● 05.09.23

Gemini version available ♊︎

● Links 09/05/2023: Alpine Linux 3.18 and Freespire 9.5

Posted in News Roundup at 8:40 pm by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Server

• The use of containers in production is a game-changing technology that promises unparalleled agility. In fact, containers evolved into a crucial tool for IT professionals seeking to modernize their SQL Server environments.

• Declarative configuration management with the kubectl apply command is the gold standard approach to creating or modifying Kubernetes resources. However, one challenge it presents is the deletion of resources that are no longer needed. In Kubernetes version 1.5, the --prune flag was introduced to address this issue, allowing kubectl apply to automatically clean up previously applied resources removed from the current configuration.

• Unfortunately, that existing implementation of --prune has design flaws that diminish its performance and can result in unexpected behaviors. The main issue stems from the lack of explicit encoding of the previously applied set by the preceding apply operation, necessitating error-prone dynamic discovery. Object leakage, inadvertent over-selection of resources, and limited compatibility with custom resources are a few notable drawbacks of this implementation. Moreover, its coupling to client-side apply hinders user upgrades to the superior server-side apply mechanism.

Audiocasts/Shows

• This week’s episode of Destination Linux, we will be interviewing Mark Shuttleworth, the CEO of Canonical and the company behind the development of the Ubuntu operating system!

• We come up with tips for new users, and realise how complicated a lot of the things we do with Linux are. Plus emulating a Wii U, a cheeky hack for virtualising Linux on M1 Macs, more on DNS and Yubikeys, and more.

Applications

• Zinc is a relatively new Ubuntu-based distro that aims to provide a more functional desktop with a better out-of-the-box experience without fiddling much.

• Even though there are many Ubuntu-based distros out there, every user is different with their own set of preferences.

• Maybe you will like this one better than vanilla Ubuntu itself; who knows?

• Anyway, let’s take a look at what Zinc has to offer.

Instructionals/Technical

• Introduction Docker has become an essential tool for developers, enabling them to create, deploy, and manage applications within containers. These containers are lightweight, portable, and consistent, making it easier to streamline development workflows. However, there will be times when you need to stop a running Docker container, either for maintenance, updates, or to troubleshoot issues.

• Introduction Docker containers are an integral part of modern software development, offering a flexible and efficient way to deploy, scale, and manage applications. However, as you work with Docker, you may find yourself with a growing list of unnecessary or unused containers that consume valuable resources.

• Introduction Docker has become an essential tool for developers, streamlining the process of building, packaging, and deploying applications as lightweight, portable containers. Restart policies play a crucial role in managing the lifecycle of Docker containers, dictating how containers respond to failures, crashes, or system reboots.

• Introduction Docker has revolutionized the way we deploy and manage applications by offering the benefits of containerization. One of the key aspects of container management is ensuring that containers recover automatically when they fail or are stopped.

• The execution environment builder (aka Ansible Builder) is a part of Red Hat Ansible Automation Platform. It is a command-line interface (CLI) tool for building and creating custom execution environments. The Ansible Builder project enables users to automate and accelerate the process of creating execution environments. This article will show you how to install and use the execution environment builder CLI tool.

• The execution environment builder makes it easier for Ansible Automation Platform content creators and administrators to build custom execution environments. They can use dependency information from various Ansible Content Collections and directly from the user.

• Introduction Containerization has revolutionized the way we develop, deploy, and manage applications. Docker, one of the most popular containerization platforms, has provided countless benefits to developers and operations teams alike. However, even in the world of containerization, some challenges still linger, one of which is the infamous zombie process.

• Introduction Docker containers have become an indispensable tool in modern software development, thanks to their ability to provide a consistent environment across different platforms. To make the most of this powerful technology, it is essential to keep your containers organized and easily accessible.

• Introduction Docker containers have become an indispensable tool in the software development world, allowing developers to create, deploy, and run applications with ease. One critical aspect of managing and maintaining Docker containers is understanding the metadata associated with them.

• Introduction Docker has become a widely adopted containerization platform that allows developers to build, package, and distribute their applications in a portable and efficient manner.

• Introduction Docker has revolutionized the way developers and system administrators build, package, and deploy software applications. It provides an isolated environment called a container, which allows applications to run consistently across various platforms.

• Introduction Docker containers have become an indispensable part of the modern application development and deployment process. They provide a lightweight, efficient, and consistent environment that enables developers to build and deploy applications faster and more reliably.

• If you need to share files and folders with other users on your network from your Linux desktop, follow these steps to walk you through the process.

