● 09.10.23

Gemini version available ♊︎

● Links 10/09/2023: Mostly World News, Some GNU/Linux Catchup and HowTos

Posted in News Roundup at 12:05 am by Dr. Roy Schestowitz

GNU/Linux

Instructionals/Technical

• For many years, Valve has been focused on making Linux a great operating system for Steam, and suffice to say, it’s managed to succeed. It’s the default operating system for the Steam Deck, and it can easily run non-native games with the Proton compatibility layer. But you can also get Steam on your Linux PC. However, while Steam can easily be installed on some Linux distros, the process is more obscure on others.

• Generally speaking, the best way to install Steam is either through Valve’s own provided installation software or through a repository. There are app stores like Snap and Flathub that host Steam installations, but at the time of writing, it seems that installing Steam this way results in a lot of glitches and, sometimes, makes it completely unusable. So we’ll teach you how to install Steam the old-fashioned way. Don’t worry, you’ll only need to do this once, and you won’t have to manually install updates afterward.

• As you learn Ubuntu, you find that you need to change the ownership of a folder or even its subfolders.

• Why is this important? Whether you’re an administrator managing multi-user environments or a regular user consolidating data, changing folder ownership can serve several key purposes. For instance, altering folder ownership could be crucial for segregating resources in shared systems, executing specific scripts, or granting selective access to sensitive information. When you’re deploying applications, transferring files, or performing automated tasks via cron jobs, correct ownership is often important for seamless operation.

• Knowing how to modify folder and subfolder ownership becomes essential for anyone aiming for a higher degree of control and customization over their Ubuntu system. Let’s dive into how to accomplish that below.

• In the world of Linux, the choice of a file system can significantly impact data management, performance, and stability. With a variety of file systems available, each designed to meet specific needs, it’s crucial to understand their differences and strengths. In this article, we’ll compare nine prominent Linux file systems: Ext4, Ext3, Ext2, Btrfs, ZFS, XFS, F2FS, NILFS, and JFS, including their release years and an analysis of their pros and cons.

• Are you facing the “You don’t have permission to access on this server” error on Apache or NGINX? Here are three ways to solve it in a jiffy.

Distributions and Operating Systems

Fedora Family / IBM

• The recent news regarding Red Hat’s decision to limit access to the source code of their Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) distribution has garnered considerable attention. In order to understand the ramifications and subsequent changes, it is important to look back at CentOS, its historical alignment with RHEL and the options moving forward.

• A change in source code distribution by Red Hat started the biggest open source controversy in years. @HPCpodcast continues our coverage of this topic with Red Hat’s Mike McGrath, whose two blogs – starting with this one – in late June announced the company’s new policy regarding access to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) code.

Open Hardware/Modding

• Zotac has unveiled a new addition to its range of embedded solutions in the form of the ZBOX PRO PI339 pico embedded mini PC. This compact PC is the smallest embedded solution in the ZBOX PRO Series. The connectivity options of the ZBOX PRO PI339 pico are impressive, considering its size. It features full-sized USB 3.1 ports, Gigabit LAN, WiFi 6, and Bluetooth 5.2. These features ensure that the device can connect to a variety of networks and devices, enhancing its versatility and usability in different scenarios.

• The ZBOX PRO PI339 pico is not just a mini PC; it’s a versatile tool designed for a wide range of applications, including Internet of Things (IoT) related tasks, industrial control, digital signage, and edge computing. Despite its compact size, it boasts two HDMI outputs, making it an ideal solution for powering digital signage displays in remote or commercial areas where space is at a premium. The device operates at around 18W under load, demonstrating its energy efficiency. Moreover, it supports 4K output, ensuring high-quality visuals for any display it powers.

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

• Meizu is also known in the tech world as the first company that launched a Linux phone. In 2015, it launched the MX4 Ubuntu Edition, a smartphone running Ubuntu Touch created as part of a partnership with Ubuntu developer Canonical.

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

Programming/Development

Perl / Raku

Leftovers

Science

Hardware

• They commit to build secure ecosystem for hi-tech materials, backing U.S. drive to restructure global supply chain.

• Meanwhile, citizens are told to install anti-fraud app on their phones, sparking monitoring concerns.

• Chinese officials brought up the prospect of developed countries delivering more financing and technology.

Health/Nutrition/Agriculture

Proprietary/Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Likely Windows TCO

• The Federal Court of Canada has certified a class action lawsuit against the federal government, which alleges negligence in “safeguarding the confidential information of Canadians, leading to widespread privacy breaches.”

