Linux Action News

Linux Action News

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Linux Action News episodes

  • Linux Action News 159

    The new Plasma release makes a compelling argument for the workstation, why LibreOffice and OpenOffice can't seem to get along and a recently found bug in Linux that goes back to Kernel 2.6.

    Plus, our thoughts on Apple's seeming abandoning of CUPS, the latest and greatest open source podcast player, and an important show update.

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    • Plasma 5.20: One absolutely massive release
    — A massive release, containing improvements to dozens of components, widgets, and the desktop behavior in general.
  • KDE Plasma 5.20 is Here – And It's an Epic Update
  • LibreOffice rains on OpenOffice's 20th anniversary parade
    • — To mark the 20th anniversary of Apache OpenOffice, the project's main rival, LibreOffice, published a letter asking OpenOffice to tell its users to switch
  • Google and Intel warn of high-severity Bluetooth security bug in Linux
    • — The flaw resides in BlueZ, the software stack that by default implements all Bluetooth core protocols and layers for Linux. Besides Linux laptops, it's used in many consumer or industrial Internet-of-things devices. It works with Linux versions 2.4.6 and later.
  • Intel Blows the Coms Again
  • Greg K-H on Twitter
    • — "They are now claiming you need a 5.10 kernel or newer to solve this. 5.10 will be released at the end of December 2020. Intel knows better, and knows how to do this properly, this feels malicious at this point..."
  • CUPS Printing System Open-Source Development Has Seemingly Dried Up
    • — The open-source CUPS code-base is now at a stand-still. There was just one commit to the CUPS Git repository for all of 2020.
  • Has Apple abandoned CUPS?
  • LPC 2020 - Open Printing MC - YouTube
  • OpenPrinting News - September 2020
  • Antennapod 2.0 Released
    • — AntennaPod version 2 released with a range of new features, bug fixes and improvements. Below you’ll find an extensive list of highlights, with each time the Pull Request ID.
  • AntennaPod
  • AntennaPod - Apps on Google Play
  • AntennaPod | F-Droid
    • 40 min
  • Linux Action News 158

    NextCloud makes some significant changes, and we share our reaction; IBM is planning to split into two, but we have some questions, and Firefox may soon display sponsored "top sites."

    Plus Nvidia's Jetson Nano release and the freaky future of low-level AI, and our thoughts on Coinbase's recent news.

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    • Nextcloud 20 Released
    — Nextcloud Hub 20 debuts Dashboard, unifies search and notifications, integrates with other technologies
  • Nextcloud bridging chat services in Talk
    • — This allows users to connect a Talk conversion to one or more external services, like IRC, Slack, MS Teams or more. The administrator has to have enabled this feature and users can then simply configure it from the right-hand sidebar in Talk.
  • IBM to split into two companies by end of 2021
    • — As-yet unnamed “NewCo” will handle IBM’s “managed infrastructure services.”
  • IBM Jettisons Legacy Services To Focus On Hybrid Cloud
  • As IBM spins out legacy infrastructure management biz, CEO goes all in on the cloud
  • IBM’s “Cloud” Business (or Lack Thereof)
  • Nvidia unveils $59 Nvidia Jetson Nano 2GB mini
    • — The Jetson Nano 2GB Developer Kit, announced this week, is a single-board computer – like the Raspberry Pi
  • Firefox may soon display Sponsored Top Sites on the New Tab Page
    • — A recently added bug to Mozilla's bug tracking site Bugzilla indicates that Firefox may soon display sponsored top sites on the New Tab page. The bug requests that a preference is added to Firefox to disable sponsored top sites.
  • 1668473 - Add pref UI for disabling sponsored top sites
  • A follow up to Coinbase being a mission focused company
  • Sixty Coinbase employees take buyout offer over “no politics” rule
    • 33 min
  • Linux Action News 157

    Quite a bit from Google this week, with new products and notable changes coming for developers and users.

    Plus our take on DuckDuckGo's new fight.

