Interesting Links – March 2014

Only a couple of weeks late this time…

  • A longstanding bug was found in GnuTLS
  • Mozilla introduced a “new” JPEG library
  • Libreoffice now has “fresh” and “stable” releases
  • Python-3.4 was released
  • Android games can soon connect with iOS games
  • The Full Disclosure list was shut down, and resurrected
  • BBQLinux – yet another Arch derivative
  • How to add multiple versions of a function optimized for different architectures in GCC
  • Google Drive space became rather cheap
  • Facebook released wrap – a fast C and C++ preprocessor
  • Google is replacing GTK+ in their browser with a new toolkit
  • Musl libc 1.0 was released
  • The quest to compile the Linux kernel with LLVM is ongoing
  • The Linux Foundataion’s Introduction to Linux course is going to be free this “summer”
  • Apple open sourced their AArch64 backend for LLVM, so there is now two…
  • A new debugger allowing you to to replay your code multiple times
  • Why you should not rerelease software without changing the version number (it is really annoying…)
  • Take a browse of old MS-DOS and Work source code
  • Vote for NASA’s new spacesuit look

Interesting Links – January/February 2014

Well… I intended to be more organized and get these posted on time each month. Maybe next year.

January:

February:

  • glibc-2.19 was released and here is some of the improvements for developers
  • And apparently glibc is good code!
  • Debian had more votes about the init system, eventually deciding on systemd as the default
  • No decision was made on how strongly packages can depend on an init system
  • This will also result in Ubuntu switching to systemd too
  • gcc-4.9 has moved to release branch mode, looking towards and April release
  • An analysis of compiler hardening in Debian
  • Building the assembler as a shared library
  • Why inline PGP signatures are bad
  • Sometimes making a nice icon set is not enough…
  • Ubuntu is making their own file manager for Unity
  • MINIX can now run on ARM
  • Why you should not to travel back in time to kill Hitler

Interesting Links – November/December 2013

Joint post as I never got around to doing November’s one… That just means lots of links for you all this time!

November:

  • Non-phoronix benchmarking of various compilers
  • XCFE is being trialled as the default desktop on Debian
  • A discussion about replacing Java from the default languages in GCC (that I can not remember going anywhere…)
  • It looks like LLVM will use some C++11 features in future development
  • A bunch of people from Linux Format started a new project – Linux Voice
  • SELinux is all about cats and dogs
  • Interesting post that details how Gentoo is organized.
  • The Go language has been around for four years
  • A essay on how Debian could improve packaging – I think it applies to many distros
  • Summary of upcoming features of GCC-4.9
  • Lint Mint was accused of being insecure, although countered (saying it is only is by default…)
  • I had never heard of KaOS – its PKGBUILDs make it look an Arch derivative
  • A project to automatically modernize your C++ code
  • openSUSE 13.1 was released
  • Mir is not reaching Ubuntu Desktop in the next release either
  • This is why updates to Android can take a while to reach your Nexus
  • Emacs is not yet a WYSIWYG word processor…
  • An idea for a Fedora Server project
  • Fedora will be adding-Werror=format-security” to their default CFLAGS

December:

  • Binutils 2.24 was released
  • There is continuing talk about how trustworthy various manufacturers random numbers are
  • RHEL 7 Beta was released, apparently without i686 support
  • Ubuntu is forking more software – this time gnome-control-center
  • Steam machines were shipped and SteamOS 1.0 was released
  • A mammoth effort in reducing complier warnings in xorg-server
  • Can C++ error messages get even longer?
  • Fedora 20 and Debian 7.3 were released
  • And awesome way to obtain RSA keys from computer sounds
  • kdbus has passed another milestone
  • The Hawaii 0.2.0 desktop environment based on Qt and Wayland was released
  • The Linux kernel sources will no longer be supplied bzipped
  • The debate on init scripts for Debian is ongoing

And some fun stuff:

  • Creating the Simpsons in CSS
  • Solo from Sultans of Swink on the ukulele
  • The trailer for Kung Fury is so good that the first stage of their Kickstarter is funded!
  • And finally, a skill everyone should have… How to break an apple in half with your bare hands!

