- wlug - list.wlug.org.nz

New systemd update will bring Windows’ infamous Blue Screen of Death to Linux
by Peter Reutemann 18 Nov '24

18 Nov '24

'Windows' infamous "Blue Screen of Death" is a bit of a punchline. People have made a hobby of spotting them out in the wild, and in some circles, they remain a byword for the supposed flakiness and instability of PCs. To this day, networked PCs in macOS are represented by beige CRT monitors displaying a BSOD. But the BSOD is supposed to be a diagnostic tool, an informational screen that technicians can use to begin homing in on the problem that caused the crash in the first place; that old Windows' BSOD error codes were often so broad and vague as to be useless doesn't make the idea a bad one. Today, version 255 of the Linux systemd project honors that original intent by adding a systemd-bsod component that generates a full-screen display of some error messages when a Linux system crashes. The systemd-bsod component is currently listed as "experimental" and "subject to change." But the functionality is simple: any logged error message that reaches the LOG_EMERG level will be displayed full-screen to allow people to take a photo or write it down. Phoronix reports that, as with BSODs in modern Windows, the Linux version will also generate a QR code to make it easier to look up information on your phone.' -- source: https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2023/12/linux-distros-are-about-to-get-a-ki… Cheers, Peter -- Peter Reutemann Dept. of Computer Science University of Waikato, Hamilton, NZ Mobile +64 22 190 2375 https://www.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~fracpete/ http://www.data-mining.co.nz/

2 3

European alternatives to US services
by Peter Reutemann 13 Nov '24

13 Nov '24

Hi everyone For people who are thinking of maybe switching US-based services, below is a list of European alternatives: https://european-alternatives.eu/ Came across this on Mastodon: https://mastodon.social/@sturmsucht/113470149047788406 Of course, the AlternativeTo site is always worth checking out as well: https://alternativeto.net/ Cheers, Peter

1 0

Debian 12.8 “Bookworm” Released with 68 Bug Fixes and 50 Security Updates
by Peter Reutemann 13 Nov '24

13 Nov '24

'The Debian Project announced today the release and general availability of Debian 12.8 as the seventh ISO update to the latest Debian GNU/Linux 12 “Bookworm” operating system series. Powered by a newer kernel in the Linux 6.1 LTS series, Debian 12.8 is here a little over two months after Debian 12.7 as the seventh point release of Debian Bookworm. Yes, seventh, because Debian 12.3 was never released due to an issue in the EXT4 file system leading to data corruption so it doesn’t count. Debian 12.8 provides those who want to deploy the latest Debian Bookworm operating system on new hardware an up-to-date installation media where they won’t have to download hundreds of updates from the repositories after the installation. In numbers, this new release includes a total of 68 bug fixes for miscellaneous packages and 50 security updates. Details about these security and miscellaneous bug fixes can be found on the release announcement page.' -- source: https://9to5linux.com/debian-12-8-bookworm-released-with-68-bug-fixes-and-5… Cheers, Peter

1 0

decommissioning of mailman server
by Peter Reutemann 11 Nov '24

11 Nov '24

Hi everyone Just received word from the university that, as part of their continuing move to proprietary Microsoft services, they are decommissioning their mailman server instance by December 13th and only university-related lists will be moved to an MS service. This, of course, will affect our WLUG mailing list. Any ideas where to go to? Google Groups*? Other free hosting sites for such a low-traffic list? Cheers, Peter * Not sure about import options (posts/members).

7 10

Re: B. Eagle Burt added you to the wlug_digest group
by Lawrence D'Oliveiro 10 Nov '24

10 Nov '24

Hosted at Microsoft? Oh, the irony. No, thank you.

