light on the history of flowering plant evolution. The team also benefited from publicly available data for more than 1,900 species, highlighting value of the open science approach to future genomic research. Flowering plants alone account for about 90% of all known plant life on land and are found virtually everywhere on the planet -- from the steamiest tropics to the rocky outcrops of the Antarctic Peninsula. [...] Utilizing 200 fossils, the authors scaled their tree of life to time, revealing how flowering plants evolved across geological time. They found that early flowering plants did indeed explode in diversity, giving rise to more than 80% of the major lineages that exist today shortly after their origin. However, this trend then declined to a steadier rate for the next 100 million years until another surge in diversification about 40 million years ago, coinciding with a global decline in temperatures. These new insights would have fascinated Darwin and will surely help today's scientists grappling with the challenges of understanding how and why species diversify. A list of "remarkable species" included in the flowering plant tree of life is embedded below the article. Looking ahead, the study's authors believe this data will aid future attempts to identify new species, refine plant classification, uncover new medicinal compounds, and conserve plants in the face of climate change and biodiversity loss.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Airlines Required To Refund Passengers For Canceled, Delayed Flights
Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced new rules for the airline industry that will require airlines to automatically give cash refunds to passengers for canceled and significantly delayed flights. They will also require airlines to give cash refunds if your bags are lost and not delivered within 12 hours. "This is a big day for America's flying public," said Buttigieg at a Wednesday morning news conference. According to Buttigieg, the new rules are the biggest expansion of passenger rights in the department's history. ABC News reports: Airlines can no longer decide how long a delay must be before a refund is issued. Under the new DOT rules, the delays covered would be more than three hours for domestic flights and more than six hours for international flights, the agency said. This includes tickets purchased directly from airlines, travel agents and third-party sites such as Expedia and Travelocity. The refunds must be issued within seven days, according to the new DOT rules, and must be in cash unless the passenger chooses another form of compensation. Airlines can no longer issue refunds in forms of vouchers or credits when consumers are entitled to receive cash. Airlines will have six months to comply with the new rules. The DOT said it is also working on rules related to family seating fees, enhancing rights for wheelchair-traveling passengers for safe and dignified travel and mandating compensation and amenities if flights are delayed or canceled by airlines. Buttigieg said the DOT is also protecting airline passengers from being surprised by hidden fees -- a move he estimates will have Americans billions of dollars every year. The DOT rules include that passengers will receive refunds for extra services paid for and not provided, such as Wi-Fi, seat selection or inflight entertainment.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Almost Every Chinese Keyboard App Has a Security Flaw That Reveals What Users Type
An anonymous reader quotes a report from MIT Technology Review: Almost all keyboard apps used by Chinese people around the world share a security loophole that makes it possible to spy on what users are typing. The vulnerability, which allows the keystroke data that these apps send to the cloud to be intercepted, has existed for years and could have been exploited by cybercriminals and state surveillance groups, according to researchers at the Citizen Lab, a technology and security research lab affiliated with the University of Toronto. These apps help users type Chinese characters more efficiently and are ubiquitous on devices used by Chinese people. The four most popular apps -- built by major internet companies like Baidu, Tencent, and iFlytek -- basically account for all the typing methods that Chinese people use. Researchers also looked into the keyboard apps that come preinstalled on Android phones sold in China. What they discovered was shocking. Almost every third-party app and every Android phone with preinstalled keyboards failed to protect users by properly encrypting the content they typed. A smartphone made by Huawei was the only device where no such security vulnerability was found. In August 2023, the same researchers found that Sogou, one of the most popular keyboard apps, did not use Transport Layer Security (TLS) when transmitting keystroke data to its cloud server for better typing predictions. Without TLS, a widely adopted international cryptographic protocol that protects users from a known encryption loophole, keystrokes can be collected and then decrypted by third parties. Even though Sogou fixed the issue after it was made public last year, some Sogou keyboards preinstalled on phones are not updated to the latest version, so they are still subject to eavesdropping. [...] After the researchers got in contact with companies that developed these keyboard apps, the majority of the loopholes were fixed. But a few companies have been unresponsive, and the vulnerability still exists in some apps and phones, including QQ Pinyin and Baidu, as well as in any keyboard app that hasn't been updated to the latest version.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
- Two cuffed in Samourai Wallet crypto dirty money sting
Suspects in Portugal and the US said to have laundered over $100M
Two men alleged to be co-founders of cryptocurrency biz Samourai Wallet face serious charges and potentially decades in US prison over claims they owned a product that facilitated the laundering of over $100 million in criminal cash.…
- TSMC says first 1.6nm chips coming in 2026
Watch out Intel ... Angstrom-class A16 with Super Rail backside power tech incoming
Semiconductor giant TSMC has disclosed details of a process technology called A16 that could be delivering the first 1.6nm chips for customers by 2026.…
- SK hynix breaks Q1 revenue records on back of AI boom
Memory biz ditches NAND production plans to make more crucial HBM tech
The global AI infrastructure buying frenzy is still in full swing – so much so that it has pushed the world's second largest memory maker, SK hynix, into its second highest operating profit ever and an all-time high for Q1 revenues.…
