Podcast Summary: Untitled Linux Show 194: Less Useful Than ReactOS

Release Date: March 16, 2025

Hosts: Jonathan Bennett, Rob Campbell, Ken Starks
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)
Description: Leo Laporte brings some of the most interesting personalities in technology together to talk about the most important issues. Fun, relaxed, informative, and always entertaining, count on TWiT for the best tech podcasts in the world.

Introduction

In this episode of the Untitled Linux Show, hosts Jonathan Bennett, Rob Campbell, and Ken Starks delve into a variety of topics spanning Linux advancements, open-source software updates, and the latest developments in CPU technology. Skipping over the advertisements and introductory segments, the trio dives straight into discussing significant updates and trends shaping the tech landscape.

Ubuntu Embraces Rust with Core Utils

[02:42] Rob Campbell:
The episode kicks off with an exciting announcement from Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu. Rob discusses Canonical engineer John Seeger's plan to integrate more Rust-written components into Ubuntu starting with the 25.10 release. This move aims to enhance safety and performance within the Ubuntu ecosystem.

Rob Campbell: "Starting with Ubuntu 25.10, my goal is to adopt some of these modern implementations as the default... to avoid diluting the promise of stability and reliability that the Ubuntu LTS releases have become known for." [02:42]

Jonathan reflects on the compatibility efforts behind Rust Core Utils, highlighting the collaborative work between different reimplementations of core utilities to ensure seamless integration.

Jonathan Bennett: "They all work together pretty closely to develop like a test suite that they run all of them through because they want them to behave exactly the same for every test case imaginable." [06:16]

The discussion touches on the potential future of Rust Core Utils replacing the traditional C-based Core Utils, though acknowledging that such a transition will take considerable time.

Audacity 3.7.2 Updates and Stability

[08:10] Ken Starks:
Ken brings attention to the latest release of Audacity, version 3.7.2, which introduces several fixes and quality-of-life improvements. Key updates include enhancements to the AppImage bundle for Ubuntu, fixes for crashes related to applying effects across multiple tracks, and the reintroduction of the residue option in noise reduction.

Ken Starks: "Auditacy 3.7.2 improves the Ubuntu 22.04 AppImage bundle by fixing an issue with the FFMPEG multimedia server loading." [08:10]

Jonathan expresses relief over Audacity's ongoing support and stability following previous ownership concerns, noting the community's positive reception of the latest updates.

Jonathan Bennett: "I'm happy to see Audacity continue on and the fact that they are continuing to release updates." [10:20]

Intel's New CEO and Strategic Shifts

[13:00] Jonathan Bennett:
The conversation shifts to Intel's recent leadership change, with Lip Bhu Tan stepping in as the new CEO. Rob provides a comprehensive overview of Tan's background, his prior efforts to streamline Intel’s workforce, and his strategic vision focusing on becoming a fab for other companies and emphasizing artificial intelligence.

Rob Campbell: "He was pushing to reduce Intel's bloated US Task force... now put in charge as the CEO... Intel wants to become a fab for other companies and concentrate on artificial intelligence." [13:00]

Jonathan and Rob discuss the implications of Tan's appointment, noting the anticipated lag in visible results due to the nature of chip development cycles.

Jonathan Bennett: "It's going to be like a two-year lag until that actually makes it out the door." [17:13]

AMD's New 9953dx CPU: A Performance Powerhouse

[27:03] Jonathan Bennett:
Jonathan introduces AMD's latest flagship CPU, the AMD 9953dx, featuring a unique 3D V-Cache architecture with stacked cache beneath the chip. This new CPU promises exceptional performance for both gaming and multi-threaded applications.

Jonathan Bennett: "It's pretty much on top out of all of the chips that he has access to... almost exactly two-thirds the time taken, which is huge." [35:20]

Rob highlights the improved cooling solutions made possible by AMD’s innovative cache stacking, addressing previous thermal concerns.

Rob Campbell: "Because they stacked the extra cache on top of the chip, it made cooling a problem. The fact that they figured out a way to put it on the bottom side means that you can now cool these things very effectively." [35:20]

They discuss the pricing and compatibility aspects, advising listeners to check motherboard sockets and BIOS updates before upgrading.

Jonathan Bennett: "You have to check the socket and probably a BIOS update on your motherboard to be able to support the newer chip." [35:38]

Garuda Linux's Cosmic Edition: Innovating with Rust

[19:22] Rob Campbell:
Rob introduces Garuda Linux's new Cosmic Edition, a Rust-based desktop environment currently in its Alpha 6 release. Despite its barebones state, the community buzz suggests significant potential once fully developed.

Rob Campbell: "Garuda isn't adopting the Rust core utils, but they are adopting another future heavyweight in Rust based desktop environments... Cosmic at this time is pretty much bare bones." [19:22]

Jonathan anticipates exciting customizations and tweaks from the Garuda team, drawing parallels with their other editions like the Mocha Edition.

