Phoronix·11wLinus Torvalds Confirms The Next Kernel Is Linux 7.0
Linus Torvalds announced that the next kernel version will be Linux 7.0, following the release of Linux 6.19 stable. The version jump is due to Torvalds running out of fingers and toes for counting. The Linux 7.0 merge window opens tomorrow and will run for two weeks, with the stable release expected in mid-April. This version will be included in Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.
David Heinemeier Hansson·11wCloud gaming is kinda amazing
Cloud gaming has matured significantly, following the same trajectory as music and video streaming. NVIDIA's GeForce NOW service now delivers impressive performance, especially with the new native Linux client. For local networks, combining Apollo server software with Moonlight client enables streaming from a high-end gaming PC to any device in the house with zero perceivable lag, allowing ultra-settings gameplay on lightweight laptops while keeping them cool and power-efficient.
Phoronix·9wUbuntu 26.04 Begins Its Feature Freeze
Ubuntu 26.04 'Resolute Raccoon' has entered its feature freeze, as announced by Canonical engineer Utkarsh Gupta on behalf of the Ubuntu Release Team. This marks a key milestone in the release cycle, signaling that no new features will be accepted and the focus shifts to stabilization ahead of the final release.
Collections·9wLinux 7.0-rc1 Released With Major Improvements and a Succession Plan in Mind
Linus Torvalds has released Linux kernel 7.0-rc1, marking the end of the 7.0 merge window. The version bump is attributed humorously to Torvalds' discomfort with large numbers rather than any specific milestone. Key highlights include refined Rust language support, faster cache clearing, non-disruptive kernel live patching, updated AMD and Intel silicon support, and performance improvements for RISC-V and LoongArch architectures. A legacy IBM ThinkPad modem driver from the 1990s was also removed. The release coincides with community discussions around a Linux kernel succession plan, with Torvalds making light of eventually handing over leadership.
Jeff Geerling·11wThe first good Raspberry Pi Laptop
The Argon40 ONE UP is a modular laptop built around the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 5, allowing easy hardware upgrades by swapping the CM5. Priced at $400 for the shell or $550 with an 8GB CM5 and NVMe SSD, it features solid build quality with aluminum construction, decent speakers, a 14" 1920x1200 display, and 7.5 hours of battery life. However, it lacks proper laptop features like sleep mode and native battery management, requiring Python scripts for basic functionality. At around $600 for a complete setup due to recent Pi price increases, it struggles to compete with similarly priced Intel or AMD laptops that offer better performance and native OS support. While the hardware is well-designed and achieves right-to-repair goals similar to Framework laptops, the value proposition is weak in the current market.
Programmers are also human·11wInterview with a ‘Just use a VPS’ bro (OpenClaw version)
A satirical dialogue highlighting the complexity and security challenges of setting up a VPS server. The piece walks through hardening SSH access, configuring firewalls, managing automatic updates, installing dependencies, and setting up systemd services—all while poking fun at the 'just use a VPS' mentality that oversimplifies server administration. The humor underscores how what seems like a simple one-click install actually requires extensive security configuration, system administration knowledge, and ongoing maintenance.
Socket·8wMalicious Go “crypto” Module Steals Passwords and Deploys Re...
Socket's Threat Research Team discovered a malicious Go module, github.com/xinfeisoft/crypto, impersonating the legitimate golang.org/x/crypto package. The backdoor was inserted into ssh/terminal/terminal.go's ReadPassword function, which captures passwords, exfiltrates them to attacker-controlled infrastructure, and executes a remote shell stager. The stager adds an SSH key for persistence, weakens iptables firewall rules, and downloads two disguised payloads — one of which is confirmed as the Rekoobe Linux backdoor linked to APT31. The module used GitHub Raw as a rotating C2 pointer to avoid republishing. The Go module proxy now blocks the package with a 403 SECURITY ERROR after Socket's report. Defenders are advised to treat go.mod changes as security-sensitive, use dependency scanning in CI, and watch for curl|sh execution, authorized_keys modifications, and iptables policy changes.
Collections·8wIntroducing the Resolute Raccoon: Ubuntu 26.04 LTS
Canonical has announced Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, codenamed 'Resolute Raccoon,' scheduled for release on April 23, 2026. The codename honors longtime Ubuntu contributor Steve Langasek. Key highlights include a new mascot design by artist Marcus Haslam featuring a black-and-white circular graphic as the default wallpaper, plus nearly 200 community wallpaper submissions. The release has reached its fourth and final monthly test snapshot, which includes Linux kernel 6.19 and GNOME 50 beta components. Upcoming milestones include a UI freeze on March 12, beta release on March 26, and a kernel freeze targeting Linux 7.0 by April 9.