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    • Open-source devs drown in DigitalOcean's latest tsunami of pull-request spam that is Hacktoberfest
    — Rewarding pointless patches with free swag leads to 'DDoS' against projects
  • One solution
    • — @derekapp will close them for you automatically and mark them as invalid.
  • Require PRs be in a repo with hacktoberfest topic and be accepted by MattIPv4
  • Hacktoberfest presented by DigitalOcean
    • — We’re making Hacktoberfest opt-in only for projects – which maintainers can do simply by adding the ‘hacktoberfest’ topic to a repository.
  • What is Google TV and how is it different from Android TV?
    • — Google TV is a new interface for Android TV that is powered by Google's machine learning, Google Assistant and the Google Knowledge Graph. It also reorganizes your content to help make it easier for you to find what you want to work.
  • The new Chromecast with Google TV won’t officially support Stadia at launch
  • WireGuard announces a big Android update with Android TV support
    • — WireGuard now has a slew of announcements, with support for Android TV through their app, pre-built kernel modules for popular phones, a Kotlin rewrite of the UI, and much more.
  • Unofficial LineageOS 17.1 brings Android 10 to NVIDIA SHIELD TVs
    • — The unofficial LineageOS 17.1 build for NVIDIA Shield TVs allows users to run a heavily customizable, near-stock Android 10 experience on their Android TV boxes. I
  • Listening to Developer Feedback to Improve Google Play
    • — Our policies apply equally to all apps distributed on Google Play, including Google’s own apps. We use the same standards to decide which apps to promote on Google Play, whether they're third-party apps or our own apps.
  • Android 12 will make it easier to install app stores
    • — Google today announced it will make it easier to install and use third-party app stores with the release of Android 12 next year.
  • Apple v. Epic hearing: Judge hints at July 2021 trial
  • Google’s Search Preference Menu Eliminates DuckDuckGo
    • — The Q4 2020 results of Google’s search preference menu auction have been released and, as we predicted, DuckDuckGo has been eliminated in most countries.
  • Atari VCS Backer Units are On the Way!
    • — This shipment includes the one-time-only, Indiegogo-exclusive Atari VCS 800 Collector’s Edition model. Inspired by and designed as an homage to the original Atari 2600, there will only be 6,000 numbered and authenticated versions of this model.
  • Atari VCS backers on IndieGoGo might actually get their units soon
    • 28 min
  • Linux Action News 156

    Lenovo expands its Linux lineup in a big way, with 30 Ubuntu systems. And why Microsoft Edge on Linux might be more significant than you think.

    Plus, the latest Mozilla project being spun-out, and how Timescale might have a solution for a self-sustaining open-source business in the cloud era.

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    • Lenovo expand enterprise desktop range preinstalled with Ubuntu
    — Ubuntu 20.04 LTS is certified across 30 of Lenovo’s ThinkPads and ThinkStations range
  • The September release and EndeavourOS ARM arrived
    • — Our ARM branch is fully based on Archlinux ARM.
  • EndeavourOS ARM
  • Microsoft’s Edge browser is arriving on Linux in beta next month
    • — The Linux preview is part of a bigger push to get businesses on Edge
  • Microsoft launches Chromium Edge release candidate
    • — Microsoft is trying to position Edge and Bing as “the browser and search engine for business.”
  • Microsoft Edge for Linux will Ship With These Features Missing
  • Linux GUI apps are coming to Windows
    • — GUI app support is still a work in progress, but Microsoft program manager Craig Loewen shared a GIF showing what it looks like when you launch an GUI application like the Nautilus file manager or GIMP image editor using a command in a Linux terminal window.
  • Researchers Say Microsoft Edge's Telemetry Has the Worst Privacy of Any Major Browser
    • — A research paper suggests the data Microsoft Edge sends to its back-end servers has a persistent hardware-based identifier which could be used to find a user's identity.
  • Last phase of the desktop wars?
  • An Important Update on Mozilla WebThings
    • — We are writing to inform you that the WebThings project is being spun out of Mozilla as an independent open source project.
  • Killed by Mozilla
  • Firefox usage is down 85% despite Mozilla's top exec pay going up 400%
  • Building a self-sustaining open-source business in the cloud era
    • — We explain why we are making these changes, what this means for users, and why we think this is necessary for the open-source industry as a whole.
    32 min
  • Linux Action News 155

    We try out the new GNOME "Orbis" release and chat about Microsoft's new Linux kernel patches that make it clear Windows 10 is on the path to a hybrid Windows/Linux system.