• There are many questions about SELinux in Rocky Linux 9, but today we will talk a little about this tool and clarify some basic points to move forward with it. Security-Enhanced Linux (SELinux) is a security architecture for Linux systems that gives administrators more control over who can access the system.

• Linux offers a vast array of photo management software options to help you keep your digital memories organized, edited, and easily accessible. Whether you’re a professional photographer or a casual user looking to manage your growing photo collection, there’s a suitable solution for you.

• In this article, we’ll delve into the benefits of Pop!_OS for education and showcase various use cases, including programming, research, multimedia, and collaboration. By understanding the potential of Pop!_OS in educational settings, you’ll be better equipped to harness its power to enhance the learning experience for all.

• PyCharm is a popular integrated development environment (IDE) for Python, offering a wide range of features and tools to simplify coding, debugging, and testing. In this guide, we’ll show you how to install and use PyCharm on Ubuntu, covering everything from downloading and setting up the IDE to configuring it for optimal performance.

• Eclipse IDE (Integrated Development Environment) doesn’t need any introduction to those who are in programming.

• Looking for an alternative on-screen keyboard for Ubuntu, Fedora or other Linux with GNOME? Try GJS OSK. As you know, the built-in on-screen keyboard (OSK in short) only appears when trying to search something in overview screen, and typing in a few core applications.

Distributions and Operating Systems

New Releases

• Let me start with a short introduction. Freespire’s roots lead back to Lindows, an easy-to-use Linux-based operating system with Wine integration and easy application support. However, the distro was renamed Linspire after a Microsoft lawsuit.

• Then, Freespire derived from Linspire as a desktop-oriented Linux distribution, composed mostly of free and open-source software. Nowadays, the project is sponsored by Linspire, a commercial Linux distro owned by PC OpenSystems LLC.

• The just released Freespire 9.5 again comes with many changes, so let’s see what’s new.

• If you’ve been using Windows for a while, you’ll be very comfortable with how Microsoft’s operating system looks and works. Although Windows 11 sports a centered taskbar, that OS isn’t hugely different to its predecessor, Windows 10.

• Familiarity with Windows makes it very difficult for users to switch to a non-Microsoft operating system, but Freespire’s latest update aims to make users of Windows 10 or Windows 11 feel more at home using Linux.

• Arriving five and a half months after Alpine Linux 3.17, the Alpine Linux 3.18 release is powered by the long-term supported Linux 6.1 LTS kernel series, which comes with signed kernel modules.

• Alpine Linux 3.18 is also powered by the musl libc 1.2.4 C standard library, which comes with a TCP fallback in the DNS resolver. Also included in this release are Python 3.11, Ruby 3.2, Node.js 20.1, Go 1.20, and Rust 1.69.

SUSE/OpenSUSE

• Is it that time of the year again? Sapphire is right around the corner. The theme this year is how to be more future-proof. In a crazy financial year where there is a new “black swan” event every time you turn on the news, that is definitely an apt theme.

Fedora Family / IBM

• libei is the library for Emulated Input – see this post for an introduction. Like many projects, libei was started when it was still unclear if it could be the right solution to the problem. In the years (!) since, we’ve upgraded the answer to that question from “hopefully” to “yeah, I reckon” – doubly so since we added support for receiver contexts and got InputLeap working through the various portal changes.

• A quick reminder that support for Fedora 36 ends on May 16, 2023. At the time of writing (May 7) that’s just over a week away.

Devices/Embedded

• FriendlyELEC NanoPC-T6 is a feature-rich Rockchip RK3588 SBC with up to 16GB LPDDR4X RAM, 256GB eMMC flash, two HDMI 2.1 output ports, one HDMI 1.4 input port, dual GbE, two M.2 PCIe socket for storage or wireless, a mini PCIe socket and microSIM slot for 4G LTE connectivity, and more. The new NanoPC-T6 single board computer offered many more interfaces than the recent NanoPi R6S or R6C board based on the Rockchip RK3588S with fewer I/Os.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

Events

• After some hiccups with Indico we’ve finally set up a page that lists submitted microconference proposals. Along with seasoned veterans like Containers and Checkpoint/Restore and RISC-V we are glad to see Live Patching microconference returning after a long break and a brand new Linux Kernel Debugging microconference.

Web Browsers/Web Servers

Chromium

• Compiled Chromium in OpenEmbedded, bumping from 111.0.5563.64. Did an rsync with the EasyOS package repository, uploaded these:

• I posted recently about the need to recompile ‘p11-kit’ (fix for flatpaks): [...]

