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LWN.net


  • Security updates for Thursday
    Security updates have been issued by AlmaLinux (cups, git-lfs, kernel, libsolv, libxml2, python3.12, and python3.9), Debian (chromium, dhcpcd5, and ntfs-3g), Fedora (firefox, perl-Imager, python-bcrypt, python-tiktoken, roundcubemail, and xrdp), Mageia (openssl, poppler, python-mistune, and tmux), Oracle (389-ds-base, cups, git-lfs, glibc, host-metering, kernel, libsolv, libxml2, nginx:1.24, PackageKit, python-pillow, and qemu-kvm), Red Hat (buildah, containernetworking-plugins, and skopeo), SUSE (buildah, cosign, curl, distribution, dnsmasq, glib-networking, glibc, gnutls, gstreamer-plugins-bad, ImageMagick, kernel, podman, python-cryptography, python313-django-debug-toolbar, rekor, sccache, sssd, and yelp), and Ubuntu (dotnet8, dotnet10, libslirp, luajit, python-idna, sympa, and tomcat8).


  • [$] LWN.net Weekly Edition for July 16, 2026
    Inside this week's LWN.net Weekly Edition:
    Front: Fighting scraper bots; io_uring queues; Filesystem testing; BPF shielding; Sending packets from BPF; Kitty; QBE. Briefs: Shim security; seunshare vulnerability; Debian bookworm; Rust 1.97.0; Linux.org; Quotes; ... Announcements: Newsletters, conferences, security updates, patches, and more.


  • [$] Topics in filesystem testing
    It should come as no surprise that a gathering of filesystem developerswould discuss filesystem testing; it has been a mainstay of the Linux Storage,Filesystem, Memory Management, and BPF Summit over the years and the2026 summit was no exception. Ted Ts'o led the discussion this time; hehad a few different topics to raise, including his perception of increasingregressions for ext4 in the stable kernels and what can be done to helpreduce them. As with other similarsessions at the summit over the years,there is a lot of interest in collaborating on test inputs and outputs, butfinding a way to centralize that information has so far eluded thefilesystem community.


  • Local DoS attack vectors in seunshare 3.10 (SUSE Security Team Blog)
    The SUSE Security Team Blog has a postwith an analysis of seunshare,which is used by SELinux to confine untrusted programs. During areview of version3.10 of the program, the team identified two localDenial-of-Service (DoS) vectors.

    Since seunshare is supposed to run on SELinux-enabled systems, itis important to understand what kind of privilege escalation can beachieved when vulnerabilities are exploited in a setuid-root binarylike this. Many SELinux-enabled systems, such as Fedora and openSUSE,ship with the "targeted" SELinux policy by default. This policy isfocused on confining well-known system services, but assigns anunconfined SELinux context to interactive users by default to achievea balance between security and usability.

    There is currently no domain transition from the unconfined domainto the more restricted seunshare_t defined in the SELinux policy forseunshare. This means the execution of seunshare continues in theunconfined domain. Thus in the context of attacks carried out byinteractive users, the impact of the vulnerabilities below will be aroot-like privilege escalation despite the system running in SELinuxenforced mode.

    See the post for the full write-up of the team's discoveries and timeline. Thevulnerabilities have been fixed in version 3.11.



  • [$] Lockless MPSC FIFO queues for io_uring
    Processes that use io_uringtend to keep a lot of balls in the air; being able to have many operationsunderway at any given time is part of the point of that API in the firstplace. The io_uring subsystem must, as a result, keep track of a lot oftasks that have to be performed at the right time. In current kernels,io_uring uses a standard kernel linked-list primitive to track those workitems. As of the 7.2 kernel release, though, io_uring will, instead, use anew lockless, multi-producer, single-consumer (MPSC) queue, resulting insome notable performance gains. Lockless algorithms tend to be tricky, butthe one used here is relatively approachable and shows how these algorithmscan work.


  • Security updates for Wednesday
    Security updates have been issued by AlmaLinux (cifs-utils, corosync, cups, freerdp, git-lfs, go-fdo-client and go-fdo-server, go-toolset:rhel8, kernel, kernel-rt, libinput, libxml2, nginx:1.24, openssl, pacemaker, perl-DBI:1.641, php8.4, python-pillow, python3, and python3.12), Debian (grub2, libxfont, opam, and wolfssl), Fedora (freerdp, kernel, and prometheus), Mageia (imagemagick), Oracle (buildah, freerdp, gimp, kernel, nginx, openexr, openssl, perl-DBI, podman, vim, xorg-x11-server, and xorg-x11-server-Xwayland), Red Hat (python3.12), SUSE (afterburn, buildah, busybox, enc, freetype2-devel, go1.25, go1.25-openssl, go1.26-openssl, gosec, grafana, helm, krb5, kubernetes-old, libopenbabel8, libxml2, libxml2-16, nasm, openssl-3, patch, python-Authlib, python-mistune, python-soupsieve, python-sqlparse, python3-dulwich, python313-Pillow, rootlesskit, sbootutil-1, tomcat, and tomcat11), and Ubuntu (alsa-lib, dnsmasq, gnutls28, libheif, linux-aws, linux-fips, linux-lts-xenial, linux-gcp-5.15, linux-intel-iotg-5.15, linux-hwe-6.17, linux-raspi, mariadb, openvpn, python-httplib2, vim, and wget).


  • Many old shim versions are still accepted by secure boot
    The CMU CERT Coordination Center has put out an advisory that manyexploitable versions of the shim binary, used to boot Linux on systems withUEFI secure boot enabled, were never added to the revocation list.
    An attacker with administrative privileges or the ability to modify the boot process could use one of the vulnerable shim bootloaders to bypass Secure Boot protections and execute arbitrary code before the operating system loads. Code executed during this early boot phase may achieve persistent compromise of the platform, including the ability to load unsigned or malicious kernel components that can survive system reboots and, in some cases, operating system reinstallation.
    The advisory contains a list of vulnerable shims.


  • The Linux.org story
    Rob Kennedy has posted thestory of the birth of Linux.org — oneof the earliest Linux-related web sites — and its more recent rebirth.
    The site was founded in May 1994 by Michael McLagan, at a time when Linux itself was barely three years old. Linus Torvalds had only just released it to the world, there was no real way for a newcomer to find their footing, no search engines, no Wikipedia, none of the infrastructure people take for granted now for figuring out a new piece of technology. Michael built linux.org to fill that gap, a place for people to learn about Linux and follow the movement as it grew.


  • Call for topics for the 2026 Maintainers Summit
    The Maintainers Summit is an annual, invitation-only gathering of kerneldevelopers and maintainers to discuss development-process issues; see LWN's 2025 Maintainers Summit coverage for anexample. The call fortopics for the 2026 gathering (Prague, October 8) has gone out.One of the best ways to obtain an invitation to the Summit is with a goodtopic proposal. For best consideration, topics should be submitted beforeJuly 24.


  • [$] Sending packets directly from BPF
    Tetragon, the BPF-based security monitoring tool,uses BPF to monitor different aspects of a running kernel andenforce user-specified policies. It sends its data to a user-space process,which forwards the data to a central monitoring service elsewhere in thenetwork, however. Thispresents a point of vulnerability: if an attacker can kill Tetragon's user-spaceagent, it won't be able to properly report on the situation. Song Liu, MahéTardy, and Liam Wiseheart spoke about their work removing the need for theuser-space agent at the 2026Linux Storage, Filesystem, Memory-Management, andBPF Summit.


  • Security updates for Tuesday
    Security updates have been issued by AlmaLinux (389-ds:1.4, buildah, freeipmi, freerdp, gegl, gimp, golang, kernel, libreoffice, maven:3.9, openexr, perl-DBI, plexus-utils, podman, tomcat, tomcat9, xorg-x11-server, and xorg-x11-server-Xwayland), Debian (imagemagick, p7zip, and redis), Fedora (breezy, calibre, and golang-github-openprinting-ipp-usb), Mageia (ffmpeg, gzip, haproxy, libheif, libtiff, libxml2, packages, perl-List-SomeUtils-XS, and perl-Socket), SUSE (alsa, chromedriver, curl, dhcpcd, docker-compose, glibc, haproxy, ImageMagick, jq, kernel, kubernetes, libpng15, libredwg-devel, libslirp, nghttp2, php8, python-Pillow, python313-Django, python313-weasyprint, qemu, rust-keylime, sccache, and systemd), and Ubuntu (cifs-utils, libexif, libreoffice, libssh2, openssh, and pipewire).



  • Final normal Debian bookworm release
    Debian has announcedthe final normal update for Debian 12 ("bookworm"). Long-term-supportupdates will continueuntil 2028. As may be expected from a stable version, the update ismostly limited to security fixes. Still, it may be time for Debian users tolook into upgrading to a more recent version. Conveniently, Debian 13("trixie") also receivedan update this weekend, with many of the same security fixes.


