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1 • This week's discussion of init software (by New User on 2024-07-08 00:42:18 GMT from Canada)
I Have looked up and read about init software since this discussion started, but you have a way of explaining things so it is comprehensible, and one can immediately think "so THAT's how it works".
One pointer for anyone interested - there is a detailed explanation of the various implementations of "runlevels" at Wikipedia: (When you mention "rescue", first thing that comes to mind is that OTHER OS)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Runlevel
When I started with Linux, just wanted an alternative to Windows. Never expected to get into the guts and low-level operations of operating systems. But reading here every week, have gained enough knowledge to not only understand things, but fix things myself, on the very rare occasion something goes wrong.
So thankyou not only for a great website, but for what you contribute to the community.
2 • Only SSH over console for servers (by Maxmax on 2024-07-08 02:35:03 GMT from France)
I've started web dev some 18 years ago using GUI for FTP transfer, and less than a year after that, I started to exclusively use the console (in a VM first to try, then directly using SSH). It's so fast in text mode instead of using a GUI to administrate a webserver, and once you know the basic commands, a lot can be done using only few dozen commands.
Of course, using Linux as daily driver is helping a lot to master some commands even I don't personally use the console so often (some Git and few batch operations, but I never reminder how to untar an archive for example) but since Linux can run anywhere, there many way to learn even on a phone.
So, console it's simply another type of tool compared to GUI, much more adapted for operation over network, and basically the only option for very cheap VPS only because of low amount of memory.
3 • Omega Linux (by InvisibleInk on 2024-07-08 03:56:09 GMT from United States)
Nice to see a distro keeping the venerable LXDE desktop alive. Would be even nicer if they had based in on Debian Bookworm, instead of Ubuntu 22.04. But I'm sure they had their reasons.
4 • CentOS 7 (by Andy Prough on 2024-07-08 05:24:20 GMT from United States)
>"With CentOS Linux 7 reaching its end of life did you..."
I've neve used CentOS and haven't tried RedHat for about 25 years, so I continued to not use CentOS or any of RedHat's clones.
Maybe that should be an option in the poll.
5 • LXDE desktop (by zephyr on 2024-07-08 05:39:23 GMT from United States)
@ #3 InvisibleInk: I too enjoy using LXDE, found WattOS many years ago, now with just Debian. Very small and lightweight, super fast!
6 • Changing init software after a distribution has been installed (by Bob Hepple on 2024-07-08 07:31:37 GMT from Australia)
I think changing the init system may be just the first problem as other sub-systems may have dependencies - I'm mainly thinking of the many tentacles that systemd has spread throughout Linux making replacing systemd so hard.
For example, on voidlinux (which uses runit as the init system) it is necessary to supply either elogin or seatd (or other tweaks) to backfill missing parts. No doubt the voidlinux devs could chip in and mention what other things that may need to be done when living without systemd.
7 • Linux cancer (by Linux cancer on 2024-07-08 08:48:31 GMT from Singapore)
@6 Systemd is Linux's cancer!
8 • changing init software (by picamanic on 2024-07-08 10:42:11 GMT from United Kingdom)
I would advise against trying to convert a systemd distro to another init system [life is too short; those tentacles]. Changing init in most other distros is possible, but is it necessary? In the case of voidlinux, provided you start from the XFCE4 distro, there is no need to "backfill" with elogind or seatd UNLESS you use it as the starting point for customisation [aka tinkering].
9 • opinion poll other option: (by jazzfelix on 2024-07-08 11:24:22 GMT from Germany)
Switched to FreeBSD. And I am really happy about that decision, it was long overdue.
10 • Init software (by Tennessee on 2024-07-08 10:27:34 GMT from France)
Not to mention the growing list of systemd incompatible packages!
https://pkgmaster.devuan.org/bannedpackages.txt
11 • Peppermint Loaded (by Nathan3 on 2024-07-08 12:10:22 GMT from United States)
I tried out Peppermint Loaded this past weekend.
Still has the Peppermint good looks but there is a small issue I did not have with normal
Peppermint. Install any software (for me Chromium and later the Zoom client).
The first shutdown after installing new software took over three minutes. And the next boot up
also took 4 to 5 times longer than a normal boot up. After that, things were back to normal.
Normal boot up was around 1 minute and 15 seconds on an older AMD laptop and about
6 seconds for a shutdown.
This is just an FYI.
This was on my distro hopping test laptop (2015 Dell AMD 6 laptop.
MX is still my daily driver.
12 • OmegaLinux (by Ratpoison on 2024-07-08 12:51:18 GMT from Italy)
One interesting thing is that OmegaLinux has removed the snap packages.