Interesting Links – October 2013

A bit late this month… Tough!

  • The SUSE team developed an AArch64 port for QEMU
  • Using XMir by default was abandoned at the last minute for Ubunutu 13.10, and here is some discussion the issues it has
  • The X.Org foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) again
  • Work has started on an embedded JIT for GCC , and some python bindings appeared.
  • Firefox is getting its own flash player
  • Google is offering rewards for security issue in a range of core free software.
  • The 3.0 linux kernel has had 100 patches released!
  • Debian Jessie has its freeze announced – for a years time…
  • Fedora is doing its usual slip in its release timeframe
  • Android 4.4 (Kit Kat) is out – somebody get the update to my Nexus 7…
  • Debian is choosing its next init system, which of course resulted in some back and forth
  • The beginnings of a rust frontend for gcc
  • Lots of compiler features coming for gcc and llvm
  • Surely automatic wordpress updates can only end in disaster!
  • Fedora are moving towards Python 3 as the default – sort of… (/usr/bin/python will stay python2)
  • Binutils and gdb moved to git
  • How to debug stack protector failures
  • Video of the kernel developer panel at LinuxCon + CloudOpen Europe 2013

And some space stuff I liked this month:

Interesting Links – September 2013

Lets list some links!

  • Linux From Scratch 7.4 is released
  • Fedora was announced ten years ago
  • Looking at binary differences between ScientificLinux and CentOS
  • The is a project trying to get fully reproducible builds in Fedora
  • FreeBSD moved away from GCC
  • The HURD saw some updates to celebrate 30 years of GNU
  • GNOME-3.10 was released
  • And GNOME Shell should do Wayland type stuff
  • An update about Wayland on Fedora
  • OpenZFS was announced
  • Binutils-2.24 has branched
  • SteamOS was announced
  • I found this discussion of using pip vs apt for managing python libraries interesting
  • Speaking of package managers, here is a new one (with poor mans PKGBUILDs)
  • Quickoffice is free for all!
  • Will openSUSE use BTRFS by default?
  • The GTK Broadway backend looks interesting
  • An interview with Manjaro people
  • libc++ has full C++11Y (draft) support
  • Bug trackers are where you file bug reports
  • Make YouTube buffer your videos when paused
  • Linus got grumpy again…
  • This patch caused some controversy

And some fun…

  • Get ~1000 people to play Super Mario Bros and watch the differences
  • I would enjoy some taps running beer

Interesting Links – August 2013

Better do this months post on time!

  • Things I said were published in Linux Format magazine. (It cost $25 to buy in my local newsagent – better get an online copy!)
  • Android 4.3 can be run on x86
  • Linux kernel 3.10 is going to be longterm
  • So we will keep the unreviewed code in linux-3.11
  • Elementary OS “Luna” was released after a long road
  • Wayland is progressing nicely to replace X
  • Groklaw has closed its doors
  • Some interesting facts about Debian for its 20th birthday
  • And looks at some of the DebConf13 talks
  • An article about supporting both python 2 and 3 in one codebase
  • The Xorg foundation needs to keep up with its books
  • GNOME switched to using DuckDuckGo as their default search
  • Some redeeming for the New Zealand government. After passing the GSCB spying law, they ban software patents.

And for your amusement…

  • A brilliant demonstration of how to break wood

Interesting Links – July 2013

Oops… never posted this at the end of July. And there was so many links. You will get over it!

Distro and software news:

  • Fedora 19 is out and it appears they have the release process more under control these days.
  • Android 4.3 is out, and it saved my Nexus 7… maybe.
  • “Yet, it means Archlinux developers are in trouble.”
  • Videos from the GNU Tools Cauldron are available
  • These kinds of posts make the LKML worth reading!
  • Firefox seems to be moving to the front in terms of everything again.
  • Qt 5.1 was released with technology preview for Andriod and iOS platforms
  • Some details on what will happen with the KDE5 transition
  • Even though I read all the emails on this, the LWN article really helped me understand this lock elision thing in glibc
  • More responses to Debian’s systemd survey.
  • A new secure messaging client is on its way.
  • Emacs got its own package manager
  • LXDE-Qt and Razor are joining forces
  • Mir seems to be progressing nicely
  • There is now an unpacked Debian sources mirror
  • Talk about compilers in OpenBSD and the need for an LTS compiler.
  • And a story of a Fedorians trip into Archland. A bit of distro hopping is good for everyone.