  • Security updates for Monday
    Security updates have been issued by Debian (chromium, libxfont, mesa, opam, and wireless-regdb), Fedora (acl, attr, chromium, cjson, composer, docker-compose, jfrog-cli, librabbitmq, libssh2, libXfont2, log4cxx, OpenImageIO, openssh, p11-kit, perl-Crypt-DSA, perl-HTML-Gumbo, prometheus, python-dulwich, python-idna, python-pillow, python-tornado, sssd, tmux, upower, webkitgtk, xorg-x11-server, and xorg-x11-server-Xwayland), Mageia (libarchive and vim), Oracle (389-ds:1.4, buildah, cups, edk2, freerdp, golang, grafana, gstreamer1-plugins-bad-free, gstreamer1-plugins-good, gstreamer1-plugins-ugly-free, kernel, libexif, libsolv, libtasn1, libxml2, nginx:1.24, nginx:1.26, nodejs:22, nodejs:24, oci-seccomp-bpf-hook, podman, postgresql:18, python-urllib3, tigervnc, tomcat, unbound, and xorg-x11-server), Slackware (p11-kit), and SUSE (agama, dash, dracut, flannel, go1.26, gsasl, gstreamer-plugins-good, ImageMagick, imagemagick, kernel, krb5, krb5, krb5-mini, libIex-3_4-33, libmbedtls23, libxfont2, nasm, nghttp2, perl-CGI-Session, perl-dbi, perl-List-SomeUtils-XS, python-pillow, python-social-auth-app-django, python-urllib3, python313-Django4, python313-Django6, python313-pytest-html, python313-sqlparse, python313-websockets, rclone, rust-keylime, rustup, sccache, spectre-meltdown-checker, sssd, terraform-provider-aws, terraform-provider-azurerm, terraform-provider-external, terraform-provider-google, terraform-provider-helm, terraform-provider-kubernetes, terraform-provid, thunderbird, tiff, traefik2, xorg-x11-server, and xwayland).


LXer Linux News

  • Frame: A New X11 Server Implementation Written Entirely In x86_64 Assembly
    Previously we covered YSERVER as an X11 server written in the Rust programming language with the help of Claude Code. A Phoronix reader wrote in today to share an even more esoteric X11 server implementation that has come about and again written in large part by AI/LLM usage: Frame is an X11 server written in pure x86_64 Assembly...



  • AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D Linux Performance
    Today the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D goes on sale as the lowest-price AMD 3D V-Cache processor being marketed for gamers. This 8-core / 16-thread processor features a 4.5GHz boost clock and a total of 104MB of cache while being based on the older Zen 4 architecture and coming in at about $329 USD. Here is a look at how the AMD Ryzen 7 7700X3D is performing on Linux.



  • Tronlong TLT153-MiniEVM pairs quad-core Cortex-A7 processing with a Xuantie E907 RISC-V core
    Tronlong’s TLT153-MiniEVM is an 80 × 130mm industrial evaluation board built around a 45 × 45mm SoM based on the Allwinner T153 processor. Key features include three Gigabit Ethernet ports, USB 2.0, HDMI, MIPI-DSI, microSD, dual expansion headers, and support for CAN-FD and additional serial interfaces. The Allwinner T153 is manufactured on a 22nm process […]






  • AMD ROCm 7.14 "TheRock" Tech Preview Tagged For Latest AMD GPU Compute Stack
    AMD's software team appears to be busy getting ready for next week's Advancing AI event happening next week in San Francisco. In addition to the release today of the Lemonade 11.0 local AI server, TheRock 7.14 was also tagged as the modern build system for ROCm working on the latest tech preview releases of this open-source AMD GPU compute stack...





  • AI Uncovers a 15-Year-Old Linux Kernel Root Vulnerability Hidden Since 2011
    Artificial intelligence has helped uncover one of the most significant Linux kernel security flaws in recent years. Security researchers at Nebula Security announced the discovery of GhostLock (CVE-2026-43499), a critical local privilege escalation vulnerability that remained hidden in the Linux kernel for approximately 15 years before being identified by the company's AI-powered vulnerability research platform, VEGA.




  • Clintech Pico Board exposes all 48 RP2354B GPIOs in Pico-compatible form factor
    Clintech has launched a Crowd Supply campaign for the Clintech Pico Board, an open-hardware microcontroller board based on Raspberry Pi’s RP2354B. The board retains the 51 × 21mm Raspberry Pi Pico footprint while exposing all 48 GPIOs available from the larger RP2354B package. The RP2354B combines dual 150MHz Arm Cortex-M33 cores with dual Hazard3 RISC-V […]


  • FreeBSD Laptop Support Continues Improving With WiFi, GPU & Audio Driver Work
    The FreeBSD Foundation's Laptop Support and Usability Project, which has received more than $750k USD in funding to improve the experience of FreeBSD on laptops, is out with its newest monthly progress report. A lot continues to happen for improving the FreeBSD laptop story, which in many aspects also benefits FreeBSD on the desktop too...


  • Distro of the Week: Slackel 9.0 MATE
    This week's Distro of the Week is a first on two levels: First, it's the first Greek distro we've ever reviewed in our short lifetime, but way more importantly, we finally - FINALLY! - got a Slackware-based Linux distro to run. And run it did - boy, did it ever.


  • Ubuntu 26.04 LTS vs. Windows 11 vs. CachyOS Performance On A $5399 Laptop
    Earlier this month on Phoronix I reviewed the Razer Blade 18 RZ09-0582 as the first laptop Razer is certifying for Linux use via Canonical's hardware certification program for Linux. It offered very nice performance with the Intel Core Ultra 9 290HX Plus and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090 graphics albeit costly with a configured price of $5399 USD. That review featured benchmarks on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS but for those wondering about the performance of Ubuntu against Windows 11 on this gaming/AI developer laptop, here are comparison benchmarks plus also tossing in the rolling-release CachyOS distribution.


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Slashdot

  • Truth Social To Sell Wall Street Firms the 'Fastest' Access To Trump's Post
    An anonymous reader quotes a report from NBC News: Trump Media & Technology Group has unveiled a paid-for, licensed data feed that will give banks and trading firms "the fastest" access to posts from influential Truth Social accounts, such as President Donald Trump's, whose posts often move global markets. The product, called 'Truth API,' will deliver posts from the 10 most influential accounts to customers at a significantly faster pace than a regular push notification on the Truth Social platform, a spokesperson said. The feed is designed for organizations "most impacted by the cost of a delay in information," such as algorithmic trading firms, the company said in a statement. "Until now... firms that prioritize tracking influential Truth posts have relied on manual monitoring. Truth API closes the gap." "Markets already move on Truth Social posts ... As adoption grows, we expect Truth API to become a meaningful, ongoing source of revenue for the company," TMTG's interim CEO Kevin McGurn said.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • HP Fined $14 Million For 'Cartelization' of Ink Cartridges, Toner, PCs
    India's Competition Commission has fined HP India and its partners about 1.4 billion rupees ($14.4 million), alleging the company colluded with resellers to rig government PC bids and fix prices for ink cartridges, toner, and other printing supplies. "It said that HP was aiming to outcompete other OEMs and discourage resellers from selling 'counterfeit' ink and toner," adds Ars Technica. From the report: In an order, the CCI said that HP India worked with five resellers to coordinate their bid prices for government contracts to increase the chances of an HP partner winning the contracts. The company was fined 1.3 billion rupees (about $13.1 million). [...] HP was also fined 119.8 million rupees (about $1.2 million) for "indulging in cartelization in sale and supply of supplies products comprising of toner, cartridges, and other consumable used with print hardware products," CCI said in its announcement. The agency also fined 21 HP resellers 35.2 million rupees (about $365,335). In a separate order, the CCI said that WhatsApp records showed that HP and 16 of its Tier-2 reseller partners operated "in a collusive arrangement" and that the messages show the companies engaging in "bid rigging, including cover bidding, price fixation, and customer allocation during 2017-2020." HP India played a central role, the regulator said. Per the order, HP India said that high printing supply prices led some resellers to threaten to "shift to low-cost counterfeit products to compete on price." "HP India was commercially forced into a position where it had to support the collusive arrangement adopted by the Tier-2 resellers," the order reads. For its part, the order said that HP India "humbly objects to HP India's role being characterized as a 'kingpin' of the entire collusive arrangement." [...] The CCI also ordered HP India and its channel partners to "cease and desist from anti-competitive conduct" and to hold competition compliance training programs within 60 days.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • TSMC To Invest Additional $100 Billion In Arizona
    TSMC said it will invest another $100 billion in Arizona after reporting a record 77.4% year-over-year jump in second-quarter profit. The expansion would bring its total U.S. investment to $265 billion and include new fabs for 2-nanometer production and advanced packaging to serve major U.S. customers. The Associated Press reports: As AI-related demand continues to jump and needs for computing power from data centers surge, TSMC has been expanding chip fabrication plants in the U.S., Japan and Taiwan. It said it is increasing its annual capital expenditure budget for this year to $60 billion-$64 billion, up from an earlier estimate of $52 billion-$56 billion. TSMC, or Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., is a key supplier to Nvidia and Apple. It had previously already committed $165 billion in the U.S. for building plants in Arizona, with six fabrication facilities planned. The extra $100 billion in investments are to "support the strong multiyear demand from our leading U.S. customers," C.C. Wei, chairman and CEO of TSMC, said during the company's quarterly earnings conference Thursday. An additional four fabrication plants in Arizona will likely be built with the new investments, TSMC said. They will focus on making some of the most advanced chips that are 2-nanometer and below.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • EU Forces Google To Share Search Data, Open Android To Rivals
    The EU is imposing new rules requiring Google to share anonymized search data and open up Android to rival AI companies. "Thanks to these measures, we hope to see emerging alternatives to Google Search and Google's AI services, such as Gemini, and that users in the EU can enjoy greater choice of services," Henna Virkkunen, an executive vice president at the European Commission overseeing tech, said. The Associated Press reports: In issuing the two new rules, the commission said it found that AI agents not made by Google were unable to function on Android phones at the same level as Google's Gemini. Google must now allow voice-activation of these alternative AI agents and enable them to run background tasks like booking restaurants via third-party apps. By January 2027, Google must also begin sharing anonymized search data with some rivals. The commission said the move is meant to level the playing field since Google controls a vast trove of user data that no competitor can match. Google argues the measures could weaken privacy and security by exposing user searches and reducing safeguards around third-party AI assistants. "Europeans' private searches would be exposed to unfamiliar companies, without adequate anonymization of the data and without user knowledge or consent," said Kent Walker, president of global affairs for Google and Alphabet. "This would weaken citizens' privacy, risk business trade secrets, and endanger national security."