13 • Centos 7 migrate away from (by MarkE on 2024-07-08 13:36:33 GMT from United Kingdom)
Ubuntu Server LTS if the package configs are not too onerous to convert.
Otherwise Rocky 9.
Ubuntu is good because you can do in-place OS upgrades, whereas RHEL-derivs you *still* have to re-install (eye-roll emoji), but at least Rocky 9 is supported until 2032..
14 • Peppermint Loaded (by New User on 2024-07-08 13:49:54 GMT from Canada)
@11 Nathan3
Was just looking at Peppermint Loaded over the weekend. Aside from 32 bit and 64 bit versions, there are ISOs for both Debian and Devuan based installs. Just curious which version you you had that experience with. If I recall correctly, they can be used as live media, as well as installed. Assuming the only difference is the init system, would make an interesting comparison of bootup speeds. Also, if your temporary issue only happens on one version and not the other, and the only difference between the two is the init; that would point to where the problem is. If it happens with both versions, at least it was only a "temporary" issue.
15 • Omega , no joy (by david on 2024-07-08 15:26:45 GMT from United States)
No mouse and keyboard on the live iso. Why bother?
16 • CentOS 7 (by Jeffrey on 2024-07-08 16:15:28 GMT from Czechia)
While I don't use CentOS, so the question doesn't apply to me, when I first read about SUSE offering extended support for CentOS 7 I couldn't help but think "oh, great to see Blue Hat [the IBM-acquired Red Hat] generating business for other companies -- again". =)
17 • @6 (by RoestVrijStaal on 2024-07-08 17:12:32 GMT from The Netherlands)
Imagine how long and slimy the tentacles of wayland will be.
18 • Init systems and sound systems (by kullervo on 2024-07-08 21:05:49 GMT from Portugal)
Although systemd and Linux bloat are concerns (albeit minor ones), and although I've been (and continue to be) a happy Debian (sid) user for the last six years, I also changed to FreeBSD on my main machine, not because of those concerns, but because of OSS (Open Sound System): to my ears, and through the equipment I own, OSS sounds better than ALSA (and attachments) ever did. Of course I understand - and sympathize - why OSS was ditched from Linux, but I suspect that the "improvements" pilling up on the Linux sound stack (ALSA, Pulseaudio, Pipewire and who knows how many more to come...) are a sign that Linux users are also not quite happy with what they hear coming out from their computers' speakers (a harsh, dry sound, maybe?).
The added bonus is that FreeBSD (in this instance, with JWM) is great with resource usage from the get go, and using ports allow for a great deal of control over what you install in your system.
That said, a forthcoming project will be trying a minimal Gentoo install, replacing ALSA with OSS (already tried with Crux but sadly failed, probably due to my ignorance I wasn't able to compile OSS, which was unfortunate because Crux is a great distro if you want to learn how to tame the machine.)
A final thought: not having any particular ideological qualms towards systemd, I also feel uncomfortable with what it implies. Systemd is like a shopping mall versus street commerce: once you enter the mall, you inevitably end up spending more resources and pilling up more stuff than you eventually needed to.
Thank you to the Distrowatch staff for the great work, and also many thanks to the commentators for sharing your knowledge and experiences.
Thank you for reading.
19 • Can the dust settle now? (by Otis on 2024-07-08 22:54:09 GMT from United States)
The init system angst wars have taken an interesting, and rather mature turn, in my opinion. This week's Tips and Tricks section gives hope to those who love everything about their distro except for the init being bloat-bound, corporate/fascist inspired systemD. Now all you have to do is follow the steps outlined here at DW's T&T section, and you're a happy camper with the init of your choice.
Could this be the end of the wars?
20 • You kids have no idea... (by Tech in San Diego on 2024-07-08 23:55:55 GMT from United States)
Hey there, new wizards of the digital world! You whiz kids with your terabytes of storage and lightning-fast internet wouldn't believe what us pioneers had to work with. Here's a glimpse into the wild west of early computing:
Machines the size of refrigerators: Forget sleek laptops. Our computers were behemoths, taking up entire desks with whirring fans and blinking lights.
Punch cards and tape drives: No keyboards or mice! We fed data through stacks of punched cards or reels of magnetic tape. Imagine typing a whole document one hole at a time!
Memory measured in kilobytes: Today's gigabytes and terabytes seem like magic. Back then, a whole program might fit in just a few kilobytes, forcing us to be super efficient with code.
Loading times that tested patience: The internet? Forget about it! Starting a program could take minutes, with lots of whirring and beeping in the meantime. Patience was a key programmer virtue.
Limited displays: Fancy graphics and high resolutions? Nope. Our screens were often text-only with green or amber text, hard on the eyes after long coding sessions.