- Security: Why Linux Is Better Than Windows Or Mac OS
Linux is a free and open source operating system that was released in 1991 developed and released by Linus Torvalds. Since its release it has reached a user base that is greatly widespread worldwide. Linux users swear by the reliability and freedom that this operating system offers, especially when compared to its counterparts, windows and [0]
- Essential Software That Are Not Available On Linux OS
An operating system is essentially the most important component in a computer. It manages the different hardware and software components of a computer in the most effective way. There are different types of operating system and everything comes with their own set of programs and software. You cannot expect a Linux program to have all [0]
- Things You Never Knew About Your Operating System
The advent of computers has brought about a revolution in our daily life. From computers that were so huge to fit in a room, we have come a very long way to desktops and even palmtops. These machines have become our virtual lockers, and a life without these network machines have become unimaginable. Sending mails, [0]
- How To Fully Optimize Your Operating System
Computers and systems are tricky and complicated. If you lack a thorough knowledge or even basic knowledge of computers, you will often find yourself in a bind. You must understand that something as complicated as a computer requires constant care and constant cleaning up of junk files. Unless you put in the time to configure [0]
- The Top Problems With Major Operating Systems
There is no such system which does not give you any problems. Even if the system and the operating system of your system is easy to understand, there will be some times when certain problems will arise. Most of these problems are easy to handle and easy to get rid of. But you must be [0]
- 8 Benefits Of Linux OS
Linux is a small and a fast-growing operating system. However, we can’t term it as software yet. As discussed in the article about what can a Linux OS do Linux is a kernel. Now, kernels are used for software and programs. These kernels are used by the computer and can be used with various third-party software [0]
- Things Linux OS Can Do That Other OS Cant
What Is Linux OS? Linux, similar to U-bix is an operating system which can be used for various computers, hand held devices, embedded devices, etc. The reason why Linux operated system is preferred by many, is because it is easy to use and re-use. Linux based operating system is technically not an Operating System. Operating [0]
- Packagekit Interview
Packagekit aims to make the management of applications in the Linux and GNU systems. The main objective to remove the pains it takes to create a system. Along with this in an interview, Richard Hughes, the developer of Packagekit said that he aims to make the Linux systems just as powerful as the Windows or [0]
- What’s New in Ubuntu?
What Is Ubuntu? Ubuntu is open source software. It is useful for Linux based computers. The software is marketed by the Canonical Ltd., Ubuntu community. Ubuntu was first released in late October in 2004. The Ubuntu program uses Java, Python, C, C++ and C# programming languages. What Is New? The version 17.04 is now available here [0]
- Ext3 Reiserfs Xfs In Windows With Regards To Colinux
The problem with Windows is that there are various limitations to the computer and there is only so much you can do with it. You can access the Ext3 Reiserfs Xfs by using the coLinux tool. Download the tool from the official site or from the sourceforge site. Edit the connection to “TAP Win32 Adapter [0]
- The only viable Android and iOS competitor intends to leave China and go global
Huawei plans to expand its native HarmonyOS smartphone platform worldwide, despite coming under US-led sanctions that have deprived it of access to key technologies. The Chinese tech megacorp released its own phone platform in 2019, the same year that US sanctions blocked Huawei from having further access to Googles Android software to power its devices. More recently, the company saw its Mate 60 Pro smartphone become the top selling device in Chinas huge consumer market, displacing rivals such as Apples iPhone. It also has a newer device, the Pura 70, that could pose a bigger threat to Apple sales in the country. ↫ Dan Robinson at The Register If there is one company that has the capabilities and will to truly offer a third alternative, its Huawei with HarmonyOS. This company has the full might of the Chinese state behind it, and it clearly has the drive to prove itself after the various sanctions levied against it in recent years that barred it from using Googles Android. Its obviously already experiencing major success in its home market, but now the company intends to go global, country by country, to positino HarmonyOS alongside iOS and Android. Huawei basically takes a brute-force approach, explaining that they identify the 5000 most popular applications, which they claim cover 99% of users time with their smartphones, and port those over first. Im not entirely sure how they convince developers to port over their applications, but Im guessing money is involved. Fair play, I would say its not like anything else is going to break the stranglehold Apple and Google have over the mobile application market. We havent really spent much time talking about HarmonyOS in the west in general, and on OSNews in particular, which is a bit of a shame because it has some interesting characteristics. For instance, it has a multi-kernel design, where it uses the Linux kernel on more powerful devices like smartphones and tablets, and the RTOS LiteOS kernel on lower power IoT devices. DSoftBus is another interesting part of the operating system, which allows multiple devices to kind of join together and share data, applications, and control seamlessly. HarmonyOS supports both Android and true HarmonyOS applications, the latter of which are marked with a little logo in the corner of the application icon, but the unique features of HarmonyOS, like DSoftBus, are only accessible to true HarmonyOS applications. Developing these native applications can be done in DevEco Studio, which is built atop IntelliJ IDEA, using ArkUI. Huawei even went so far as to develop its own browser engine for HarmonyOS, which it recently released as open source, called ArkWeb. While HarmonyOS currently still supports running Android applications, this will soon no longer be the case as the company is working on HarmonyOS NEXT, which will remove Android compatibility to focus entirely on true HarmonyOS