1 0

Re: wlug Digest, Vol 401, Issue 4
by Ron Dean 09 Nov '24

09 Nov '24

I still like to read the digest very seldom have I posted anynthing On Sat, Nov 9, 2024 at 12:00 AM <wlug-request(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> wrote: > Send wlug mailing list submissions to > wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > To subscribe or unsubscribe via email, send a message with subject or > body 'help' to > wlug-request(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > You can reach the person managing the list at > wlug-owner(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific > than "Re: Contents of wlug digest..." > > Today's Topics: > > 1. Re: decommissioning of mailman server (DL Neil) > 2. Re: decommissioning of mailman server (Peter Reutemann) > > > ---------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Message: 1 > Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2024 10:07:55 +1300 > From: DL Neil <NZLUG(a)etelligence.info> > Subject: [wlug] Re: decommissioning of mailman server > To: wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > Message-ID: <a81bf0e4-072a-4013-9b49-66d1e9f0231e(a)etelligence.info> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed > > > -------- Original message -------- > > From: Peter Reutemann <fracpete(a)gmail.com>... > > continuing move to proprietary Microsoft services, they are > > decommissioning their mailman server instance by December 13th and > > only university-related lists will be moved to an MS service. This, of > > course, will affect our WLUG mailing list. > > Decommission: long overdue and not up-to-snuff with today's email-world! > > MSFTing: a continuing disappointment, as it's not a real improvement anyway > > > > Any ideas where to go to? Google Groups*? Other free hosting sites for > > such a low-traffic list? > > > Think it may be possible through NZOSS - will make enquiries and revert... > > > On 8/11/24 09:33, Don Gould wrote: > > Do you have a domain name for Wellington lug? > > Oops! > > > -- > Regards =dn > > > -- > Regards =dn > > > ------------------------------ > > Message: 2 > Date: Fri, 8 Nov 2024 10:45:27 +1300 > From: Peter Reutemann <fracpete(a)gmail.com> > Subject: [wlug] Re: decommissioning of mailman server > To: wlug List <wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz> > Message-ID: > <CAHoQ12JfoXKwy2qxKxMdoD-hU7SM= > 5Tsxgo6Ei1CSNY9DbXJ3Q(a)mail.gmail.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > > Just received word from the university that, as part of their > > continuing move to proprietary Microsoft services, they are > > decommissioning their mailman server instance by December 13th and > > only university-related lists will be moved to an MS service. This, of > > course, will affect our WLUG mailing list. > > > > Any ideas where to go to? Google Groups*? Other free hosting sites for > > such a low-traffic list? > > Thanks for the great feedback so far everyone! > > Important factors for me would be: > - hosted in NZ > - free of charge (we no longer have a charity associated) > - mailman-based or at least support for importing mailman archives > > Please keep the suggestions coming. Early next week, I will compile a > list from the offered solutions and you can show your support for the > various options. > > Cheers, Peter > > ------------------------------ > > Subject: Digest Footer > > _______________________________________________ > wlug mailing list -- wlug(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > To unsubscribe send an email to wlug-leave(a)list.waikato.ac.nz > > > ------------------------------ > > End of wlug Digest, Vol 401, Issue 4 > ************************************ > -- Ron Dean Unit 61 Village Gardens 16 Rototuna Road Hamilton 3210 New Zealand Home 64 7 8493904 Mob 02102259172

1 0

GIMP 3.0 Release Candidate Is Now Available for Public Testing
by Peter Reutemann 07 Nov '24

07 Nov '24

'The development team behind the popular GIMP open-source image editing software announced today the general availability of the Release Candidate (RC) milestone of the highly anticipated GIMP 3.0 release. Featuring a much-refined interface, GIMP 3.0 introduces massive improvements to color management, a stable public API to allow porting of plug-ins and scripts from the GIMP 2.10 series, support for loading layers from TIFF files saved in the Autodesk Sketchbook format, and support for 64 bits per pixel images for the BMP format. GIMP 3.0 also promises improvements to non-destructive editing by introducing an optional “Merge Filters” checkbox at the bottom of NDE filters that merges down the filter immediately after it’s committed, along with non-destructive filters on layer groups and the implementation of storing version of filters in GIMP’s XCF project files. “This will allow us to update filters in the future without impacting how older project files look when they’re opened. Additional work will be needed in GEGL to fully implement this feature, but that can be done after 3.0 without impacting existing project files,” said the devs. Among other noteworthy changes, the updated UI of GIMP 3.0 allows the use of the mouse scroll wheel to flip through different dockable dialogue tabs, GEGL and babl components have been updated with new features and many improvements, such as Inner Glow, Bevel, and GEGL Styles filters, and some plugins saw small enhancements. On top of all that, GIMP 3.0 also comes with a new logo, a new splash screen, improvements to the legacy icon theme to look great on HiDPI screens, and the ability to export images with different settings while leaving the original image unchanged.' -- source: https://9to5linux.com/gimp-3-0-release-candidate-is-now-available-for-publi… Cheers, Peter