    Plus, the major re-architecture work underway for Chrome OS with significant ramifications for Desktop Linux.

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    • Introducing GNOME 3.38: “Orbis”
    — GNOME 3.38 is the latest version of GNOME 3, and is the result of 6 months’ hard work by the GNOME community. It contains major new features, as well as many smaller improvements and bug fixes. In total, the release incorporates 27896 changes, made by approximately 901 contributors.
  • LINUX Unplugged 370: PipeWire Progress
  • New GNOME versioning scheme
    • — The next version of GNOME, due to be released in March 2021, will be GNOME 40.
  • GNOME Extensions Rebooted Initiative
    • — Extensions Rebooted is a collaborative effort to address the issues around the GNOME Shell extension ecosystem.
  • Wiki · extensions-rebooted · GitLab
  • What is LaCrOS for Chromebooks and why does it matter?
    • — Google is decoupling the Chrome browser from Chrome OS on Chromebooks. And it’s using Linux to do this.
  • Update on Firefox Send and Firefox Notes
    • — today we are announcing the end of life for two legacy services that grew out of the Firefox Test Pilot program: Firefox Send and Firefox Notes.
  • Firefox for Android LAN-Based Intent Triggering
    • — The SSDP engine in Firefox for Android (68.11.0 and below) can be tricked into triggering Android intent URIs with zero user interaction. This attack can be leveraged by attackers on the same WiFi network and manifests as applications on the target device suddenly launching, without the users' permission, and conducting activities allowed by the intent.
  • Mozilla rolls out Firefox 81 on Android
  • Microsoft submits Linux kernel patches for a 'complete virtualization stack' with Linux and Hyper-V
    • — Linux on Azure might no longer need Windows
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    • 34 min
  • Linux Action News 154

    Our hands-on review of Android 11, and our thoughts on the possible consequences of Nvidia buying Arm Holdings for $40bn.

    Plus why our long-term view for Mozilla took a turn for the worse this week, and two recent enterprise wins for Desktop Linux.

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    • Google starts uploading the Android 11 source code to AOSP
    — Google has officially released the stable version of Android 11 for its range of Pixel smartphones going back to the Pixel 2.
  • Android 11 Update Tracker
  • Here are all the hidden changes in Android 11
  • Google announces Android 11 Go Edition with support for 2GB RAM devices
  • SoftBank set to sell UK’s Arm Holdings to Nvidia
    • — SoftBank is set to sell the UK’s Arm Holdings to US chip company Nvidia for more than $40bn
  • Introducing the Promoted Add-ons Pilot
    • — This pilot program, which will run between the end of September and the end of November 2020, aims to expand the number of add-ons we can review and verify as compliant with Mozilla policies,
  • Access Linux filesystems in Windows and WSL 2
    • — WSL 2 will be offering a new feature: wsl --mount. This new parameter allows a physical disk to be attached and mounted inside WSL 2,
  • WSL Mount Limits
  • Ubuntu 20.10 Adding Active Directory Support To The Installer
    • — The "Ubiquity" installer used by the Ubuntu desktop is set to feature Active Directory (AD) integration with the upcoming Ubuntu 20.10 release.
    28 min
  • Linux Action News 153

    The first Thinkpads loaded with Fedora go live, but there is a lot more to the story.

    Plus, the new PinePhone options coming soon, our thoughts on recent Mozilla news, lessons from the GNOME Patent Troll, and AWS Bottlerocket.

