Almost all of my Debian contributions this month were sponsored by Freexian.

You can also support my work directly via Liberapay.

Ansible

I noticed that Ansible had fallen out of Debian testing due to autopkgtest failures. This seemed like a problem worth fixing: in common with many other people, we use Ansible for configuration management at Freexian, and it probably wouldn't make our sysadmins too happy if they upgraded to trixie after its release and found that Ansible was gone.

The problems here were really just slogging through test failures in both the ansible-core and ansible packages, but their test suites are large and take a while to run so this took some time. I was able to contribute a few small fixes to various upstreams in the process:

• test: Make git archive prefix fit in 32-bit ssize_t (though upstream went for a different approach)
• test: replace more deprecated assertEquals
• Fix import error on Python 3.13
• Make test_start_daemon_with_no_mock less flaky

This should now get back into testing tomorrow.

OpenSSH

Martin-Éric Racine reported that ssh-audit didn't list the ext-info-s feature as being available in Debian's OpenSSH 9.2 packaging in bookworm, contrary to what OpenSSH upstream said on their specifications page at the time. I spent some time looking into this and realized that upstream was mistakenly saying that implementations of ext-info-c and ext-info-s were added at the same time, while in fact ext-info-s was added rather later. ssh-audit now has clearer output, and the OpenSSH maintainers have corrected their specifications page.

I looked into a report of an ssh failure in certain cases when using GSS-API key exchange (which is a Debian patch). Once again, having integration tests was a huge win here: the affected scenario is quite a fiddly one, but I was able to set it up in the test, and thereby make sure it doesn't regress in future. It still took me a couple of hours to get all the details right, but in the past this sort of thing took me much longer with a much lower degree of confidence that the fix was correct.

On upstream's advice, I cherry-picked some key exchange fixes needed for big-endian architectures.

Python team

I packaged python-evalidate, needed for a new upstream version of buildbot.

The Python 3.13 transition rolls on. I fixed problems related to it in htmlmin, humanfriendly, postgresfixture (contributed upstream), pylint, python-asyncssh (contributed upstream), python-oauthlib, python3-simpletal, quodlibet, zope.exceptions, and zope.interface.

A trickier Python 3.13 issue involved the cgi module. Years ago I ported zope.publisher to the multipart module because cgi.FieldStorage was broken in some situations, and as a result I got a recommendation into Python's "dead batteries" PEP 594. Unfortunately there turns out to be a name conflict between multipart and python-multipart on PyPI; python-multipart upstream has been working to disentangle this, though we still need to work out what to do in Debian. All the same, I needed to fix python-wadllib and multipart seemed like the best fit; I contributed a port upstream and temporarily copied multipart into Debian's python-wadllib source package to allow its tests to pass. I'll come back and fix this properly once we sort out the multipart vs. python-multipart packaging.

tzdata moved some timezone definitions to tzdata-legacy, which has broken a number of packages. I added tzdata-legacy build-dependencies to alembic and python-icalendar to deal with this in those packages, though there are still some other instances of this left.

I tracked down an nltk regression that caused build failures in many other packages.

I fixed Rust crate versioning issues in pydantic-core, python-bcrypt, and python-maturin (mostly fixed by Peter Michael Green and Jelmer Vernooij, but it needed a little extra work).

I fixed other build failures in entrypoints, mayavi2, python-pyvmomi (mostly fixed by Alexandre Detiste, but it needed a little extra work), and python-testing.postgresql (ditto).

I fixed python3-simpletal to tolerate future versions of dh-python that will drop their dependency on python3-setuptools.

I fixed broken symlinks in python-treq.

I removed (build-)depends on python3-pkg-resources from alembic, autopep8, buildbot, celery, flufl.enum, flufl.lock, python-public, python-wadllib (contributed upstream), pyvisa, routes, vulture, and zodbpickle (contributed upstream).

I upgraded astroid, asyncpg (fixing a Python 3.13 failure and a build failure), buildbot (noticing an upstream test bug in the process), dnsdiag, frozenlist, netmiko (fixing a Python 3.13 failure), psycopg3, pydantic-settings, pylint, python-asyncssh, python-bleach, python-btrees, python-cytoolz, python-django-pgtrigger, python-django-test-migrations, python-gssapi, python-icalendar, python-json-log-formatter, python-pgbouncer, python-pkginfo, python-plumbum, python-stdlib-list, python-tokenize-rt, python-treq (fixing a Python 3.13 failure), python-typeguard, python-webargs (fixing a build failure), pyupgrade, pyvisa, pyvisa-py (fixing a Python 3.13 failure), toolz, twisted, vulture, waitress (fixing CVE-2024-49768 and CVE-2024-49769), wtf-peewee, wtforms, zodbpickle, zope.exceptions, zope.interface, zope.proxy, zope.security, and zope.testrunner to new upstream versions.

I tried to fix a regression in python-scruffy, but I need testing feedback.

I requested removal of python-testing.mysqld.

01 Nov 2024 12:19pm GMT

CES 2025 is right around the corner, and with over 3,000 exhibitors, it continues to be the world's premier event for unveiling cutting-edge technology across industries.

This year, Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, is returning with a focus on showcasing our advancements in AI/ML, as well as our hardware-agnostic solutions that seamlessly work across various silicon platforms.

After successful 2023 and 2024 sessions, we are thrilled to be back at CES, ready to reveal new demos, connect with industry professionals, and showcase how Canonical is helping shape the future of AI in automotive and beyond.

What to expect at the Canonical booth

The major highlight of our booth at CES 2025 will be an AI/ML demo showing how AI models can be trained, deployed, and updated efficiently across different hardware platforms, ensuring compatibility and performance in various automotive use cases. From predictive maintenance to in-car experiences, our AI/ML offering spans the full spectrum of automotive applications.

The demo will also highlight the flexibility of our technology stack across multiple silicon platforms. If you're curious to see what truly hardware-agnostic AI solutions look like, come by our booth. Our experts will be on-site to guide you through this and other innovations we've developed, discussing how Ubuntu supports the entire development lifecycle, from cloud environments to edge devices.

AI/ML for automotive: revolutionizing the future of vehicles

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are fast becoming cornerstones of the automotive industry. As cars evolve into more intelligent systems, OEMs and Tier 1 suppliers face the challenge of deploying and maintaining complex AI workloads in diverse hardware environments. At Canonical, we address these challenges with an end-to-end stack that is hardware-agnostic and built on open-source technology.

Whether you're developing on NVIDIA's advanced GPUs or other platforms like Intel or Qualcomm, our AI stack runs seamlessly, giving developers the freedom to choose the best hardware for their needs.

With our over-the-air (OTA) update solution, companies can deploy AI models and software updates directly to vehicles, ensuring reliability, security, and quick rollbacks when required.

We will demonstrate how you can train models in the cloud, optimize them for edge deployment, and deliver those models to a wide range of devices, enabling everything from predictive maintenance to personalized in-car experiences.

Our approach brings several key benefits. Whether you're building in the cloud, on-prem, or at the edge, our stack scales up or down as needed. Canonical's secure boot, full-disk encryption, and transactional updates ensure that your AI/ML deployments remain secure. Also, our solution is fully open-source, offering you flexibility without vendor lock-in.