Leftovers

Hardware

• According to the South China Morning Post, the Chinese government poured some $1.75 billion into national semiconductor companies throughout 2022. The truth is that China’s investment in the field is much, much larger.

Proprietary

• A computer historian tells the story of one of the earliest copy protection battles of the personal computer era.

Security

• Western Digital has confirmed that a ransomware group has stolen customer and other information from its systems.

• A $1.1 million payment was made to resolve a ransomware attack on San Bernardino county’s law enforcement computer network.

• NextGen Healthcare is informing roughly 1 million individuals that their personal information was compromised in a data breach.

• Twitter is informing users that tweets posted to their Circle may have been seen by individuals outside the Circle.

• An XSS vulnerability in the Advanced Custom Fields WordPress plugin exposes more than 2 million sites to attacks.

• The Alphv/BlackCat ransomware group claims to have stolen more than 1TB of data from Constellation Software.

Defence/Aggression

• Thousands have marched in silence in Serbia in a major outpouring of discontent triggered by two mass shootings last week that left 17 people dead and 21 wounded. The shootings on Wednesday in Belgrade at a school and a day later in a rural area south of the capital left the nation stunned. The shootings triggered calls to encourage tolerance and rid society of widespread hate speech and a gun culture stemming from the 1990s wars. Monday’s marches were called by opposition parties which demanded the resignations of some government ministers and changes in mainstream media that often host convicted war criminals and crime figures on their airwaves.

• Tens of thousands of Serbians protested on Monday, demanding better security, a ban on violent TV content and the resignation of key ministers, days after two mass shootings killed 17 people.

• The NATO bombing of Yugoslavia started on March 24, 1999. Over the course of 78 days, 2,500 people were killed and thousands of people more were wounded.

• “The return of Syria to the Arab League doesn’t mean resolving the Syrian crisis, but it should facilitate and accelerate the mechanisms of the solution,” Political scientist Al-Omari said.

• The United Nations chief is expressing hope that Syria’s return to the Arab League and intensified regional engagement can help “unlock progress” toward ending the 13-year civil war in the country

• After a decade of isolating Syria and Venezuela, regional leaders hope engagement can bring change.

• After a 12-year suspension due to President Bashar al-Assad’s responsibility in the Syrian civil war, Syria has been readmitted to the Arab League. Some countries in the region remain skeptical about readmitting Damascus without solving ongoing conflicts.

• Fighting could be heard in south Khartoum on Sunday as envoys from Sudan’s warring parties met in Saudi Arabia for talks that international mediators hope will bring an end to a three-week-old conflict that has killed hundreds and triggered an exodus.

• The legal victory against Telemundo by the alleged drug trafficker known as Queen of the Pacific could lead to an even bigger payout.

• Despite a shaky truce declared in Sudan until May 11, the violence has continued, endangering civilians who were already facing shortages of medical care, basic necessities, water, and electricity. In response, citizen solidarity movements are emerging both on the ground and on social networks in an attempt to assist the countless people displaced by the conflict.

• Sudan’s Doctors Syndicate says at least 100 people were killed in clashes that erupted last month between armed fighters in a city in Sudan’s restive region of Darfur. All hospitals were still out of service in the Darfur city of Genena and an accurate count of the wounded was still hard to make, the doctors’ union added in a statement posted on their official Facebook page late Sunday. The fighting in Genena, which broke out a few days after Sudan’s two rival generals took arms against each other in the capital of Khartoum, pointed to the possibility that the conflict could engulf other parts of the East African country.

• As the US, Taiwan and Australia struggle to assemble forces to face the challenge of a rapidly arming China, Japan is planning to discard good equipment that could be kept in service.

• The billionaire founder of Foxconn vowed Sunday at a rally that if elected president of Taiwan, he would be able to “preserve peace” between the democratic self-ruled island and China.

• Neither declaration attempts to settle control over Taiwan.

Environment

• With a devastating climate crisis causing floods, famine, disease and the obliteration of species at an alarming rate, increasing numbers of young people are condemning the French state’s inaction. Students at France’s top universities (Sciences Po, HEC and École Polytechnique) condemn a curriculum that does not make environmental studies obligatory. Students and graduates have decided to take affirmative action, and FRANCE 24 went to meet them.

• Only 6 countries have made climate-tackling laws, according to a new report.

• According to authorities, direct economic losses are put at about 670 million yuan (about 96.9 million dollars).

• May 09, 2023 11:58 AM

• Rainfalls are forecast in most parts of southern China.