But guess what? We loved it! The challenge, the innovation, the satisfaction of coaxing these machines to do our bidding – it was pure magic. We may not have had the fancy tools, but we had the ingenuity and the passion that laid the foundation for the incredible tech world you enjoy today.
So, the next time you marvel at your smartphone's power, remember the pioneers who paved the way with punch cards, blinking lights, and a whole lot of patience. We salute you, future wizards of the digital world!
21 • re: You kids have no idea... (by picamanic on 2024-07-09 07:18:14 GMT from United Kingdom)
You forgot Paper Tape!
22 • re: You kids have no idea (by New User on 2024-07-09 08:54:36 GMT from Canada)
That brought back a lot of memories. Tried entering "computer museum" in web search engine, and was surprised just how many there are, often associated with universities. So if any if the "kiddies" want to see what us pioneers/geeks/old-farts/dinosaurs learned on and worked with, have a look.
Going back even earlier, we had our slide rules (still have mine), and even the abacus.
But if you REALLY want to be amazed, read up on that ancient Greek astronomical calculator, the Antikythera computer at:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antikythera_mechanism
Where did the expertise to design and build that come from?
Also a good read:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer
If your eyeballs aren't left bulging out after reading all of that, do remember to return periodically to distrowatch to keep up with the latest.
Oops, no coverage of distros for quantum computing to be found here (yet....)
23 • Why bother? (by Appalachian on 2024-07-09 09:59:23 GMT from United States)
The whole idea of stripping systemd out of a distro, and then shoving in your own replacement, is a puzzling one to me. If you like Debian, but you don't like systemd, then Devuan has you covered and has been doing so for a few years now. There's also the very popular MX Linux (although I wouldn't use it on a laptop - terrible battery life).
Want newer packages without systemd? Well then, Artix is Arch without systemd, and they've been around for a while now too.
If others have already done your job for you then what's the sense in doing it yourself after the fact?
24 • Why bother? well, Why not? (by LJ on 2024-07-09 10:58:25 GMT from United Kingdom)
In response to the Appalachian, with regards to why strip out systemd yourself.
I'd say why bother installling any distro from command line, why write your own file manager when there are hundreds available, why change the shell you use.
If someone has done the job for me thats nice, but i wont learn anything from that. Not everything has to be a learning experience, but the easy route won't always get you to the destination you are looking for.
25 • Response on Peppermint (by Nathan3 on 2024-07-09 11:56:41 GMT from United States)
@14:
I used the Debian 64 version of the loaded Peppermint when I had the issue with long shutdown
and subsequent boot up after downloading software. I have not tried the Devuan version
of Peppermint. Anyway, this was on my older distro hopping laptop. I am now starting to look
at Void and/or some of it's derivatives. Yes, quite a jump from Peppermint but this is my play
machine and my satisfy my curiousity effort.
26 • Indeed, why bother? (by Otis on 2024-07-09 12:06:14 GMT from United States)
@23 It seems that there's been a misunderstanding. Those who love their Debian but don't love systemD can REMOVE it, rather than cover the entire distro with another one (Devuan).
The instructions are in more than one place now, and they appear to be a lot simpler than installing another distro from the beginning.
I hope this helps to clarify things.
27 • Peppermint Loaded (by Poiema on 2024-07-09 13:02:20 GMT from United States)
Wondering if this isn't part of what is going on in the background for that initial slowness:
Finally a few notes we want to share:
You might encounter a delay after running the /usr/sbin/update-system script during installation. This is completely normal and doesn’t signify an error. The installer operates in debug mode, which can cause the update process to appear slower than usual.
Why the wait? The script is automatically updating your system with the latest software packages (updates) in the background. This ensures you have a fully up-to-date system upon your first boot. (https://peppermintos.com/2024/07/a-new-peppermint-os-release-with-more-choices/)
28 • @26, why bother, Debian or Devuan (by Wally on 2024-07-09 13:59:38 GMT from Australia)
While you're explaining, maybe you can explain the difference between Debian and Devuan.
29 • Debian vs Starting from Scratch with Devuan (by Otis on 2024-07-09 16:25:13 GMT from United States)
@28 The point is if a user has a successful Debian install and loves it save the init system, that user can keep their beloved Debian workhorse and and REMOVE systemD then deploy SysV-init following the instructions posted in today's Tips and Tricks or those given elsewhere.
NO NEED TO DESTROY THE ENTIRE OS JUST FOR A BETTER INIT SYSTEM. Just change out the init system instead.
I can't think of too many more ways of making that simple important point. I'll probably have to try, though. I'll do my best if need be.
30 • re: Debian vs Starting from Scratch with Devuan (by picamanic on 2024-07-09 17:10:59 GMT from United Kingdom)
Of course, if it's that simple to switch Debian from systemd to sysvinit, then why not have it as a supported install-time option?