Jonathan Bennett: "It's going to be a huge thing once it's out there because Garuda is one of the more popular Arch-based Linux distros." [23:39]

Crossover 25: Enhanced Windows App Compatibility on Linux and MacOS

[39:21] Rob Campbell:
Rob covers the release of Crossover 25 from CodeWeavers, a commercial version of Wine that facilitates running Windows applications on Linux and MacOS. This latest version integrates BK D3D 1.14, Molten VK 1.2.10, Wine, Mono 9.4, and other updates, enhancing support for popular games and applications.

Rob Campbell: "Crossover 25... brings more than 5,000 changes... supports games like Far Cry 6, Fallout 76, The Last of Us Part 1, and Red Dead Redemption 2." [39:21]

Jonathan and Rob discuss the potential impact of these updates on Linux gaming and application usage, noting the seamless enhancements for MacOS users.

Jonathan Bennett: "Even if you don't need extra features from Crossover... it's still a good company to support for their roles in Wine and Proton." [43:31]

ReactOS and Free95: Open-Source Alternatives to Windows

[46:07] Rob Campbell:
The hosts explore the current state of ReactOS, an open-source reimplementation of the Windows NT kernel. While ReactOS can boot and initiate the Windows Audio stack, it still lacks the capability to produce sound, rendering it less functional than anticipated.

Jonathan Bennett: "ReactOS can now boot and bring up the Windows Audio stack, but it can't actually play any sound yet." [46:07]

Ken introduces Free95, a minimalistic project aimed at emulating Windows 95. Although Free95 is in its early alpha stages and quite rudimentary, it represents another effort to create open-source Windows alternatives.

Jonathan Bennett: "Free95... looks a lot like an old DOS GUI... this is less useful than ReactOS." [50:06]

Zed Editor Updates: Native Git Integration

[55:16] Ken Starks:
Ken highlights recent updates to the Zed editor, a Rust-based code editor, which now includes native Git integration in version 0.177. This feature aims to streamline the developer experience by providing in-editor access to Git functionalities such as viewing staged changes, committing, and pushing directly from the editor.

Ken Starks: "Zed has now added native git integration for enhancing the developer experience... built Git integration with three priorities: speed, Git native, and keyboard-first." [54:43]

Jonathan notes the transformation of Zed into a more integrated development environment, akin to VS Code, emphasizing its enhanced functionality.

Jonathan Bennett: "Zed is becoming more of an IDE than just a text editor, which is... interesting." [55:16]

KDE's New Venture: Tech Paladin Software

[60:06] Ken Starks:
The discussion moves to KDE’s recent spin-off, Tech Paladin Software, founded by Nate and David Edmondson. This new company offers paid services for custom development and bug fixes, providing a viable avenue for users to support and enhance the KDE ecosystem directly.

Jonathan Bennett: "Tech Paladin Software is the new place for KDE support... if you want to sponsor a bug fix or a new feature, do get in touch." [60:06]

Rob raises questions about the sustainability and motivation behind such commercial ventures in open-source projects, while Jonathan discusses the broader implications and potential benefits.

Rob Campbell: "Why doesn't KDE just do that themselves?" [60:17]
Jonathan Bennett: "It's a disconnect between the idea of doing it as a nonprofit and paying engineers to write the code." [60:23]

Command Line Tips: ifdata and exch

[71:12] Rob Campbell:
The episode concludes with valuable command line tips. Rob introduces ifdata from the moreutils package, a versatile tool for network interface information extraction, enhancing scripting efficiency by eliminating the need for excessive grep commands.

Rob Campbell: "ifdata allows you to quickly extract network interface details without additional parsing." [71:11]

Jonathan adds a tip about the exch command, designed for atomic file exchanges, ensuring seamless swapping of file names without intermediate states that could disrupt applications.

Jonathan Bennett: "exch performs an atomic exchange of two file paths, ideal for swapping configuration files safely." [71:31]

Ken contributes a tip on pw-profiler, a PipeWire command for profiling audio configurations, offering deep insights into system performance and aiding in troubleshooting complex audio issues.

Ken Starks: "pw-profiler profiles your current PipeWire setup and generates detailed logs and graphs for analysis." [72:11]

Closing Remarks

The hosts wrap up the episode by encouraging listeners to connect with them on social media, explore their respective projects, and consider supporting the podcast through Club Twit. They tease future episodes filled with more Linux news, analysis, and command line tips.

Jonathan Bennett: "We will see you next week with another entry in the Untitled Linux Show..." [85:10]

Notable Quotes:

• "Starting with Ubuntu 25.10, my goal is to adopt some of these modern implementations as the default." – Rob Campbell [02:42]
• "It's going to be like a two-year lag until that actually makes it out the door." – Jonathan Bennett [17:13]
• "Zed is becoming more of an IDE than just a text editor." – Jonathan Bennett [55:16]
• "Tech Paladin Software is the new place for KDE support." – Jonathan Bennett [60:06]

This episode provides a comprehensive overview of significant developments in the Linux and broader tech ecosystem, offering listeners insightful discussions on software advancements, hardware innovations, and the evolving landscape of open-source support structures.