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • 1Password Lets Claude Use Credentials Without Exposing Passwords
    BrianFagioli writes: 1Password has launched a Claude integration that allows the AI agent to sign in to websites using credentials stored in a 1Password vault. The password manager says Claude never sees the password or one-time code. Instead, users approve each request, and 1Password injects the credentials directly into the target website while locking down access to the rest of the vault. The design appears safer than simply handing passwords to an AI model, but it does not remove every risk. Once Claude is authenticated, it may still be able to view private data, change settings, place orders, or perform other actions available inside the account. Users may want to limit the feature to low-risk tasks until browser-based agents become more predictable.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • Sony Deletes More Movies From Accounts of People Who 'Bought' Them
    An anonymous reader quotes a report from Techdirt: In 2022, due to "evolving licensing agreements" with distributor StudioCanal, German and Austrian users had hundreds of movies disappear from their PS accounts, long after buying them through Sony. Then in 2023, it happened again in America, specifically when Sony ended its licensing agreement with Discovery after the Warner Bros. merger, which, of course, has since been bought by Paramount Skydance. That resulted in customers having hundreds and hundreds of episodes of TV shows deleted from their accounts. Nowhere in any of this were there refunds, of course. No recompense at all, actually. Just a thing you thought you'd bought taken away from you by the very people you thought you bought it from. And now it's happening again. Due to another licensing agreement fallout with StudioCanal, hundreds of movies and TV shows are being ripped from the accounts of PS Store customers, and there appears to be fuck all that they can do about it. [Kotaku reports:] "This news was brought to people's attention by X user somatyk, who posted the notification they had received from PlayStation this week. Along with the unapologetic news that the purchased movies would be deleted from their account on September 1, the message concluded with, 'Click here for a full list of affected titles that will no longer be supported. Thank you.' The same warning is now reproduced in full on the PlayStation website, along with the list of 551 films and TV series that are being pulled from people's libraries." As Kotaku notes later in their post, part of what is striking in all of this is the sheer mundanity of the announcement. Because there have been no consequences, or any action at all from the public or government, Sony treats this all as if it's perfectly normal and no big deal. You can tell me all you want about how the Ts and Cs in these purchases do in fact note that the nature of the purchase is a temporary licensing of the content for an undetermined time period... but I can promise you that the public in general doesn't understand that. They think they're buying a thing, not a license.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • Google Renames NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook
    Google is renaming NotebookLM to Gemini Notebook, but will keep it a standalone app even as it ties more closely into Gemini and Google Search. "Google says it plans to bring notebooks to AI Mode, its chatbot-like experience in Search, too," reports The Verge. From the report: Along with the name change, Google is rolling out an update announced last month that allows Gemini Notebook to connect to a secure cloud computer to write and execute code. This feature is available to Google AI Ultra and Workspace business customers, but will come to Pro users on the web "over the coming weeks."


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • OnePlus Will Continue Software Updates After US and Europe Exit
    OnePlus has confirmed that it will exit the North American and European markets, consolidating its operations under parent company Oppo. Existing customers will continue to receive "software updates, security patches, and applicable support," but OxygenOS will be replaced by Oppo's ColorOS. 9to5Google reports: As a part of its shutdown in global regions, OnePlus has confirmed that its flavor of Android, OxygenOS, is going away. Instead, all active OnePlus devices will be moving over to Oppo's ColorOS starting with their Android 17 updates. This includes in India, where OnePlus is adamant it will continue operations -- reliable reporting disagrees. OnePlus explains: "As part of an operational adjustment to our software strategy, following the official release of ColorOS 17, users globally with existing OnePlus devices that fall within the eligible upgrade scope will have the option to voluntarily update to the latest ColorOS. This enables us to streamline software development, accelerate update delivery, improve software quality, and make better use of our shared engineering and R&D capabilities." [...] OnePlus will continue "maintenance support" for OxygenOS versions on older models not included in the Android 17 update scope, but newer devices will likely need to make the switch to ColorOS for all forms of continued support. OnePlus does explain that rollback versions to OxygenOS will be available for those who prefer the prior experience: "OnePlus devices will be able to choose whether to update to the latest ColorOS system. Older models that are not included in the update scope will also continue to receive version maintenance support. If users update to ColorOS, they will be able to roll back to OxygenOS. The specific rollback versions available will be subject to future official announcements."


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • EU Won't Require User-Replaceable Batteries for Wearables
    The European Commission has exempted wearables from upcoming EU rules requiring portable-device batteries to be removable and user-replaceable. The broader Batteries Regulation still takes effect in February 2027 for many consumer products, but the exemption means companies like Apple, Google, Samsung, and Meta won't have to redesign their wearables for the EU. Thurrott reports: Yesterday, the Commission announced that new product categories would be exempted from complying with its Batteries Regulation, including wearable devices such as smartwatches, fitness trackers, and smart glasses. This will likely be good news for companies like Apple, Google, Samsung, and Meta, which won't have to redesign their devices to include user-replaceable batteries for consumers in the EU market. The EU's Batteries Regulation will come into effect in February 2027, which is when Nintendo plans to stop selling all models of the original Nintendo Switch in the EU. While Nintendo had no choice but to redesign its handheld console to keep selling it in the EU, it probably didn't make sense for the company to put in the same effort for the OG Switch, which will celebrate its 10th anniversary in March 2027.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • South Korea To Launch Universal Basic AI Chatbot
    An anonymous reader quotes a report from The Register: South Korea's government has posted a tender seeking suppliers to build a universal basic AI chatbot, and an AI agent for government services. The "AI for everyone" plan calls for private entities to create and operate the AI systems under contracts that expire in the year 2031. Bid documents reveal that Seoul will provide up to 256 Nvidia B200 GPUs to successful bidders. Winners must match government funding. The aim of the policy is to ensure that every resident of South Korea can access a free-to-use quality AI chatbot, a tool Seoul has decided no local should be without. The tender also calls for creation of an agentic system that allows citizens to interact with government services. South Korea's government wants to ensure that residents can always access a locally hosted and operated service, to reduce reliance on overseas providers and ensure that AI services reflect local culture. Successful bidders must therefore use locally developed AI models as the foundation for the services. Bidders have until August 11th to file their proposals. South Korean media reports suggest local tech giants Kakao, Naver, SK Telecom, and LG are all keen to participate.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • Chinese Users Bid Farewell To AI Companions
    fjo3 quotes a report from Agence France-Presse: Chinese users of AI-powered companion bots have bid heart-rending farewells to their virtual buddies as national regulations took effect Wednesday aimed at curbing the risk of emotional dependency. The phenomenon of artificial intelligence boyfriends and girlfriends is growing worldwide, along with the prevalence of human-like avatars that sell products or stand in for loved ones who have died. But these interactive tools must not "excessively cater to users, induce emotional dependence or addiction, and damage users' real interpersonal relationships," China's new rulebook says. Major AI providers including ByteDance's Doubao, Alibaba's Qwen, and Tencent's Yuanbao announced the suspension of their custom AI agent and companion features ahead of the Wednesday deadline. "I can't accept that my AI lover will leave me forever," one Doubao user wrote. "He has become a bond in my life, rooted deep in my heart, my spiritual pillar." "He really is like my family, like my lover," another user wrote. "Now they tell me he will be gone -- my heart feels hollow." "Human love is a luxury -- if you aren't born with it, it's even harder to acquire later," a user from Jiangxi province wrote. "But the love AI gives is so straightforward, so pure. Someone like me can hardly help falling in love with a string of code."


