Detailed Summary of "Untitled Linux Show 202: It's Boring Until It Breaks"

Released on May 11, 2025

In Episode 202 of the "Untitled Linux Show," hosts Jonathan, Rob, and Ken delve into a broad spectrum of topics relevant to the Linux and open-source communities. The episode, aptly titled "It's Boring Until It Breaks," explores everything from hardware performance and operating system updates to leadership changes within major projects. The trio provides insightful analysis, hands-on tips, and engaging discussions, ensuring both seasoned enthusiasts and newcomers find value in their conversation.

1. Introduction

At [01:58], Jonathan kicks off the episode by welcoming Rob and Ken, setting the stage for a "light news week" filled with both software and hardware updates. The hosts express excitement about unpacking recent developments in the Linux ecosystem.

2. Snapdragon Laptop Linux Performance

Rob leads the discussion on Snapdragon X Elite laptops and their performance on Linux.

• Canonical's Efforts: At [03:30], Rob highlights Canonical's release of Ubuntu 24.10 developer preview images tailored for Snapdragon X Elite chips. He notes ongoing challenges, such as incomplete power management leading to overheating under heavy loads.

  "Overall the Snapdragon XL8 within the Acer Swift 14 came out just ahead of the Core i7 1185 G7 Tiger Lake laptop and similar to the AMD Ryzen 7 Pro 5850 Ultra."

• Benchmarking Analysis: Rob references Michael from Phoronix, who benchmarked the Acer Swift 14. Despite lagging behind the latest AMD and Intel processors, the Snapdragon X Elite outperforms older generations, marking progress for ARM-based chips.

• Market Reception: Jonathan inquires about performance per watt at [08:38], and Rob responds, suggesting the benchmarks included such metrics. The hosts discuss the potential for ARM laptops in the market, with Rob expressing hope for improved sales over Microsoft's previous ARM efforts.

3. Debian Updates

Jonathan shifts focus to updates within the Debian project.

• New Project Leader: At [14:27], Jonathan announces the election of Andreas Tilley as Debian Project Leader. Tilley aims to support the transition from Windows 10 to Debian/Linux, aligning with campaigns encouraging users to switch due to Windows 10's end-of-life status.

  "He is joining in with the end of 10 campaign... why don't we switch to Debian or Linux in general instead of, you know, going to Windows 11?"

• Package Maintenance Innovations: Ken elaborates at [19:34] on Debian's new process for handling orphaned packages. Introducing a 21-day notice period before formally marking a package as orphaned ensures maintainers have ample time to respond, addressing issues like burnout or retirement.

  "We're going to put a statement out and say, in 21 days this is going to officially be considered an orphan package."

• Sustainability Concerns: The hosts discuss the broader implications of maintaining long-term projects amid declining maintainer participation, emphasizing the need for sustainable practices.

4. GNOME Foundation Leadership

Rob introduces Stephen Debauld as the new Executive Director of the GNOME Foundation.

• Background and Expertise: At [20:05], Rob details Debauld's extensive technical background, including his early ventures into web development and his long-term use of GNOME since 2002. Debauld's transition from coding to leadership after a bicycle accident showcases his adaptability and commitment to the community.

  "Stephen Debauld... is Canadian and a techie, a free software advocate and a GNOME user. He actually used the stuff since 2002."

• Vision for GNOME: Jonathan notes Debauld's emphasis on transparency and reestablishing GNOME's foundations, aligning with the hosts' values of maintaining open-source project integrity.

  "He talks about transparency, which is always good to see in an open source project."

• Community Reception: The hosts express optimism about Debauld's leadership, hoping he will steer GNOME towards stability and growth.

5. Ubuntu 25.10 and Rust-based Utilities

Jonathan brings attention to Ubuntu 25.10's significant shift towards Rust programming language for core utilities.

• Adoption of Sudo-RS: At [32:34], Jonathan discusses Ubuntu's decision to replace the traditional sudo with a Rust-based alternative, sudo-rs. This move aims to enhance memory safety and security.

  "Ubuntu has announced that they are going to use a Rust based sudo alternative Sudo RS by default along with some other core utils in Ubuntu 25.10."

• Community Reactions: The hosts acknowledge mixed reactions, with some praising the initiative for its forward-thinking approach and others expressing concerns about potential stability issues.