31 • Slackware + Systemd (by John on 2024-07-09 17:30:55 GMT from Canada)
Someone did get systemd working on Slackware, that was in the 14.2 days.
I could not find the link but it was possible.
32 • Install-time opt-out (by Otis on 2024-07-10 17:09:28 GMT from United States)
@30 Yes, and that option should be there in every systemD laden distro, imo.
Good idea but it aint'a gonna happen, as grampa used to say. From the dev's point of view it may be a bit like quitting smoking, no reason to do it in the first place, but now that you do smoke (deploy systemD) you are likely to have a very hard time quitting.
33 • LinWin (by Bresart on 2024-07-10 18:15:05 GMT from The Netherlands)
Linux problem is that it doesn't really work for anybody. Remove all that's not Gnome/systemd and there will be some chance for Linux to succeed, or keep the current mess, and it will stay 'server OS' forever. Nobody needs it as is. (Except 2%). Sad.
34 • fixing Linux (by Neville on 2024-07-10 22:00:37 GMT from New Zealand)
@33 - I think you really misunderstand the real issues with Linux.
Removing the opposite to what yuou write, namely any and all systemd and and and all Gnomeware would in my opinion BOOST Linux. Let us leave the political landmine of systemd aside, but focus on the track record for Gnome. Here are just a couple of scratches from the tip of a huge iceberg of problems:
Gnome 2 to Gnome 3 - went down "so well" with Linux users that it gave birth to MATE, Cinnamon, and started a number of other moves to new WMs and DEs.
Gnome's Nautilus file manager (what a cool name, Nautilus), has been losing features and integrations that power users love - F3 dual pane, etc, etc, etc. The latest Gnome 46 was the final insult, renaming it as "File". Wow, what high imagination they have over at the Gnome Foundation.
In parallel (in Gnome 46), the archive manager in Gnome no longer supports drag-n-drop.
The saddest part, forming the greatest risk to the Linux world, is two overly cash-loaded German women recently giving 1 million Euro to the Gnome people... to, no doubt, inflict more irreparable damage to Linuxland.
My 2c, YMMV.
35 • OmegaLinux (by Vukota on 2024-07-11 09:33:53 GMT from Serbia)
Site is just one page with download link on GitHub and not much info. Why would I try such Linux distribution in the first place?
36 • Fixing Linux (by De Schatberg on 2024-07-11 12:49:32 GMT from The Netherlands)
@34 (by Neville from New Zealand)
Removing exactly as described in @33.
You should remember a few details. Since basically every distribution worth mentioning has replaced "you name it" init with systemd, there must be a good reason for this. Linux is a server OS, and it probably only exists because of the large corporations that fund it. Gnome is currently the most efficient desktop environment for laptops. The number of laptops sold is constantly increasing, while the number of desktops is decreasing. Take away the gamers and the "recyclers" and there is not much left. Less features means more productivity.
37 • CentOS 7 (by B. Stack on 2024-07-11 16:27:09 GMT from United States)
For some systems, I have started migrating to a community EL. Other systems have hardware whose drivers were dropped for the kernel in EL8 so I'm stuck on CentOS 7. It still runs the apps I need, so why change it?
38 • Server? And? (by Gary W on 2024-07-12 05:31:35 GMT from Australia)
@36 Wow, some flights of fancy here. You do like an argument!
"Every distro worth mentioning" belittles many excellent distros which aren't so encumbered.
"There must be a good reason", sure, wannabes would like to ride on Red Hat's coat tails and echo its commercial success. In a word, money.
Linux is a desktop OS and a phone OS and an embedded OS and a spaceship OS and many other things. You're missing a big part of the Linuxsphere if you're only looking in the server room.
GNOME is ponderous and clunky and approaching Windows-level straightjacketing and throat-jamming.
"Less features means more productivity", so yeah, we should go back to green screens and punched cards!
39 • Server? And? Nothing else. (by Gnunot on 2024-07-12 15:42:08 GMT from United States)
@38 (by Gary W from Australia)
There is no need to belittle something that is already so small. It's just stating the facts. Either it's Fedora for those who want reasonably modern but stable, or it's Debian for those who want stable even if it means the software will be archaic. In the middle is Ubuntu. SuSe is more dead than alive, Arch is the one that "doesn't boot after an update", and that's about it. A few 90-year-old Slackware people who don't want to leave 1996, and Gentoo, which is probably only kept alive by Google.
Money makes the world go round, not love. If that's what's behind systemd's popularity, then it's a natural reason. Normal users don't care why something works. They just expect it to work.