Join Us at CES 2025

CES is more than just a tech show-it's a convergence of industries that defines future trends. We are proud to be part of this innovative ecosystem, bringing our AI/ML expertise and software solutions to the automotive space. Whether you're an OEM, Tier 1 supplier, or software developer, Canonical has the tools and expertise to help you bring your projects to life, faster and more securely.

Stop by our booth (#10277 in LVCC, North Hall) to experience the future of automotive AI. Our team will be present to discuss your challenges and demonstrate how Canonical's solutions can accelerate your projects. You can also book a private demo session with our experts.

Don't miss out on CES 2025-let's drive the future of AI in automotive together.

To learn more about Canonical and our engagement in automotive:

Contact Us

Check out our webpage

Watch our webinar with Elektrobit about SDV

Download our whitepaper on V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything)

01 Nov 2024 8:00am GMT

CES 2025 is right around the corner, and with over 3,000 exhibitors, it continues to be the world's premier event for unveiling cutting-edge technology across industries. This year, Canonical, the publisher of Ubuntu, is returning with a focus on showcasing our advancements in AI/ML, as well as our hardware-agnostic solutions that seamlessly work across various […]

01 Nov 2024 8:00am GMT

System76's COSMIC desktop environment continues to take shape, with a third alpha snapshot now available for testing. The first alpha brought the core essentials, the second alpha delivered stack of new features, and this third alpha fills in gaps, fixes issues, and finesses the user experience further. Of note, COSMIC now lets you set a custom system font (if the default Fira Sans isn't your fave), and accessibility is boosted with early support for the Orca screen reader, albeit not in native COSMIC apps just yet - but accessibility is a priority, so "soon" hopefully. A few other things to […]

You're reading COSMIC Desktop Alpha 3 Brings Further Improvements, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

01 Nov 2024 3:37am GMT

Python has overtaken JavaScript as the most-used language on GitHub, according to the code-hosting platform's latest Octoverse report. The company attributes this momentum to a massive influx of "data science and machine learning on GitHub", which has seen a 59% increase in the number of contributions to generative AI projects. With Python being heavily used across ML, data science, and related fields, the rise makes sense - it's less that traditional software developers are switching to Python but more that developers working with AI-related projects are needing to use it. Plus, it's good news for open source, with GitHub reporting […]

You're reading Python is Now the Most Popular Language on GitHub, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

31 Oct 2024 11:11pm GMT

It's hallowe'en, and there's a frightfully good treat waiting for fans of the free, open-source racing game SuperTuxKart - a new beta! The first beta of SuperTuxKart 1.5 offers an array of improvements, touching everything from the underlying game engine to the user-interface through to networking features and score announcements during online multi-player races. No new tracks, karts, characters, or items included this time (those are planned for SuperTuxKart 2.0 along with a myriad of other major changes) but there is a new music track for the Das Luna Arena. Other SuperTuxKart 1.5 beta 1 changes: Naturally, there's also a […]

You're reading SuperTuxKart 1.5 Beta Brings Benchmark Test, UI Tweaks + More, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

31 Oct 2024 6:47pm GMT

From cloud to edge, hardware-agnostic AI/ML

In January Canonical will reconfirm its presence at CES 2025; here we will be showing a cutting-edge AI/ML demo that showcases how AI models can be trained, deployed, and updated seamlessly across various hardware platforms. This demonstration is a proof of our commitment to building hardware-agnostic solutions, empowering automotive manufacturers to integrate AI into their systems on various vehicle configurations, without being tied to any specific silicon vendor. Whether it's predictive maintenance, in-car personalization, or even AD/ADAS features, our flexible AI/ML stack is designed to meet the needs for AI in automotive.

Platform-agnostic AI for automotive

With our cars becoming smarter and more connected, the demand for AI capabilities in the automotive industry has grown exponentially. However, one of the main challenges is the wide range of electrical and electronic vehicle architectures that different manufacturers and suppliers use. In order to solve this complex hardware dilemma, it is required to have a truly platform-agnostic AI stack that allows companies to choose the best hardware for their needs-whether it's NVIDIA's powerful GPUs, Intel processors, or Qualcomm chipsets-without sacrificing performance or compatibility.

One of the most significant challenges when it comes to deploying AI models in automotive at the edge is hardware fragmentation. OEMs and Tier 1s often work with different types of hardware across their supply chains, making it difficult to maintain a consistent AI experience. Having a hardware-agnostic AI stack solves this problem by running seamlessly across various platforms, reducing the complexity of integrating AI in automotive.

AI fault detection demo, from cloud to edge

One of the highlights of our CES 2025 demo will be a real-world use case demonstrating AI-driven fault detection in automotive manufacturing, from cloud-based model training to real-time deployment at the edge. This demo focuses on how AI can be used as an advantage for quality assurance (QA) tasks, process and analyze data efficiently, ensuring parts meet high-quality standards.

In this demo, we simulate a manufacturing environment where 3D-printed gears are produced for automotive use. Some of these gears are correctly printed, while others are defective due to printing errors. The AI model, trained using object recognition, is tasked with differentiating between well-manufactured and defective parts. The ability to automatically identify defective gears on the production line reduces the need for manual inspection and increases operational efficiency.

The model itself is trained based on a dataset containing images of good and defective gears, in an Ubuntu-based cloud environment running Kubeflow and MLflow on top of MicroK8s.

Through transfer learning, the model quickly adapts and improves its fault detection capacity. Indeed, if the model misclassifies any parts, this feedback is used to retrain and refine the model. Updates are deployed back to the edge using over-the-air (OTA) updates, ensuring that manufacturers always have the most accurate version of the model running in their production environment. This allows manufacturers to accelerate the AI training process by leveraging pre-trained models tailored to their specific use case.

Once trained, the model is containerized and deployed to edge devices, which would be located on the factory floor. These edge devices run Ubuntu and process real-time data from cameras that scan the gears as they move down the production line. The AI model evaluates each part in real-time, flagging defective parts for removal, while passing those that meet the quality standards. This edge-based deployment is particularly important in the automotive industry, where low latency and immediate decision-making are critical to maintaining production efficiency.

Partnering with industry leaders

Our CES 2025 demo will also highlight our ongoing partnerships with major players in the semiconductor industry, including NVIDIA and Intel. Working closely with NVIDIA, we've developed AI/ML solutions that harness the latest GPU technologies, allowing for rapid model training and edge deployment that meets the high standards of AI in automotive.

By supporting multiple architectures, Canonical ensures that manufacturers have the freedom to choose the best tools for their specific use cases. This hardware-agnostic approach is a key theme throughout our AI/ML demo and will be a core focus at our CES 2025 booth.

Other potential use cases

Our demo clearly shows how this flexibility enables developers to seamlessly deploy AI models across a wide range of devices. For example, for object recognition used for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), the AI models trained in the cloud can be optimized for edge deployment, ensuring smooth performance in vehicles with limited computing resources. This eliminates the headache of needing to develop AI solutions that are tied to a single hardware vendor, a huge advantage for automotive manufacturers who are working with different semiconductor partners.

AI/ML training: from cloud to edge

As mentioned above, Canonical's AI/ML stack allows developers to train models in the cloud and optimize them for deployment at the edge, such as inside vehicles. This process ensures that the AI models run efficiently on edge devices, where computing power is often more limited.