applications instead. NEXT also does away entirely with the multikernel approach, ditching both the Linux and LiteOS kernels for a new HarmonyOS microkernel, and uses Huaweis own Cangjie programming language for application development. HarmonyOS NEXT is currently being tested on a variety of Huawei devices, with a beta and final release planned for later this year. Its just our luck that the only potentially viable competitor to Android and iOS is a party closed-source operating system from China, which will surely bring with it a whole host of security concerns in the west. Its really difficult at the moment to ascertain just how much of HarmonyOS and specifically, HarmonyOS NEXT is available as open source, which is a major bummer. I dont think Id ever want to use a (partly) closed source Chinese operating system for anything major in my life, but if its open source we could at least see non-Chinese forks that Id find easier to trust. The road of iOS and Android competitors is littered with the bodies of failed attempts Symbian, the various iterations of Windows Phone, BlackBerry, Sailfish, Ubuntu Touch, the GNOME/Plasma attempts that just cant grow beyond proof of concepts and there is no way to know if Huawei can pull off outside of China what it did with HarmonyOS inside China. Western markets are incredibly weary of anything related to Huawei, and for all we know, this operating system wont ever even be allowed inside the US and the EU in the first place. Regardless of international politics and the CCPs brutal, totalitarian, genocidal regime, HarmonyOS NEXT seems like a very interesting platform with fresh ideas, and Id love to at least try it out once it hits international markets with proper localisation into English. Ill take a problematic Chinese smartphone operating system competitor over no competitor at all even if I wont use it myself, itll be at least some form of competition both Apple and Google desperately need.
- Palm OS and the devices that ran it
But just as smartphones would do, PDAs offered a dizzying array of operating systems and applications, and a great many of them ran Palm OS. (I bought my first Palm, an m505, new in 2001, upgrading from an HP 95LX.) Naturally, there’s no way we could enumerate every single such device in this article. So in this Ars retrospective, we’ll look back at some notable examples of the technical evolution of the Palm operating system and the devices that ran it—and how they paved the way for what we use now. ↫ Cameron Kaiser at Ars Technica This sure takes me back to my own in-depth Palm retrospective from checks notes 11 years ago (!). It turns out all the images from that article no longer load, so I should set aside some time to fix that up.
- Google postpones phasing out third party cookies in Chrome once more
While Firefox and Safari phased out third party cookies years ago, its taking Chrome a bit longer because, well, daddy Google got ads to sell. As such, Google has been developing a complicated new alternative to third party cookies that it calls Privacy sandbox!, a name in the vain of Greenland!. This process has not exactly been going well, because Google has had to postpone phasing out third party cookies several times now, and today, they had to postpone it again. This time, however, its because the UK competition authority, the CMA, still has some questions. We recognize that there are ongoing challenges related to reconciling divergent feedback from the industry, regulators and developers, and will continue to engage closely with the entire ecosystem. Its also critical that the CMA has sufficient time to review all evidence including results from industry tests, which the CMA has asked market participants to provide by the end of June. Given both of these significant considerations, we will not complete third-party cookie deprecation during the second half of Q4. We remain committed to engaging closely with the CMA and ICO and we hope to conclude that process this year. Assuming we can reach an agreement, we envision proceeding with third-party cookie deprecation starting early next year. ↫ Googles Greenland blog Making a browser good enough to take over almost the entire browser market was an absolute master stroke by Google. Now can you all please switch over to Firefox or like Lynx or something?
- Snapdragon X Plus will bring ARM to ‘even more’ Windows laptops
While it’s still yet to debut, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite is looking like a big deal for ARM-powered Windows machines and, now, it’s getting a more affordable cousin in the Snapdragon X Plus. Announced today, Snapdragon X Plus is based on the same Oryon CPU as Snapdragon X Elite, just with a bit less power. The chip has 10 cores to the Elite’s 12, and is also clocked down from the Elite’s 3.8GHz to 3.4GHz. ↫ Ben Schoon at 9To5Google It really seems like its finally happening ARM computers for the general public (that arent from Apple). I really hope that Qualcomm can deliver on its promises, and that Microsofts involvement means these computers will be fairly standardised so its easier for non-Windows platforms to support them. Ive seen quite a few rumblings from people invited to Qualcomms press events for these new ARM chips that the company is delivering Linux support alongside Windows support, so thats at least a good start. Whenever we talk about ARM coming to the generic PC market, people rightfully point out the lack of standardisation in the ARM space, so that really is the deciding factor here for people like us, who tend to not be all too interested in locked-down platforms. If every one of these machines is different enough that supporting them is a nightmare like the world of smartphones ARM for PCs will be dead on arrival for me because I have zero interest in buying Windows-only hardware. One thing Microsoft tends to be good at is getting at least some standardisation to stick in the PC market, and I hope theyre going to that here, too Microsoft probably isnt relishing supporting each individual ARM machine in Windows by hand either. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
- US Senate passes TikTok ban bill
A bill that would force China-based company ByteDance to sell TikTok —`or else face a US ban of the platform — is all but certain to become law after the Senate passed a foreign aid package including the measure. It now heads to President Joe Biden, who already committed to signing the TikTok legislation should it make it through both chambers of Congress. The House passed the foreign aid package that includes the TikTok bill on Saturday. ↫ Lauren Feiner at The Verge I hope the EU follows.