Linux is not a desktop OS. It never was, and it never will be if it continues on the path it's been on for the last 20 years. Linux is a desktop failure. If it were a desktop OS, it wouldn't be used by 2%. Phone OS it is. Thank Google advertising for that.
Gnome is by far the most efficient GUI and it doesn't miss any features. That's easy to prove if you ask old people who never used a computer before and only started when they were forced to use smarthones. The same is true if you ask young people who are more flexible. Gnome is only a problem for those who are inflexible and stuck in their fixed idea of how it has to be (bad, bad!) Microsoft GUI or it's bad. Ask 20% of Apple users what they think about it. ;)
Don't confuse the recyclers, third worlders, and those who want to change every single button on their PC with 'PC users'. They are a small but very vocal minority. PS users want things that work, and the market share proves it.
40 • Gnome .. Linux as Desktop .. Etc .. (by Otis on 2024-07-12 16:10:13 GMT from United States)
@39. Hm. Well, I was going to enter the Gnome fray, and the (laughable) "Linux is not a desktop OS. It never was" fray.
But then a re-read of the whole post there halted me. That post is rife with prejudices and embedded with demeaning references to age, "third worlders," and on.
In other words, this Gnunot person disqualifies her/himself from measured and respectful discussion. We all joke, but those are not jokes. There is of course much worse posted here and there. But that is in the wrong direction. IMO.
41 • LMAO (by Sphynx on 2024-07-12 18:54:40 GMT from United States)
Why bother getting all hot under the collar regarding progress? At the end of the day, Linux users adopted systemd, pipewire, and Wayland because they are better. SystemV, ALSA, and x11 have a long list of problems, including the fact that computing has changed since 2010, let alone 1990.
Look, if you like tinkering under the hood, go with Linux From Scratch or Gentoo. Install $some_window_manager and write your own theme. But I guarantee you, all that is a colossal waste of time.
Be thankful to the developers, most of whom are volunteers. They have taken the time to review the options and make a pre-packaged distro for you. If you want to know the reasoning, you can read the technical board reviews for yourself. Debian, Ubuntu, Fedora, RHEL, these distros have published the reasoning for replacing SystemV, ALSA, x11, etc ...
Fedora and gnome FTW!!! There is a reason this is so popular, Fedora is a stable and modern OS and you do not have to tinker (often) under the hood as you do with Arch. I want to use my computer to accomplish work, either web apps, web browsing, audio/video processing, email, and occasional programing. Gnome stays out of the way, all the apps I use daily are easily accessible, and anything else is a few key strokes away.
Thing are not integrated with systemd for no reason, and you will have problems with systemV because sysV is outdated.
Not only that, but their arguments against systemd/wayland/pipewire make no sense. They are devoid of any technical merits and are made by people who haveno idea what they are talking about. Any init system, including systemV, has its fingers throughout the system you fools.
Funny thing about all this discussion, it seems as if 99.9% of those who complain about systemd have no idea how to compile a kernel or write init scripts.
42 • init scripts (by Sphynx on 2024-07-12 19:42:37 GMT from United States)
If gnome, or snaps, or sshd, or any other service does not run once you have removed systemd, it has NOTHING TO DO WITH SYSTEMD, it has to do with progress. Modern services on modern systems use init scripts written for systemd, and systemv init scripits are not included.
Thus, once you have installed systemd, you will need to start writing init scripts. As you all think systemV is so much better, should be trivial work. Never mind that part of the justification for systemd is that the init scripts are easier , LMAO
43 • SystemD and such... (by Friar Tux on 2024-07-12 19:43:56 GMT from Canada)
Not sure why all the hate (passion (??)) against SystemD. So far, of all the distros I've tested, the ones that give the most problems are those NOT using SystemD. My daily driver is Linux Mint/Cinnamon and it uses SystemD. I've used this for pretty close to 10 years, now, with absolutely no issues EVER - except the one my fat fingers created a couple of years ago. So... until someone can sit down with me, and actually point out where the problem with SystemD actually is, and where it is harming my daily productivity, I will continue to ignore the verbal diarrhea and carry on working with my "no issues" system (D).
44 • Response on Peppermint (by New User on 2024-07-12 20:01:49 GMT from Canada)
@25 Nathan3 - Thanks for the feedback.
45 • Systemd blackmail (by sysvinit_arrow on 2024-07-12 20:35:52 GMT from Italy)
@44
"Not sure why all the hate against SystemD. So far, of all the distros I've tested, the ones that give the most problems are those NOT using SystemD."
This is quite normal: systemd forces developers using other init systems to do quadruple jumps to get applications running that require systemd-related dependencies. You don't like systemd? Then systemd complicates your life and increases your workload. Accept it or suffer.