With support for Kubernetes, and containerization, our AI/ML solution offers automotive companies the flexibility to train models in different environments. This flexibility not only accelerates development but also ensures that AI models can be easily updated, scaled, or rolled back, as needed. Moreover, our OTA update approach makes it easy to deploy software updates to vehicles securely and efficiently, a critical feature for maintaining up-to-date AI models in the field.

Join us at CES 2025

As AI continues to reshape the automotive industry, Canonical's hardware-agnostic AI/ML stack is positioned to lead the way. From seamless deployment across diverse hardware platforms to real-world applications in vehicles, our demo at CES 2025 will illustrate how AI/ML is driving the future of automotive. Join us at our booth (#10277 in the North Hall) to experience these innovations in action and learn how our solutions can help you build the next generation of intelligent vehicles.

Don't miss out on CES 2025-let's drive the future of AI in automotive together.

To learn more about Canonical and our engagement in automotive:

Contact Us

Check out our webpage

Watch our webinar with Elektrobit about SDV

Download our whitepaper on V2X (Vehicle-to-Everything)

31 Oct 2024 8:12am GMT

From cloud to edge, hardware-agnostic AI/ML In January Canonical will reconfirm its presence at CES 2025; here we will be showing a cutting-edge AI/ML demo that showcases how AI models can be trained, deployed, and updated seamlessly across various hardware platforms. This demonstration is a proof of our commitment to building hardware-agnostic solutions, empowering automotive […]

31 Oct 2024 8:12am GMT

O nosso enviado especial Diogo Constantino esteve em Haia, nos Países Baixos, para A CIMEIRA mais importante do ano (depois da Festa do Software Livre!): a Ubuntu Summit 2024. Para além de ter visto muitas novidades no mundo do Ubuntu e trazer notícias bem frescas, ainda teve oportunidade de conversar em Português com alguns participantes dessa cimeira.

Já sabem: oiçam, subscrevam e partilhem!

• Ubuntu Summit 2024 (Haia, 25-27 Out.): https://events.canonical.com/event/51/
• Vídeos da Cimeira: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLwFSk464RMxnAWg_c9RkUt33FqzwOZfg7
• Diogo Sousa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/0xdsousa/
• Till Kamppeter: https://ubuntu.social/@till
• Carlos Nihelton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlos-nihelton/
• Cristovão Cordeiro: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cristovaocordeiro/
• https://cristovaocordeiro.medium.com/
• https://loco.ubuntu.com/teams/ubuntu-pt/
• https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop?aff_ref=3
• https://masto.pt/@pup
• https://youtube.com/PodcastUbuntuPortugal

Apoios

Podem apoiar o podcast usando os links de afiliados do Humble Bundle, porque ao usarem esses links para fazer uma compra, uma parte do valor que pagam reverte a favor do Podcast Ubuntu Portugal. E podem obter tudo isso com 15 dólares ou diferentes partes dependendo de pagarem 1, ou 8. Achamos que isto vale bem mais do que 15 dólares, pelo que se puderem paguem mais um pouco mais visto que têm a opção de pagar o quanto quiserem. Se estiverem interessados em outros bundles não listados nas notas usem o link https://www.humblebundle.com/?partner=PUP e vão estar também a apoiar-nos.

Atribuição e licenças

Este episódio foi produzido por Diogo Constantino, Miguel e Tiago Carrondo e editado pelo Senhor Podcast. O website é produzido por Tiago Carrondo e o código aberto está licenciado nos termos da Licença MIT. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). A música do genérico é: "Won't see it comin' (Feat Aequality & N'sorte d'autruche)", por Alpha Hydrae e está licenciada nos termos da CC0 1.0 Universal License. Este episódio e a imagem utilizada estão licenciados nos termos da licença: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), cujo texto integral pode ser lido aqui. Estamos abertos a licenciar para permitir outros tipos de utilização, contactem-nos para validação e autorização.

31 Oct 2024 12:00am GMT

The latest stable update to Google Chrome improves its Memory Saver with new controls that could, depending on your workflow and hardware, help reduce the browser's memory footprint. And some would say it needs it. Google Chrome has a rep for being a memory hog. But is it deserved? Once upon a time, perhaps. Yet whenever people do tests they tend to find that Chrome's RAM usage is less egregious than popular opinion would contend. Anecdotally, many users still say otherwise. Which is perhaps why the latest update to Google's dominant web browser introduces 3 new options to control the existing […]

You're reading Google Chrome Update Offers More Control Over Memory Usage, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

30 Oct 2024 11:54pm GMT

Ubuntu developers today announced that Ubuntu 25.04 'Plucky Puffin' is officially open for development. There's even a release date: Ubuntu 25.04 is out on April 17, 2025. Still, that's a way off; there are 6 months of development stretching out ahead of us. But looking in to the distance one can't help but wonder what new features Ubuntu 25.04 will offer. It's too early in the release cycle to know, although GNOME 48, a newer Linux kernel (likely 6.14), and Snap app improvements are all-but a given. Still, would it be too much to hope that the Plucky cycle finally […]

You're reading Ubuntu 25.04 Opens Development with Major Packaging Change, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

30 Oct 2024 8:59pm GMT

Music makers, podcast producers, and amateur audio enthusiasts alike will be pleased to hear a new version of Audacity is out - and it fixes a lot of bugs. Audacity 3.7.0 marks a new series of maintenance releases which will fix flaws, balm bugs, and nix niggles in the current editions. Big new features are in the works for Audacity 4.0, but as the Audacity 3.6 series earlier this year wasn't without issues, some breathing space to focus on getting timely fix 'em up releases out, to benefit users now, feels like a sound approach. Audacity 3.7.0: Key Changes As […]

You're reading Audacity 3.7 Delivers Bug Fixes, Improves Compatibility with Linux, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

30 Oct 2024 8:08pm GMT

Forget Amazon's recent Kindle refresh, the most exciting e-ink device around is the PineNote from prolific open-source hardware makers Pine64. I reported last month that Pine64 had confirmed a new PineNote production run, the first in several years, now that it has a solid Debian-based OS to run. And now it's begun taking pre-orders, with shipping expected to begin in mid-November. The PineNote has a 10.1-inch e-ink scratch-resistant display with up to 16 levels of greyscale at a resolution of 1404×1872 (227 DPI). Powered a quad-core RK3566 SoC with 4 GB RAM, 128GB storage, on-board Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a front-light, speakers, […]

You're reading Pre-Orders Open for Pine64's e-Ink Linux Tablet, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

30 Oct 2024 6:16pm GMT

Being a Linux nerd I rarely go outside -that's a joke- but knowing what the weather is doing beyond my basement walls -still a joke- is useful - if only because it usually gives me an excuse to stay at my desk compiling my own kernel -not a joke. Scores of Linux weather apps, widgets, and add-ons exist. These put current temperature, conditions, and (usually) near-term forecasts within easy reach, or permanently on show. And honestly? That's all the weather data most of us care to know. It answers 'will I need a jacket?', 'will it rain today?', 'can I […]

You're reading Mousam is a Detailed Desktop Weather App for Linux, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

