Podcast Summary: Untitled Linux Show 197: You Linux Fool

Released on April 6, 2025, the 197th episode of the Untitled Linux Show, hosted by Leo Laporte, delves into a range of current topics in the Linux ecosystem. Joined by regular contributors Rob Campbell, Jeff, and Ken Starks, the panel discusses everything from humorous April Fool’s revelations to significant updates in package management, desktop environments, and popular applications like Firefox and Thunderbird.

1. April Fool’s Joke: "One Package to Rule Them All"

At the episode’s onset (00:00), Leo Laporte introduces an April theme, leading into Rob Campbell’s discussion about a purported major shift in Linux package management. Rob elaborates on a fictional scenario where the Linux community supposedly decided to adopt a single universal package manager named "One Package" during the Linux 1 conference. He humorously cites notable figures like Mark Shuttleworth expressing confusion and Linus Torvalds making a sardonic comment:

Mark Shuttleworth: “I feel strange. Like thousands of forum complaints suddenly went silent.”
(02:45)

Linus Torvalds: “It's about expletive time now we could focus on what really matters.”
(02:45)

Rob eventually reveals that this announcement was an April Fool’s prank orchestrated by the FOSS community. The hosts reflect on past April Fools’ jokes, noting the creativity and occasional believability of such pranks.

Rob Campbell: “This is your annual warning for any news you read out there this week. Check the date and always view anything released on April 1 or around it with a bit of skepticism.”
(06:23)

2. GNOME and KDE Plasma Wayland Benchmarking

Transitioning to desktop environments, Jeff discusses recent benchmarking conducted by Michael Erbor Phonix, which compares GNOME 48 and KDE Plasma 6.3 running on Wayland versus their X11 counterparts. According to Jeff, the findings showed:

• KDE Plasma 6.3.3 on Wayland being the fastest desktop environment.
• GNOME 48 on Wayland following closely behind.
• Both GNOME and KDE on Wayland outperforming their X11 versions.
• XFCE 4.20 and LXQT 2.1 on X11 showed similar performance levels, with KDE slightly ahead.

A notable insight from Jeff emphasizes the negligible performance differences in everyday use, advising users to choose desktops based on personal preference rather than performance metrics.

Jeff: “Pick the desktop that feels right to you because performance differences are negligible in everyday use.”
(08:32)

Leo raises a technical query regarding Wine’s compatibility with Wayland, though Jeff remains uncertain about the specifics.

3. Kubuntu 25.04 Beta: Jeff’s Troubleshooting

Jeff shares his challenging experience upgrading to the Kubuntu 25.04 beta. Initially opting for an inline upgrade, he encountered several issues:

• Grub Bootloader Errors: Initiated at 02:45, Jeff describes landing at a grub command line prompt post-reboot, which required typing exit to proceed to the proper grub menu.

• Login Screen Anomalies: At 08:32, he recounts encountering a large virtual keyboard that obstructed access, making it impossible to log in.

After multiple reboots and attempts to fix Nvidia drivers, Jeff opted for a clean installation. However, enabling updates during installation led to a kernel panic due to corrupted Grub in the EFI directory. Subsequent clean installs without enabling updates resolved the issue. Jeff communicated these problems to Kubuntu maintainers, who are actively working on fixes.

Jeff: “They told me that dropping to the console and running sudo space app space install space Kubuntu Desktop fixes it.”
(56:38)

Rob adds context by suggesting that such beta software is best for experienced users comfortable with potential system reinstalls.

4. Steam Survey Insights

Rob Campbell discusses the latest Steam survey results, highlighting:

• A slight increase in the percentage of Linux users on Steam, currently at 2.33%, aligning with his 2025 prediction.
• 35% of these Linux users are likely using the Steam Deck, contributing to the overall numbers despite SteamOS not being officially available for installation.
• The dominance of AMD in the survey, with approximately 70% of Linux gamers using AMD processors, bolstering AMD’s market presence.

Rob emphasizes the importance of participating in the Steam survey to ensure accurate representation and continued support for Linux gaming.

Rob Campbell: “Gaming on Linux is really good for all of us Linux users because it's only going to help bring developers and improve things further for us in the whole ecosystem.”
(20:37)

Leo notes fluctuations in the survey, attributing changes to factors like reimaging in Asian net cafes and regional internet policies.

5. Firefox and Mozilla Thunderbird Updates

Firefox Updates: Ken Starks presents two key updates from Firefox:

1. Mozilla Connect Enhancements:
   Mozilla Connect, launched in 2022, facilitates better interaction between Firefox users and developers. Features like vertical tabs, tab groups, and improved profile management are either being built or rolled out, responding directly to user feedback.

2. Firefox 138 Beta Release:
   Marius Nestor details the beta release, which includes:

   • Improved Address and Credit Card Autofill: Better handling of dynamically updated forms.
   • Enhanced Tab Grouping Features: Options to add/remove tabs to/from groups via the context menu.
   • Color Settings Revamp: Introduction of contrast control settings for consistent color usage across websites.

Jeff mentions the potential issues with OBS virtual camera integrations with certain Firefox versions, although he notes that Firefox itself functions smoothly.

Ken Starks: “Mozilla Connect becomes a tool for every phase of the product cycle, from exploring ideas to testing prototypes, to validating decisions.”
(15:11)

Mozilla Thunderbird Updates: Ken also discusses Thunderbird 137, highlighting minor feature additions and bug fixes:

• Donation Encouragement Splash Screen: Aimed at supporting Thunderbird’s development.
• System Tray Icon Disabled for Linux: Temporarily until functionality is improved.
• Support for File Names in Mail Folders on Windows: Enhances file management.
• Cross-Posting News Articles: Enables cross-posting across different newsgroup servers.
• Visual and UX Improvements: Various interface tweaks to enhance user experience.

