GNU/Linux and Various Distributions and Operating Systems

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Jun 02, 2025

• GNU/Linux

  • Kernel Space

    • Stefan Gloor ☛ Root Shell on Credit Card Terminal

      Now it was clear that this device runs Linux. I found a standard Linux filesystem with a lot of interesting files to browse through. The system runs a 3.6 kernel, built with Buildroot 2010.02 (!) in February of 2023. The system seems to use a custom bootloader, “Booter v1.7”. Although I don’t know how recent the firware version was that I ended up dumping, it must have been released after February 2023. So finding such an ancient kernel is rather concerning. Userspace-wise, the system uses classy init scripts, busybox, and uClibc (final release was 13 years ago). libcrypt has version 0.9.26, ouch.

  • Applications

    • OMG Ubuntu ☛ Linux App Release Roundup: May 2025

      I run through a selection of smaller GNU/Linux app releases made in May 2025, from a flashy MPD frontend to a local AI-powered image enhancer.

  • Instructionals/Technical

    • Own HowTo ☛ How to unzip ZIP files in Linux

      unzip is a utility in GNU/Linux that allows you to decompress ZIP files, easily from the terminal.

      Decompressing ZIP files in GNU/Linux is just easy as creating ZIP files.

      In this tutorial, you will learn how to use the unzip tool to unzip ZIP files in Linux.

• Distributions and Operating Systems

  • Distro Watch ☛ DistroWatch.com: Put the fun back into computing. Use Linux, BSD.

    [...] Our Feature Story this week talks about setting up a robot (for entertainment and education) using an inexpensive kit and an electronic brain in the form of a Raspberry Pi Pico. [...]

  • Barry Kauler ☛ Reconsidering QV

    QV, also known as "Quantum Vis", is a radical new Linux distribution. I worked on it very intensely from early April to mid-November 2024, then it lapsed; went back to working on EasyOS. The project on github has an introductory readme file: [...]

  • PCLinuxOS/Mageia/Mandriva/OpenMandriva Family

    • PCLOS Official ☛ PCLinuxOS Recent Updates

  • Fedora Family / IBM

    • Distro Watch ☛ Distribution Release: Network Security Toolkit 42-14476

      The Network Security Toolkit (NST) project has released a new major version of the distribution. NST 42-14476 features several new improvements which are listed in the project's release announcement. [...]

  • Debian Family

    • Paul Wise: FLOSS Activities May 2025

    • Sparky GNU/Linux ☛ Sparky news 2025/05

      The 5th monthly Sparky project and donate report of the 2025: – GNU/Linux kernel updated up to 6.15.0, 6.12.31-LTS, 6.6.92-LTS – added to repos: Meru (it replaced gmail-desktop), Sparky Package Tool – fixed sddm-theme2-sparky which works with KF6 on testing trixie now (it is based on Breeze)

  • Open Hardware/Modding

    • CNX Software ☛ OBJEX Link S3LW ultra-low-power ESP32-S3 LoRaWAN board takes up to 100W power input

    • CNX Software ☛ ESP32-P4 development board features 3.4-inch or 4-inch round IPS touchscreen display

      Waveshare ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-3.4C and ESP32-P4-WIFI6-Touch-LCD-4C ESP32-P4-based development boards feature a 3.4-inch and a 4-inch round IPS display, respectively, a 10-point capacitive touchscreen, and a wide 170° viewing angle. They also integrate two microphones with echo cancellation for voice Hey Hi (AI) applications and offer Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 (LE) connectivity via an ESP32-C6 module. Designed for AIoT and HMI projects, the boards also include USB ports, a camera connector, a speaker connector, and a microSD card slot.