30 Oct 2024 3:03pm GMT

A big update to ONLYOFFICE Desktop Editors, a free, open-source office suite for Windows, macOS, and Linux is available to download. ONLYOFFICE 8.2 offers a clutch of new features, several performance gains, and a miscellany of smaller enhancements across the full suite, which is composed of a word processor, spreadsheet tool, presentation maker, form filler, and a PDF editor. For a lighter look, ONLYOFFICE 8.2 includes a new grey theme in its appearance settings. This is not enabled by default but can be applied to all apps in the suite from the main settings, or applied to just specific components, […]

You're reading ONLYOFFICE 8.2 Improves Startup Times, Adds New Theme + More, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

29 Oct 2024 9:06pm GMT

SPS (Smart Production Solutions) 2024 is almost here! With over 1,200 national and international exhibitors, SPS is the main gathering of industrial manufacturing to experience the latest trends and developments in the automation industry first-hand. Join Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, at SPS 2024 to discuss open source innovation in industrial technology. You can meet […]

29 Oct 2024 2:40pm GMT

Mozilla Firefox 132 is available to download today, arriving a couple of weeks ahead of the browser's big 20th anniversary1 milestone. But anyone hoping Firefox 132 would prove itself a veritable birthday piñata, fit to burst with a flurry of new features and eye-catching changes should temper their expectations. Although Mozilla's engineering team has several exciting new features in the pipeline-vertical tabs, tab grouping, 'new tab' page changes, redesigned Settings interface, and a brand-spankin' new profile system-these features aren't ready to unwrap - not officially, anyway. Instead, Mozilla Firefox 132 arrives as a more serviceable update, delivering a smaller set […]

You're reading Mozilla Firefox 132 Delivers a Modest Set of Changes, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

29 Oct 2024 12:02am GMT

Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 863 for the week of October 20 - 26, 2024. The full version of this issue is available here.

In this issue we cover:

• Ubuntu Stats
• Hot in Support
• LXD: Weekly news #368
• Other Meeting Reports
• Upcoming Meetings and Events
• LoCo Events
• Event report - Ubuntu Korea @ GopherCon Korea 2024
• Other Community News
• Canonical News
• In the Press
• Other Articles of Interest
• Featured Audio and Video
• Updates and Security for Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, 24.04, and 24.10
• And much more!

The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter is brought to you by:

• Krytarik Raido
• Bashing-om
• Chris Guiver
• Wild Man
• Din Mušić
• And many others

If you have a story idea for the Weekly Newsletter, join the Ubuntu News Team mailing list and submit it. Ideas can also be added to the wiki!

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28 Oct 2024 9:36pm GMT

Empower your modern workforce with VDI from HPE and Canonical For years, virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) has helped power the most complex IT environments-and the technology is still relevant today. After all, VDI allows employees to access their work applications and data across any device, anywhere. And the growth of 5G networked edge computing means […]

28 Oct 2024 6:23pm GMT

With an ambition to become Asia's technology hub for telecommunications in the 5G/6G era, India hosts the annual India Mobile Congress (IMC) in Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. IMC is an annual trade exhibition for the telecommunication sector, bringing together operators, system integrators, as well as software and hardware vendors. It has now established itself as […]

28 Oct 2024 12:02pm GMT

October 2024 marks the 20th anniversary of Ubuntu. The cybersecurity landscape has significantly shifted since 2004. If you have been following the Ubuntu Security Team's special three-part series podcast that we put out to mark Cybersecurity Awareness Month, you will have listened to us talk about significant moments that have shaped the industry, as well […]

28 Oct 2024 9:55am GMT

I'm a fan of the Tiling Shell GNOME Shell extension because it's both good at what it does, but good at not being one-size-fits-all: users can tile window using a mouse and drop zones, with keyboard shortcuts, or with both - options for everyone. And some extra options are on offer in the latest update, Tiling Shell v14: Being able to set a custom colour for the window border around the focused window is welcome addition. When the 'Window Border' setting is enabled -the width of which can be adjusted; I make it thicker in my screenshots so you can […]

You're reading Tiling Shell Update Adds Custom Window Border Colour + More, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

27 Oct 2024 10:14pm GMT

Ever feel a pang of a nostalgia for the way web browsers used to look, but don't fancy the hiccups or hassle involved in trying to run old software on a newer OS? Honestly, you probably don't - but after checking out what the Geckium project can do style-wise to Mozilla Firefox, that may change! Before I go on let me state upfront that this post is a spotlight, not a manifesto. I'm not here to persuade anyone as to why they should to do this since there is no need - it's as 'necessary' as making Ubuntu look like […]

You're reading Geckium Turns Modern Firefox into Vintage Google Chrome, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

27 Oct 2024 5:28pm GMT

Vivaldi 7.0 is out, and the makers describe it as not merely an update but 'a new Vivaldi' entirely. Those familiar with the browser will instantly see why, as Vivaldi finally gets an overdue UI redesign: there's a new theme using pill-shaped floating tabs and a new set of in-app icons (which can be changed back to the old ones for those who aren't a fan). On the new tab page (or "start page" in Vivaldi parlance) there's an all-new Dashboard feature with widgets that users can customise to provide a more informative view-port than a static speed dial n' […]

You're reading Vivaldi 7.0 Released with New UI, Dashboard Feature + More, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

24 Oct 2024 7:39pm GMT

One of the best things about the Raspberry Pi 5 (other than the performance boost over its predecessor) is how much simpler it is to add an SSD. And if you're running a full desktop OS like Ubuntu you should use an SSD: startup times are blazingly fast, and the I/O performance blows even top-end SD cards out of the water (so to speak - you shouldn't put SD cards in water). But finding the right NVMe SSD can be a mission. So many brands, so much choice, so many speed claims, so many issues since not all NVMe SSDs […]

You're reading Raspberry Pi Launch Own-Brand SSDs Priced From $30, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

24 Oct 2024 12:44am GMT

Como uma desgraça nunca vem só, as boas gentes de Aveiro sofrem de novo sevícias várias. Uma panóplia de convidados desfila em frente ao microfone de Diogo Constantino (qual Júlio Isidro do terminal) e juntos fazem um balanço da Festa do Software Livre, entre palmas e patinhos de borracha do público esfuziante.

Já sabem: oiçam, subscrevam e partilhem!

• Streamings da Festa do Software Livre: https://www.youtube.com/@ubuntuportugal6023/streams
• Festa do Software Livre: https://festa2024.softwarelivre.eu/
• Programa FSL 2024: https://festa2024.softwarelivre.eu/agenda
• Ubucon 2024: https://ubuconpt2024.ubuntu-pt.org
• Ubuntu Summit 2024 (Haia, 25-27 Out.): https://events.canonical.com/event/51/
• https://loco.ubuntu.com/teams/ubuntu-pt/
• https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop?aff_ref=3
• https://masto.pt/@pup
• https://youtube.com/PodcastUbuntuPortugal

Apoios

Podem apoiar o podcast usando os links de afiliados do Humble Bundle, porque ao usarem esses links para fazer uma compra, uma parte do valor que pagam reverte a favor do Podcast Ubuntu Portugal. E podem obter tudo isso com 15 dólares ou diferentes partes dependendo de pagarem 1, ou 8. Achamos que isto vale bem mais do que 15 dólares, pelo que se puderem paguem mais um pouco mais visto que têm a opção de pagar o quanto quiserem. Se estiverem interessados em outros bundles não listados nas notas usem o link https://www.humblebundle.com/?partner=PUP e vão estar também a apoiar-nos.

