Untitled Linux Show 239: "Terrible at Metaphors" (January 26, 2026)
Episode Overview
This episode of the Untitled Linux Show gathers Leo Laporte and the regular panel—Rob, Ken, Jeff, and Jonathan—for a snow-day discussion on fast-evolving Linux topics. Highlights include the long-awaited ability to run Photoshop on Linux, a promising new "converged" phone that runs Android, Linux, and Windows, performance-boosting patches for NVMe drives, OpenSUSE’s Merlin package manager milestone, the arrival of a new Tidal music client for Linux, the ongoing saga of Snap store security, major Vulkan improvements, and the resolution of Alpine Linux’s infrastructure woes. The conversation is lively, geeky, humorous, and occasionally derails with weather banter and metaphor mishaps.
Main Topics & Key Insights
1. Photoshop Finally on Linux (03:15, 08:33)
- Discussion: New WINE patches enable the installation and running of official Adobe Photoshop 2021 and 2025 via Creative Cloud on Linux—no Windows hacks required.
- The initiative comes from developer Phials Basement, focusing on installer compatibility patches (ms.xml3, ms.HTML, JavaScript XML handling).
- Photoshop 2021 reportedly works "butter smooth" barring minor issues (e.g., drag-and-drop, likely Wayland-related).
- Broader Adobe app support in progress, though some apps (Adobe XD, Fresco) remain problematic.
- Patches reside in Valve's downstream WINE; upstreaming and wider adoption are pending.
- Quote [03:33]:
Rob: “For some, the inability to run Photoshop, at least without a bunch of workarounds on Linux, has been a deal breaker... But this isn’t and never was a Linux problem. It’s always, it’s always been an Adobe problem.”
- Real-World Impact: Long-standing professional Linux users may finally drop their dual-boot or VM workarounds; open source alternatives (GIMP, Krita, Inkscape) discussed but acknowledged as not full replacements for some workflows.
- Quote [10:40]:
Jeff: “There's a lot of professionals, though, that say that there isn't a replacement for Photoshop... [for] their workflow.”
- Quote [10:40]:
2. NVMe Performance Boost via Smarter IRQ Allocation (12:55)
- Discussion: A new Linux kernel patch promises up to 15% higher NVMe storage performance by with improved IRQ-to-core mapping, reducing contention as CPU core counts soar.
- Patch proposed for high core-count server CPUs, but beneficial effects may trickle down to advanced consumer hardware.
- Awaiting more benchmarks and kernel acceptance (possible for 6.20/7.0).
- Explains NUMA domain affinity, potential for broader performance gains in multi-core and multi-socket systems.
- Quote [15:27]:
Jeff: “They did take an Intel Xeon E server and use the patch and... found a 15% performance increase.”
- Broader Context: Discussion transitions into evolving software that utilizes multiple cores, with remarks on desktop, server, and application multi-threading.
3. Graphite: Blender-like 2D Editor for Linux (21:01)
- Discussion: The panel reviews the Graphite 2D editor, aiming to be the “Blender of 2D graphics”—supporting vector, raster, animation, desktop publishing, and more.
- Current focus: vector editing; raster editing not yet default in desktop build.
- Early desktop bugs mentioned, but the outlook is bright.
- Quote [21:01]:
Ken: “Graphite is aiming to be the Blender of 2D editors... Its vector tooling is the most mature.”
- Comparison: Added to a growing field including Krita and Inkscape, with professional-grade ambitions.
4. NexPhone: A 14-Year-Delayed "Converged" Linux, Android, and Windows Phone (24:31)
- Discussion: The oft-promised "Linux phone" reemerges—now as the NexPhone, a device claimed to run Android (NexOS), Linux (Debian-in-Android-app), and Windows 11 (dual-boot).
- Announced 2012, reservations open now for $199 deposit ($549 total, ships Q3 2026).
- Hardware: Qualcomm QCM6490, 12GB RAM, 256GB storage, SD expansion. Geared more as a portable PC than a flagship smartphone.
- Skepticism about delivery and utility, but overall enthusiasm for convergence devices.
- Quote [24:35]:
Rob: “It's a phone so great it took them 14 years to release it... It’s not only a Linux phone, but also an Android phone... and a Windows phone.”
- Community Reaction: Panel debates the practicality, targets, and technical hurdles, e.g. Linux as an "app" on Android and possible hardware, modem compatibility.
5. Tidal’s New Linux Client: Tonearm (34:46)
- Discussion: Tonearm, a new open-source but unofficial Tidal music client for Linux, enters beta.
- Tidal: music streaming with high-fidelity, FLAC, exclusive releases.
- Tonearm: installation via Flathub, full-featured but with beta quirks (window sizing, no bandwidth selection, lyric issues).
- Comparison to other Tidal clients (High Tide, Tidal HiFi).
- Quote [34:46]:
Jeff: “For all the audio files and bit-perfect snobs out there like myself, you’re probably at least aware of it. Tidal though doesn’t have a Linux app, but they do have a really good API.”
- Music Quality Discussion: Delves into the subtleties of “bit-perfect,” the value (and reality) of high-resolution formats, and dynamic range mastering.
6. Snap Store Security Woes—Malicious Packages and Domain Takeovers (47:30)
- Discussion: Snap Store hit by waves of malicious packages, especially fake crypto wallets; scammers exploit account recovery by registering expired domains formerly held by legit publishers.
- Even long-trusted publishers’ snaps can be compromised, and malware whack-a-mole is the norm.