Indently·9wIt's 2026 - Time to switch to Linux
A developer shares their decision to switch from macOS to Linux, citing frustration with Apple's increasing subscription services and intrusive ads in native apps. They're seeking community recommendations for Linux distributions and hardware (considering Lenovo or Framework laptops) while planning to create Linux tutorials alongside their existing Python content. The channel is sponsored by Zed code editor.
ThePrimeTime·9wOnly 40 lines of code
A 40-line code change in OpenJDK eliminated a 400x performance gap by replacing proc file reading with clock_gettime() for thread CPU time measurement. The old implementation opened proc files, parsed strings, and converted numbers back from text, spending 90% of time on file operations. The new approach uses a direct system call, reducing execution time from 11 microseconds to 279 nanoseconds. Flame graphs visualize the dramatic reduction in overhead, showing how most time was previously wasted on file handling rather than actual computation.
It's Foss·9wSomeone Just Made an Immutable Gentoo-Based Distro Tailored for Gaming
matrixOS is a new immutable, atomic Linux distribution based on Gentoo, created by the original Sabayon Linux developer. It uses OSTree for atomic upgrades and follows an "emerge once, deploy everywhere" philosophy, building packages once and distributing binaries to avoid repeated compilation. The distro targets gaming and homelab setups with pre-configured Mesa and NVIDIA drivers, SecureBoot support, btrfs filesystem with zstd compression, and includes Steam, Docker, Flatpak, and Snap out of the box. Available in three variants (Bedrock, GNOME, and Server), it requires UEFI to boot and is currently a hobby project not intended for production use.
The New Stack·10wHackerOS is what a Linux enthusiast’s OS should be
HackerOS is a Debian-based Linux distribution with seven specialized editions targeting regular users, gamers, and cybersecurity enthusiasts. It ships with KDE Plasma 6.5.4, Wayland, and ZSH shell, offering features like case-insensitive command completion and custom hacker-themed terminal commands. The distribution includes gaming support via Steam and GOverlay, optional performance kernels (XanMod, Liquorix), and variants for different desktop environments (KDE, GNOME, Xfce) and use cases (NVIDIA GPUs, cybersecurity tools, LTS). Despite some localization issues mixing English and Polish, plus occasional broken scripts, it provides a user-friendly experience with interesting developer-focused additions.
omg! ubuntu!·9wGhostty 1.3 wil bring Adds Scrollbar Support
Ghostty 1.3.0 will introduce scrollbar support, one of the most-requested features since the terminal emulator's public launch in 2024. The feature is already available in development builds on Linux and macOS and can be enabled by adding `scrollbar = system` to the Ghostty config file. Two values are supported: 'system' (desktop environment decides visibility) and 'never'. The release also brings a command palette session search, tab renaming on Linux, and a read-only tab indicator. Ghostty uses GTK4 natively on Linux and a Swift frontend on macOS, avoiding Electron or non-native toolkits.
Hacker News·11wPostgres Postmaster does not scale
The postmaster process in PostgreSQL runs a single-threaded main loop that handles connection spawning, worker reaping, and parallel query workers. Under extreme load with high connection rates (1400+ connections/sec) and background worker churn, this single-threaded bottleneck can saturate a CPU core, causing 10-15 second delays in connection establishment. The issue was traced through profiling to expensive fork operations and compounded by parallel query workers. Solutions include enabling huge pages for 20% throughput improvement, adding connection jitter to reduce peak rates, and eliminating parallel query bursts. This architectural constraint explains why connection pooling tools are essential for scaled PostgreSQL deployments.
Bread on Penguins·8wI moved to Wayland :D
A personal account of migrating a highly customized Linux desktop from X11 to Wayland, using DWL (a minimal tiling compositor based on wlroots) as the window manager. Covers the patching workflow for DWL (vanity gaps, client opacity, floating windows), replacing Dmenu with a pure-shell alternative, switching to the foot terminal emulator, and extensively customizing a fork of Sunbar to display album art via Cairo and live-updating pywal colors. Also discusses eliminating a notification daemon by embedding notifications in the status bar, script migration challenges, screen recording quirks on Wayland, and unresolved Wine/Photoshop compatibility issues.
ExplainingComputers·9wCachyOS: Arch Linux for All?