Atribuição e licenças

Este episódio foi produzido por Diogo Constantino, Miguel e Tiago Carrondo e editado pelo Senhor Podcast. O website é produzido por Tiago Carrondo e o código aberto está licenciado nos termos da Licença MIT. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). A música do genérico é: "Won't see it comin' (Feat Aequality & N'sorte d'autruche)", por Alpha Hydrae e está licenciada nos termos da CC0 1.0 Universal License. Este episódio e a imagem utilizada estão licenciados nos termos da licença: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0), cujo texto integral pode ser lido aqui. Estamos abertos a licenciar para permitir outros tipos de utilização, contactem-nos para validação e autorização.

24 Oct 2024 12:00am GMT

Canonical is excited to be a part of the Dell Technologies Forum in São Paulo on October 30th. This exclusive event brings together industry leaders to explore the latest technological advancements. Register to Dell Technologies Forum - São Paulo Unleash the power of open source innovation Don't miss this opportunity to network with industry leaders, […]

23 Oct 2024 12:24pm GMT

Considering migrating to Ubuntu from other Linux platforms, such as CentOS? Find six useful facts to get started!

23 Oct 2024 12:23pm GMT

In a land far away, there were two brothers, two plumbers. To preserve their anonymity, we'll call them... Mario and Luigi. Their mother, a kind and friendly woman, and their father, a man with (by the laws of averages and genetics) a truly gargantuan moustache, raised them both to be kind and friendly (and moustachioed) in their turn. There was enough work in the town to keep both the plumbers busy, and they each grew through apprentice to journeyman to experience and everyone liked them. They both cared about the job, about their clients, and they each did good work, always going the extra mile, doing more than was necessarily asked for, putting in an extra hour to tighten that pipe or fit a better S-bend or clean up the poor workmanship of lesser craftsmen and cowboys. They were happy. Even their rivalry for each job was good-humoured, a friendly source of amusement to them and to the town. Sometimes people would flip a coin to choose which to ring, having no way to choose between them, and Mario would laugh and suggest that he should have two-headed coins made, or Luigi would laugh and say that that ought to make it his turn next.

But there came a time of downturn, when the people of the town had to hold tighter to their purses, and fewer called out for plumbers. And Luigi, after much thought, decided to take a job with Bowser's, the big plumbing conglomerate from the city. He was worried: the big company were often slapdash or inexperienced in their work, and discourteous or evasive to their clients, and more interested in bottom lines than hot water lines. But they paid extremely well, and they had the latest tools, and there was security in having a contract and a title and a boss. Besides, Bowser's worked for so many more people that Luigi's own skills could only help that many more. Maybe he could even teach them something about quality, and craftsmanship, and care. He suggested to Mario that they both joined, and Mario thought hard about it, and eventually decided not to, though it was a close-run thing. Both the brothers shook hands on it, respecting one another's decision, although in the silence of their hearts each was a little disappointed in the other.

Luigi did well at Bowser's. He was right about the latest tools, and about the pay, and about the security. And he was partially right about teaching the big company something about quality. His work was often better than his colleagues, sometimes through expertise but most often because he tried harder: he loved the work, and wanted to do well, and was kind and friendly when he could be. But sometimes, try though he might, the time wasn't there, or the parts weren't in the van, and these things were not his fault; someone else at the big company had cut corners on their job and that forced Luigi to cut corners on his and make people sad and angry, or put in more time to fix it than he would have spent doing it all correctly himself in the first place. He pushed hard inside the company to fix these things, and he had some successes; a policy was written suggesting that employees work harder to improve customer happiness, and many customers across the land were made a little happier as a result. Luigi won an award. He trained some apprentices, and many of his little ways of making people happier and the job better were adopted into the company training scheme. One time he went home after another argument with his boss about the things that were not adopted, and that night he looked enviously out of their window at his brother's house across the street, thinking that it would be a fine thing to not have a boss who stopped you from doing things right.

Mario did well working for himself. The time of downturn ended and things began to pick up again, maybe not quite to where they had been but nearly there for all that, and the phone calls and messages came in once more. Everyone was pleased to see him, and although he maybe took a little longer than the men from the big company, his work was never slapdash, always taking the time to do it right. And he had less money, but he really didn't mind, or begrudge it; he had enough to get by, and he loved the work, and wanted to do well, and was kind and friendly. He did envy his brother's toolbox, though, all the latest gear while Mario himself made do with things a little older, a little rustier, but they were all good quality tools that he understood, and the work was as good and better. In November one year a very expensive plumber's inspection camera was stolen from his brother's van, and Mario thought that it would have been great to have such a thing and maybe he would have taken better care, and then he felt guilty about thinking that of his brother. He felt guiltier still when on Christmas morning he opened the box from Luigi to find an expensive inspection camera in it. But then his brother winked at him and put a finger to his lips, and all was well between them again. One time Mario was up to his waist in the drain outside a house, raindrops rattling on his hat and cursing the god who invented backflow, when he saw his brother drive past all unknowing in his modern van, windows wound up and singing along with the radio, and he looked enviously after the van's lights in the storm, thinking that it would be a fine thing to have just a notch more comfort and influence and two fewer wet knees.

22 Oct 2024 8:00pm GMT

The launch of Ubuntu in 2004 was a step-change for everyday users and developers everywhere. Nicknamed "Ubuntu Linux" in its early days, to differentiate it from its various cousins in the Linux world, it has since lost the need for its surname and grown to become a powerful force. Besides being used by millions of […]

22 Oct 2024 1:38pm GMT

Open source ebook manager Calibre has a new release out. Calibre 7.20 ships with a brand new PDF input engine (used to convert PDF files into other ebook formats, such as EPUB or MOBI). It's now able to handle "automatic detection of headers and footers based on document analysis". Fans of the old engine needn't panic as it's still included and available to select from the PDF Input section of the Conversion dialog. The Calibre Manual has a detailed guide on converting PDFs to ebook-friendly formats. Calibre's Read Aloud feature (which does exactly what it says on the tin) picks […]

You're reading Calibre eBook Manager Intros New PDF Conversion Engine, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

22 Oct 2024 12:24am GMT

Remember Clementine music player? Well, it appears to be back - some 8 years after its last stable release. If Clementine feels like it's slipped out of public consciousness it's understandable: the last stable release was in 2016 (v1.3.1). Yet behind the scenes development continued and an awful lot of preview builds issued - indeed, the v1.4.0 release candidate has long been carried in the repositories of most major Linux distributions, including Ubuntu. But this weekend something changed. The Clementine GitHub tagged its first non-RC build, v1.4.1, in forever. It's not listed as a stable release, instead marked as a […]

You're reading Clementine Music Player Sees First Non-Preview Release in 8 Years, a blog post from OMG! Ubuntu. Do not reproduce elsewhere without permission.

21 Oct 2024 11:26pm GMT

Welcome to the Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter, Issue 862 for the week of October 13 - 19, 2024. The full version of this issue is available here.