  Rob mentions, "It doesn't really make sense for Ubuntu to switch to the Rust core utils but that like sudo rs, the Rust based sudo does make a lot more sense."

• Testing and Stability: Jonathan remains cautiously optimistic, noting that since Ubuntu 25.10 is not an LTS release, the adoption of Rust-based utilities allows for experimentation without affecting long-term stability.

  "I think that's going to be a nothing burger. Nobody's going to notice it for the vast majority of this stuff."

6. Raspberry Pi OS Developments

Ken provides updates on the Raspberry Pi OS, hinting at a potential final release based on Debian Bookworm.

• Performance Improvements: At [27:10], Ken outlines enhancements such as a modified Swaylock for better screen locking, a new printer management application, and improved touchscreen support under Wayland.

  "New printers application for managing printers on Raspberry PI OS, and improved touchscreen handling under Wayland."

• Final Release Signals: Various articles linked in the show notes suggest that this might be the last major release before the shift to Debian Trixie, adding a layer of uncertainty and "drama" as Rob puts it at [29:12].

  "They're to articles by Simon Long, Bobby Borisov, Richard Speed, Marius Nester, and our fan favorite Michael Arabelle, all writing about the new version of Raspberry PI OS. They all say this is probably the final release of Raspberry PI OS."

• Audience Reaction: The hosts express a mix of nostalgia and concern, contemplating the future of Raspberry Pi OS within the Debian landscape.

7. Servo Browser Engine Updates

Rob discusses the progress of the Servo web browser engine, originally a Mozilla project.

• Enhanced Capabilities: At [46:55], Rob shares significant advancements, noting that Servo can now render complex sites like Gmail and Google Chat correctly.

  "The server web browser can now render Gmail and Google Chat correctly..."

• AI Contribution Policy: A controversial topic arises regarding Servo's stance on AI contributions. Initially considering integrating AI tools like GitHub Copilot, the Servo developers have decided to maintain a ban based on community feedback.

  "The developers have now decided to keep the ban in place. And based on the feedback I've been reading online, this doesn't necessarily seem like a very popular stance."

• Licensing and Future Prospects: Jonathan adds insights into Servo's Mozilla Public License, contrasting it with Ladybird's more permissive licensing, and speculates on Servo's potential impact on future web browsers.

  "It's actually under the Mozilla public license which is compatible in most ways with the GPL... interesting stuff there."

8. Calibre 8.4 and Favorite Plugins

Ken presents the latest updates to Calibre, a popular ebook management software.

• Version Highlights: At [52:35], Ken outlines the new features in Calibre 8.4, including fixes for QT Wayland bugs, improved EPUB handling, and enhanced metadata management.

  "Calibre 8.4 provides a workaround with a QT Wayland bug that prevented the menu with the layout button from showing."

• Essential Plugins: Ken shares his favorite Calibre plugins, enhancing productivity and library management:

  • View Manager: Facilitates switching between multiple library views.
  • Extract ISBN: Automates ISBN extraction for metadata enrichment.
  • OverDrive Plugin: Integrates with lending libraries for seamless ebook borrowing.
  • Goodreads Sync: Synchronizes Calibre libraries with Goodreads accounts.
  • Manage Series: Streamlines the management of book series information.

  "These special variables are something you can use to make a script."

• Practical Applications: Jonathan appreciates the integration with local library systems, enhancing the utility of Calibre for managing personal and borrowed collections.

  "I have to admit my personal preference is Humble Bundle... saving me the time of having to do it manually through their web page."

9. Linux Kernel Dropping i486 Support

Jonathan discusses a significant update regarding the Linux kernel's support for legacy hardware.

• End of an Era: At [57:32], Jonathan reveals that the Linux kernel will cease support for the i486 CPU architecture, a decision marking the end of support for hardware initially released 36 years ago.

  "Torvalds and Linux finally going to pull the plug on the i486 in the kernel."

• Long-Term Support Kernels: He introduces the Cipher Kernel Maintenance Project, aiming to provide ultra long-term support (25 to 50 years) for specific kernel versions, ensuring security and stability for legacy systems.

  "The Cipher Kernel Maintenance Project... they are going to try to maintain them for 25, possibly all the way up to 50 years."

• Embedded Systems Implications: The hosts deliberate on the necessity of such long-term support, especially for embedded systems in industrial and medical applications, acknowledging the challenges posed by rapid technological advancements.