Energy/Transportation

• The CEO of a Californian electrolyser start-up has called for a new approach towards the hydrogen industry’s supply chains to better support long-term energy transition.

• Finland spent about 19 billion euros on imported energy products last year.

• The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has begun a special inspection at the Urenco USA uranium enrichment facility in southeastern New Mexico

• About 80 percent of new cars sold in Norway are battery-powered. As a result, the air is cleaner, the streets are quieter and the grid hasn’t collapsed. But problems with unreliable chargers persist.

• The first railcars for the Maya Train project will be delivered on July 8, according to the government, as opposition to the project mounts.

• The world’s biggest cryptocurrency exchange has gotten a little too burdened.

Wildlife/Nature

• Cooler weather across Alberta on Monday helped firefighters battling widespread wildfires in Canada’s main oil-producing province, but the government said it could be months before all the blazes are brought under control.

• Canada struggled on Monday to control wildfires that have forced thousands to flee, halted oil production and threaten to raze towns, with the western province of Alberta calling for federal help.

• In the last few hours, the Alberta area in Canada has suffered more than 100 forest fires.

• Light rain and cooler temperatures brought much-needed relief over the weekend to Alberta, where nearly 30,000 residents have been forced to evacuate.

• The Food and Veterinary Service (PVD) has received information from ornithologists regarding at least 200 dead seagulls on an island in the Daugava, city of Krāslava. On Monday, May 8, PVD inspectors sent 15 samples of dead birds for laboratory tests for avian influenza, the PVD said.

Finance

• An index of Asian stocks eased back from more than two-week highs on Tuesday as traders squared positions heading into a key US inflation report, although mainland Chinese shares and Japanese equities bucked the trend.

• Plus: Kansas voting restrictions struck down, the legacy of the “vast wasteland” speech, and more…

• High inflation, high levels of debt, and uncertain financial stability – Washington, London, Brussels, Frankfurt and beyond have much to learn from Tokyo’s experience.

• Go First’s declaration of bankruptcy has triggered chaos in India’s aviation sector.

• Prime Minister Krišjānis Kariņš (New Unity) will encourage the government to discuss the listing of state capital companies on the stock exchange, although there is no consensus on the matter, LSM reported after the coalition meeting on Monday, May 8.

• Inflation may have lost some of its sting but it’s still high enough to have the Albanese government walking a thin budget line. After hitting a likely peak of 7.8 per cent in the December quarter, inflation as measured by the consumer price index is now on its way down.

• Strong job growth and falling inflation may still pay off in 2024.

• The Australian government has forecast the nation’s first balanced annual budget in 15 years but warns that economic pressures such as inflation will push the country into deeper debt in future years

• The Inflation Reduction Act will spur the takeover of our infrastructure by private entities, particularly large global asset managers, with likely negative consequences.

• Meat prices are losing their sizzle even as commodity and labor costs are rising in a double whammy for meat packers.

• Why it matters: Meat price hikes were eye-popping earlier in the pandemic, casting a spotlight on food processors that capitalized on the sudden surge.

• The White House is preparing for Tuesday’s debt ceiling showdown with House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) by fortifying its red lines, isolating vulnerable Republicans and staffing up for a war of attrition.

• Nearly half of US banks are tightening their lending standards, according to a new quarterly survey from the US Federal Reserve Bank.

• THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK (ECB) and national central banks in the eurozone have laid out plans to create a digital euro in order to provide an alternative to card payments as the use of cash continues to decline – particularly rapidly in countries such as Finland.

• California’s bank regulator was too slow to see the growing risks at Silicon Valley Bank and did not act forcefully enough to get the bank to fix its problems

• I will assume you know about the digital gold tokens that the RBZ is issuing. If you have been living under a rock, get yourself acquainted with the details here: The RBZ’s digital gold coins are a good idea but may be undone by just one word – trust.

• US Treasury secretary Janet Yellen has warned that a failure by Congress to raise the debt ceiling in the coming weeks could lead to a “constitutional crisis.” According to Yellen, who made the comments during a May 7 appearance on ABC News’s This Week, the US could run out of cash as early as June 1.

• Data published on May 8 by the Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia show that, compared to March 2022, in March 2023 industrial production output reduced by 6.3 % (according to calendar-adjusted data at constant prices).

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

• In the southern Turkish town of Pazarcik, the epicentre of the devastating February 6 earthquakes, people are focused on just trying to survive. Tens of thousands of residents left the town after the disaster and for the ones left behind without adequate shelter or facilities, holding a presidential election on May 14 seems incongruous.

