Linux

Just got back from a long but enjoyable day as I've convinced yet another to escape Windows and join Linux

Hopefully they should feel more comfortable with building their own computer and using Linux in general as I went through the entire process with them; from having them insert their new CPU all the way to boot switching between Linux and Windows 10 via ~~BIOS~~ UEFI

They've got a few proprietary requirements remaining (hence the dual boot) but 95% of their apps are now on PopOS (they're planning to switch to Arch in about 3-4 months after some certain conditions are met)

Just wanted to share this as I've missed posting on the fedicomms and also wanted to provide an update for afking🤗

Anyways here's another to Windows's death ~~knell~~ null!🎉

https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/CVE-2024-47176, archive

As of 10/1/24 3:52 UTC time, Trixie/Debian testing does not have a fix for the severe cupsd security vulnerability that was recently announced, despite Debian Stable and Unstable having a fix.

Debian Testing is intended for testing, and not really for production usage.

https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/cups-filters, archive

So the way Debian Unstable/Testing works is that packages go into unstable/ for a bit, and then are migrated into testing/trixie.

Issues preventing migration: ∙ ∙ Too young, only 3 of 5 days old

Basically, security vulnerabilities are not really a priority in testing, and everything waits for a bit before it updates.

I recently saw some people recommending Trixie for a "debian but not as unstable as sid and newer packages than stable", which is a pretty bad idea. Trixie/testing is not really intended for production use.

If you want newer, but still stable packages from the same repositories, then I recommend (not an exhaustive list, of course).:

• Opensuse Leap (Tumbleweed works too but secure boot was borked when I used it)
• Fedora

If you are willing to mix and match sources for packages:

• Flatpaks
• distrobox — run other distros in docker/podman containers and use apps through those
• Nix

Can get you newer packages on a more stable distros safely.

i've recently acquired a 4060 ti for €300 from a seller that i've been told was reliable. after installing the gpu and updating the drivers to the latest recommended ones i've noticed odd lag spikes lasting several seconds when using blender, these did not happen when i used my previous gtx 1060 ti.
How can i go about diagnosing if it's a gpu or driver issue? any benchmarks or tools i should use?

i'm on linux mint 21.3 cinnamon.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/23601247

I hope this goes without saying but please do not run this on machines you don't own.

The good news:

• the exploit seems to require user action

The bad news:

• Device Firewalls are ineffective against this

• if someone created a malicious printer on a local network like a library they could create serious issues

• it is hard to patch without breaking printing

• it is very easy to create printers that look legit

• even if you don't hit print the cups user agent can reveal lots of information. This may be blocked at the Firewall

TLDR: you should be careful hitting print

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.zip/post/23601247

I hope this goes without saying but please do not run this on machines you don't own.

The good news:

• the exploit seems to require user action

The bad news:

• Device Firewalls are ineffective against this

• if someone created a malicious printer on a local network like a library they could create serious issues

• it is hard to patch without breaking printing

• it is very easy to create printers that look legit

• even if you don't hit print the cups user agent can reveal lots of information. This may be blocked at the Firewall

TLDR: you should be careful hitting print

cross posted from: https://programming.dev/post/19937352

cross-posted from: https://ani.social/post/6217644

This is a really great article about how to use BTRFS snapshots with examples.

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ndlug.org/post/1167059

COSMIC’s Alpha 2 release builds upon that work with functionality built out for Files, additional Settings pages, considerable infrastructure work for screen reader support+, and some highly requested window management features. System76 is ecstatic at the level of excitement and collaboration so far with alpha testers and early app & applet developers, and we look forward to seeing what comes from these new additions.

...

The second COSMIC alpha will be released on September 26th. Those participating in Alpha 1 on Pop!_OS can simply update through the COSMIC App Store to transition. This alpha will be followed by monthly alpha releases until all core features have been built out.

More coverage:

• COSMIC DE Alpha 2 Released, This is What’s New

• COSMIC Alpha 2 Released with Bluetooth Settings, Much-Improved File Manager

• Cosmic Desktop Alpha 2: BIG PROGRESS for a month of work!

