GNU/Linux and Hardware Projects

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Jul 19, 2025

• Graphics Stack

  • Xlibre and Wayback: Two Linux Projects Clash Over X.org’s Legacy

    The Linux ecosystem is once again in the spotlight, with a fork of the good old X.org taking center stage. The new project, called Xlibre, was launched by German developer Enrico Weigelt, who was already involved in the X server controversy. According to him, Red Hat is deliberately delaying X.org development in favor of Wayland, which, Weigelt claims, led to Xlibre being excluded from the Fedora distribution. However, it’s not this that’s surprising, but the fact that someone seriously suggested including it in Fedora.

    In response, one of the core developers of Alpine Linux decided to accelerate the release of an alternative solution called Wayback. This server uses the composite approach of Wayland, but also allows traditional X11 desktops to run via XWayland without having to resort to a full-fledged X server. Developer Ariadna Conneal wrote a blog post about how Wayback works with Window Maker, a NeXT-style window manager, and explained that the project was born in response to the politicized nature of Xlibre.

• Applications

  • HowTo Geek ☛ I Tried Homebrew on Linux. Here's How It Went

    As a long-time Linux user, I've tried many different package managers. When I heard about Homebrew, I was curious to get my hands on it. Not having a macOS device, I had to resist that urge. Until I learned that Homebrew supports Linux, too.

    For those unfamiliar, Homebrew is a popular package manager written in the Ruby programming language that makes installing software from the command line incredibly easy. On macOS, it’s a go-to tool for casual users and developers who want to quickly grab everything from programming languages to open-source utilities without digging through installer files or App Store clutter.

• Distributions and Operating Systems

  • Barry Kauler ☛ Desktop update icon now updates devx sfs

    The desktop "update" icon will download the latest EasyOS and update to the latest 'vmlinuz', 'initrd' and 'easy.sfs' file. It will download a .delta difference-file, which is a small download, instead of having to download the entire .img drive-image file ...which is now over 1GB.

    What has been left out of the picture is the devx .sfs file. If you have, for example, run the new "devx" container, it will have downloade the devx_<version>_amd64.sfs file, and loaded that as a layer in the devx container. That is about 500MB download, also rather big.

    So, now the devx sfs is included in the update mechanism, and there are .delta files online.

    The main update script is /ust/local/easy_version/easy-update, and there is now also 'easy-update-devx', that the former calls. It will only do so if detects that you already have a downloaded devx sfs, otherwise won't bother you, as many users are not interested in a devx sfs.   
    

  • Fedora Family / IBM

    • ADTmag ☛ Red Hat Launches No-Cost Enterprise Linux Offering for Business Developers

      Red Hat has introduced a new version of its flagship Linux operating system aimed at business developers, offering free access for enterprise development and testing purposes. According to the company, the move is designed to streamline software development and reduce infrastructure friction in hybrid cloud environments.

      The new offering, Red Hat Enterprise Linux for Business Developers, is available through the company's developer program. It allows registered users to self-serve up to 25 instances of Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) at no cost, targeting business development teams that want to build and test applications on the same platform used in production.

  • Open Hardware/Modding

    • CNX Software ☛ CamThink NeoEyes NE101 – A low-power, modular ESP32-S3 Vision Hey Hi (AI) Camera with optional 4G LTE and WiFi HaLow connectivity

      CamThink NeoEyes NE101 is a battery-powered, low-power Vision Hey Hi (AI) Camera powered by an ESP32-S3 wireless module, featuring event-triggered image capture, and suitable for real-time vision control. By default, the camera supports WiFi 4 and Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, and ships with a 5MP OV5640 camera module with an LED flash. However, the ESP32-S3 camera has a modular design, and it is offered with 4G LTE Cat 1 or WiFi HaLow connectivity, supports replaceable lenses, optional housing, and custom mounting options.

    • Hackaday ☛ 2025 One Hertz Challenge: Building A Better Jumping Bean

      Do you feel nostalgia for a childhood novelty toy that had potential but ultimately fell short of its promise? Do you now have the skills to go make a better version of that toy to satisfy your long-held craving? [ExpensivePlasticCrap] does and has set off on a mission to make a better jumping bean.