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    • Lenovo begins rollout of Fedora Linux on their laptops, Ubuntu systems due soon
    — The first model appearing with Fedora as an option is the ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 8. Not only has it rolled out with Fedora, it's right there on the store and you can't miss it as it shows up first, as it's also the cheapest option for this model available right now.
  • HP Z series on Ubuntu
    • — HP announced the launch of its Z series of laptops and workstations certified with Ubuntu 20.04 LTS, the latest additions to their popular professional workstation line.
  • PinePhone Manjaro Community Edition
    • — I am thrilled to announce that the next Community Edition (CE) of the PinePhone will feature Manjaro.
  • Pinephone will ship with Manjaro next
  • LineageOS 17.1 adds support for the Google Pixel 2, Pixel 3a, Pixel 4
    • — Over the last couple of months, the team has added support for devices like the ASUS ROG Phone II, Google Pixel 3 series, Samsung Galaxy A7 2016, Xiaomi Mi A1, Samsung Galaxy J7 2015, OnePlus One, Sony Xperia XZ2, and many more.
  • Mozilla rolls out Firefox 80 for Android
    • — Along with the changes mentioned above, Firefox 80 for Android also includes a bunch of security fixes.
  • Update on extension support in the new Firefox for Android
  • Lessons from the GNOME Patent Troll Incident
    • — The key element Rothschild like trolls require is the presumption of validity of a granted patent.
  • Announcing the General Availability of Bottlerocket, an open source Linux distribution built to run containers
    • — Bottlerocket is a free and open-source Linux-based operating system meant for hosting containers.
  • Bottlerocket on Github
  • AWS unleashes a new homegrown Linux
  • AWS introduces Bottlerocket: A Rust language-oriented Linux for containers
    • — There's a new security-oriented Linux for containers in town from Amazon and its name is Bottlerocket. Instead of being built almost entirely in C, it includes many components written in Rust.
    29 min
  • Linux Action News 152

    WireGuard officially lands in Linux. We cover a bunch of new features in Linux 5.6 and discuss the recent challenges facing LineageOS.

    Plus the PinePhone UBports edition goes up for pre-order, and our reaction to Huawei joining the Open Invention Network.

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    • Linux kernel 5.6 release announcement
    — This has a bit more changes than I'd like, but they are mostly from
    davem's networking fixes pulls, and David feels comfy with them. And I
    looked over the diff, and none of it looks scary. It's just slightly
    more than I'd have preferred at this stage - not doesn't really seem
    worth delaying a release over.
  • The Best Features Of The Linux 5.6 Kernel
  • WireGuard Christened As A Modern Secure VPN Alternative
  • WireGuard VPN makes it to 1.0.0
    • — It's a good day for WireGuard users—DKMS builds will soon be behind us.
  • WireGuard VPN review
  • PinePhone UBports Community Edition Pre-orders
    • — Today we're pleased to announce the first PinePhone 'Community Edition', which will ship with Ubuntu Touch pre-installed.
  • PINEPHONE – “Community Edition: UBports” - PINE Store
  • Ubuntu Touch Q&A 72
    • — We are very pleased to announce that we are now working together with German phone startup Volla. They are joining us as a sponsor and will have a place on our Advisory Board. We expect that UT will be available as a pre-installed option with the new Volla phone.
  • Linux phones running postmarketOS can now run (some) Android apps
    • — “Android in a Box” solution that basically installs Android in a container in a way that lets you run Android apps as if they were native apps.
  • LineageOS 17.1 based on Android 10 is now officially available
    • — The team has also decided to jump up on the subversion, going from 17.0 to 17.1
  • Huawei signs non-aggression patent pact with membership of Open Invention Network
    • — Chinese giant plays nice with open source
  • Press Release Details - Open Invention Network
  • Xbox co-creator Rob Wyatt sues Atari for failing to pay him for design of VCS console
    • — Xbox co-creator Rob Wyatt has filed a lawsuit against Atari for failing to pay him for the design work he did in creating the Atari VCS console.
  • Game over: Atari VCS architect quits project, claims he hasn’t been paid for six months
  • Atari VCS: Managing the Unexpected
    • — We believe it would be unfair to use the balance to fulfill only a small number of Indiegogo orders, so Atari’s plan is to ship to all backers at the same time when enough VCS units and peripherals are available.
    27 min
  • Linux Action News 151

    Mozilla puts your money where your mouse is and partners with Scroll to launch Firefox for a Better Web. We'll explain the details, and why it might just have a shot.

