GNU/Linux Leftovers

posted by Roy Schestowitz on Aug 16, 2025

• Linux Made Simple ☛ 2025-08-10 [Older] Linux Weekly Roundup #337

• XDA ☛ This new Proxmox 9 feature flew under the radar, but it's one of my favorites

  Proxmox 9 is finally here in all its glory, and there are plenty of cool features added to the latest version of the virtualization platform. The biggest of these changes is the migration to the Debian 13 base, which brings extra security features and newer packages. For data hoarders who adore ZFS as much as I do, the updated version of the all-powerful file system adds the ability to add new drives to existing Zpools.

  However, between the SDN stack and HA updates, there are a couple of neat improvements that go unnoticed. The redesigned mobile interface is one such feature that seems to have flown under the radar for the home lab community. But for me, it’s easily one of (if not the) best features of Proxmox 9.

• HowTo Geek ☛ I Use Docker for Almost Everything, and I'm Not Even a Developer

  Do you think Docker is only for developers? I’ve heard that saying, but it couldn’t be more wrong. I’m not a developer, and I use Docker to run dozens of services and apps in my homelab.

  What Is Docker Anyway?

  Docker is a containerization platform that allows you to run services, programs, and mini operating systems on your computer or server. It can also be used to run various development environments, tools, and other things needed for building applications.

  One of the main reasons to use Docker is to run various services segregated from both each other and your host operating system. This allows you to have greater privacy and protection for your system. If one container gets compromised, it only has access to itself and whatever else you grant it access to.

• HowTo Geek ☛ More Linux Distributions Support RISC-V Now—So What Is It?

  Closed systems stagnate innovation—Linux users know this. Licenses, royalties, and fees keep the well-funded in control. RISC-V throws that out the window because it's free to adopt, adapt, and innovate. It feels like the beginning of something big.

  A Free (as in Freedom) ISA

  RISC-V (pronounced "risk five") is an instruction set architecture (ISA) that builds on a series of ISAs developed in the 1980s known as Berkeley RISC. During that time, the Berkeley team created four generations of RISC architectures, and in 2010, they started the development of RISC-V.

  But what is it? Is it a CPU or something else? It's something else. An ISA is the blueprint for a CPU architecture, and it's not physical but instead a specification. The RISC-V ISA is an open standard, and its specification is available under a CC BY 4.0 license. Under that license, anyone can use and modify the specification for any purpose, including commercial, and they only need to give a nod to the copyright holders: RISC-V International.

• XDA ☛ I tried this ChromeOS Flex rival, and it's so much better

  Last week, I wrote about how ChromeOS Flex didn't convince me as a great replacement for Windows 10 if you're trying to revive an old laptop, and how I preferred Zorin OS instead. However, since then, an interesting new alternative was brought to my attention: FydeOS.

• XDA ☛ Sudo is hopefully just a start; I want these 5 Linux commands to come to Windows next [Ed: Windows does not have sudo, it just stole the name]

  If you’ve used the Linux terminal, you’re probably familiar with sudo. For those who aren’t, it’s a godsend command that, when placed before another command, lets you run it with administrator permissions. This, in turn, allows you to perform system tasks that are blocked off from regular users, such as installing or removing software, or updating it directly from the terminal.

  On Windows, doing the same requires right-clicking the application in the Start menu and selecting “Run as administrator,” which isn’t exactly elegant. Thankfully, someone at Microsoft realized the pain and decided to bring sudo to Windows. Now, I’m hopeful the Redmond-based company will continue adding useful features. In fact, I would love for Microsoft to add these five essential commands next.

• XDA ☛ 5 reasons immutable operating systems are the future [Ed: This is a terrible proposition favouring lockdown like it is a feature]

  I’ve spent years experimenting with countless Linux distributions, breaking my system more times than I can count. While that trial-and-error process is part of the fun for me, I’ve learned from helping friends and family that what excites me is exactly what drives them away; most people don’t want to fix their computers, they just want them to work.

  That’s where immutable operating systems come in. In simple terms, an immutable OS has a read-only core. The main system files can’t be changed easily, so you can’t accidentally break something critical. Updates are applied in full snapshots, and if something goes wrong, you can roll back to a previous working state. Your files and settings are stored separately, so they remain untouched during updates or repairs.

• XDA ☛ How Linux's unforgiving nature can actually make you a better user

  Linux has a reputation for being difficult to use, especially among those who have only worked with operating systems like Windows or macOS. The truth is, Linux itself is not inherently problematic. In many cases, the core functions are just as simple as those of any other platform. What makes Linux feel challenging is its intolerance for mistakes or misunderstandings. It will often do exactly what you tell it to do, even if that means breaking something in the process. That expectation is part of its philosophy, and while it can be intimidating at first, it also builds skills that last far beyond your first installation.

• Kernel Space

  • Sebastian Wick: Display Next Hackfest 2025

    A few weeks ago, a bunch of display driver and compositor developers met once again for the third iteration of the Display Next Hackfest. The tradition was started by Red Hat, followed by Igalia (thanks Melissa), and now AMD (thanks Harry). We met in the AMD offices in Markham, Ontario, Canada; and online, to discuss issues, present things we worked on, figure out future steps on a bunch of topics related to displays, GPUs, and compositors.

• Distributions and Operating Systems

  • Reviews

    • HowTo Geek ☛ Here's How I Test Linux Distros on an Apple Silicon Mac

      I used to daily drive Linux when I first ditched Windows, before I got my first Mac. I turned to using lightweight Linux distros on old MacBooks in the pre-Apple silicon era, but these days, most of my Linux dabbling takes place via virtualization.

      Thankfully, you don’t have to give up your Linux habit altogether just because you bought a Mac.

  • SUSE/OpenSUSE

    • HowTo Geek ☛ I Installed openSUSE Linux, Here's What Surprised Me

      Are you considering a jump to openSUSE as your operating system? A couple of weeks ago, I made the jump. I overwrote my Garuda Linux installation on my desktop computer with openSUSE Tumbleweed.

      It's also a rare Linux distro to offer both an edition with a rolling release cycle and a more traditional point release cycle, called "Tumbleweed" and "Leap" respectively. Because I tend to want to be on the bleeding edge of software, I went with Tumbleweed.

      X11 by Default

  • Fedora Family / IBM

    • Red Hat ☛ Antrea-by-Broadcom Operator is now certified for OpenShift 4.19

      The Antrea-by-Broadcom Operator is now Red Hat certified for OpenShift 4.19. This Operator simplifies and accelerates Kubernetes networking, providing a powerful and flexible Container Network Interface (CNI) built for scale and multiplatform interoperability. This certification is a significant milestone for developers and administrators looking to streamline their networking stack on Red Hat OpenShift.

    • Red Hat ☛ Disconnected OpenShift Virtualization made easy

      For virtualization administrators new to Red Hat OpenShift Virtualization, installation and setup can seem intimidating at first. To lower the barrier to entry, Red Bait is excited to introduce an improved, intuitive UI-driven installation experience for OpenShift Virtualization in Developer Preview with Red Hat OpenShift 4.19. This approach simplifies the entire installation workflow, making it easier to navigate isolated environments and accelerate your time-to-value with OpenShift Virtualization.