Ken urges listeners who rely on Thunderbird for email to consider donating to support its ongoing development.

Ken Starks: “If Thunderbird is your daily email driver, please consider supporting it.”
(60:38)

6. Steam Client Update

Jeff outlines the recent Steam client update released on April 1st, emphasizing that it was a legitimate update rather than an April Fool’s joke. Key improvements for Linux users include:

• Enhanced Download Speeds: Faster installation of games and the Steam client itself.
• Accurate Download Progress and Time Estimates: Improved based on system and network learning over time.
• UI Consistency and Clarity: Byte counts now specify the number of bytes to download, and progress bars reflect overall installation progress, accounting for disk usage and other tasks.
• Compatibility Tool Fixes: Resolves issues where non-Steam Proton versions were incorrectly assigned, and UI fixes related to compatibility tool filtering and notifications.

Jeff advises users to check the full breakdown in the show notes for detailed information.

Jeff: “For the full breakdown, check the article linked in the Show Notes where they also have links to the official Steam announcement.”
(29:13)

Leo expresses enthusiasm about the updates, noting immediate improvements he observed during his testing.

7. Nitrix Linux Distribution Update

Ken Starks introduces Nitrix 3.9.1, a Debian-based, immutable, and systemd-free GNU/Linux distribution featuring a customized KDE Plasma desktop. Key updates include:

• Linux Kernel 6.13.8
• MauiKit Frameworks and Maui Apps Update
• Mesa 25 Graphics Stack
• AMD ROCM Open Software Stack
• New Convergent Web Browser "Fury": Built using QtWebEngine and MalloryKit, though it has known issues like an unresponsive close button.

Ken recommends consulting Marius Nestor’s article for comprehensive details on Nitrix's latest release.

Ken Starks: “Nitrix 3.9.1 still uses the KDE Plasma 5.27.1.1 desktop environment while updating some KDE frameworks packages to version 6.8.0 and the Qt components to version 6.7.2.”
(34:21)

8. Package Manager Updates: APT 3.0

Rob Campbell discusses the release of APT 3.0 by the Debian project, highlighting significant visual and functional enhancements:

• Enhanced Command-Line Output: Improved readability with column displays and color-coded changes (e.g., red for removals, green for additions).
• Smoother Install Progress Bars: Utilizes Unicode blocks for a more refined display.
• New Solver: Incorporates a fallback to non-candidate versions and makes apt autoremove more aggressive in retaining only essential packages.

Rob notes that APT 3.0 will be the default in the upcoming Debian 13 (Trixie) release and anticipated in Ubuntu 20.05.

Leo underscores the complexity of dependency resolution and praises the new solver’s advancements in managing dependencies more effectively.

Leo Laporte: “That new solver it allows apt to fall back to non candidate versions and makes auto remove more aggressive keeping only the strongest automatically installed packages.”
(44:38)

9. Command Line Tips

Rob’s Flock: Rob demonstrates the use of Flock, a file locking utility essential for preventing concurrent processes from writing to the same file simultaneously. He showcases practical examples using terminal commands to lock and unlock files, ensuring data integrity during script executions.

Rob Campbell: “Flock or F lock or file lock F lock, it's a file lock. So it's used to lock a file to make sure multiple processes don't try to write to the file at the same time.”
(71:29)

Leo’s Trash CLI: Leo introduces Trash CLI, a command-line tool that interfaces with the graphical desktop’s trash system. Unlike the traditional rm command, trash moves files to the trash can, allowing for recovery if needed. He highlights commands like trash, trash list, trash empty, and trash restore, emphasizing its utility in preventing irreversible deletions.

Leo Laporte: “Trash by itself, trash [filename], will move a file to the trash can.”
(84:12)

Leo also shares a tip on piping pw.dot outputs directly to Graphviz for on-the-fly visualization without saving intermediary files.

10. Closing Remarks and Community Engagement

In the concluding segments, the hosts engage in light-hearted banter, recapping the episode’s highlights and encouraging listeners to support their community through Club TWiT. They also address technical hiccups, such as Jeff’s OBS virtual camera issues, and remind listeners to back up their systems before experimenting with beta software.

Ken Starks: “Before you try any of those how-to’s that were published April 1st, back up first.”
(99:57)

Rob and Ken promote their personal websites and social media channels, fostering community interaction and support.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Mark Shuttleworth on "One Package":
  “I feel strange. Like thousands of forum complaints suddenly went silent.”
  (02:45)

• Linus Torvalds on Focusing on What Matters:
  “It's about expletive time now we could focus on what really matters.”
  (02:45)

• Rob Campbell on Linux Gaming:
  “Gaming on Linux is really good for all of us Linux users because it's only going to help bring developers and improve things further for us in the whole ecosystem.”
  (20:37)

• Ken Starks on Mozilla Connect:
  “Mozilla Connect becomes a tool for every phase of the product cycle, from exploring ideas to testing prototypes, to validating decisions.”
  (15:11)

• Jeff on Choosing Desktop Environments:
  “Pick the desktop that feels right to you because performance differences are negligible in everyday use.”
  (08:32)

Conclusion

Episode 197 of the Untitled Linux Show offers a comprehensive exploration of the latest developments in the Linux world. From debunked April Fool’s pranks and desktop environment benchmarks to significant updates in package management and essential command-line tools, the hosts provide insightful analysis and practical advice for Linux enthusiasts. Their discussions not only inform but also engage the community, fostering a deeper understanding of the evolving Linux landscape.

For more detailed information and to explore the topics discussed in this episode further, listeners are encouraged to visit the show’s website and consult the show notes for relevant links and resources.