46 • systemd (by Jesse on 2024-07-12 20:49:00 GMT from Canada)
@42: "If gnome, or snaps, or sshd, or any other service does not run once you have removed systemd, it has NOTHING TO DO WITH SYSTEMD"
This is false. There are services, such as Snap which specifically rely on systemd. It has nothing to do with init scripts, but the features systemd provides. The Snap developers have stated Snapd relies on systemd and they have no interest in supporting distributions which do not use systemd and its libraries.
"At the end of the day, Linux users adopted systemd, pipewire, and Wayland because they are better. "
This isn't really accurate though, is it? Linux package maintainers adopted systemd, PipeWire, and Wayland. Linux _users_ generally just run whatever their distribution ships.
As for the "better" statement, you might want to consider "Better for whom?" The interests of developers, maintainers, users, and sysadmins don't always line up.
Number of Comments: 46
Display mode: DWW Only • Comments Only • Both DWW and Comments
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| • Issue 1151 (2025-12-08): FreeBSD 15.0, fun command line tricks, Canonical presents plans for Ubutnu 26.04, SparkyLinux updates CDE packages, Redox OS gets modesetting driver |
| • Issue 1150 (2025-12-01): Gnoppix 25_10, exploring if distributions matter, openSUSE updates tumbleweed's boot loader, Fedora plans better handling of broken packages, Plasma to become Wayland-only, FreeBSD publishes status report |
| • Issue 1149 (2025-11-24): MX Linux 25, why are video drivers special, systemd experiments with musl, Debian Libre Live publishes new media, Xubuntu reviews website hack |
| • Issue 1148 (2025-11-17): Zorin OS 18, deleting a file with an unusual name, NetBSD experiments with sandboxing, postmarketOS unifies its documentation, OpenBSD refines upgrades, Canonical offers 15 years of support for Ubuntu |
| • Issue 1147 (2025-11-10): Fedora 43, the size and stability of the Linux kernel, Debian introducing Rust to APT, Redox ports web engine, Kubuntu website off-line, Mint creates new troubleshooting tools, FreeBSD improves reproducible builds, Flatpak development resumes |
| • Issue 1146 (2025-11-03): StartOS 0.4.0, testing piped commands, Ubuntu Unity seeks help, Canonical offers Ubuntu credentials, Red Hat partners with NVIDIA, SUSE to bundle AI agent with SLE 16 |
| • Issue 1145 (2025-10-27): Linux Mint 7 "LMDE", advice for new Linux users, AlmaLinux to offer Btrfs, KDE launches Plasma 6.5, Fedora accepts contributions written by AI, Ubuntu 25.10 fails to install automatic updates |
| • Issue 1144 (2025-10-20): Kubuntu 25.10, creating and restoring encrypted backups, Fedora team debates AI, FSF plans free software for phones, ReactOS addresses newer drivers, Xubuntu reacts to website attack |
| • Issue 1143 (2025-10-13): openSUSE 16.0 Leap, safest source for new applications, Redox introduces performance improvements, TrueNAS Connect available for testing, Flatpaks do not work on Ubuntu 25.10, Kamarada plans to switch its base, Solus enters new epoch, Frugalware discontinued |
| • Issue 1142 (2025-10-06): Linux Kamarada 15.6, managing ZIP files with SQLite, F-Droid warns of impact of Android lockdown, Alpine moves ahead with merged /usr, Cinnamon gets a redesigned application menu |
| • Issue 1141 (2025-09-29): KDE Linux and GNOME OS, finding mobile flavours of Linux, Murena to offer phones with kill switches, Redox OS running on a smartphone, Artix drops GNOME |
| • Issue 1140 (2025-09-22): NetBSD 10.1, avoiding AI services, AlmaLinux enables CRB repository, Haiku improves disk access performance, Mageia addresses service outage, GNOME 49 released, Linux introduces multikernel support |
| • Issue 1139 (2025-09-15): EasyOS 7.0, Linux and central authority, FreeBSD running Plasma 6 on Wayland, GNOME restores X11 support temporarily, openSUSE dropping BCacheFS in new kernels |
| • Issue 1138 (2025-09-08): Shebang 25.8, LibreELEC 12.2.0, Debian GNU/Hurd 2025, the importance of software updates, AerynOS introduces package sets, postmarketOS encourages patching upstream, openSUSE extends Leap support, Debian refreshes Trixie media |
| • Issue 1137 (2025-09-01): Tribblix 0m37, malware scanners flagging Linux ISO files, KDE introduces first-run setup wizard, CalyxOS plans update prior to infrastructure overhaul, FreeBSD publishes status report |