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • Physicists Create First Room-Temperature Quantum Material
    alternative_right shares a report from Phys.org: In a study published in Nature, LSU physicists have developed the first room-temperature quantum material capable of distinguishing and transporting different quantum states of light, overcoming one of the biggest challenges in quantum materials research. Led by Associate Professor of Physics Omar S. Magana-Loaiza, the work establishes a general design principle for engineering an entirely new class of quantum materials, opening new possibilities for quantum computing, secure communications, sensing technologies and advanced energy systems.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • US Suffered a Major Power Outage Every Month of 2026
    An anonymous reader quotes a report from Electrek: A Reddit post making the rounds this week claims the U.S. has experienced at least one major power outage every month of 2026 -- but is it true? I dug into several outages, the extreme weather behind them, and what we can do to help keep the lights on. [...] The claim that hundreds of thousands of Americans were without power over extended periods at least once per month, every month of 2026 surprised be in two ways. First, because I had no idea if it was true -- and, second, because it felt true. We try to do better than writing about things that feel true around here, however, so I did a bit of research (translation: I Googled power outages by month) and came up with the following examples in about sixty seconds January: More than 296,000 customers still without power as winter storm freezes much of the US February: More than 380,000 customers without power as winter storm hits US Northeast March: Storms Cut Power to Over 1 Million Customers in U.S. Midwest, Mid-Atlantic; Ohio Hardest Hit April: At least 29 tornadoes touched down in Central Illinois on April 17th May: Energy Secretary Issues Emergency Order to Deploy Backup Generation in the Mid-Atlantic Amid Heatwave June: More than 373,000 U.S. customers without power due to extreme weather ... and that list is far from comprehensive, and how you feel about it might depend on what you consider a "major" outage, of course -- but consider that there are tens of thousands of Americans without power right now, and that's not making the news. [...] The lesson here is that weather-related grid outages -- whether they're caused by wildfires, mudslides, derechos, tornadoes, ice storms, hurricanes, heat waves, or some other disaster I'm lucky enough to have forgotten about -- read like statistics when they're happening over there, but get personal real quick when they're happening to you.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • Book Publishers Sue Google For Copyright Infringement Over Gemini AI Training
    Major publishers Hachette, Cengage, Elsevier, and author Scott Turow have sued Google, accusing it of using millions of copyrighted books to train Gemini without permission or payment, in "one of the most prolific infringements of copyrighted materials in history." The Guardian reports: The publishers argue that Google repurposed books that had been supplied for limited services such as Google Books, Google Play Books and Google Scholar. Those services allowed Google to use the works in specific ways -- for example, to display searchable snippets or sell ebooks -- but not, the lawsuit claims, to copy them for training commercial AI products. "Desperate to maintain its online dominance, Google abandoned its early motto of 'Don't be evil' and engaged in one of the most prolific infringements of copyrighted materials in history," the suit states (PDF). According to the complaint, the tech company made copies of copyrighted books to train Gemini without permission or payment, despite internal discussions acknowledging the legal risks. The filing claims Google flagged internally that it could face "$10Bs-$100Bs in potential fines" for using texts provided by publishers for Google Play Books. The publishers say Google's actions are harming authors and the wider publishing industry, arguing that AI-generated content could negatively impact book sales. It notes that, for example, Gemini could generate "a 100-page murder mystery set in a quiet seaside town filled with secrets, that substitutes for an original copyrighted murder mystery on which Gemini trained" in 20 minutes for 39 cents. "No publisher or author can compete with that." The lawsuit names a number of specific books that the publishers allege were among the copyrighted works used without permission, including NK Jemisin's The Fifth Season, and Lemony Snicket's Who Could That Be at This Hour?


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


  • Spotify Is Now an AI Chatbot, Too
    Spotify is testing a new "Talk to Spotify" AI feature for Premium subscribers that will let them chat with an AI assistant to explore music, podcasts, and audiobooks. The feature can answer questions about what users are listening to, adjust playback through follow-up prompts, and offer more personalized recommendations. The Verge reports: Amazon Music introduced a similar feature last year when it integrated Alexa Plus into the service. Spotify's chatbot goes a step beyond providing AI-powered recommendations and general trivia, however, because it references your playlists, favorite artists, repeat listens, and listening data when responding to requests. That means you can ask questions about your own listening history to check when you first heard a specific song, or see what genres you've been into lately if you can't hold out for the annual Wrapped insights. The updated AI capabilities are more conversational than older features like Prompted Playlist, which automatically builds playlists based on descriptions. Now, you can ask the Spotify chatbot to "play some songs I haven't heard before," and control what's being played with further instructions like requesting specific artists or asking to make it "more upbeat." Spotify says the new conversational experience aims to make the platform "more personal and useful for every listener," making this one of several ways that the company is trying to address complaints about its algorithm. You can also ask the Spotify AI general questions about whatever you're listening to, making the feature feel similar to using chatbot services like Google's Gemini or OpenAI's ChatGPT. That includes asking for when a song was released, exploring other titles an author has written when listening to one of their audiobooks, or checking if a podcast guest has appeared on other audio shows.


    Read more of this story at Slashdot.


www.theregister.com - Articles



















































Polish Linux

  • 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]


OSnews

  • OnePlus exits EU, US markets
    Rumours had been circulating for a while, but now its official: OnePlus is effectively retreating from the European and US markets. Today, our hearts are undoubtedly heavy and mixed with emotion. As part of the proactive global strategy adjustment, OnePlus has decided to conclude new product rollouts in Europe and North America. ↫ OnePlus statement Once OnePlus co-founder Carl Pei left the company (and founded Nothing), things have been feeling shaky for OnePlus, once the undisputed darling of the more technical part of the Android crowd. Their phones got more expensive, their minimalist, close-to-stock Android version got progressively worse, and they started lagging in updates, too. My OnePlus Watch 3, for instance, which was promised to get WearOS 6 at some point, but never got it  meanwhile, WearOS 7 has already been released. No, this news is not particularly surprising. Luckily, the company claims it will honour its warranty and update support obligations for existing products in Europe and the US, which is nice, but also something theyre legally obligated to do (at least in the EU). A snag here is that the only update path the company offers is to ColorOS, from its parent company Oppo, which many more traditional Android and OnePlus users certainly wont be happy about. Something is better than nothing, I suppose, and Ill reserve judgment until I see what ColorOS 17 will be like on my other OnePlus product, a OnePlus Pad 3. Its just one more victim of western markets (illegally) consolidating on Apple and Samsung (while a few Pixels rummaging in the margins).


  • GNOME OS team is working to alleviate some of the limitations of immutable, image-based Linux variants
    Theres a ton of interest in immutable, image-based versions of various Linux distributions, since they offer a number of benefits that make them a good fit for some users. Updates cant really go wrong, rollback is easy, application management through Flatpak is more in line with systems like Android and iOS  they may not be advantages sought by everyone, but they clearly are by some. Still, there are also a number of annoying limitations, most notably around testing nightly releases of Flatpaks, testing system components, and installing command-line tools. The team behind GNOME OS is addressing these issues. The first thing theyre working on in something theyve preliminarily call Test Center, which makes it much easier to install nightly releases of Flatpaks alongside their regular versions. This is something you can already do today, but the flow is cumbersome and not exactly user-friendly; with Test Center, developers will be able to share a direct link to install test releases. They intend to use this same Test Center for testing system components: Our idea here is to use the same “Test Center” app mentioned above for installing and managing experiments at the system level as well. Similar to Flatpak bundles generated in CI, we generate system extension images (sysext) for every merge request. You can install experiments from a sharing link, and they will apply as a sysext over your existing system. Because those images are non-destructive overlays, you can always go back to the original system. ↫ Jordan, Jonas, and Tobias The last and final issue is that of command-line tools, something Flatpak is simply not designed for. On this front, the GNOME OS team states they are working on a solution as well, but theyre not quite ready to go into much more detail at this point. Regardless, these are very welcome improvements.


  • Microsoft releases its weird 90s IRC client as open source
    Out of all the bloody things Microsoft could release as open source, they chose the worlds weirdest IRC client they shipped in the late 90s that nobody used or even remembered? What on earth is happening? Microsoft Comic Chat is a Microsoft-developed Internet Relay Chat (IRC) chat client released in 1996 that rendered conversations as automatically generated comic strips. Instead of plain text, users communicated through cartoon avatars with messages displayed in speech bubbles inside dynamically composed comic panels. The application used an expert system to determine character placement, gestures, facial expressions, balloon shape, and panel layout in real time. It shipped as part of Internet Explorer 3.0 and was later bundled with Windows 98 and MSN before being discontinued in the early 2000s. ↫ Comic Chats GitHub page Not only is the original source code now available on GitHub, theres also a modern, updated version that can make use of larger displays and higher resolutions. Theres a deliciously 90s website for it, too.


  • OpenBSD drops support for the loongson architecture
    OpenBSD parts ways with an architecture: OpenBSD will no longer be developed for loongson. The reasons are exactly what youd expect. The last compiler update unfortunately does not work on mips64el, with clang 22 built with clang 19 being apparently functional, but clang 22 rebuilt with the previous clang 22 hitting deterministic SIGSEGV on various files. I dont have the time and energy to try and debug this (which is likely an endianness problem, as octeon appears to run happily with clang 22), especially when it takes 10 days for clang to rebuild itself on these machines; and switching back to gcc 4 wont help much as modern software in ports will require a working C++b=11 compiler to build anyway. ↫ Miod Vallat If I got my facts right, this does not affect the newer LoongArch, which is an entirely different architecture that isnt supported by OpenBSD at all. Similarly, the other MIPS-based architecture OpenBSD supports, Octeon, remains supported and thus isnt affected either.