Install instructions for OpenSuse Tumbleweed/ MicroOs using Full Disk Encryption secured by a TPM2 chip and measured boot or a FIDO2 key.

Nice to see OpenSuse pushing forward on securing the Linux Desktop with FDE and measured boot. Hope to see other distros following.

One day, Wayland will truly take over the Linux world, but it's not quite there yet with plenty still using X11 due to various problems some of which the new Frog Protocols aim to solve.

Announced by misyl, who does various work for Valve (like Gamescope), it certainly sounds like a good idea to give Wayland Protocols a swift kick to get into gear to improve things for users. Writing on their social media post :

Wayland Protocols has long had a problem with new protocols sitting for months, to years at a time for even basic functionality.

This is hugely problematic when some protocols implement very primitive and basic functionality such as frog-fifo-v1, which is needed for VSync to not cause GPU starvation under Wayland and also fix the dreaded application freezing when windows are occluded with FIFO/VSync enabled.

We need to get protocols into end-users hands quicker! The main reason many users are still using X11 is because of missing functionality that we can be shipping today, but is blocked for one reason or another.

I have this collection of mp3s from the 90s-2000s from before the streaming services era. Back when people used Winamp or XMMS to listen to their music. I backed up my music files in two places and they're both organized differently.

I need a tool to go through the whole thousands of files, find out what each track is (artist, album, track title, track number all that meta data), rename the file accordingly and apply all the metadata, then move the file in a certain directory structure.

Are there any music organizers out there that can do this? Or do I have to implement my own script?

Would their owners even notice?

Inspired by Kaspersky deletes itself, installs UltraAV antivirus without warning

An already working reimplementation of libfprint in Rust, supposedly easier to use.

Targeted to Chromebooks currently, support wished!

It's the simple things really. I've swapped back to Linux as my primary about a year ago, and still I have issues I don't have with Windows.

6 months now, particularly on Linux Mint (Bazzite to its credit hasn't had this issue much) I just can't fit connect to the internet. Linux is the only thing with this issue. By some arcane lucky magic, it somehow fixes itself when I'm fiddling around trying to fix it myself.

Only for the problem to come back next time I boot up my PC on Mint.

I have it connected to a TP link switch, just like other devices. None have the issue, not even a console (Nintendo Switch). Months, fucking months of going through forum posts, articles, social media, and trying out dozens upon dozens of "solutions", both in gui and the terminal - and the problem persists.

Now, I don't think I'm tech savvy exactly, but I'm not tech illiterate either. I understand some simple lines of code, some very basics of networking, etc. I'm patient enough to deal with issues like these for over half a year.

But how the hell is Linux even going to dream of being anywhere near mainstream when one of the most recommended "beginner" distros can't even run a year long without something as simple as the damned internet working???

And it's not just the internet. It's little things that just pop up one day and now you have to solve a puzzle to figure it out. Oh, suddenly you have to print something? Oh, you decided to get a light up keyboard that was on sale? Try to use Steam Link? Get ready to roll the dice on whether it'll take you a weekend to do / use it.

Microsoft is shit. Windows, is shit. Windows 11 is a privacy goddamn nightmare.

But in the end of the day, it just fucking works, those damn bastards ensure that. And even when something doesn't work, it seems, for some unknown reason, most of the online solutions do fix the issue.

Now imagine someone who's less likely to open up a terminal using Linux. They won't. They'll sacrifice their privacy because they might have full time jobs in something not remotely tech related and just wanted to watch some YouTube and don't want to spend the little free time they have fixing their own computer.

What's hilarious is just as I'm finishing this rant, the internet on Mint just magically decided to work again with no issues.

Maybe next time then I'll try yelling at the Linux fairies in my PC to see if they'll do their magic. At this point it's about a valid solution as any other.

What hacks they needed, where they get MacOS binaries, how the boot works etc.

Very interesting talk.

Btw they have a regular Function touchbar ;)