And some other stuff…:

  • xkcd’s Time finished – here it is in youtube format
  • Also, if you do not read xkcd’s What If, I recommend you do. This one was good.
  • Making NES games run natively with LLVM
  • This is what Sonic the Hedgehog would look like in first person
  • And it seems like I offend everyone! (Requires being logged in)

Interesting Links – June 2013

Not a lot of links this month – people must be getting progressively more boring! Or it could be I went on holiday for a week with NO INTERNET. Now you have recovered from that horror, time for some links:

  • Ubuntu is making progress with Mir
  • But Mir will not be used by either Kubuntu or Lubuntu
  • Speaking of X replacements, some more info about Wayland
  • The LAS did a one week Arch Challenge, as did someone else.
  • Reports vary about what the default browser will be in the next Ubuntu. Possibly Chromium?
  • Some cgroups changes will be happening in systemd
  • And some more answers to systemd concerns
  • LLVM 3.3 has full C++11 support, in contrast to gcc-4.8.1 that sort of did…
  • Some interesting decisions in the RHEL7 roadmap
  • A useful table detailing toolchain component compatibility for building cross compilers
  • And should I be concerned my Nexus 7 will slow down?

Interesting Links – May 2013

Guess what? May has finished… Well, it surprised me at least!

Linux distribution and software related links:

  • All binaries in Arch will move to /usr/bin in the next couple of days.
  • CinnArch turned into Antergos
  • But why do that when there is Debian?
  • And this tells you why you should not develop software for a single distribution.
  • Surprise! Do not believe what you see on Phoronix.
  • Hi LWN. When you say I posted in April, you should note it was last year
  • People still ranting against systemd. I hear there are alternatives
  • The 3.10 Linux kernel will tick less
  • Wayland has progressed enough to be on a live CD
  • GCC-4.8.1 has implemented all the major features of C++11 – which reminds me that I still have posts waiting in my C++11 series…
  • Some changes in the world of package management for Fedora
  • On the topic of package management, read about subslots in Gentoo
  • Interesting security issues in both the Linux kernel and Xorg this month.

And some other stuff…

  • identi.ca is moving to pumpio. I’ll probably remove my account there soon anyway…
  • Here is a time-lapse of this xkcd epic.

Interesting Links – April 2013

What’s that? It is now May and it has been for a few days… Better do this post then!

News from the world of distributions:

  • This relatively unknown distro got a release…. (Raring Ringtail)
  • Although there might be a lack of co-operation between them and Debian
  • Fedora 19 was slightly delayed.
  • openSUSE is doing lots of ARM stuff.
  • Debian Wheezy should be released soon
  • Sabayon is rolling out systemd.
  • What is the best distro? If you can access Linux Format, you will see… (Arch was runner up in the power-distro section.
  • And here is how to choose a distro that suites you… I got Arch even without demanding pacman, but Qubes OS and Slakel were close runners up. Never heard of them!
  • DragonFly BSD 3.4 was released using GCC-4.7.
  • An interesting addition of the /extra hierarchy by Chakra.

Software releases and news of interest:

  • A remote desktop backend was merged into Wayland
  • Speaking of Wayland, it got updated.
  • Google forks Webkit in a Blink (was my pun better than the articles?)
  • R-3.0.0 was released. Grab it from the Arch [testing] repo.
  • Chakra released Alpha 2 of the Akabei package manager
  • A project to set-up a lightweight KDE desktop.
  • GDB 7.6 added AArch64 support.
  • The Open Build Service 2.4 was released with supports PKGBUILDs… although I’m sure I posted it did before in one of these.
  • A talk about Glibc development.
  • Another attempt as SELinux on Arch
  • Clang is C++11 complete when 3.3 gets released.

And some fun stuff to finish:

  • The value of case badges. My laptop has an Apple logo, so that must really boost speed given the price it adds.
  • A simple game of 22 vs 11.
  • The revenge of the game developer.