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'Blue Screen of Death' Comes To Linux

Posted: 2024-06-16 21:10:00
Source: https://linux.slashdot.org/story/24/06/16/218217/blue-screen-of-death-comes-to-linux?utm_source=atom1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

In 2016, Phoronix remembered how the early days of Linux kernel mode-setting (KMS) had brought hopes for improved error messages. And one long-awaited feature was errors messages for "Direct Rendering Manager" (or DRM) drivers — something analgous to the "Blue Screen of Death" Windows gives for critical errors. Now Linux 6.10 is introducing a new DRM panic handler infrastructure enabling messages when a panic occurs, Phoronix reports today. "This is especially important for those building a kernel without VT/FBCON support where otherwise viewing the kernel panic message isn't otherwise easily available." With Linux 6.10 the initial DRM Panic code has landed as well as wiring up the DRM/KMS driver support for the SimpleDRM, MGAG200, IMX, and AST drivers. There is work underway on extending DRM Panic support to other drivers that we'll likely see over the coming kernel cycles for more widespread support... On Linux 6.10+ with platforms having the DRM Panic driver support, this "Blue Screen of Death" functionality can be tested via a route such as echo c > /proc/sysrq-trigger. The article links to a picture shared on Mastodon by Red Hat engineer Javier Martinez Canillas of the error message being generated on a BeaglePlay single board computer. Phoronix also points out that some operating systems have even considered QR codes for kernel error messages...

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

6.10-rc4: mainline

Posted: 2024-06-16 20:40:16
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

Distribution Release: postmarketOS 24.06

Posted: 2024-06-16 19:28:07
Source: https://distrowatch.com/12176

The DistroWatch news feed is brought to you by TUXEDO COMPUTERS. postmarketOS is an Alpine-based Linux distribution for mobile devices. The project's latest version is postmarketOS 24.06 which is based on Alpine Linux 3.20. "As always we target the most recent Alpine release. In case of v24.06 it is the excellent Alpine Linux 3.20. User Interfaces (UIs): GNOME Shell....

6.9.5: stable

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:52:29
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

6.6.34: longterm

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:49:33
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

6.1.94: longterm

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:42:57
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

5.15.161: longterm

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:40:11
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

5.10.219: longterm

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:37:02
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

5.4.278: longterm

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:29:00
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

4.19.316: longterm

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:24:00
Source: http://www.kernel.org/

What Advice Would You Give a First-Time Linux User?

Posted: 2024-06-16 11:22:00
Source: https://linux.slashdot.org/story/24/06/15/2212207/what-advice-would-you-give-a-first-time-linux-user?utm_source=atom1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

ZDNet published a new article this week with their own tips for new Linux users. It begins by arguing that switching to the Linux desktop "is easier than you think" and "you'll find help everywhere". (And also that "You won't want for apps.") That doesn't mean it has everything. For example, there is no version of Adobe Photoshop. There is GIMP (which is just as powerful as Photoshop) but for those of you accustomed to Adobe's de facto standard, you're out of luck. The worst-case scenario is you have to learn a new piece of software to meet your graphic needs. At the same time, you might have to turn to proprietary software. For open-source purists, that's a no-go. But for those who just need to get things done, you'll find a mixture of open-source and proprietary software will give you everything you need to be productive and entertained. Their article also recommends new users should "weed out Arch-based distributions," while warning that "Linux is more secure, but..." The truth is, any time you have a computer connected to a network, it's vulnerable and it doesn't matter what operating system you use. To that end, it's crucial that you keep your operating system (and the installed applications) up to date. Fortunately, most Linux operating systems make this very easy... You're probably used to the slow trickle of updates and improvements found in the likes of Windows or MacOS. On Linux, you can count on that process being considerably faster. This is especially important with updates. When a vulnerability is found in an application that affects Linux, it is fixed far faster than it would be on competing platforms. The reason for this is that most Linux software is created and maintained by developers who don't have to answer to boards or committees or have a painfully slow bug resolution process. It might be announced that a vulnerability has been discovered in an application and the fix is officially released the next day. I've seen that very thing happen more times than I can count. But it's not just about vulnerabilities. Developers add new features to software all the time and even listen to users. You could contact a developer of an open-source application with an idea and find it implemented in the next update. Linux is always evolving and it does so much faster than other operating systems. And there's one final caveat. "Not all hardware will work (but most will)." I'll say this (and I stand by it): Ubuntu Linux probably has the best hardware detection and support of any operating system on the market. But that doesn't mean it works with everything. Certain peripherals you own could have trouble working with Linux. Two of the more problematic pieces of hardware are scanners and wireless chips. When I find a piece of hardware that isn't supported, here's one thing I've often done: I try a different Linux distribution... (Fedora often ships with a newer kernel than Ubuntu Linux, and therefore supports more modern hardware.) Keep in mind that most Linux distributions are offered as Live images, which means you can test-drive them without making any changes to your hard drive. This is a great way to tell if a distribution will support all the hardware you need to use. Agree? Disagree? Share your reactions in the comments... And what advice would you give to a first-time Linux user?