    Plus we try out Plasma Bigscreen, cover Telegram's really bad news, and much more.

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    Links:

    • Try our latest Test Pilot, Firefox for a Better Web, offering privacy and faster access to great content
    — Today we are launching a new Test Pilot initiative called Firefox Better Web with Scroll.
  • Scroll partners with Firefox to build a better internet
  • Scroll - a better internet
  • Firefox Better Web with Scroll
  • Firefox is launching a new test pilot with Scroll to pay web publishers
  • Plasma Bigscreen
    • — Plasma BigScreen is a platform intended to use on smart TVs with big remote-friendly UI controls, and Voice activation. What technology did we use for it? Plasma (of course!) and Mycroft.
  • Plasma Bigscreen Homepage
  • Google Play’s malicious app problem infects 1.7 million more devices
    • — Apps went undetected by Google and antivirus scanners.
  • Google Enlists Outside Help to Clean Up Android's Malware Mess
    • — The newly formed App Defense Alliance will try to solve a malware problem that has bedeviled the Play Store since inception.
  • Chrome and Chrome OS release updates resume
    • — Today we’re sharing an update as we’re now resuming releases with an adjusted schedule
  • Microsoft goes into Windows lockdown for builds from May
    • — Microsoft on Tuesday said it has decided to halt Windows preview releases in May due to health concerns arising from the COVID-19 coronavirus crisis.
  • Federal court judge grants temporary injunction against Telegram
    • — Judge sides with the SEC and says that Telegram's upcoming crypto is likely a security. It's barred from distributing Grams, the currency for its TON blockchain network, until trial.
    29 min
  • Linux Action News 150

    Why Debian is facing one of its most critical moments yet, Microsoft and GitHub buy npm, and our thoughts on Linux Mint Debian Edition 4 "Debbie."

    Plus, why "Works with Chromebook" might be great for Linux, and using your GPU to fight the Coronavirus.

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    • npm is joining GitHub
    — I’m excited to announce that GitHub has signed an agreement to acquire npm.
  • The npm Blog — Next Phase Montage
  • Microsoft's GitHub absorbs NPM into its code-hosting empire
  • GitHub for mobile is now available
  • LMDE 4 “Debbie” released!
    • — LMDE is a Linux Mint project which stands for “Linux Mint Debian Edition”.
  • Debian Project Leader Elections 2020
    • — Jonathan Carter
    Sruthi Chandran
    Brian Gupta
  • Platform for Jonathan Carter
  • Platform for Sruthi Chandran
  • Works With Chromebook
    • — You’ll begin to see the Works With Chromebook badge on certified accessories in the U.S., Canada and Japan.
  • Chromebooks Accessories & Chargers
  • Chrome OS to get native app for printing and scanning
  • Upcoming Chrome and Chrome OS releases
    • — Due to adjusted work schedules at this time, we are pausing upcoming Chrome and Chrome OS releases.
  • PAPPL Is A New Printer Application Framework Made By The Founder Of CUPS
    • — Michael Sweet, the lead developer of CUPS who had been at Apple for more than a decade since they acquired it, is now developing PAPPL as a printer application framework in addition to his work on the new LPrint project.
  • Crowdsourced supercomputing project sets sights on coronavirus
    • — Folding@home targets COVID-19, number of volunteer ‘folders’ skyrockets
  • Thousands of These Computers Were Mining Cryptocurrency. Now They're Working on Coronavirus Research
  • Gamers... assemble. It's time to join forces with @NVIDIAGeForce and @OfficialPCMR
  • NVIDIA GeForce on Twitter: PC Gamers, let’s put those GPUs to work.
  • Firefox 74.0 Released
    • — Firefox now provides better privacy for your web voice and video calls through support for mDNS ICE by cloaking your computer’s IP address with a random ID in certain WebRTC scenarios.
    31 min

About Linux Action News

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Weekly Linux news and analysis by Chris and Wes. The show every week we hope you'll go to when you want to hear an informed discussion about what’s happening.