- How I tricked iOS into giving me EU DMA features
In iOS 17.4, Apple introduced a new system called eligibilityd. This works with countryd (which you might have heard about when it first appeared in iOS 16.2) and the Apple ID system to decide where you physically are. The idea is that multiple sources need to agree on where you are, before giving you access to features such as those mandated by the Digital Markets Act. ↫ Adam Demasi The way Adam Demasi managed to convince Apple his very much Australian iPhone in Australia was, in fact, a European Union iPhone in the European Union was by making sure not a single wireless signal managed to escape the device. He had to disable location services, insert an Italian SIM, set up a pfSense Wi-Fi router using the regulatory country of Italy, and go into his basement where theres no mobile signal. Between all these steps, the phone was reset multiple times. And then, and only then, did the iPhone think it was in the European Union, with all the benefits that entails. Demasi has no idea which of these steps are actually needed, but the process of figuring this all out is ongoing, and more information is sure to be discovered as smart people sink their teeth into the process by which Apple determines where an iPhone is from.
- OpenBSD as a daily driver
I always like it when I can link to an article written by an OSNews, and this time its even relevant to me as Im exploring OpenBSD myself. OSNews reader and silver Patreon supporter Morgan has written an article about using OpenBSD as a daily driver. OpenBSD is forever tied in first place with Void Linux as my favorite desktop OS. This is particularly funny because OpenBSD isn’t “just a desktop OS”; in its purest form, the base installation without any installed packages, it makes for an excellent Ethernet router, firewall, or web server. It even ships with its own fork of X11 called Xenocara, along with fvwm2 and its own calm window manager, so there’s a rudimentary desktop OS in there too. With that said, in 2024 there is no such thing as a fully functioning desktop computer or workstation without at least a web browser of some kind, and if you’re adding packages you may as well build a full desktop system to suit your needs. So how do you go from the amazing but unfortunately limited base install to a “daily driver” workstation operating system? There are many ways to do this, and I will present a couple of paths I take depending on the hardware and use case involved. Before I do that, a bit of prep is necessary to get OpenBSD into more of a desktop OS mode. ↫ Morgan Ill be using this guide over the coming days to make sure I end up with something usable. I still havent decided on what desktop environment I want to go for Im not interested in running GNOME or KDE, so Xfce is probably the most likely option. Id also love to try out LXQt, but it seems the version OpenBSD has in its repositories is very, very outdated (1.0.0 from years ago, when 2.0.0 was just released). Theres a small chance I might suck it up and use one of those build your own desktop environment! options, but I have no idea which one I should go for.
- Logitech adds ChatGPT to its computer mice
Did you know theres one surefire way to know when a technology has truly jumped the shark? When they start adding it to computer mice. In todays fast-paced, technology-enabled world, everyone is learning to work differently with breakthroughs in Generative AI. Mastering prompt building enhances your efficiency and creativity. Thats why we developed the Logi AI Prompt Builder, a time and click-saving solution. Rephrase, summarize, and create custom-made prompt recipes with ChatGPT faster, with virtually no disruption to your workflow. ↫ Logitechs AI! thing page Logitech mice users were surprised to find out that after the latest mouse software update, it now contains an AI! prompt builder tool, so that you can click anywhere and have a little pop-up appear that taps into ChatGPT. Im done.
- The man who killed Google Search
These emails — which I encourage you to look up — tell a dramatic story about how Google’s finance and advertising teams, led by Raghavan with the blessing of CEO Sundar Pichai, actively worked to make Google worse to make the company more money. This is what I mean when I talk about the Rot Economy — the illogical, product-destroying mindset that turns the products you love into torturous, frustrating quasi-tools that require you to fight the company’s intentions to get the service you want. ↫ Edward Zitron Quite the read.
- Fedora 40 released with KDE Plasma 6 and GNOME 46
Its a big day for Fedora users such as myself and especially for Fedora KDE users, also such as myself. Fedora 40 has been released today, and while the main focus is always on the GNOME release although not everyone is happy about that the various other spins, in Fedora parlance, have also seen major updates. Most prominently among them is the KDE spin, which ships with KDEs recent megarelease, KDE Plasma 6. Starting at the top, Fedora 40 Workstation comes with the latest GNOME release, 46, which we covered when it was released earlier this year. It also comes with IPV4 Address Conflict Detection to resolve duplicate IPV4 addresses in the same physical network, and the PyTorch machine learning framework is now in the Fedora software repositories for easier installation and implementation by developers a harbinger of whats to come. The KDE spin comes, as already mentioned, with KDE Plasma 6, and inherits the non-GNOME improvements and fixes as well, of course. Theres also countless other spins covering pretty much every desktop environment and window manager under the sun, and Fedora 40 is also the first release to implement the new naming scheme for Fedoras various immutable editions the Atomic Desktops.