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Linux vs Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs? TUXEDO Unveils Snapdragon X Elite ARM Notebook

Posted: 2024-06-15 16:34:00
Source: https://linux.slashdot.org/story/24/06/15/0528243/linux-vs-windows-11-copilot-pcs-tuxedo-unveils-snapdragon-x-elite-arm-notebook?utm_source=atom1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Slashdot reader BrianFagioli shares his report from BetaNews: The PC community is abuzz with Qualcomm's recent announcement of its Snapdragon X Elite SoC, a powerhouse chipset that promises to revolutionize the performance and energy efficiency of laptops and tablets. While Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs are set to feature this advanced processor, Linux enthusiasts have reasons to celebrate as well. You see, TUXEDO Computers is bringing this cutting-edge technology to the Linux world with its upcoming ARM notebook, positioning it as a strong competitor to Windows 11 Copilot+ devices. In a recent update, TUXEDO Computers revealed its ambitious project of developing an ARM notebook powered by the Snapdragon X Elite SoC from Qualcomm. This announcement has generated significant excitement, as it presents a viable alternative to traditional x86 notebooks, offering comparable performance with lower energy consumption, directly challenging the dominance of Windows 11 Copilot+... Benchmarks suggest that the Snapdragon X Elite can not only rival but potentially surpass Apple's M2 SoCs, boasting higher energy efficiency. TUXEDO's preliminary tests confirm these impressive claims, setting the stage for a fierce competition with Windows 11 Copilot+ PCs. "We recently presented a prototype of the ARM notebook we are working on at the Computex computer trade fair in Taiwan," according to TUXEDO's announcement. "On the software side, a port of TUXEDO OS with KDE Plasma to the ARM platform is our goal for this project running internally under the working title Drako... "It is quite conceivable that an ARM notebook from TUXEDO will be under your Christmas tree in 2024... If you have subscribed to our newsletter, you will be the first to know."

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Version 256 of systemd Boasts '42% Less Unix Philosophy'

Posted: 2024-06-14 22:40:00
Source: https://tech.slashdot.org/story/24/06/14/219257/version-256-of-systemd-boasts-42-less-unix-philosophy?utm_source=atom1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Liam Proven reports via The Register: The latest version of the systemd init system is out, with the openly confrontational tag line: "Available soon in your nearest distro, now with 42 percent less Unix philosophy." As Lennart Poettering's announcement points out, this is the first version of systemd whose version number is a nine-bit value. Version 256, as usual, brings in a broad assortment of new features, but also turns off some older features that are now considered deprecated. For instance, it won't run under cgroups version 1 unless forced. Around since 2008, cgroups is a Linux kernel containerization mechanism originally donated by Google, as The Reg noted a decade ago. Cgroups v2 was merged in 2016 so this isn't a radical change. System V service scripts are now deprecated too, as is the SystemdOptions EFI variable. Additionally, there are some new commands and options. Some are relatively minor, such as the new systemd-vpick binary, which can automatically select the latest member of versioned directories. Before any OpenVMS admirers get excited, no, Linux does not now support versions on files or directories. Instead, this is a fresh option that uses a formalized versioning system involving: "... paths whose trailing components have the .v/ suffix, pointing to a directory. These components will then automatically look for suitable files inside the directory, do a version comparison and open the newest file found (by version)." The latest function, which The Reg FOSS desk suspects will ruffle some feathers, is a whole new command, run0, which effectively replaces the sudo command as used in Apple's macOS and in Ubuntu ever since the first release. Agent P introduced the new command in a Mastodon thread. He says that the key benefit is that run0 doesn't need setuid, a basic POSIX function, which, to quote its Linux manual page, "sets the effective user ID of the calling process." [...] Another new command is importctl, which handles importing and exporting both block-level and file-system-level disk images. And there's a new type of system service called a capsule, and "a small new service manager" called systemd-ssh-generator, which lets VMs and containers accept SSH connections so long as systemd can find the sshd binary -- even if no networking is available. The release notes are available here.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Fedora 40 Quick Overview #shorts

Posted: 2024-06-14 16:30:10
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmaN1KNesQ8

AlmaLinux Now Supports Raspberry Pi 5

Posted: 2024-06-14 14:35:12
Source: http://www.linux-magazine.com/Online/News/AlmaLinux-Now-Supports-Raspberry-Pi-5

If you're looking to create with the Raspberry Pi 5 and want to use AlmaLinux as your OS, you're in luck because it's now possible.