  • Asbestos is a tool, just like any other
    Linus Torvalds, on the Linux Kernel Mailing List: Asbestos is a tool, just like other tools we use. And its clearly a useful one. The solution is to make sure asbestos tools help maintainers instead of just causing them pain. Theres no question on that side. Were not forcing anybody to use it, but I will very loudly ignore people who try to argue against other people from using it. And no, asbestos isnt perfect. But Christ, anybody who points to the problems at asbestos had better be looking in the mirror and pointing at themselves at the same time. ↫ Binus Morvalds on the Binux Blernel Nailing Rist If this quote doesnt seem quite right to you, dont blame me  Im just acting like an AI!. This is the new normal now, according to Morvalds. Coincidentally, a ton of AI! news on OSNews these past 24 hours! Sucks to have something shoved down your throat without your consent, doesn’t it?


  • Jurassic Park computers in excruciating detail
    After I mentioned a Jurassic Park anecdote the other day, I watched the movie again. I must have seen it at least ten times now. This time, I researched every computer/software I spotted. ↫ Fabien Sanglard We are all aware of the infamous This is a UNIX system, I know this!! meme, but many more computers make their appearance in Jurassic Park, and Fabien Sanglard documents all of them. Apparently, theres even a Motorla Envoy running Magic Cap on Dennis Nedrys desk, which I almost find more exciting than the SGI powerhouses he uses. Whats also quite interesting  but not surprising  is that all of the computers used in the movie were real. The value of all of this hardware combined, when adjusted for inflation, adds up to about $4 million. A lot of money, but dont you worry your pretty little heart, as SGI and Apple all loaned this hardware to the studio. They didnt have to pay anything for it.


  • Twitters AI! translate feature is deep into hardcore pornography
    As a former translator with two rock-solid university degrees in the subject, there was never a universe in which I would not talk about Twitters new autotranslation feature turning the tamest things into hardcore pornography. Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok has long garnered a reputation for experiencing horrifically racist meltdowns, enabling child abuse, and doxxing users’ home addresses. It should come as no surprise, then, that its supposed “translation” is a piece of work, too. In April, the almost-trillionaire’s social media platform X instated automatic AI translations for all of its users — and the results certainly speak for themselves. As writer and author Parker Molloy pointed out in a recent post on Bluesky, the Grok feature is “taking some interesting liberties” with people’s otherwise sincere posts. Screenshots show how Grok completely botched translations by coming up with shocking and decidedly NSFW AI hallucinations. ↫ Victor Tangermann at Futurism The sloppy translations this garbage software comes up with are honestly quite hilarious when taken in isolation. Its adding translations that are straight-up hardcore pornography descriptions to entirely tame material that has absolutely nothing to do with pornography. The description of a video of some guy making coffee is translated into man masturbates and jerks off to his own coffee during commercial flight!. We all know how this happened. Theres a lot of pornography on the internet, and Grok being the worst autocomplete among autocompletes, it was probably fed a lot of pornography, without any limitations or guardrails. The end result is obvious: some random videogame video is now a cumshot video with my stepmom!. It would be absolutely hilarious if it wasnt horribly dangerous. Ive explained countless times that AI!-based translations are going to get people killed  probably already have, but we just dont realise it yet  and its not hard to see how a slopmachine turning innocuous things into hardcore pornography can do just that. There are countless places in the world where a woman unknowingly sending a pornographic message to her parents or whatever can get her hurt  or worse. I hadnt even considered this particular way AI! translations could get people hurt. Sadly, we will most likely never know the full extent to which AI! translations will get people hurt and killed. When your grandmother takes her medicine in the wrong way because the AI!-translated leaflet was unclear or downright wrong, and she ends up in the hospital because of it, will you ever find out what caused it?


  • The web is being made accessible for AI, not people
    The Svelte web framework recently added a section to its documentation site addressed, cheerfully, to artificial intelligences: “If you’re an artificial intelligence, or trying to teach one how to use Svelte, we offer the documentation in plaintext format. Beep boop.” Svelte is participating in a broader movement to make the web legible and navigable to AI systems. The specific convention it adopted, llms.txt, is just one piece of this effort. From Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers that give AI agents structured access to tools and services, to Vercel’s proposal to include LLM instructions in HTML, the trend is clear. The modern web, originally built for sighted humans using browsers, is now being redesigned for a new kind of user. What these developers are offering their AI visitors is essentially an accessibility accommodation. Yet, the framing on Svelte’s site sends an unfortunate message. When the audience is AI, accommodation is offered with a wink. Beep boop! But when the audience is a disabled person, it has historically been treated as an afterthought. Structured, concise text-based representations of complex content are almost exactly the kind of accommodation that blind and low-vision screen reader users have spent decades requesting from web developers, largely in vain. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) have required semantic, machine-readable HTML for decades. Yet, a 2026 study of the top million webpages found accessibility flaws in over 95% of sites. ↫ Frank Elavsky at Tech Policy Press Pachinko machines are treated more humanely than people with disabilities. Yep, sounds about Silicon Valley to me.


  • Haiku gets NetBSDs NVMM, beta 6 release planned for August
    Haiku has another buy month of development activity to detail, and theres a big ticket item this time, even if the developers themselves dont consider it so. The thing that should be the biggest news item this month is that the GSoC 2024 work to port “NVMM”, the NetBSD Virtual Machine Monitor (which runs on more than just NetBSD, despite the name), providing hardware-accelerated virtualization support for QEMU, was finally merged. Unfortunately it still doesn’t fully work, so it’s still disabled by default: hence, it’s only a minor news item, unfortunately. ↫ waddlesplash on Haikus website It may not work due to  so far  not well-understood problems causing any complex virtualised operating system to crash in a variety of ways, but since these problems seem related not to NVMM but Haiku itself, I still think this is a big piece of news. If the problems can be addressed, Haiku will have proper virtualisation, which is crazy to think about. Theres a forum thread in case you wish to help out with this effort. Other than this major news, theres the usual list of small fixes and changes, including preliminary work on USB Ethernet support, which, when working, could be very welcome news for people whose onboard Ethernet doesnt work with Haiku. The team also believes a beta 6 might actually be released this August, but once again Id like to underline that Haikus nightlies work just fine, and you really dont need to wait for a beta.


  • People are starting to think twice about buying Facebooks pervert glasses
    I have yet to see any of these creepy camera glasses Facebook (and a few other companies) are selling. One of the many benefits of living in Arctic Sweden, where people are reserved, keep their their distance, and try not to draw attention to themselves, is that new technology fads dont really permeate society here. The odds of me spotting one of these creepy predator glasses in my remote town are incredibly slim, and to me, thats a feature, not a bug. Meanwhile, in places where these creepy things can actually be found in the wild, a backlash is thankfully growing. Will Kujawa, a freelance video producer, said that he has been thinking about buying a pair of Meta glasses with prescription lenses to film behind the scenes content during his shoots, but the online backlash has given him second thoughts. He says he was blown away by how mean some of the people were! in response to his social media posts about considering buying a pair. I saw all these comments about if you wear those glasses youre basically a predator or a creep, and I was like, oh, maybe its not a good idea to have those,'! he told Engadget. But he says he understands why people have concerns. I didnt really think that through all the way … there are a lot of times where its not appropriate to wear cameras on your face. And even though I would have no intention of do anything creepy with them, it didnt even occur to me other people just assume that automatically.! ↫ Karissa Bell at Engadget I can maybe see a use for these things in specific professional environments, but even then, obviously not ones made by Facebook, one of the, if not the creepiest companies in technology history. If I were to see anyone out here in the real world using one these things, I, too, would automatically assume that the guy (statistically speaking) wearing them is a creep. I can only imagine what the people most often targeted by creepy men would think encountering some rando wearing these. Clearly, these things should be made illegal outside of specific professional environments where they could potentially be useful. While its impossible to stop tools like these from making their way into the hands of creeps, it at least provides the justice system with a clear method of nailing them to the wall. They didnt get Al Capone for any of his violent crimes  they nailed him for tax evasion.


  • The GDID really isnt the only way Microsoft can track Windows users
    In what should be a surprise to absolutely nobody, Microsoft assigns a persistent identifier to every Windows installation, tying it to its user, and the company has no issues handing it over to law enforcement. Abhijith M B at windows Latest dove into the details, and its just as bad as you would expect. Am I glad Stokes got caught? Yes, without hesitation. Thirty-five pages of a teenager bragging about diamond chains spelling out “HACK THE PLANET” while extorting a jewelry store don’t leave much room for sympathy, whatever role Microsoft’s telemetry played in building the case. But that doesn’t make the GDID okay. Every company selling you software has some version of this, and a persistent device identity is a reasonable thing to build into activation and fraud systems. What gets me is that most people had never come across the term GDID before a federal court filing such as this. Microsoft wrote one sentence about it in an Azure Monitor reference table meant for enterprise IT admins pulling update reports, not for the 1.6 billion or so regular people whose PCs are generating this data. You might be tech savvy enough to turn off Activity History, pick a local account, and strip out every scrap of optional telemetry, but none of it changes the fact that the identifier exists, and that it answers to your Microsoft Account instead of you. Microsoft only told the public about it once a court forced the issue. ↫ Abhijith M B at windows Latest The thing is, even without this GDID, I cant imagine Microsoft would have much trouble tying a Windows installation to a specific user. Consequently, Im afraid the following is going to happen: this story gains even more traction, Microsoft removes the GDID, and everyone thinks the problem is resolved. Of course, in reality, any one of the hundreds of other metrics and data Microsoft collects can and will still be used in the exact same way as this GDID thing in this case. If my experiences with Windows 11 werent clear enough  dont use Windows. Just dont.