- Strengthening Linux Security by Auditing with OpenSCAP
by George Whittaker Introduction
In today's digital landscape, where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated, ensuring the security of Linux systems is paramount. Security auditing plays a pivotal role in identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities, safeguarding sensitive data, and maintaining regulatory compliance. One powerful tool that aids in this endeavor is OpenSCAP. In this guide, we'll delve into the intricacies of Linux security auditing with OpenSCAP, exploring its features, implementation, and best practices.
Understanding Security Auditing
Security auditing is the systematic process of analyzing a system's security measures to identify weaknesses, assess risks, and ensure compliance with security policies and standards. In Linux environments, where diverse architectures and configurations abound, security auditing becomes indispensable. Common vulnerabilities such as misconfigurations, outdated software, and unauthorized access points can compromise the integrity and confidentiality of Linux systems.
Introducing OpenSCAP
OpenSCAP, short for Open Security Content Automation Protocol, is an open-source security compliance framework that provides a suite of tools for auditing, remediation, and compliance management. Developed by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), OpenSCAP offers a standardized approach to security configuration management across diverse Linux distributions.
Setting Up OpenSCAP
Getting started with OpenSCAP is straightforward. Begin by installing the OpenSCAP packages on your Linux system using your distribution's package manager. Once installed, configure OpenSCAP to suit your specific security requirements, including selecting the appropriate security policies and profiles.
Conducting Security Audits with OpenSCAP
With OpenSCAP configured, you can initiate security audits to scan your Linux systems for vulnerabilities. Define audit policies and profiles tailored to your organization's security standards, then execute scans to identify potential security risks. OpenSCAP generates detailed reports outlining discovered vulnerabilities, including their severity and recommended remediation steps.
Automating Security Audits with OpenSCAP
Automation is key to maintaining robust security posture in Linux environments. OpenSCAP facilitates automation through scheduled scans, integration with Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment (CI/CD) pipelines, and seamless incorporation into existing IT infrastructure. By automating security audits with OpenSCAP, organizations can proactively detect and mitigate vulnerabilities, reducing the risk of security breaches.
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- Rebuilding and Modifying Debian Packages
by George Whittaker Introduction
The Debian packaging system is an integral part of managing software on Debian and its derivatives like Ubuntu. It facilitates the installation, upgrade, and removal of software packages. Sometimes, however, the available binary packages may not meet all the specific requirements of a user or organization, be it due to the need for a patched version, additional features, or customization for performance optimizations. This article delves deep into the process of rebuilding and modifying existing Debian packages, offering a guide for those who need to tailor software packages to their precise requirements.
Understanding Debian Packages
Debian packages, with the .deb file extension, are archives that contain compiled binaries, configuration files, and installation scripts. Understanding the internal structure of these packages is critical. A typical .deb package includes:
DEBIAN directory: Holds control files that manage how the package is installed, upgraded, or removed. data archive: Contains the actual files of the package.Common Files in a Debian Packagecontrol: Details package dependencies and metadata like version, maintainer, and description. changelog: Records all the changes made to the package. rules: Specifies how the package is to be built from its source.Debian Packaging Toolsdpkg: The base tool that handles package installation and removal. APT (Advanced Package Tool): Works at a higher level to handle the retrieval and installation of packages from remote repositories. dpkg-dev: A collection of tools necessary to build Debian packages.Why Modify a Debian Package?
Customizing software can optimize operational efficiency, enhance security, and add or modify features to suit better the unique environment in which they operate. Typical reasons for modifying packages include:
Customization: Adjusting software to fit specific local policies or performance requirements. Security patches: Quickly applying security patches that are not yet part of official releases. Functional updates: Adding features not available in the standard package.Preparing the EnvironmentInstalling Necessary Tools
Before beginning, ensure your system has the tools required for Debian package development installed:
sudo apt-get install dpkg-dev devscripts build-essential fakeroot
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- Understanding Backup and Disaster Planning Solutions for Linux
by George Whittaker
In today's digital age, the reliability and integrity of computer systems are more critical than ever. For Linux systems, which are widely used in servers and critical infrastructure, ensuring rapid recovery from failures is paramount. This article dives deep into the essentials of Linux system recovery, offering insights into effective backup strategies and disaster planning. By understanding these elements, users and administrators can safeguard their systems against potential disasters, ensuring continuity and security.
Understanding the Basics of Linux System Recovery
System recovery involves restoring a computer system to an operational state following a failure. In the context of Linux, this means having the ability to bring back data, configurations, and the operating system itself after incidents like hardware malfunctions, software corruption, human errors, or natural disasters.