• The disaster highlighted the corruption and authoritarianism of President Erdoğan. Can he finally be defeated?

• The New York judge in the hush-money criminal case against Donald Trump issued a protective order Monday that limits what evidence the former president can share publicly.

• By Michel Comte Ottawa announced Monday the expulsion of a Chinese diplomat accused of having sought to intimidate a Canadian lawmaker critical of Beijing, plunging the two nations into a new diplomatic row.

• Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is expelling a Chinese diplomat whom Canada’s spy agency alleged was involved in a plot to intimidate an opposition lawmaker and his relatives in Hong Kong

• The diplomat, Zhao Wei, who was declared “persona non grata,” had been accused of gathering information on a Canadian lawmaker critical of Beijing’s treatment of Uyghur Muslims.

• The number of people who cast their votes has already surpassed the previous election.

• When we think about our digital footprints, we often think about liability: What if the things we post online, our candid photos and stray thoughts, prevent us from getting a job or promotion, a college acceptance, or a scholarship?

• Every year, The Good Lobby Summer Academy gathers a select group of leading thinkers, practitioners, and academics working on new forms and politics of influence, mobilisation and lobbying coming from all over the world.

Censorship/Free Speech

• After her detention at the airport, the journalist was released on the condition of giving a statement to the prosecutor’s office or court during the week

• A Hong Kong court has granted anonymity to a witness who will testify for the prosecution in a landmark trial relating to 47 pro-democracy figures under the Beijing-enacted national security law.

• The Hong Kong government requested that Google remove 183 items between July and December 2022 – mostly from YouTube – with the US tech giant denying almost half of the requests, according to its latest Transparency Report.

Civil Rights/Policing

• Workers at a Goodyear tire plant in Mexico have voted to throw out an old-guard union that was accused of stealing a ballot box at a failed union election last month

• Our favorite YouTuber, Anete Germane is back with another video.

• Fast-fashion giant Shein is the latest company to face increased scrutiny from Washington, after a sprawling report by a Congressional committee investigating China detailed allegations of copyright infringement and unfair labor practices.

• A New Mexico task force charged with addressing missing person cases involving Native Americans is teaming up with researchers in Nebraska on a data collection project

• The new surge at the U.S.-Mexico border highlights a broader reality about immigration policy.

• The investigation of Capvision Partners comes amid increasing scrutiny by Beijing over national security that has sent a chill through the foreign business community.

Monopolies

Patents

• On May 5, 2023, the Central Reexamination Unit (CRU) entered a final rejection of claim 1 of U.S. Patent 8,229,409, owned by Silent Communication, LLC, an NPE and DynaIP entity.

• Unified is pleased to announce PATROLL crowdsourcing contest winners, Ekta Aswal and Dinesh Swamy, who split a cash award of $2,000 for their prior art submissions on U.S. Patent 6,845,448, owned by Web 2.0 Technologies, LLC.

• ‘The patent community lives today after many dark years in the sunrise period in which owners of patents have to decide if after June 1st, they want to be on the sunny beaches of the UPC or prefer to live another 7 or 14 years in the dark forests of national patent litigation.’

• United Cannabis Corp (UCANN) vs. Pure Hemp Collective, — F.4th — (Fed. Cir. 2023)

• The UCANN vs. Pure Hemp patent case has come to a close with the Federal Circuit affirming the district court’s decision to deny attorney fees to Pure Hemp. The original infringement lawsuit was filed in 2018, with UCANN suing Pure Hemp for infringing US Patent No. 9,730,911, covering various high concentration cannabis and CBD extract formulations. During the litigation, UCANN filed for bankruptcy, causing the case to be stayed, and eventually, the parties stipulated to a dismissal of the infringement claims with prejudice. However, the stipulated dismissal did not include any discussion of attorney fees — leading to the current appeal.

Copyrights

• After his victory in the “Thinking Out Loud” copyright infringement lawsuit, Ed Sheeran is speaking out about his experience. Sheeran spoke about the experience on the CBS Sunday Morning show, speaking candidly with Seth Doane about the case.

• For the second consecutive year, the government is using the Budget Implementation Act to quietly pass concerning legislation with minimal oversight or public attention. Last year, the BIA was used to extend the term of copyright in order to comply with the USMCA. This year, it is privacy that is at issue, with provisions related to political parties.

• Today, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals announced its opinion in Apple, Inc. v. Corellium, LLC, finding that copying functional software like iOS is a fair use.

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