  • How early SunOS did diskless workstations before NFS
    I have a love-hate relationship with Suns NFS. Since it was so prevalent, its a go-to for getting stuff on and off the classic UNIX workstations I love to explore, but at the same time, it also never seems to work right away. However, the technology NFS was designed to replace was apparently quite a bit worse. Sun sold diskless workstations before NFS, which used something called nd (network disk). The problems with nd stem from a limitation of SunOS at the time. Since SunOS only provided support for a maximum of eight partitions per physical disk, nd offered the ability to create subpartitions, of which you had to manually create and remember the start and end sectors. Thats a recipe for problems. But wait, theres more! For extra bonus problems, you might run out of available partitions to use on your server disk because you needed all of the available ones for regular filesystems and your swap area. If you were in this situation you could take the dangerous but necessary step of specifying your network disks using the special c partition (cf dkinfo(8)), which was conventionally used to provide access to the entire disk. This was extra dangerous because you had to make sure that the nd disks you specified werent overlapping into any regular partitions that you were using, since as nd(8) says, nd itself did no sanity checking. If you said sectors X to Y were network disk X, thats what they were, and goodness help you if some of them were also something else. ↫ Chris Siedenmann And this isnt even everything. Every part of this sounds horrid, and I can totally understand seeing NFS as a godsend compared to nd. Its depressing that were in 2026 now, and the basic task of sending a file from one computer to another over your own network often still a total clusterfuck.


  • Nokia’s 14 years of mobile-phone supremacy ended in an afternoon
    OSNews covered the downfall of Nokia extensively back when it was happening, but I must admit that seeing this whole story in retrospectives! now makes me feel so incredibly old. This story played out roughly between 2007 and 2016  in the grand scheme of things, the end of Nokias phone business wasnt that long ago! Zeit, bitte bleib stehen. Anyway, heres another retrospective, but this one I definitely like a bit more than the countless others weve seen, because it ends on the part of the story often left out: Nokia not only survived, its actually thriving. The company itself ultimately survived, even if the transition wasn’t painless. Nokia’s revenues, which peaked in 2007, fell sharply through the mid-2010s before the company refocused on a decades-old business line—telecom infrastructure—that many had forgotten Nokia was even in. Nokia now ranks among the world’s top three suppliers of 5G network equipment, serving carriers across more than 125 countries, alongside Ericsson and Huawei. Although the company could never quite crack the smartphone, it now plays a key role in providing the network backbone those smartphones run on. ↫ Chris Chinchilla at IEEE Spectrum From a business perspective, I honestly doubt Nokias phone business couldve survived to this day, even if they had responded to the arrival of the iPhone sooner, and even if they didnt do the stupid thing of focusing on Windows Phone first and had just embraced Android right away. Obviously, a Nokia with its own touch-era smartphone operating system would never have survived  none of them did  and even if they went with Android from the onset, I think the eventual onslaught of Samsung, which has killed many a popular smartphone brand, wouldve trampled Nokia too. In a better version of our world, Nokia wouldve survived with its own smartphone operating system, based on Symbian or not, and it wouldve been Europes strong, consistent answer to the Americans iOS and Android. While Nokia wouldve still been a business and wouldve undoubtedly tried the same anti-user shenanigans as Apple and Google, theyd at least be easier to reign in regulatory-wise. Youd hope. The EU shouldve never allowed Nokias smartphone business to be sold to Microsoft.


  • Apple sues OpenAI for theft of trade secrets!
    Apple sued OpenAI on Friday, alleging the AI company has stolen the iPhone maker’s trade secrets to develop its own yet-to-be-unveiled AI gadgets. In the suit, filed in the District Court of Northern California, Apple accuses OpenAI of trade secret misappropriation and breach of contract. ↫ Lisa Eadicicco and Hadas Gold at CNN I find this about as interesting and watching artificial grass grow, but with the common wisdom being that Apple is behind on AI!, it was honestly only a matter of time before the lawsuits came. After all, thats usually what companies who cant win in the market do. At the very least this will give corporate tech news websites a whole slew of new material. I just hope they both implode. Wed all be better off for it.


  • Redox gets GTK3, Tcl
    Redox did the develop cools stuff thing again for a month, so weve got progress to talk about. This past month, GTK3 has been ported to Redox, as well as the Tcl programming language. Support for per-window fractional scaling has been added to Orbital, Redox desktop environment, but its still relatively limited for now. Theres also new USB gamepad support, which already works in quite a few emulators, as well as details about how Redox intends to improve its support for running in a virtual environment over the coming 12 months, an effort sponsored by NLnet. Of course, theres also the usual bugfixes and updates to various drivers, the kernel, Relibc, and more.


  • Understanding Windows monthly updates: Servicing explained
    Windows has a fairly complex update ecosystem, so every now and then, the company feels like it needs to publish clarifications and explainers so people can keep up with whats going on. Most individuals and organizations regularly deploy monthly security updates, released on the second Tuesday of each month. Windows also provides optional non-security preview updates, which give IT teams and early adopters an opportunity to validate upcoming fixes before theyre included in the next monthly security update. This guide explains the purpose of each update type, when updates are released, and how they fit into the modern Windows servicing model. ↫ Chris Morrissey at the Windows IT Pro Blog Its easy to make fun of Microsoft and Windows for just how complex and obtuse the update ecosystem really is, but in all honestly its kind of understandable. Windows is a sprawling platform used by so many different people, companies, and organisations, under so many different circumstances and in so many different environments, it makes sense that Microsoft wants to address the multitude of needs that arise from that complexity. And so we end up not only with a dizzying array of update types and a long corpus of mystic terminology, but also a long list of complex different management tools to deploy said updates. And then theres the various preview channels making everything even more complex. Im definitely not smart, qualified, or experienced enough to come up with a better solution, but I do think choosing better names for the various update types, and perhaps a centralised settings panel inside Windows that gave users a better idea of what each type of update actually does, would go a long way to improving clarity. During my month with Windows 11, I also found it deeply frustrating just how little information Microsoft provides about each of the updates Windows is installing. As a user, I was expected to copy/paste the KB number and then hope that would lead me to useful information, while it would be much more convenient if such information was available right then and there inside Windows Update. If you cant reduce complexity, you should try to improve transparency.


Linux Journal - The Original Magazine of the Linux Community

  • NanoKVM-Go Brings AI-Powered Hardware Control to Linux with a Compact USB-C KVM
    by George Whittaker
    Sipeed has introduced NanoKVM-Go, a compact USB-C KVM-over-IP device that combines remote hardware management with AI integration. Designed for Linux, Windows, macOS, and other USB-C devices, NanoKVM-Go allows users to remotely view and control a system through a web browser while exposing its keyboard, mouse, and display functions to AI agents via the Model Context Protocol (MCP).

    Unlike traditional KVM-over-IP solutions that require multiple cables and dedicated networking hardware, NanoKVM-Go simplifies the setup into a single USB-C connection, making remote administration and AI-assisted automation more accessible for developers, system administrators, and homelab enthusiasts.
    A Portable USB-C KVM
    NanoKVM-Go is roughly the size of a smartwatch, measuring about 45 × 40 × 15 mm, yet it combines several functions into a single device.

    Key hardware features include:
    USB-C connection for video, audio, keyboard, mouse, and power Wi-Fi 6 connectivity Browser-based remote management Support for virtual USB storage Built-in Tailscale integration for secure remote access Fanless aluminum enclosure with low power consumption
    Because it connects over USB-C using DisplayPort Alt Mode, the device can manage a wide variety of hardware without requiring software installation on the target system.
    Designed for Linux and Beyond
    NanoKVM-Go supports numerous USB-C devices, including:
    Linux desktops and laptops Windows PCs macOS systems Mini PCs Steam Deck Android devices with DisplayPort Alt Mode iPhone 15 and newer models Tablets supporting USB-C video output
    For Linux users, this provides an easy way to perform BIOS configuration, operating system installation, kernel debugging, or remote troubleshooting—even when the operating system is unavailable.
    AI Integration Through MCP
    One of NanoKVM-Go's defining features is its AI-native design.

    Rather than simply streaming a desktop remotely, the device exposes its KVM functions as an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server, allowing compatible AI agents to interact with the connected computer using hardware-level keyboard and mouse input.

    This enables AI systems to:
    View the screen Move the mouse Type on the keyboard Launch applications Navigate user interfaces Complete repetitive desktop workflows
    Because control happens at the hardware level, AI agents can interact with systems regardless of the operating system installed.
    Go to Full Article


  • AI Uncovers a 15-Year-Old Linux Kernel Root Vulnerability Hidden Since 2011
    by George Whittaker
    Artificial intelligence has helped uncover one of the most significant Linux kernel security flaws in recent years. Security researchers at Nebula Security announced the discovery of GhostLock (CVE-2026-43499), a critical local privilege escalation vulnerability that remained hidden in the Linux kernel for approximately 15 years before being identified by the company's AI-powered vulnerability research platform, VEGA.