Types of Failures Affecting Linux Systems
Linux systems, robust as they are, can still fall prey to various types of failures:
Hardware Failures: These include issues like hard drive crashes, memory corruption, or power supply failures. Software Issues: Software failures may involve bugs, accidental deletion of critical files, or system misconfigurations. Human Error: Often overlooked, human error such as incorrect commands or improper handling of data can lead to significant disruptions. Natural Disasters: Events like floods, earthquakes, or fires can cause physical damage to systems, necessitating robust disaster recovery plans.Backup Strategies for Linux Systems
A sound backup strategy is the cornerstone of effective system recovery. Here’s how you can approach backing up your Linux systems:
Incremental vs. Full BackupsIncremental Backups save changes made since the last backup, conserving storage space and reducing backup time. However, recovery can be slower as it may require a series of incremental backups to restore the latest state. Full Backups involve copying all data to the backup storage. They require more storage space and longer to complete but make recovery fast and straightforward.
Choosing between these methods depends on your specific needs regarding recovery time objectives (RTO) and recovery point objectives (RPO).
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- How to Build Resilience with Linux High Availability Clustering
by George Whittaker Introduction
In the age of digital transformation, the uptime and continuous availability of systems are paramount for businesses across all sectors. High Availability (HA) clustering has emerged as a critical strategy for ensuring that services remain accessible, even in the face of hardware or software failures. Linux, with its robustness and flexibility, serves as an ideal platform for deploying HA solutions. This article delves into the concept of Linux High Availability Clustering, exploring its mechanisms, technologies, and the vital role it plays in building resilient and fault-tolerant systems.
Concept of Clustering
At its core, a cluster is a group of interconnected computers that work together as a single system to provide higher levels of availability, reliability, and scalability. Unlike standalone servers, clusters are designed to manage failures seamlessly and ensure that services are not disrupted. Clustering can be categorized primarily into two types: Active-Active and Active-Passive.
Active-Active clusters involve multiple nodes all handling requests simultaneously. This not only provides redundancy but also enhances the performance of the system by distributing the load. Active-Passive clusters, on the other hand, consist of active nodes and standby nodes where the standby nodes only come into play if the active ones fail.
The components of a Linux HA cluster typically include hardware nodes, networking, storage, clustering software, and applications configured to run on the cluster.
Key Technologies and Tools in Linux HA Clustering
Linux HA clustering leverages several tools and technologies to ensure system availability:
Pacemaker: An open-source cluster resource manager that handles the allocation of resources (such as virtual IPs, web servers, and databases) according to predefined policies in the event of node or resource failures. Corosync: Provides the messaging layer for Linux clustering solutions, ensuring all nodes in the cluster maintain constant communication and are aware of each other's status. DRBD (Distributed Replicated Block Device): Facilitates the replication of data across storage devices in real-time, ensuring data redundancy. Linux Virtual Server (LVS): Manages load balancing and delivers scalability across clustered server nodes.Architecture of Linux HA Clusters
The architecture of an HA cluster in Linux environments can vary based on requirements but generally involves several key components:
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- Harnessing the Power of Open Source for Private Clouds: Ubuntu Cloud Infrastructure with OpenStack
by George Whittaker
In the ever-evolving landscape of technology, cloud computing has emerged as a cornerstone, enabling businesses and individuals alike to leverage vast computing resources without the need for extensive physical infrastructure. Among the various flavors of cloud computing, private clouds offer a tailored, secure, and controlled environment, often making them the choice for organizations with stringent data control, privacy, and compliance requirements. This article delves into how Ubuntu Cloud Infrastructure, in conjunction with OpenStack, provides a robust foundation for setting up private cloud environments, blending flexibility, scalability, and security.
Introduction to Cloud Computing
Cloud computing has revolutionized the way we think about IT resources. It refers to the on-demand availability of computer system resources, especially data storage and computing power, without direct active management by the user. The main categories of cloud computing include public clouds, private clouds, and hybrid clouds, each serving different needs and purposes. Private clouds, the focus of our discussion, are cloud environments exclusively used by one business or organization, offering greater control and privacy.
Understanding Ubuntu Cloud Infrastructure
Ubuntu Cloud Infrastructure represents Canonical's commitment to providing a seamless, flexible, and scalable cloud computing experience. It is an integrated cloud infrastructure package that enables businesses to build cloud services within their firewall, with a special emphasis on ease of deployment, management, and maintenance. Ubuntu, known for its stability and security, brings these attributes to the cloud, making it an ideal choice for enterprises looking to deploy their private clouds.
Introduction to OpenStack
OpenStack is an open-source platform for cloud computing, mostly deployed as infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS), allowing users to control large pools of compute, storage, and networking resources throughout a data center. It's managed by the OpenStack Foundation, a non-profit corporate entity established to promote OpenStack and its community. OpenStack's modular architecture ensures flexibility and enables integration with a broad range of software and hardware.