OIN Expands Linux Patent Protection Yet Again (But Not To AI)

Posted: 2024-06-14 00:02:00
Source: https://linux.slashdot.org/story/24/06/13/2223231/oin-expands-linux-patent-protection-yet-again-but-not-to-ai?utm_source=atom1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed

Steven Vaughan-Nichols reports via ZDNet: While Linux and open-source software (OSS) are no longer constantly under intellectual property (IP) attacks, the Open Invention Network (OIN) patent consortium still stands guard over its patents. Now, OIN, the largest patent non-aggression community, has expanded its protection once again by updating its Linux System definition. Covering more than just Linux, the Linux System definition also protects adjacent open-source technologies. In the past, protection was expanded to Android, Kubernetes, and OpenStack. The OIN accomplishes this by providing a shared defensive patent pool of over 3 million patents from over 3,900 community members. OIN members include Amazon, Google, Microsoft, and essentially all Linux-based companies. This latest update extends OIN's existing patent risk mitigation efforts to cloud-native computing and enterprise software. In the cloud computing realm, OIN has added patent coverage for projects such as Istio, Falco, Argo, Grafana, and Spire. For enterprise computing, packages such as Apache Atlas and Apache Solr -- used for data management and search at scale, respectively -- are now protected. The update also enhances patent protection for the Internet of Things (IoT), networking, and automotive technologies. OpenThread and packages such as agl-compositor and kukusa.val have been added to the Linux System definition. In the embedded systems space, OIN has supplemented its coverage of technologies like OpenEmbedded by adding the OpenAMP and Matter, the home IoT standard. OIN has included open hardware development tools such as Edalize, cocotb, Amaranth, and Migen, building upon its existing coverage of hardware design tools like Verilator and FuseSoc. Keith Bergelt, OIN's CEO, emphasized the importance of this update, stating, "Linux and other open-source software projects continue to accelerate the pace of innovation across a growing number of industries. By design, periodic expansion of OIN's Linux System definition enables OIN to keep pace with OSS's growth." [...] Looking ahead, Bergelt said, "We made this conscious decision not to include AI. It's so dynamic. We wait until we see what AI programs have significant usage and adoption levels." This is how the OIN has always worked. The consortium takes its time to ensure it extends its protection to projects that will be around for the long haul. The OIN practices patent non-aggression in core Linux and adjacent open-source technologies by cross-licensing their Linux System patents to one another on a royalty-free basis. When OIN signees are attacked because of their patents, the OIN can spring into action.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Quick Overview #shorts

Posted: 2024-06-13 17:00:19
Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YaPkg2I7650

Distribution Release: SELKS 10

Posted: 2024-06-13 16:29:03
Source: https://distrowatch.com/12175

The DistroWatch news feed is brought to you by TUXEDO COMPUTERS. Stamus Networks has announced the release of SELKS 10, a major update of the company's specialist, Debian-based Linux distribution with focus on security and threat detection, and featuring the open-source Suricata threat-detection engine: "Stamus Networks, a global provider of high-performance network-based threat detection and response systems, today announced....

Hacking Made Easy: A Beginner's Guide to Penetration Testing with Kali Linux

Posted: 2024-06-13 16:00:00
Source: https://www.linuxjournal.com/content/hacking-made-easy-beginners-guide-penetration-testing-kali-linux

by George Whittaker

Introduction

Penetration testing, often referred to as pen testing, is a critical practice in the field of cybersecurity. It involves simulating cyber-attacks on a system, network, or web application to identify vulnerabilities that could be exploited by malicious actors. This proactive approach allows organizations to strengthen their defenses before an actual attack occurs. To conduct effective penetration testing, security professionals rely on specialized tools and platforms designed for this purpose. One of the most renowned platforms in this domain is Kali Linux, a Debian-based distribution tailored specifically for penetration testing and security auditing.

What is Kali Linux?

Kali Linux is an open source, Debian-based Linux distribution developed and maintained by Offensive Security. It is designed for digital forensics and penetration testing and comes pre-installed with a vast array of security tools. Originally released in March 2013, Kali Linux has evolved from its predecessor, BackTrack, to become the go-to operating system for cybersecurity professionals worldwide.

Key Features and Benefits

• Extensive Toolset: Kali Linux includes hundreds of pre-installed tools that cover various aspects of penetration testing, from network scanning to password cracking.
• Customizability: Users can customize Kali Linux to fit their specific needs, adding or removing tools and configuring the environment as required.
• Portability: Kali Linux can be run as a live USB, installed on a hard drive, or used in a virtual machine, providing flexibility for different use cases.
• Community Support: As an open source project, Kali Linux benefits from a robust and active community that contributes to its development and provides support through forums and documentation.

Installation and Setup

Before diving into penetration testing with Kali Linux, it's essential to understand the installation and setup process.

System Requirements

To install Kali Linux, ensure your system meets the following minimum requirements:

• A 64-bit processor
• 2 GB of RAM (4 GB recommended)
• 20 GB of disk space for installation
• A bootable CD-DVD drive or a USB stick

Installation Methods

There are several ways to install and run Kali Linux:

1. Primary OS Installation: This method involves installing Kali Linux as the main operating system on your computer. This approach provides the best performance and access to hardware resources.

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Development Release: deepin 23 RC2

Posted: 2024-06-13 13:25:11
Source: https://distrowatch.com/12174

The DistroWatch news feed is brought to you by TUXEDO COMPUTERS. The second release candidate of deepin 23, the upcoming major release from a project developing a desktop Linux distribution that features the Deepin Desktop Environment (DDE), is now ready for testing: "The official release of deepin 23 RC2 is here. We invite everyone to try it out and....