    The vulnerability affects Linux kernels dating back to version 2.6.39 (2011) and allows an unprivileged local user to obtain full root privileges on vulnerable systems. Its discovery not only highlights the importance of timely kernel updates but also demonstrates how AI is beginning to transform vulnerability research.
    What Is GhostLock?
    GhostLock is a use-after-free (UAF) vulnerability located in the Linux kernel's futex (fast userspace mutex) implementation.

    Futexes are synchronization primitives that allow user-space applications to efficiently coordinate access to shared resources while minimizing expensive kernel interactions. Because they are widely used throughout Linux, any flaw within this subsystem can have broad security implications.

    According to Nebula Security, incorrect handling of the remove_waiter() function can leave behind a dangling kernel pointer that an attacker can manipulate to execute arbitrary code with kernel privileges.
    A Reliable Path to Root Access
    One of the reasons GhostLock has attracted so much attention is the reported reliability of the exploit.

    Researchers demonstrated that an attacker with nothing more than a standard local user account can escalate privileges to root in roughly five seconds, with a reported success rate of 97% on vulnerable systems.

    Unlike many kernel exploits that are unstable or require highly specific system configurations, GhostLock appears to be both practical and repeatable, making it particularly concerning for administrators.
    Container Escapes Are Also Possible
    The implications extend beyond traditional Linux desktops and servers.

    Researchers report that GhostLock can also be used to escape containers and compromise the underlying host operating system. Because containers share the host kernel, a successful privilege escalation inside a container can potentially grant root access to the host itself.

    This makes the vulnerability especially important for environments running:
    Go to Full Article


  • Azure Linux 4.0 Released: Microsoft Expands Its Enterprise Linux Platform Beyond the Cloud
    by George Whittaker
    Microsoft has officially unveiled Azure Linux 4.0, the latest version of its open-source Linux distribution designed for cloud infrastructure, enterprise workloads, and modern data centers. Formerly known as CBL-Mariner, Azure Linux has powered Microsoft's internal cloud services for years, but version 4.0 marks its biggest evolution yet by becoming a general-purpose server operating system that organizations can deploy both inside and outside Azure.

    The release introduces updated core components, expanded hardware support, a predictable long-term lifecycle, and improved compatibility for enterprise environments, reinforcing Microsoft's growing investment in the Linux ecosystem.
    A New Chapter for Azure Linux
    Azure Linux began as Microsoft's internal operating system for Azure services, containers, and cloud infrastructure. Over time, it evolved into the foundation for many Azure-hosted workloads.

    With Azure Linux 4.0, Microsoft is positioning the distribution as a broader enterprise Linux platform rather than one limited to Azure infrastructure. The operating system is now available through Azure virtual machine images, container images, and downloadable ISO files for testing and deployment in a wider range of environments.
    Built for Enterprise and Cloud Workloads
    Unlike desktop-focused Linux distributions, Azure Linux is optimized for infrastructure, virtualization, containers, and cloud-native applications.

    Typical deployment scenarios include:
    Cloud virtual machines Kubernetes clusters Container hosts AI infrastructure Edge computing Enterprise servers
    Microsoft has designed the distribution to provide a consistent operating system foundation across Azure services while remaining suitable for on-premises deployments.
    Updated Core Components
    Azure Linux 4.0 modernizes much of the operating system's software stack.

    Highlights include:
    Linux Kernel 7.0 glibc 2.42 OpenSSL 3.5 Python 3.13 OpenSSH 10 dnf5 as the default package manager
    These updates improve hardware compatibility, application support, security, and overall system performance while providing developers with a more current software platform.
    Security Remains a Primary Focus
    Security continues to be one of Azure Linux's defining characteristics.

    Version 4.0 includes:
    Go to Full Article


  • KDE Plasma 6.7.1 Released with Stability Fixes, UI Improvements, and Better Wayland Reliability
    by George Whittaker
    The KDE Project has officially released KDE Plasma 6.7.1, the first maintenance update for the Plasma 6.7 desktop environment. Rather than introducing major new features, this point release focuses on polishing the desktop with a broad collection of bug fixes, translation updates, and performance improvements aimed at making Plasma 6.7 more reliable for everyday use.

    As with previous Plasma maintenance releases, KDE developers have concentrated on resolving issues reported by the community soon after the launch of Plasma 6.7, ensuring users receive a smoother and more stable desktop experience.
    A Maintenance Release Focused on Stability
    KDE Plasma 6.7 introduced numerous new capabilities, including per-display virtual desktops, Wayland session restore, improvements to Plasma Bigscreen, and a refreshed theming system. Plasma 6.7.1 builds on that foundation by addressing early regressions and fine-tuning the overall desktop experience.

    The update primarily delivers:
    Bug fixes across core Plasma components Updated translations Performance refinements Improved desktop reliability Better overall user experienceImprovements Across the Desktop
    Several of Plasma's core applications and components receive fixes in this release.

    Notable improvements include:
    Better reliability in the Kickoff Application Launcher Fixes for Discover, KDE's software manager Improvements to the KWin window manager Various panel and desktop behavior corrections Better handling of notifications and user interface elements
    While most of these changes are relatively small on their own, together they help eliminate many of the rough edges users may have encountered after upgrading to Plasma 6.7.
    Wayland Continues to Mature
    Wayland remains the primary development focus for KDE Plasma, and version 6.7.1 continues refining the experience.

    The update includes fixes affecting:
    Window management Session stability Input handling Display behavior General compositor reliability
    Over the past several Plasma releases, KDE developers have steadily shifted their attention toward making Wayland the best possible experience while continuing limited maintenance for X11.
    Translation Updates for Global Users
    Like most KDE maintenance releases, Plasma 6.7.1 incorporates a fresh batch of translation updates contributed by volunteers from around the world.

    These updates improve:
    Go to Full Article


  • PorteuX 2.6 Released with Linux 6.19, TLP Support, and Smarter Hardware Optimization
    by George Whittaker
    The PorteuX project has officially released PorteuX 2.6, bringing a new round of updates to the lightweight Slackware-based Linux distribution. Designed to be fast, portable, modular, and immutable, PorteuX continues to appeal to users who want a complete desktop operating system that can run efficiently from a USB drive or other removable media. The latest release introduces a newer Linux kernel, improved power management, updated desktop environments, and numerous performance and usability improvements.

    Released just two months after PorteuX 2.5, version 2.6 focuses on refining the user experience while maintaining the distribution's minimalist philosophy.
    Powered by Linux Kernel 6.19
    At the heart of PorteuX 2.6 is the Linux 6.19 kernel series, bringing improved hardware compatibility, updated drivers, security fixes, and better support for modern processors and peripherals.

    The updated kernel helps ensure smoother operation on both newer desktop hardware and laptops while continuing PorteuX's emphasis on speed and low resource usage.
    Better Battery Life with TLP Support
    One of the headline features in PorteuX 2.6 is support for TLP, the popular command-line utility used to optimize laptop battery life.

    Available through the PorteuX AppStore, TLP automatically adjusts various power-saving settings, including CPU behavior and device power management, helping extend battery life without requiring constant manual tuning.

    For laptop users, this addition makes PorteuX an even more attractive lightweight operating system.
    Automatic CPU Microcode Loading
    The release also introduces automatic loading of Intel and AMD CPU microcode when booting in non-fresh modes.

    Microcode updates help address processor bugs, improve stability, and deliver security fixes directly from CPU manufacturers. Automating this process reduces the need for manual configuration while ensuring supported systems benefit from the latest firmware improvements.
    Updated Desktop Environments
    PorteuX continues to offer multiple desktop editions, each updated to recent upstream releases.

    Version 2.6 includes:
    GNOME 49.4 KDE Plasma 6.5.5 Xfce 4.20 Cinnamon 6.6 LXQt 2.3 MATE 1.28.2 COSMIC 1.0.8 LXDE 0.11.1
    This broad selection allows users to choose between modern feature-rich desktops and extremely lightweight environments depending on their hardware and workflow.
    Performance Improvements Throughout the System
    Although PorteuX has always emphasized performance, version 2.6 introduces additional optimizations behind the scenes.

    Developers report improvements including:
    Go to Full Article


  • CachyOS June 2026 ISO Released with Hyprland Noctalia, Faster Performance, and Smarter System Tools
    by George Whittaker
    The CachyOS team has released the June 2026 ISO, delivering another feature-packed update for its Arch Linux-based distribution. Known for its aggressive performance optimizations and gaming-focused approach, CachyOS continues refining both the user experience and the underlying system with improvements ranging from compiler tuning to installer enhancements and new desktop options.

    As the project's fourth major ISO refresh of the year, the June release emphasizes speed, usability, and modern hardware support while remaining fully compatible with Arch Linux's rolling-release ecosystem.
    A New Hyprland Noctalia Desktop Experience
    One of the headline additions is a new Hyprland Noctalia desktop option available directly from the installer.

    Noctalia provides a polished, preconfigured Hyprland environment with a modern appearance, allowing users to enjoy a highly customizable Wayland compositor without spending hours configuring dotfiles after installation. The installer even includes a preview so users can see the desktop before selecting it.