10. PipeWire Module Management

Ken demonstrates managing PipeWire modules, a crucial aspect of audio and video processing in Linux.

• Interactive Management: At [73:02], Ken showcases using pwcli in interactive mode to load and unload PipeWire modules dynamically, highlighting both capabilities and current limitations due to version constraints.

  "It's going to be one that would be dangerous if I were doing it live. So I took screenshots while I was in Tumbleweed."

• Practical Use Cases: He mentions experimenting with modules like libpipewire-module-adapter and libpipewire-module-filter-chain to enhance audio processing, such as reducing background noise during recordings.

  "Another one that I'm playing with is the library pipewire-module-filter-chain. It's got a clamp plugin that you can use that might help with limiting hearing any background noise through my mic when I'm not talking."

• Community Feedback: Jonathan inquires about the complexity of installing Servo, leading to a brief, humorous exchange about software installation challenges on different systems.

11. Tips and Scripting

Rob returns with a practical scripting tip focused on using special variables in shell scripts.

• Special Variables Overview: At [69:03], Rob explains various shell special variables like $? for exit status, $0 for script name, $1, $2, etc., for positional parameters, #$ for the number of arguments, and $$ for the process ID.

  "Dollar sign, question mark which shows the exit status of the last command... dollar sign one is going to show the first argument, dollar sign two the second, and so on."

• Demonstration: He provides a live demonstration of a simple script that echoes these variables, showcasing how they can be utilized to make scripts more dynamic and responsive to user input.

  "These special arguments are something you can use to make a script... use them to find the name of the script."

12. Audience Connections and Closing Remarks

As the episode nears its end, the hosts encourage listeners to connect with them and engage with their content.

• Rob's Contact Information: Rob directs listeners to his website, offering links to his LinkedIn, Twitter, Mastodon, and donation options.

  "You can do that by going to robertpCampbell.com and on that page near the top you could find links to my LinkedIn, my Twitter, my Blue sky, my Mastodon, and a place to donate a coffee to me or more."

• Ken's Updates: Ken shares information about a modular cluster board supporting Raspberry Pi modules and Jetson, adding a light-hearted note about his wife's interest in purchasing it.

• Final Thoughts: Jonathan wraps up by promoting their other content, including Floss Weekly and his security column on Hackaday, while inviting listeners to join Club TWiT for additional benefits.

  "We appreciate everybody being here... we will see you next week on the Untitled Linux Show."

Notable Quotes with Timestamps:

• Rob on Snapdragon Support:

  "[03:30] 'Canonical with Ubuntu... providing Ubuntu 24.10 developer preview images for the X Elite chips.'"

• Jonathan on Debian Leadership:

  "[14:27] 'He is joining in with the end of 10 campaign... switch to Debian or Linux in general instead of, you know, going to Windows 11.'"

• Ken on Package Orphaning:

  "[19:34] 'We're going to put a statement out and say, in 21 days this is going to officially be considered an orphan package.'"

• Rob on GNOME Leadership:

  "[20:05] 'Stephen Debauld... is Canadian and a techie, a free software advocate and a GNOME user.'"

• Jonathan on Ubuntu's Rust Utilities:

  "[32:34] 'Ubuntu has announced that they are going to use a Rust based sudo alternative Sudo RS by default along with some other core utils in Ubuntu 25.10.'"

• Rob on Servo's Gmail Support:

  "[46:55] 'The server web browser can now render Gmail and Google Chat correctly.'"

• Ken on Calibre Plugins:

  "[52:35] 'Calibre 8.4 provides a workaround with a QT Wayland bug that prevented the menu with the layout button from showing.'"

• Jonathan on i486 Kernel Support:

  "[57:32] 'Torvalds and Linux finally going to pull the plug on the i486 in the kernel.'"

• Rob on Special Variables:

  "[69:03] 'Dollar sign, question mark which shows the exit status of the last command... dollar sign one is going to show the first argument, dollar sign two the second, and so on.'"

Conclusion

Episode 202 of the "Untitled Linux Show" offers a comprehensive overview of pivotal developments in the Linux landscape. From hardware performance benchmarks and operating system advancements to strategic leadership changes and innovative project updates, the hosts provide valuable insights and actionable tips. Their balanced discussions navigate the complexities of evolving technologies while maintaining a focus on the community and practical applications. Whether you're a seasoned Linux user or someone exploring open-source solutions, this episode delivers both depth and accessibility.