• The suit follows cyberattacks that targeted Canada Revenue Agency accounts and other government services back in 2020.

• The plaintiff, Todd Sweet, a retired police officer from B.C., claims that “inadequate safeguards” within several online government portals threw sensitive information in jeopardy, allowing “bad actors” to access the online accounts of Canadians without their consent.

• The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) says it’s notified job seekers that a recent security incident may have resulted in some personal information being compromised.

• A DEED spokesperson says the agency recently received information about suspicious communications from one or more persons claiming to be representatives of an approved company on the MinnesotaWorks.net website. After confirming they were not affiliated with that employer, DEED says they revoked their access.

• Some state and federal laws provide specific timeframes by which breached entities must provide notice to regulators and to those affected by a data breach. Unfortunately, loopholes abound, as we seen in statutory language such as Minnesota’s breach notification law, where for timing of notification, it says: “The disclosure must be made in the most expedient time possible and without unreasonable delay, consistent with any measures necessary to determine the scope of the breach, identify the individuals affected, and restore the reasonable integrity of the data system.”

Security

Defence/Aggression

• The study will assess various war scenarios and provide options for India in case a conflict breaks out.

• For Beijing, the recent coups in Africa carry both advantages and drawbacks.

• Manila is pivoting back to its longstanding allies amid Beijing’s growing assertiveness.

• By Martin Abbugao China’s premier said on Wednesday major powers must oppose a new Cold War, a thinly veiled reference to Washington as top Asian and US officials gathered for talks in Indonesia.

• Vice President Kamala Harris, meanwhile, pledges US commitment to the South China Sea region.

• South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said on Thursday any attempts to change the status quo by force in the South China Sea cannot be tolerated, calling for a rules-based maritime order in the region, his office said.

Russia, Belarus, and War in Ukraine

Transparency/Investigative Reporting

Environment

• China’s southern city of Shenzhen has been lashed by the heaviest rain since records began in 1952, state media reported on Friday.

• Hong Kong’s legislature has approved an injection of HK$70 million into the Disaster Relief Fund, part of which would be used to support flood victims in mainland China who were affected by typhoon Doksuri that killed at least 78 people last month.

• US climate envoy John Kerry said Tuesday that he hoped Washington and Beijing “could come together” in the fight against global warming, at a landmark summit in Kenya aimed at promoting Africa’s potential as a green powerhouse.

Energy/Transportation

• Western auto-sector bosses fret about a wipeout driven by oversupply and cut-throat pricing.

Wildlife/Nature

Overpopulation

Finance

• This country is basically dying. What’s going on is the Democrats benefit from people who are too illiterate to understand the issues finding their way into a voting booth, so they enact policies where people who litter the place with unemployable children who will shoot at each other, deal drugs, and scare the taxpayers out of the State don’t have to use any of their own money to reproduce.

• An erosion of trust between the government and its people now threatens the country’s decades-long boom.

• Economists worry that sustained inaction by Beijing could hit poorer regions hard.

• Currently, the Bank of China operates and provides financial services across 64 countries.

AstroTurf/Lobbying/Politics

• September 09, 2023 1:45 PM

• One achievement is the Asean Outcome on the Indo-Pacific, which lays out the bloc’s position on regional cooperation.

• More than a quarter of a million people vote on Saturday for the next leader of the tropical Maldives in a closely contested election seen as a battle for influence in the high-end tourist destination between India and China.

• President Biden is expected to celebrate a new upgrade in relations with Vietnam this weekend, despite concerns about the country’s authoritarian crackdown and repression.

• President Joe Biden arrives in Vietnam on Sunday on a mission to bolster US influence, but the heavy emphasis on countering rival China will likely confine human rights concerns to the margins.

• Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro arrived in China on Friday, he posted on social media, as the oil-rich socialist country seeks to shore up its ailing finances. China is Venezuela’s main creditor and has close relations with the internationally isolated nation, whose GDP has contracted by 80 percent in a decade because of an economic crisis.

Misinformation/Disinformation/Propaganda

Censorship/Free Speech

Civil Rights/Policing

• But human rights groups said the visit would play into China’s propaganda on the western region.

• The city’s chief executive John Lee says the meetings are enough, with no need for in-person petitions.

• Taliban officials have rejected reports that Afghanistan will send female athletes to the Asian Games in China later this month, saying all 133 athletes in the delegation being sent are male.

Monopolies

Patents

Trademarks

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