In this issue we cover:

• New Ubuntu Community Council 2024
• Ubuntu Stats
• Hot in Support
• Ubuntu Meeting Activity Reports
• LXD: Weekly news #367
• Rocks Public Journal; 2024-10-18
• UbuCon Asia 2025 Bid for Kathmandu, Nepal
• Ubuntu 24.10 Release Party @ Taipei
• LoCo Events
• Ubuntu 24.10 Concept heart Snapdragon X Elite
• What's new in APT in Ubuntu 24.10?
• IntelⓇ Neural Processing Unit (NPU) Driver Snap Available for Accelerating AIML Workloads on IntelⓇ Core Ultra Processors
• Please try out dracut
• Ubuntu Governance Sync Meetings 2025
• Other Community News
• Ubuntu Cloud News
• Canonical News
• In the Press
• In the Blogosphere
• In Other News
• Other Articles of Interest
• Featured Audio and Video
• Meeting Reports
• Upcoming Meetings and Events
• Updates and Security for Ubuntu 20.04, 22.04, 24.04, and 24.10
• And much more!

The Ubuntu Weekly Newsletter is brought to you by:

• Krytarik Raido
• Bashing-om
• Chris Guiver
• Wild Man
• Din Mušić
• Cristovao Cordeiro - cjdc
• And many others

If you have a story idea for the Weekly Newsletter, join the Ubuntu News Team mailing list and submit it. Ideas can also be added to the wiki!

.

21 Oct 2024 9:44pm GMT

I am using pretty much the exact same setup I did in 2020. Let's see who is more efficient in a live session!

But first let's take a look at the image sizes:

Charge Open Movie is what I viewed if I can make it to YouTube.

I decided to be more selective and remove those that did very porly at 1.5G, which was most.

• Ubuntu - booted but desktop not stable, took 1.5 minutes to load Firefox
• Xubuntu-minimal - does not include a web browser so can't further test. Snap is preinstaled even though no apps are - but trying to install a web browser worked but couldn't start.
• Manjaro KDE - Desktop loads, but browser doesn't
• Xubuntu - laggy when Firefox is opened, can't load sites
• Ubuntu Mate -laggy when Firefox is opened, can't load sites
• Kubuntu - laggy when Firefox is opened, can't load sites
• Linux Mint 22 - desktop loads, browsers isn't responsive

Fedora video is a bit laggy, but watchable.. EndlessOS with Chromium is the most smooth and resonsive watching YouTube.

For fun let's look at startup time with 2GB (with me hitting buttons as needed to open a folder)

Conclusion

• Lubuntu lowered it's memory usage from 2020 for loading a desktop 585M to 450M! Kudos to Lubuntu team!
• Both Fedora and Endless desktops worked in lower memory then 2020 too!
• Lubuntu, Fedora and Endless all used Zram.
• Chromium has definitely improved it's memory usage as last time Endless got dinged for using it. Now it appears to work better then Firefox.

Notes:

• qemu-system-x86_64 -enable-kvm -cdrom lubuntu-24.04.1-desktop-amd64.iso -m 1.5G -smp 4 -cpu host -vga virtio --full-screen
• Screen size was set to 1080p/60Hz.
• I tried to reproduce 585M on Lubuntu 20.04 build, but it failed on anything below 1G.
• Getting out of full screen on YouTube apparently is an intensive task. Dropped testing that.
• All Ubuntu was 24.04.1 LTS.

20 Oct 2024 12:54am GMT

We're excited to announce our participation in EDUCAUSE 2024.

17 Oct 2024 5:57pm GMT

Financial services are powered by technology. The customer experience is increasingly driven by data, with tailoring of products and services to reflect individual behaviors and preferences. All of this rests on a foundation of secure, stable technology that can support agility and flexibility to adapt to customer needs, whilst at the same time remaining compliant. […]

17 Oct 2024 10:28am GMT

Apache Spark is a popular framework for developing distributed, parallel data processing applications. Our solution for Apache Spark on Kubernetes has made significant progress in the past year since we launched, adding support for Apache Iceberg, a new GPU accelerated image using the NVIDIA Spark-RAPIDS plugin, and support for the Volcano Kubernetes workload scheduler. A […]

15 Oct 2024 1:21pm GMT

Designed by Freepik

What is an "online" system?

Networking is a complex topic, and there is lots of confusion around the definition of an "online" system. Sometimes the boot process gets delayed up to two minutes, because the system still waits for one or more network interfaces to be ready. Systemd provides the network-online.target that other service units can rely on, if they are deemed to require network connectivity. But what does "online" actually mean in this context, is a link-local IP address enough, do we need a routable gateway and how about DNS name resolution?

The requirements for an "online" network interface depend very much on the services using an interface. For some services it might be good enough to reach their local network segment (e.g. to announce Zeroconf services), while others need to reach domain names (e.g. to mount a NFS share) or reach the global internet to run a web server. On the other hand, the implementation of network-online.target varies, depending on which networking daemon is in use, e.g. systemd-networkd-wait-online.service or NetworkManager-wait-online.service. For Ubuntu, we created a specification that describes what we as a distro expect an "online" system to be. Having a definition in place, we are able to tackle the network-online-ordering issues that got reported over the years and can work out solutions to avoid delayed boot times on Ubuntu systems.

In essence, we want systems to reach the following networking state to be considered online:

1. Do not wait for "optional" interfaces to receive network configuration
2. Have IPv6 and/or IPv4 "link-local" addresses on every network interface
3. Have at least one interface with a globally routable connection
4. Have functional domain name resolution on any routable interface

A common implementation

NetworkManager and systemd-networkd are two very common networking daemons used on modern Linux systems. But they originate from different contexts and therefore show different behaviours in certain scenarios, such as wait-online. Luckily, on Ubuntu we already have Netplan as a unification layer on top of those networking daemons, that allows for common network configuration, and can also be used to tweak the wait-online logic.

With the recent release of Netplan v1.1 we introduced initial functionality to tweak the behaviour of the systemd-networkd-wait-online.service, as used on Ubuntu Server systems. When Netplan is used to drive the systemd-networkd backend, it will emit an override configuration file in /run/systemd/system/systemd-networkd-wait-online.service.d/10-netplan.conf, listing the specific non-optional interfaces that should receive link-local IP configuration. In parallel to that, it defines a list of network interfaces that Netplan detected to be potential global connections, and waits for any of those interfaces to reach a globally routable state.

Such override config file might look like this:

[Unit]
ConditionPathIsSymbolicLink=/run/systemd/generator/network-online.target.wants/systemd-networkd-wait-online.service

[Service]
ExecStart=
ExecStart=/lib/systemd/systemd-networkd-wait-online -i eth99.43:carrier -i lo:carrier -i eth99.42:carrier -i eth99.44:degraded -i bond0:degraded
ExecStart=/lib/systemd/systemd-networkd-wait-online --any -o routable -i eth99.43 -i eth99.45 -i bond0

In addition to the new features implemented in Netplan, we reached out to upstream systemd, proposing an enhancement to the systemd-networkd-wait-online service, integrating it with systemd-resolved to check for the availability of DNS name resolution. Once this is implemented upstream, we're able to fully control the systemd-networkd backend on Ubuntu Server systems, to behave consistently and according to the definition of an "online" system that was lined out above.