| • Issue 1136 (2025-08-25): CalyxOS 6.8.20, distros for running containers, Arch Linux website under attack,illumos Cafe launched, CachyOS creates web dashboard for repositories |
| • Issue 1135 (2025-08-18): Debian 13, Proton, WINE, Wayland, and Wayback, Debian GNU/Hurd 2025, KDE gets advanced Liquid Glass, Haiku improves authentication tools |
| • Issue 1134 (2025-08-11): Rhino Linux 2025.3, thoughts on malware in the AUR, Fedora brings hammered websites back on-line, NetBSD reveals features for version 11, Ubuntu swaps some command line tools for 25.10, AlmaLinux improves NVIDIA support |
| • Issue 1133 (2025-08-04): Expirion Linux 6.0, running Plasma on Linux Mint, finding distros which support X11, Debian addresses 22 year old bug, FreeBSD discusses potential issues with pkgbase, CDE ported to OpenBSD, Btrfs corruption bug hitting Fedora users, more malware found in Arch User Repository |
| • Issue 1132 (2025-07-28): deepin 25, wars in the open source community, proposal to have Fedora enable Flathub repository, FreeBSD plans desktop install option, Wayback gets its first release |
| • Issue 1131 (2025-07-21): HeliumOS 10.0, settling on one distro, Mint plans new releases, Arch discovers malware in AUR, Plasma Bigscreen returns, Clear Linux discontinued |
| • Issue 1130 (2025-07-14): openSUSE MicroOS and RefreshOS, sharing aliases between computers, Bazzite makes Bazaar its default Flatpak store, Alpine plans Wayback release, Wayland and X11 benchmarked, Red Hat offers additional developer licenses, openSUSE seeks feedback from ARM users, Ubuntu 24.10 reaches the end of its life |
| • Issue 1129 (2025-07-07): GLF OS Omnislash, the worst Linux distro, Alpine introduces Wayback, Fedora drops plans to stop i686 support, AlmaLinux builds EPEL repository for older CPUs, Ubuntu dropping existing RISC-V device support, Rhino partners with UBports, PCLinuxOS recovering from website outage |
| • Issue 1128 (2025-06-30): AxOS 25.06, AlmaLinux OS 10.0, transferring Flaptak bundles to off-line computers, Ubuntu to boost Intel graphics performance, Fedora considers dropping i686 packages, SDesk switches from SELinux to AppArmor |
| • Issue 1127 (2025-06-23): LastOSLinux 2025-05-25, most unique Linux distro, Haiku stabilises, KDE publishes Plasma 6.4, Arch splits Plasma packages, Slackware infrastructure migrating |
| • Issue 1126 (2025-06-16): SDesk 2025.05.06, renewed interest in Ubuntu Touch, a BASIC device running NetBSD, Ubuntu dropping X11 GNOME session, GNOME increases dependency on systemd, Google holding back Pixel source code, Nitrux changing its desktop, EFF turns 35 |
| • Issue 1125 (2025-06-09): RHEL 10, distributions likely to survive a decade, Murena partners with more hardware makers, GNOME tests its own distro on real hardware, Redox ports GTK and X11, Mint provides fingerprint authentication |
| • Issue 1124 (2025-06-02): Picking up a Pico, tips for protecting privacy, Rhino tests Plasma desktop, Arch installer supports snapshots, new features from UBports, Ubuntu tests monthly snapshots |
| • Issue 1123 (2025-05-26): CRUX 3.8, preventing a laptop from sleeping, FreeBSD improves laptop support, Fedora confirms GNOME X11 session being dropped, HardenedBSD introduces Rust in userland build, KDE developing a virtual machine manager |
| • Issue 1122 (2025-05-19): GoboLinux 017.01, RHEL 10.0 and Debian 12 updates, openSUSE retires YaST, running X11 apps on Wayland |
| • Issue 1121 (2025-05-12): Bluefin 41, custom file manager actions, openSUSE joins End of 10 while dropping Deepin desktop, Fedora offers tips for building atomic distros, Ubuntu considers replacing sudo with sudo-rs |
| • Issue 1120 (2025-05-05): CachyOS 250330, what it means when a distro breaks, Kali updates repository key, Trinity receives an update, UBports tests directory encryption, Gentoo faces losing key infrastructure |
| • Issue 1119 (2025-04-28): Ubuntu MATE 25.04, what is missing from Linux, CachyOS ships OCCT, Debian enters soft freeze, Fedora discusses removing X11 session from GNOME, Murena plans business services, NetBSD on a Wii |
| • Issue 1118 (2025-04-21): Fedora 42, strange characters in Vim, Nitrux introduces new package tools, Fedora extends reproducibility efforts, PINE64 updates multiple devices running Debian |
| • Issue 1117 (2025-04-14): Shebang 25.0, EndeavourOS 2025.03.19, running applications from other distros on the desktop, Debian gets APT upgrade, Mint introduces OEM options for LMDE, postmarketOS packages GNOME 48 and COSMIC, Redox testing USB support |