1 0

Linux Mint and Framework Laptops Join Forces
by Peter Reutemann 07 Nov '24

07 Nov '24

'Linux Mint and Framework Laptops Join Forces The October 2024 edition of Linux Mint’s Monthly News brings exciting updates, including a significant announcement about collaboration with Framework Laptops, having potential to advance Mint’s compatibility with hardware designed with flexibility, repairability, and sustainability in mind. For those unfamiliar, unlike most traditional laptops, which are often difficult or impossible to repair or upgrade, Framework laptops are built to be user-friendly, making it easy to replace or upgrade components. This modular approach extends the laptop’s lifespan and promotes sustainability by reducing e-waste. According to Clement Lefebvre, the driving force behind the Linux Mint project, the team recently received Framework’s Laptop 13, and initial impressions are promising. But more importantly, this partnership could open new avenues for Linux Mint, allowing the development team to work with advanced components and technologies featured in Framework’s offerings that haven’t previously been on the project’s radar. Of course, this also means that if compatibility progresses smoothly, Linux Mint could confidently recommend Framework Laptops to its community without hesitation. As Lefebvre noted, the full review of the Laptop 13 will be available in next month’s update, but early sentiments are already positive. Apart from that, the Linux Mint team is currently working on integrating Night Light support into the Cinnamon desktop environment, thus aiming to reduce eye strain for its users. Furthermore, efforts are ongoing to migrate key Cinnamon dialogs to Clutter, enhancing functionality and design. This includes familiar dialogs like the one used to unlock keyrings or confirm display settings.' -- source: https://linuxiac.com/linux-mint-and-framework-laptops-join-forces/ Cheers, Peter

1 0

How to Use Syntax Highlighting in Nano Editor
by Peter Reutemann 07 Nov '24

07 Nov '24

I thought, the following tutorial on how to enable syntax highlighting in nano would be quite a useful one for people commonly using that editor: 'Nano is a simple and user-friendly command-line text editor for Linux, which is often used for basic text editing tasks, such as creating and editing configuration files, scripts, or simple documents. However, many users don’t know that Nano supports syntax highlighting, which can make editing code files easier by coloring different parts of the text (like keywords, variables, and comments) for better visibility. This guide will explain how to enable syntax highlighting in Nano to make your coding experience smoother and more efficient.' -- source: https://www.tecmint.com/nano-editor-syntax-highlighting/ Cheers, Peter

1 0

KDE’s New Distro: Btrfs-Based, Immutable Linux OS, with Flatpak and Snap
by Peter Reutemann 04 Nov '24

04 Nov '24

'Surprises never end. The KDE project is about to take a bold step by introducing its own Linux distribution. Here’s what it’s all about. Introduced at Akademy 2024, KDE Linux (codenamed “Project Banana”) is a brand-new, still-in-development initiative by the KDE devs to bring a seamless, user-friendly experience that merges KDE software’s reliability and rich interface with cutting-edge Linux technologies. Immediately, we want to clarify that this isn’t a rebranded version of the well-known KDE Neon developed by the KDE community. KDE Linux is an entirely new project with a completely different technical approach under the hood and ambitious goals for both developers and end users. The distro is designed to be a bulletproof, highly user-friendly operating system that showcases the best of KDE technology—a system that KDE can confidently recommend to casual users and hardware manufacturers. With an eye on simplicity, the OS will use Btrfs for its file system and introduce an image-based (immutable) approach, allowing users to easily switch between different OS versions, ensuring a secure, flexible experience without the stress of traditional system management. KDE Linux will feature rolling OS updates based on snapshot releases and employs systemd-boot with custom theming. All mutable data, such as user home directories and cache locations, is encrypted for enhanced security. Moreover, the architecture also includes an image-based A/B update mechanism with rollback capabilities and a recovery partition for added resilience. Users can benefit from an automatic backup system using Btrfs snapshots, which includes a user-friendly GUI similar to Apple’s Time Machine. Using Arch as a base, KDE Linux aims to attract a broad audience, including KDE developers, enthusiasts, and hardware vendors. It will include applications from Flatpak (and possibly Snap), helping to keep the core system and applications separate for greater stability.' -- source: https://linuxiac.com/kde-announced-its-kde-linux-distro/ Cheers, Peter

1 0