Linux Format

Jonni Bidwell I’m currently using it in a public library, which will likely be a rare amenity if western model capitalism continues to break down. Oh, and I’ve lost count of the Raspberry Pis that keep my ageing ship afloat. Oh, and the Eee PC 700 is surely an oddity these days. Michael Reed Does it show I’m a complete nerd because I SSHed in a nightclub? While everyone else was getting drunk, dancing and taking part in courtship rituals, I used JuiceSSH on Android to log into the Linux box back home. I looked around the filesystem, then ran htop. Nate Drake As a kid, my local used a decrepit SUSE box to play karaoke tracks. One Friday, it broke down just as I was about to launch into ‘Paradise by the…

Just as Windows Mobile wasn’t Windows, and Apple’s iOS isn’t Mac OS, Android isn’t desktop Linux. That was the dream of Canonical’s Ubuntu Touch, a hybrid device that enables you to carry desktop Linux with you, but that functions equally well on a mobile device. Unfortunately, the reality of offering complex desktop software with its detailed toolkits that works on a mobile device never progressed far enough to be commercially successful. But, of course, as it was open source, that dream never quite died… Of course, you can use the terminal, SSH and VNC on Android as apps – we look at those and other mobile options – but really the dream has always been how you can take full-fat Linux on the move with you. With projects like Ubuntu…

Proposed Rust integrations into the Linux kernel spark yet another heated debate over security, maintainability and tradition. The ongoing debate concerning integration of Rust into the Linux kernel has intensified between both proponents and critics. As a more modern programming language than C++, certain major kernel developers, such as Greg Kroah-Hartman, argue that Rust can significantly improve kernel reliability by eliminating many of the corner-case errors prevalent in C, such as memory overwrites and use-after-free mistakes. In theory, this would enhance Linux’s security and overall reliability. Detractors, such as Christoph Hellwig, have spoken out strongly against Rust code or other secondary programming languages in the Linux kernel. Their reasons for this include concerns about long-term maintainability. The debate intensified after Hellwig claimed that Linus Torvalds had told him privately that…

Mozilla’s recent updates to the Firefox browser’s Terms of Use have ignited a firestorm of controversy over how the software will handle user data moving forward. The revised terms contain a new clause that requires users to grant Mozilla a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide licence to use any information they enter into the browser. Because this presumably could include sensitive data such as browsing history and passwords, Firefox users took to platforms like the Mozilla Connect Community to express concerns, such as that their browsing data could be used to train AI models. The company updated its original blog post regarding the new Terms of Use to clarify the confusion surrounding the revisions. Mozilla claimed that these were necessary for basic browser functionality and that the company does not claim ownership…

Former Amazon vice president Ethan Evans has admitted that “Goliath lost” in the company’s attempts to disrupt the gaming platform Steam. In a LinkedIn post, Evans catalogued Amazon’s failures over 15 years, such as the tech giant’s failed attempt to scale up Reflexive Entertainment After Amazon’s acquisition of Twitch, Evans noted that the company also created its own PC games store under the mistaken assumption that users already connected to Twitch would then buy their games from Amazon directly. He also touched on the Luna game streaming service, which like Google’s Stadia, failed to gain any significant market share relative to Steam. He stated that the key difference was failing to understand how players made use of Steam, given that it provided extra features, such as a virtual trophy cabinet…

“Digital infrastructure underpins almost every aspect of governance, communication and commerce, so ensuring digital sovereignty has become a key priority for nations and organisations. An often overlooked but key aspect of this is the adoption of open and standardised document formats. Document standards such as the Open Document Format (ODF) play a key role in maintaining user control over data, ensuring interoperability and reducing reliance on proprietary systems. Open standards ensure that documents remain accessible and editable across software versions and applications. This promotes transparency and interoperability, facilitates collaboration, and enables archiving without fear of obsolescence. Proprietary formats may contain undisclosed vulnerabilities that could be exploited for cyber-attacks or unauthorised access to data. Open standards have been vetted by the global technology community, making them more resistant to security threats.…