Ubuntu Cloud Infrastructure with OpenStack for Private Clouds
The combination of Ubuntu and OpenStack for deploying private clouds is a match made in heaven for several reasons. Ubuntu serves as the most popular operating system on OpenStack deployments, thanks to its reliability and the comprehensive support provided by Canonical. Together, they offer a powerful platform for building private clouds that can efficiently handle the demands of modern enterprise workloads.
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- Text Manipulation in Linux: Awk Vs. Sed
by George Whittaker
The Linux operating system is a powerhouse for developers, system administrators, and enthusiasts alike, offering unparalleled flexibility and control. Central to its prowess is the command line, a potent interface through which users can perform intricate operations with just a few keystrokes. Among the myriad of command-line tools available, awk and sed stand out for their text processing capabilities. These tools, though distinct in their functionalities, can be incredibly powerful when used independently or in conjunction. This article delves deep into both, unraveling their complexities, comparing their functionalities, and guiding users on when and how to use them effectively.
Understanding Awk: The Text Processing Powerhouse
awk is more than just a command-line tool; it's a full-fledged programming language designed for pattern scanning and processing. It shines in tasks that involve scanning files, extracting parts of the data, and performing actions on that data. The beauty of awk lies in its simplicity for basic tasks, yet it scales to accommodate complex programming logic for more advanced needs.
The Structure of an Awk Command
An awk command typically follows this structure: awk 'pattern { action }' input-file. The pattern specifies when the action should be performed. If the pattern matches, the corresponding action is executed. This structure allows awk to sift through lines of text, searching for those that meet the criteria specified in the pattern, and then execute operations on those lines.
Key Features of AwkBuilt-in Variables: awk offers variables like NR (number of records), NF (number of fields in the current record), and FS (field separator), which are instrumental in text processing tasks. Patterns and Actions: Users can specify patterns to match and actions to execute when a match is found, making awk highly versatile. Associative Arrays: Unlike traditional arrays, associative arrays allow indexing using strings, facilitating complex data manipulation.Demystifying Sed: The Stream Editor
While awk is celebrated for its processing capabilities, sed specializes in transforming text. sed is a stream editor, meaning it performs basic text transformations on an input stream (a file or input from a pipeline). It is renowned for its efficiency in editing files without opening them.
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- Best Practices and Strategic Insights to Dockerizing Your Linux Applications
by George Whittaker
In the realm of software development and deployment, Docker has emerged as a revolutionary force, offering a streamlined approach to creating, deploying, and running applications by using containers. Containers allow developers to package up an application with all the parts it needs, such as libraries and other dependencies, and ship it all out as one package. This guide delves deep into the world of Dockerizing applications on Linux, covering best practices, deployment strategies, and much more to empower developers and DevOps professionals alike.
Understanding Docker and Containerization
Docker is a platform that utilizes OS-level virtualization to deliver software in packages called containers. Containers are isolated from one another and bundle their own software, libraries, and configuration files; they can communicate with each other through well-defined channels. Unlike traditional virtual machines, containers do not bundle a full operating system — just the application and its dependencies. This makes them incredibly lightweight and efficient.
The Benefits of DockerConsistency across Environments: Docker containers ensure that applications work seamlessly in any environment, from a developer's personal laptop to the production server. Isolation: Applications in Docker containers run in isolated environments, reducing conflicts between applications and between applications and the host system. Resource Efficiency: Containers share the host system kernel and start much faster than VMs. They also require less compute and memory resources. Scalability and Modularity: Docker makes it easy to break down applications into microservices, making them easier to scale and update.Setting Up Docker on Linux
The process to install Docker varies depending on the Linux distribution. For Ubuntu, for instance, Docker can be installed with just a few commands:
sudo apt update sudo apt install docker.io sudo systemctl start docker sudo systemctl enable docker
After installation, verify that Docker is running by executing sudo docker run hello-world. This command pulls a test image from Docker Hub and runs it in a container, which prints a message.
Dockerizing Applications: Best PracticesCreating Efficient Dockerfiles
A Dockerfile is a script containing a series of commands and instructions to build a Docker image. The key to an efficient Dockerfile is minimizing the build time and the size of the image.
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- Mastering Linux Disk Management: LVM and Disk Partitioning
by George Whittaker
Linux stands as a bastion of power and flexibility in the world of operating systems, particularly when it comes to managing disk storage. Whether you're a seasoned sysadmin, a developer, or a Linux enthusiast, understanding how to efficiently manage disk space is crucial. This guide delves into the intricacies of Disk Partitioning and Logical Volume Management (LVM), equipping you with the knowledge to optimize your Linux system's storage.
Understanding Disk Partitioning
Disk Partitioning is the first step towards organizing the storage on a disk. It involves dividing a disk into separate sections, each functioning as an independent disk, which can be managed separately. This segregation helps in managing files, running different operating systems on the same disk, or creating a dedicated space for specific data.
Types of Disk Partitions
There are three main types of partitions:
Primary Partitions: Directly accessible and used for booting the system. A disk can have up to four primary partitions. Extended Partitions: Created within a primary partition, acting as a container that can hold multiple logical partitions. This is a workaround for the four-partition limit. Logical Partitions: Nested within an extended partition, allowing for more than four partitions on a disk.File Systems and Their Importance
A file system dictates how data is stored and retrieved. Each partition can use a different file system (ext4, NTFS, FAT32, etc.), affecting performance, storage efficiency, and compatibility.