- Advice: maintain old project domains, publishers should enable 2FA, users should be cautious—especially for anything security-critical like wallets.
- Quote [47:36]:
Rob: “Now things are really starting to escalate. The scammers aren’t just creating new accounts anymore, they're taking over old trusted publisher accounts.”
- Comparison: Notes similar challenges in NPM, Flatpak, and broader ecosystems; AI helps, but “not a silver bullet.”
- Quote [54:49]:
Jonathan: “It’s an immovable object and an unstoppable force... anybody can write code and upload a package, but at the same time, you don’t want anybody to upload malicious code...”
- Quote [54:49]:
7. Vulkan 1.4.340 Arrives & Roadmap for 2026 (56:55)
- Discussion: The latest Vulkan release brings bugfixes and new major extensions (vk_ext_descriptor_heap, synchronized queues, new shader capabilities).
- Major industry collaboration (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel, Valve, Google, Nintendo).
- Prospects for better Proton gaming, enhanced graphics, and broader hardware/software support.
- The 2026 roadmap: focus on shading, host image copies, swapchain improvements.
- Quote [56:55]:
Jeff: “The future of Vulkan looks really good with such wide industry support... there’s only wonderful things coming in the coming year.”
8. Alpine Linux: Survives Hosting Shake-up with New Sponsors (63:07)
- Discussion: After Equinix Metal sunsetted their infrastructure sponsorship, Alpine Linux put out a call and received ample help from the community, now boasting new, redundant sponsors and improved infrastructure.
- Reduces reliance on one host, ensures CI/mirrors/development continuity.
- Quote [66:21]:
Jonathan: “It’s good to see that they got several sponsors. I like the fact they have multiple sponsors now and not just a single one... now they're not at the mercy of a single company.”
9. OpenSUSE Merlin 1.0: New GUI Package Manager (42:43)
- Discussion: Merlin reaches 1.0, providing a Synaptic-like GUI package manager for OpenSUSE with timeline/history upgrades and improved repo management.
- Aimed at user-friendliness, possibly coming to other distros like Fedora in future.
- Quote [45:03]:
Ken: “They're trying to get away before [Synaptic] gets deprecated.”
Notable Quotes & Funny/Insightful Moments
- On metaphors:
Jonathan [62:45]: "Y’all are really bad at metaphors!"
Rob [66:24]: "How’s that for a metaphor, Jonathan?" - On upgrading kernel versions:
Jonathan [16:43]: "What happens 100 years from now when they’re at looking at 19.20 for the kernel? What will they do?" - On the Snap Store woes:
Rob [47:36]: "Now a Snap you installed years ago could get a malicious update tomorrow if a publisher’s account gets hijacked... so much for auto updates, huh?" - On high-res music streaming:
Jeff [41:06]: "It’s not the medium as much as it is, they go, ‘Oh, who’s ever purchasing this is really caring about sound quality, so they actually master it much better...’" - On Linux phones:
Rob [24:35]: “It's a phone so great it took them 14 years to release it.”
Command Line Tips (67:02+)
- Cloudflare Speed CLI (Rob, 68:05)
- Command-line internet speed test tool (cloudflare-speed-cli); preferred over GUI/browser for accuracy and lower overhead.
- Shows graphs, keeps history, supports multiple platforms.
- [70:48] Jonathan (joking): “Your connection’s been terrible all show.”
- Arch Linux Archives / ALA (Jeff, 72:45)
- Use archive mirrors for slower, fixed or synchronized updates, or for retrieving specific old versions of packages.
- InSnake (Jonathan, 75:26)
- Terminal snake game (
insnake), available in Fedora’s repos. - Have caution due to an expired project domain now flagged as malicious/botnet candidate.
- asciinema (Ken, 80:49)
- Records and replays terminal sessions; supports custom titles, sharing, and playback control.
- Pronunciation provided: “Ask-ee-NEE-muh".
Additional Highlights
- Panel Banter: Frequent weather references, jokes about being "captive" Microsoft users, and playful ribbing about package manager allegiances.
- Metaphors: The title is referenced multiple times as the hosts stumble through grocery basket and egg metaphors, and Jonathan gently mocks their attempts.
- Community Shout-outs:
Ken [87:17]: "Thanks LA MJ for his feedback on last week's episode..."
Timestamps for Key Segments
- 03:15 — Photoshop via WINE on Linux (Rob explains technical details)
- 12:55 — NVMe performance patch, technical context and benchmarks
- 21:01 — Graphite 2D editor review
- 24:31 — NexPhone (Android, Linux, Windows) discussion
- 34:46 — Tonearm: new Tidal Linux client
- 47:30 — Snap Store malware and security segment
- 56:55 — Vulkan 1.4.340 update and roadmap
- 63:07 — Alpine Linux infrastructure rehosting update
- 42:43 — Merlin package manager for OpenSUSE
- 67:02 — Command line tips (Cloudflare speed test, ALA, Snake, asciinema)
Conclusion & Plugs
- The hosts share ways to connect, buy them coffee, or submit poetry.
- Reminder to be cautious with package security and domain ownership—domains may expire and become vehicles for malware.
- Final call to fill out the annual TWiT survey before January 31st.
Tone & Overall Impression
The show is relaxed, collegial, technical but accessible—full of Linux wisdom, shared experience, practical advice, and fun tangents. Expect useful breakdowns of big Linux news, entertaining banter, and a few laugh-out-loud moments (especially when the group flounders with metaphors). A great episode for Linux fans and professionals alike.