Future work

The story doesn't end there, because Ubuntu Desktop systems are using NetworkManager as their networking backend. This daemon provides its very own nm-online utility, utilized by the NetworkManager-wait-online systemd service. It implements a much higher-level approach, looking at the networking daemon in general instead of the individual network interfaces. By default, it considers a system to be online once every "autoconnect" profile got activated (or failed to activate), meaning that either a IPv4 or IPv6 address got assigned.

There are considerable enhancements to be implemented to this tool, for it to be controllable in a fine-granular way similar to systemd-networkd-wait-online, so that it can be instructed to wait for specific networking states on selected interfaces.

A note of caution

Making a service depend on network-online.target is considered an antipattern in most cases. This is because networking on Linux systems is very dynamic and the systemd target can only ever reflect the networking state at a single point in time. It cannot guarantee this state to be remained over the uptime of your system and has the potentially to delay the boot process considerably. Cables can be unplugged, wireless connectivity can drop, or remote routers can go down at any time, affecting the connectivity state of your local system. Therefore, "instead of wondering what to do about network.target, please just fix your program to be friendly to dynamically changing network configuration." [source].

15 Oct 2024 7:33am GMT

Happy 28th Birthday KDE!

Sorry my blog updates have been MIA. Let me tell you a story…

As some of you know, 3 months ago I was in a no fault car accident. Thankfully, the only injury was I ended up with a broken arm. ER sends me home in a sling and tells me it was a clean break and it will mend itself in no time. After a week of excruciating pain I went to my follow up doctor appointment, and with my x-rays in hand, the doc tells me it was far from a clean break and needs surgery. So after a week of my shattered bone scraping my nerves and causing pain I have never felt before, I finally go in for surgery! They put in a metal plate with screws to hold the bone in place so it can properly heal. The nerve pain was gone, so I thought I was on the mend. Some time goes by and the swelling still has not subsided, the doctors are not as concerned about this as I am, so I carry on until it becomes really inflamed and developed fever blisters. After no success in reaching the doctors office my husband borrows the neighbors car and rushes me to the ER. Good thing too, I had an infection. So after a 5 day stay in the hospital, they sent us home loaded with antibiotics and trained my husband in wound packing. We did everything right, kept the place immaculate, followed orders with the wound care, took my antibiotics, yet when they ran out there was still no sign of relief, or healing. Went to doctors and they gave me another month supply of antibiotics. Two days after my final dose my arm becomes inflamed again and with extra spectacular levels of pain to go with it. I call the doctor office… They said to come in on my appointment day ( 4 days away ). I asked, "You aren't concerned with this inflammation?", to which they replied, "No.". Ok, maybe I am over reacting and it's all in my head, I can power through 4 more days. The following morning my husband observed fever blisters and the wound site was clearly not right, so once again off we go to the ER. Well… thankfully we did. I was in Sepsis and could have died… After deliberating with the doctor on the course of action for treatment, the doctor accepted our plea to remove the plate, rather than tighten screws and have me drive 100 miles to hospital everyday for iv antibiotics (Umm I don't have a car!?) So after another 4 day stay I am released into the world, alive and well. I am happy to report, the swelling is almost gone, the pain is minimal, and I am finally healing nicely. I am still in a sling and I have to be super careful and my arm was not fully knitted. So with that I am bummed to say, no traveling for me, no Ubuntu Summit

I still need help with that car, if it weren't for our neighbor, this story would have ended much differently.

https://gofund.me/00942f47

Despite my tragic few months for my right arm, my left arm has been quite busy. Thankfully I am a lefty! On to my work progress report.

Kubuntu:

KDE Snaps:

All release service snaps are done! Save a few problematic ones still WIP.. I have released 24.08.2 which you can find here:

https://snapcraft.io/publisher/kde

I completed the qt6 and KDE frameworks 6 content packs for core24

Snapcraft:

I have a PR in for kde-neon-6 extension core24 support.

That's all for now. Thanks for stopping by!

14 Oct 2024 8:58pm GMT

A slightly less busy release this time, mostly due to traveling to the Linux Plumbers Conference and associated events a few weeks ago.

But still far from a boring release. On top of the usual bugfix and performance improvements, we're getting a number of nice additions for virtual machines, improved clustered LVM support, improvements to incus-migrate and a number of new network features!

The highlights for this release are:

• OS info for virtual machines
• Console history for virtual machines
• Ability to create clustered LVM volume groups
• QCOW2 and VMDK support in incus-migrate
• Configurable macvlan mode
• Load-balancer health information
• External interfaces in OVN networks
• Parallel cluster evacuation/restoration

The full announcement and changelog can be found here.
And for those who prefer videos, here's the release overview video:

You can take the latest release of Incus up for a spin through our online demo service at: https://linuxcontainers.org/incus/try-it/

And as always, my company is offering commercial support on Incus, ranging from by-the-hour support contracts to one-off services on things like initial migration from LXD, review of your deployment to squeeze the most out of Incus or even feature sponsorship. You'll find all details of that here: https://zabbly.com/incus

Donations towards my work on this and other open source projects is also always appreciated, you can find me on Github Sponsors, Patreon and Ko-fi.

Enjoy!

14 Oct 2024 3:12am GMT

In today's rapidly evolving tech world, the need for fast and efficient data management is more critical than ever. One name that frequently stands out in the NoSQL database world is Redis. Since its introduction in 2009, Redis has become a go-to choice for real-time applications that require exceptional speed and flexibility in handling data.

In this article, we'll explore the history of Redis, how it's used, and the benefits it offers to various modern applications.

The History of Redis: Origins and Evolution

Redis, which stands for Remote Dictionary Server, was developed by Salvatore Sanfilippo in 2009. Initially launched as an open-source project to address scalability issues faced by large-scale systems, Redis quickly gained popularity among developers for its ability to process data at lightning speeds.

Redis operates as an in-memory database, meaning it stores all data in RAM rather than on disk. This design enables Redis to deliver significantly faster performance compared to traditional databases, making it ideal for applications that demand real-time speed.

How is Redis Used?

One of the primary reasons Redis is so popular is its flexibility, allowing it to be used in various scenarios. Here are some real-world examples of how Redis is utilized:

1. Caching
   Redis is well-known for its use in caching due to its speed. By storing data in memory, Redis drastically reduces the time it takes to retrieve data. This is especially useful in web applications where users need instant access to information such as previously loaded pages, images, or API data.
2. Session Management
   Many large platforms use Redis to store user session information. When users log into a system, Redis can store their session data in memory, ensuring quick access. This is crucial for maintaining a smooth user experience without delays.
3. Real-Time Analytics
   In a data-driven world, companies need instant analytics to make informed decisions. Redis enables companies to process and analyze data in real time, such as tracking user behavior on websites, monitoring IoT devices, or analyzing financial transactions as they occur.
4. Message Queuing
   Redis is also widely used for message queuing via its Pub/Sub (Publisher/Subscriber) feature. This is particularly helpful in systems where real-time communication between services or applications is required, such as notification systems or instant messaging services.

The Benefits of Redis: What Makes It Great?

Incredible Speed
Redis stands out because of its speed. As an in-memory database, Redis delivers sub-millisecond response times, making it one of the fastest technologies available for data management. This is why it is often the preferred choice for real-time applications.

Versatile Data Structures
Another feature that sets Redis apart is its support for various data structures like strings, lists, sets, and hashes. This versatility allows developers to use Redis in a wide range of scenarios, from storing user information to managing complex data in e-commerce systems.