CachyOS is an Arch Linux-based rolling release distribution that aims to be more accessible than vanilla Arch while delivering performance optimizations. The review covers installation via a graphical installer, desktop environment choices (defaulting to KDE Plasma), automatic Nvidia driver detection via the custom CHWD tool, a customized Linux kernel with performance enhancements, and package management. While CachyOS ranks highly on DistroWatch and Steam surveys, the reviewer concludes it is better suited for experienced Linux users or gamers seeking maximum performance rather than complete beginners, due to the inherent instability risks of rolling releases and the lack of out-of-the-box secure boot support.
HelixML·9wGPU Virtualization Architecture for Multi-Desktop Containers
Deep technical dive into building GPU-accelerated multi-desktop virtualization on Apple Silicon. Covers the full stack from virtio-gpu driver through QEMU to Metal, focusing on deadlock bugs that emerge when scaling from 1-2 to 4+ concurrent desktops. Key issues include global renderer_blocked semaphore causing cross-scanout freezes, FIFO command queue blocking, broken fence polling timers, and DRM mode_config.mutex contention. Solutions involve per-context isolation, thread-based fence polling workarounds, and removing synchronous operations from critical paths.
TechLinked·11wMicrosoft is going to change for you
Microsoft announced plans to rebuild trust in Windows by focusing on user-requested improvements rather than AI features. In 2026, they'll prioritize fundamentals like fixing dark mode in Windows 11, addressing File Explorer performance issues, improving reliability, and reducing intrusive popups for Edge and Bing. This shift comes after community feedback about tone-deaf promises around agentic OS features.
Phoronix·8wsudo-rs Breaks Historical Norms With Now Enabling Password Feedback By Default
sudo-rs, the Rust-based sudo replacement shipping in Ubuntu 26.04, has enabled password feedback (asterisks) by default when entering passwords in the terminal. This breaks decades of Unix tradition where no feedback was shown to avoid revealing password length to shoulder surfers. The upstream developers justified the change as a major UX improvement for new Linux users, noting that virtually all other password interfaces already show asterisks. The change is controversial, with some users upset about the silent default change. Users who want to restore the old behavior can add 'Defaults !pwfeedback' to their sudo configuration.
The Coded Message·11wReview of macOS for Serious Work
A developer shares their experience switching from Asahi Linux to macOS for daily work, evaluating window management, CLI tools, VSCode integration, and the Unix layer. They discuss practical workflow changes (adopting VSCode, preferring full-screen apps), technical quirks (permission dialogs for CLI tools, Finder limitations), and philosophical tensions between convenience and open-source customizability. The review concludes that macOS works well for their current needs despite reservations about vendor lock-in and reduced system control.
omg! ubuntu!·10wUbuntu 26.04 Resolute Raccoon Mascot Artwork (SVG Available)
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS 'Resolute Raccoon' official mascot artwork has been released as downloadable SVG files. The geometric design features the raccoon's characteristic masked face and spiral tail in Ubuntu's signature style. The mascot will appear on the default wallpaper and promotional materials leading up to the April 23, 2026 release. SVG files are available for community members to create custom wallpapers and artwork.
bigboxSWE·9wYou Can't Beat Linux
A commentary piece arguing that Linux is winning by default as Microsoft and Apple stumble. Microsoft's recent troubles include GitHub outages, Copilot reliability issues, Windows bugs, and aggressive monetization. Meanwhile, Linux is gaining ground with Photoshop compatibility progress, gaming-focused distros like Bazzite seeing massive adoption, and Valve's continued investment in Steam OS. The core argument is that Linux's freedom from corporate and shareholder pressures makes it uniquely resilient and trustworthy as an operating system.
It's Foss·8wSomeone is Bringing Fedora Linux to Phones (And It’s Not Red Hat)
Fedora Pocketblue Remix is a community project bringing Fedora Atomic (immutable) Linux images to mobile devices and tablets. Built on top of Fedora Silverblue and Kinoite using OCI containers, OSTree, and Bootc, it offers five interface variants including GNOME Mobile, Plasma Mobile, and Phosh. Currently supported devices include Xiaomi Pad 5/6, OnePlus 6/6T, Xiaomi Poco F1, and Orange Pi 3 LTS. The immutable base system enables atomic updates and easy rollbacks, similar to SteamOS on the Steam Deck.
The Miners·8wThe Double Standard Is Killing AI Adoption in Your Team
Developers apply a double standard when reviewing AI-generated code, demanding perfection from agents while routinely approving untested, poorly structured human-written code. Drawing on Linus Torvalds' 1992 defense of Linux against Tanenbaum's microkernel critique and Richard Gabriel's 'Worse is Better' essay, the argument is that shipping functional, tested code has always mattered more than theoretical elegance. AI-generated code that compiles, runs, and includes tests deserves the same pragmatic review standard applied to human code — not a higher bar.