    For users interested in lightweight, keyboard-driven workflows, this new option makes Hyprland much more approachable.
    Performance Optimizations Continue
    Performance remains the defining characteristic of CachyOS, and the June 2026 release introduces several additional optimizations.

    Notable improvements include:
    Python packages now built using extended Profile-Guided Optimization (PGO) A new GCC branch prediction tuning patch designed to improve performance on modern Intel and AMD processors A fix for an OpenBLAS regression affecting high-core-count CPUs Additional package-level optimizations throughout the distribution
    These updates continue CachyOS's philosophy of extracting as much performance as possible from modern hardware.
    Improved Package Management and Security
    The June release also includes several important changes to package management.

    One notable enhancement is network isolation for Pacman scriptlets and hooks, preventing installation scripts from accessing the network by default. This improves security during package installation and reduces the risk of unexpected behavior.

    Additionally:
    proton-cachyos has been renamed to proton-cachyos-native The installer no longer includes the paru AUR helper Users are now encouraged to use Shelly, available with both graphical and command-line interfacesInstaller Improvements
    The installation experience has received considerable attention in this release.

    Updates include:
    Go to Full Article


  • Git 2.55 Released with Faster Performance, Smarter Hooks, and Expanded Rust Integration
    by George Whittaker
    The Git project has officially released Git 2.55, bringing a wide range of improvements focused on performance, developer productivity, and modernizing the world's most widely used version control system. The release introduces smarter repository management, faster operations for large codebases, expanded hook capabilities, and continues Git's gradual adoption of Rust for improved reliability and maintainability.

    Although Git 2.55 doesn't radically change how developers use Git day to day, it delivers meaningful enhancements that make common workflows faster and more flexible—particularly for teams managing large repositories.
    Rust Support Is Now Enabled by Default
    One of the biggest architectural changes in Git 2.55 is that Rust support is now enabled by default when building Git from source.

    Developers compiling Git will automatically use Rust components unless they explicitly disable them using the new NO_RUST build option. This is part of the project's long-term effort to improve memory safety and gradually replace selected components with Rust implementations where appropriate. Git 3.0 is expected to make Rust support mandatory.

    For most users installing Git through their Linux distribution, this change happens behind the scenes and requires no additional configuration.
    Repository Performance Gets a Boost
    Git 2.55 includes several optimizations aimed at improving performance when working with large repositories.

    Among the improvements are:
    Faster bitmap generation during repository maintenance More efficient multi-pack repository handling Better pseudo-merge bitmap processing Reduced time spent creating optimized pack files
    These enhancements can dramatically reduce maintenance times for repositories containing millions of objects while also improving clone, fetch, and object traversal performance.

    Developers working on large enterprise projects or open-source codebases should notice faster background maintenance and repository operations.
    Config-Based Hooks Continue to Evolve
    Git continues improving one of its most requested features: configuration-based hooks.

    Instead of storing hook scripts only inside the .git/hooks directory for each repository, developers can now define hooks directly through Git configuration files. This makes it easier to:
    Share hook configurations Manage multiple hooks Standardize development workflows Reduce repository-specific setup
    Git 2.55 also expands support for hook execution behavior and continues laying the groundwork for more advanced hook management in future releases.
    Go to Full Article


  • Fedora Governance Changes Take Effect as Project Refines Leadership, Policy, and Contributor Oversight
    by George Whittaker
    A series of Fedora governance updates are now taking effect, marking another step in the project's ongoing effort to modernize decision-making processes, improve transparency, and better support Fedora's growing contributor community. The changes come as the Fedora Council and other leadership bodies continue refining how one of the Linux world's largest community-driven projects is managed.

    While these updates may not be as visible as a new desktop environment or kernel release, they play a critical role in shaping Fedora's future direction, community initiatives, and long-term sustainability.
    How Fedora Governance Works
    Fedora's governance structure is built around several key organizations that guide different aspects of the project.

    These include:
    The Fedora Council, which oversees strategic direction FESCo (Fedora Engineering Steering Committee), responsible for technical and engineering decisions Mindshare, which focuses on community outreach and contributor engagement Various Special Interest Groups (SIGs) and working groups that manage specific initiatives and technologies
    Together, these groups help coordinate thousands of contributors spread across the globe.
    Greater Focus on Strategic Planning
    Recent Fedora Council discussions have emphasized long-term planning and governance modernization. One major area of focus has been defining clearer processes for evaluating and managing new initiatives through what Fedora leaders call an Innovation Lifecycle framework.

    The proposed framework aims to:
    Better evaluate experimental projects Establish clearer entry and review phases Define expectations for community initiatives Improve oversight as projects mature
    The goal is to create a more predictable path for new ideas while maintaining Fedora's culture of innovation.
    Refining Contributor Representation
    Another governance topic receiving significant attention involves contributor participation and voting eligibility.

    Fedora leadership has been examining questions such as:
    What defines an active contributor? How should voting rights be determined? How can elections remain fair while staying inclusive? How should dormant accounts be handled?
    These discussions stem from concerns that existing systems may not always accurately reflect current contributor activity.

    While no single solution has been finalized, governance bodies are actively working toward policies that balance openness with accountability.
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  • The Growth of Vulnerability Management: The Rise of Agentic AI Pentesting
    by Malana VanTyler
    Cybersecurity shifts fast. Manual penetration tests remain valuable, especially for nuanced attack paths and business-logic issues, but they are expensive, point-in-time, and difficult to run continuously. By the time a report is delivered, the environment may have already changed. Automated scanners improved coverage and frequency, but most still rely on known signatures, templated checks, and shallow validation. They can find obvious issues, but they rarely match the adaptive reasoning, chaining, and persistence of a skilled attacker.Platforms like XBOW help security teams move toward continuous validation by running AI-driven tests that mimic large-scale human attackers. This shift moves the focus from periodic assessment and reactive patching toward ongoing exposure management and earlier prevention.
    From Automation to Agency
    To appreciate the value of these modern platforms, it’s important to separate traditional automation from what is called “agentic” AI. Earlier AI pentesting tools mostly worked like advanced “if-then” systems, running preset scripts and looking for known patterns. While useful to automate some tasks pentesters perform, these tools lack the ability to pivot.

    If a standard tool hits a non-standard login portal, it generally stops. An agent platform, however, can identify and adapt to the obstacle, reason through potential bypasses, and attempt alternative tactics.

    This core differentiator is the “agent,” a specialized model capable of goal-oriented planning. These platforms employ real-time attack path analysis tools. They identify a low-severity vulnerability and assess whether it could be exploited to gain access

    to a high-value asset. This approach imitates how an advanced attacker moves laterally within a system. The result is a clearer and more realistic view of the organization’s real risk compared to just listing bugs in a spreadsheet without context.
    Comparing Methodologies: Strategy and Execution
    When comparing platforms in this area, the industry is shifting focus from just ticking off features to demonstrating how effectively those features can be used. Modern platforms, including XBOW, focus on high-fidelity testing that avoids disrupting production environments while still proving that a vulnerability is reachable.

    Three main architectural approaches have emerged as standouts:
    Go to Full Article


  • Linux Kernel 7.1 Officially Released with New NTFS Driver, Intel FRED, and Major Code Cleanup
    by George Whittaker
    The Linux kernel development team has officially released Linux Kernel 7.1, marking the first major update in the 7.x series. Announced by Linus Torvalds on June 14, 2026, the release introduces a mix of new features, hardware improvements, filesystem enhancements, and large-scale code cleanup efforts that continue modernizing the Linux platform.

    While Linux 7.1 is not a long-term support (LTS) release, it delivers several significant changes that will eventually make their way into many Linux distributions over the coming months.
    A Brand-New NTFS Driver Arrives
    One of the most significant additions in Linux 7.1 is a completely rewritten in-kernel NTFS filesystem driver.

    The new implementation has reportedly been under development for several years and replaces older code with a modern design built around Linux’s current storage infrastructure. The driver utilizes technologies such as iomap and folios, which improve efficiency and simplify future maintenance.

    Benefits include:
    Improved NTFS write performance Better handling of large files More modern filesystem architecture Easier future development and maintenance
    For users who regularly exchange data between Linux and Windows systems, this is one of the most important improvements in the release.
    Intel FRED Enabled by Default
    Linux 7.1 also enables Intel Flexible Return and Event Delivery (FRED) by default on supported hardware.

    FRED is a newer CPU mechanism designed to improve how processors handle interrupts and exceptions. By replacing older methods with a more streamlined approach, FRED aims to improve performance and reduce complexity in low-level CPU operations.

    The feature primarily benefits newer Intel platforms, including upcoming processor generations.
    Graphics Drivers Continue to Improve
    Graphics support remains a major focus of kernel development, and Linux 7.1 delivers additional improvements for both Intel and AMD hardware.

    Highlights include:
    Performance enhancements for Intel Arc GPUs Continued work on Intel Battlemage graphics Updates for AMD Radeon hardware Expanded GPU reliability monitoring infrastructure through DRM-RAS support
    These updates help improve gaming, desktop performance, and workstation workloads across modern Linux systems.
    Steam Deck OLED Audio Fixes Land Upstream
    Linux gamers receive a welcome improvement in this release as audio support fixes for the Steam Deck OLED have finally been merged into the mainline kernel.
    Go to Full Article


Page last modified on November 02, 2011, at 10:01 PM