Tools for Disk Partitioning in Linux
Linux offers a plethora of tools for disk partitioning, including:
fdisk: A command-line utility ideal for MBR disks. gdisk: Similar to fdisk but for GPT disks. parted: A versatile tool that supports both MBR and GPT disks.The Basics of Logical Volume Management (LVM)
LVM is a more flexible approach to managing disk space. It allows for resizing partitions (logical volumes) on the fly, creating snapshots, and combining multiple physical disks into one large virtual one.
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- Crafting Minimal Ubuntu Images for Embedded Brilliance
by George Whittaker Introduction
In the vast and evolving landscape of technology, embedded systems stand as silent yet powerful pillars supporting an array of applications, from the simplicity of a digital watch to the complexity of autonomous vehicles. These dedicated computing behemoths often operate within constrained environments, necessitating an operating system that is not just robust but also refined in its minimalism. Enter Ubuntu, a versatile and widely acclaimed Linux distribution, which emerges as an unexpected yet fitting candidate for this purpose. This article delves into the art of constructing minimal Ubuntu images tailored for the unique demands of embedded systems, illuminating the pathway towards enhanced performance, fortified security, and streamlined maintenance.
Understanding the Core of Minimalism in Embedded Systems
Embedded systems are intricately designed to perform specific tasks, where every millisecond of processing time and every byte of memory counts. In such a landscape, Ubuntu, known for its user-friendly approach and comprehensive support, may not seem like the obvious choice. However, its adaptability and the vast repository of packages make Ubuntu a prime candidate for customization into a lean operating system footprint suitable for embedded applications. The quest for minimalism isn't merely about shedding weight; it's about achieving the pinnacle of efficiency and security.
The Pillars of Performance Enhancement
A minimal Ubuntu image, stripped of unnecessary packages and services, boots faster and runs more efficiently, allowing embedded systems to dedicate more resources to their primary functions. This streamlined approach ensures that embedded devices can operate within their limited computational and memory capacities without compromising on their core functionalities.
The Fortress of Security
In the realm of embedded systems, where devices often operate in critical and sometimes inaccessible environments, security is paramount. A minimal Ubuntu image inherently possesses fewer vulnerabilities, as each removed package eliminates potential entry points for attackers. This minimalistic approach not only secures the device but also simplifies compliance with stringent security standards.
The Ease of Updates and Maintenance
Maintaining embedded systems, particularly those deployed in remote or challenging locations, can be daunting. Minimal Ubuntu images, with their reduced complexity, offer a more manageable solution. Updates are quicker and less intrusive, minimizing system downtime and reducing the risk of update-induced failures.
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- Linux Version Odyssey: Navigating Through Time and Technology
by George Whittaker
Linux, the cornerstone of modern computing, powers everything from tiny embedded devices to the world's most formidable supercomputers. Its open-source nature has fostered a rich ecosystem of distributions (distros), each tailored to different needs and preferences. However, this diversity also introduces complexity, especially when it comes to managing different versions of Linux over time. This article will navigate you through the labyrinth of past, present, and future Linux versions, equipping you with the knowledge to manage and utilize these systems effectively.
Understanding Linux Versioning
Linux versioning might seem daunting at first glance, but it follows a logical structure once understood. Major Linux distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, and CentOS have their own versioning schemes, typically involving a mix of numbers and, sometimes, names. For example, Ubuntu versions are numbered based on the year and month of release (e.g., Ubuntu 20.04 was released in April 2020), and LTS (Long Term Support) versions are released every two years, offering five years of support.
Navigating Past Linux Versions
Older versions of Linux distros often face compatibility issues with newer hardware, limiting their functionality. Additionally, as software evolves, applications may no longer support outdated versions, complicating tasks that require up-to-date software. Moreover, security is a significant concern; older, unsupported versions do not receive security updates, exposing systems to vulnerabilities.
Maintaining legacy systems securely requires a strategic approach. One can isolate these systems from the internet or use them in a controlled environment. Furthermore, communities and special-interest groups often support older versions, providing patches or advice on managing these systems.
Embracing Current Linux Versions
Regular updates are crucial for security and performance. Most Linux distros offer simple commands or graphical interfaces to check and apply updates, ensuring your system is protected and efficient. Transitioning between versions, although daunting, is made manageable through guides provided by most distributions, detailing steps to upgrade without losing data.
Transitioning requires careful planning. Always back up your data before upgrading. Understand the changes and new features introduced in the new version to adapt quickly and leverage improvements.
Preparing for Future Linux Versions
Staying informed about upcoming releases allows users to anticipate changes and prepare accordingly. Engaging with Linux communities and news sources can provide insights into future developments. Additionally, participating in beta testing offers a glimpse into new features and the opportunity to contribute to the Linux ecosystem.
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