| • Issue 1116 (2025-04-07): The Sense HAT, Android and mobile operating systems, FreeBSD improves on laptops, openSUSE publishes many new updates, Fedora appoints new Project Leader, UBports testing VoLTE |
| • Issue 1115 (2025-03-31): GrapheneOS 2025, the rise of portable package formats, MidnightBSD and openSUSE experiment with new package management features, Plank dock reborn, key infrastructure projects lose funding, postmarketOS to focus on reliability |
| • Issue 1114 (2025-03-24): Bazzite 41, checking which processes are writing to disk, Rocky unveils new Hardened branch, GNOME 48 released, generating images for the Raspberry Pi |
| • Issue 1113 (2025-03-17): MocaccinoOS 1.8.1, how to contribute to open source, Murena extends on-line installer, Garuda tests COSMIC edition, Ubuntu to replace coreutils with Rust alternatives, Chimera Linux drops RISC-V builds |
| • Issue 1112 (2025-03-10): Solus 4.7, distros which work with Secure Boot, UBports publishes bug fix, postmarketOS considers a new name, Debian running on Android |
| • Issue 1111 (2025-03-03): Orbitiny 0.01, the effect of Ubuntu Core Desktop, Gentoo offers disk images, elementary OS invites feature ideas, FreeBSD starts PinePhone Pro port, Mint warns of upcoming Firefox issue |
| • Issue 1110 (2025-02-24): iodeOS 6.0, learning to program, Arch retiring old repositories, openSUSE makes progress on reproducible builds, Fedora is getting more serious about open hardware, Tails changes its install instructions to offer better privacy, Murena's de-Googled tablet goes on sale |
| • Issue 1109 (2025-02-17): Rhino Linux 2025.1, MX Linux 23.5 with Xfce 4.20, replacing X.Org tools with Wayland tools, GhostBSD moving its base to FreeBSD -RELEASE, Redox stabilizes its ABI, UBports testing 24.04, Asahi changing its leadership, OBS in dispute with Fedora |
| • Issue 1108 (2025-02-10): Serpent OS 0.24.6, Aurora, sharing swap between distros, Peppermint tries Void base, GTK removinglegacy technologies, Red Hat plans more AI tools for Fedora, TrueNAS merges its editions |
| • Issue 1107 (2025-02-03): siduction 2024.1.0, timing tasks, Lomiri ported to postmarketOS, Alpine joins Open Collective, a new desktop for Linux called Orbitiny |
| • Issue 1106 (2025-01-27): Adelie Linux 1.0 Beta 6, Pop!_OS 24.04 Alpha 5, detecting whether a process is inside a virtual machine, drawing graphics to NetBSD terminal, Nix ported to FreeBSD, GhostBSD hosting desktop conference |
| • Issue 1105 (2025-01-20): CentOS 10 Stream, old Flatpak bundles in software centres, Haiku ports Iceweasel, Oracle shows off debugging tools, rsync vulnerability patched |
| • Issue 1104 (2025-01-13): DAT Linux 2.0, Silly things to do with a minimal computer, Budgie prepares Wayland only releases, SteamOS coming to third-party devices, Murena upgrades its base |
| • Issue 1103 (2025-01-06): elementary OS 8.0, filtering ads with Pi-hole, Debian testing its installer, Pop!_OS faces delays, Ubuntu Studio upgrades not working, Absolute discontinued |
| • Issue 1102 (2024-12-23): Best distros of 2024, changing a process name, Fedora to expand Btrfs support and releases Asahi Remix 41, openSUSE patches out security sandbox and donations from Bottles while ending support for Leap 15.5 |
| • Issue 1101 (2024-12-16): GhostBSD 24.10.1, sending attachments from the command line, openSUSE shows off GPU assignment tool, UBports publishes security update, Murena launches its first tablet, Xfce 4.20 released |
| • Issue 1100 (2024-12-09): Oreon 9.3, differences in speed, IPFire's new appliance, Fedora Asahi Remix gets new video drivers, openSUSE Leap Micro updated, Redox OS running Redox OS |
| • Full list of all issues |
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pfSense
pfSense is a free, open source customized distribution of FreeBSD specifically tailored for use as a firewall and router that is entirely managed via web interface. In addition to being a routing platform, pfSense includes a long list of related features and a package system which allows further expandability.
Status: Active
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View our range including the highly anticipated StarFighter. Available with coreboot open-source firmware and a choice of Ubuntu, elementary, Manjaro and more. Visit Star Labs for information, to buy and get support.
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