Persistence Options
Even though Redis stores data in memory, it also offers persistence options, allowing users to periodically save data to disk. This provides an added layer of security in case of system failures, ensuring that data is backed up and recoverable.

Easy Scalability
Redis is easily scalable, whether vertically (by adding more RAM) or horizontally (by adding more Redis servers). This is essential for growing applications where the need to process more data increases over time.

Conclusion

Redis has proven itself to be one of the most powerful tools in modern data management. Its incredible speed, support for multiple data types, and scalability make it the top choice for real-time applications. Whether you're a developer building web apps or a company looking to process real-time analytics, Redis is a technology worth exploring.

There you have it-a brief guide to Redis and the benefits it brings. This technology not only accelerates application performance but also provides a flexible and reliable solution for managing data at scale.

The post Redis: The Powerhouse Behind Modern Databases appeared first on HamRadio.My - Ham Radio, Fun Facts, Open Source Software, Tech Insights, Product Reviews by 9M2PJU.

13 Oct 2024 11:33am GMT

When it comes to choosing an operating system for your projects, two names often come up: FreeBSD and Ubuntu. Both have unique strengths and characteristics that make them suitable for different tasks. In this post, we'll dive deep into the differences and similarities between these two powerful systems, helping you determine which one is the best fit for your needs.

Overview of FreeBSD and Ubuntu

FreeBSD

FreeBSD is an operating system that is derived from the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD). Known for its performance and advanced networking features, FreeBSD provides a robust environment ideal for servers, embedded systems, and networking applications. The entire operating system, from the kernel to the userland tools, is developed from a single source, which helps ensure consistency and stability.

Ubuntu

Ubuntu is a popular Linux distribution based on Debian. It is widely used for both desktop and server environments due to its user-friendliness and extensive software repositories. Ubuntu emphasizes ease of use and regular updates, making it a favorite among beginners and experienced users alike.

Key Comparisons

1. System Base

• FreeBSD: The entire OS is developed from a single source, providing a consistent and cohesive experience. This unified approach allows for seamless integration between the kernel and userland tools.
• Ubuntu: As a Linux-based system, Ubuntu relies on the Debian base. While it offers a rich ecosystem of software, the diversity of packages can sometimes lead to compatibility issues.

2. Performance & Efficiency

• FreeBSD: Renowned for its lightweight and minimal design, FreeBSD excels in server environments where performance is critical. It manages system resources efficiently, making it ideal for high-traffic applications.
• Ubuntu: While Ubuntu performs well in most situations, its default installation comes with a variety of services and applications that can consume more system resources than necessary.

3. Software Availability

• FreeBSD: With its Ports Collection and package management system, FreeBSD offers access to over 40,000 software options. However, it may lack some of the more niche applications available on Linux.
• Ubuntu: As one of the most popular Linux distributions, Ubuntu boasts extensive software repositories, providing compatibility with nearly all Linux applications. This makes it a go-to choice for developers and users looking for variety.

4. Security

• FreeBSD: Security is a core focus of FreeBSD. It features built-in security mechanisms such as jails (which provide a form of lightweight virtualization) and a strong emphasis on minimizing vulnerabilities.
• Ubuntu: While Ubuntu is secure and receives regular updates, its wider range of installed software can lead to a larger attack surface. However, it also offers tools like AppArmor for enhanced security.

5. Community & Support

• FreeBSD: The FreeBSD community may be smaller, but it is dedicated and knowledgeable. Comprehensive documentation is available, ensuring users have access to the resources they need.
• Ubuntu: Ubuntu has a large and active community, along with professional support available through Canonical. The extensive community means users can find help quickly, whether through forums or official channels.

6. Use Cases

• FreeBSD: Ideal for servers, network appliances, and scenarios where stability and performance are paramount. Its strong networking capabilities make it a popular choice for firewalls and routers.
• Ubuntu: Excellent for desktop use, development environments, and general-purpose servers. Its ease of use makes it particularly appealing for users who are new to Linux.

Conclusion

Choosing between FreeBSD and Ubuntu ultimately comes down to your specific needs and goals. If you're looking for an operating system that excels in performance, security, and stability, especially in server or networking environments, FreeBSD is an excellent choice. On the other hand, if you prefer a user-friendly interface with a wide array of applications for both desktop and server use, Ubuntu may be the way to go.

Both systems have their strengths, and understanding them can help you make an informed decision. Whichever you choose, you'll be working with powerful tools that are widely respected in the tech community. Happy computing!

The post FreeBSD vs. Ubuntu: A Comparison appeared first on HamRadio.My - Ham Radio, Fun Facts, Open Source Software, Tech Insights, Product Reviews by 9M2PJU.

13 Oct 2024 10:22am GMT

Xubuntu 24.10, "Oracular Oriole," is now available, featuring many updated applications from Xfce (4.18 and 4.19), GNOME (46 and 47), and MATE (1.26).

The post Xubuntu 24.10 Released appeared first on Sean Davis.

10 Oct 2024 9:19pm GMT

The Xubuntu team is happy to announce the immediate release of Xubuntu 24.10.

Xubuntu 24.10, codenamed Oracular Oriole, is a regular release and will be supported for 9 months, until July 2025.

Xubuntu 24.10, featuring the latest updates from Xfce 4.19 and GNOME 47.

Xubuntu 24.10 features the latest updates from Xfce 4.19, GNOME 47, and MATE 1.26. For Xfce enthusiasts, you'll appreciate the new features and improved hardware support found in Xfce 4.19. Xfce 4.19 is the development series for the next release, Xfce 4.20, due later this year. As pre-release software, you may encounter more bugs than usual. Users seeking a stable, well-supported environment should opt for Xubuntu 24.04 "Noble Numbat" instead.

The final release images for Xubuntu Desktop and Xubuntu Minimal are available as torrents and direct downloads from xubuntu.org/download/.

As the main server might be busy in the first few days after the release, we recommend using the torrents if possible.

We'd like to thank everybody who contributed to this release of Xubuntu!

Highlights and Known Issues

Highlights

• Xfce 4.19 is included as a development preview of the upcoming Xfce 4.20. Among several new features, it features early Wayland support and improved scaling.
• GNOME 47 apps, including Disk Usage Analyzer (baobab) and Sudoku (gnome-sudoku), include a refreshed appearance and usability improvements

Known Issues

• The shutdown prompt may not be displayed at the end of the installation. Instead you might just see a Xubuntu logo, a black screen with an underscore in the upper left hand corner, or just a black screen. Press Enter and the system will reboot into the installed environment. (LP: #1944519)
• Xorg crashes and the user is logged out after logging in or switching users on some virtual machines, including GNOME Boxes. (LP: #1861609)
• You may experience choppy audio or poor system performance while playing audio, but only in some virtual machines (observed in VMware and VirtualBox)
• OEM installation options are not currently supported or available, but will be included for Xubuntu 24.04.1

For more obscure known issues, information on affecting bugs, bug fixes, and a list of new package versions, please refer to the Xubuntu Release Notes.

The main Ubuntu Release Notes cover many of the other packages we carry and more generic issues.

Support

For support with the release, navigate to Help & Support for a complete list of methods to get help.

10 Oct 2024 9:07pm GMT