Debian 11 'Bullseye' Linux-based operating system release date officially revealed
Debian 11 is a long time coming now, with users of the Linux-based operating system anxiously awaiting the upcoming release. Code-named "Bullseye," it has been suspected to have 2021 availability, but as of today, we now know the specific date.
You see, the Debian developers are planning to release version 11 on August 14 of this year. In other words, it is less than a month away! This year, you can celebrate the August 14 birthdays of celebrities Mila Kunis, Steve Martin, and Magic Johnson by downloading and installing the wildly popular Linux distribution.
Sequoia: Linux kernel security flaw gives unprivileged users root access
A vulnerability has been discovered in the Linux kernel that makes it possible to gain root access on a number of popular distributions, including Ubuntu, Debian and Fedora. The flaw has been named Sequoia, and it exists in the filesystem layer.
The security issue is thought to affect all versions of the Linux kernel released since 2014, meaning that a large number of distros are vulnerable. Specifically, the flaw is a size_t-to-int type conversion vulnerability that can be exploited to elevate privileges.
Steam Deck is a Linux desktop trojan horse
Switching from Windows to Linux is pretty easy nowadays -- unless you're a gamer. If you are into PC gaming, Windows is still the best operating system for maximum compatibility and performance. Gaming on Linux has gotten better thanks to Steam's Proton, but still, Windows clearly reigns supreme.
With all of that said, Linux gaming is about to get much more possible. You see, Valve's new handheld gaming console is basically just a PC running an Arch Linux-based operating system. The OS is named "SteamOS" and it uses KDE Plasma.
Windows 365 lets you stream Windows 10 and Windows 11 from the cloud to any device -- including Mac, iPad, Android and Linux
When Windows 10 was announced back in 2014, Microsoft caused alarm bells to ring when it said the new operating system would be free "for the first year", and referring to it "as a service". That led to speculation that the software giant would start charging a monthly fee for Windows 10, much as it does for Office with Microsoft 365.
That never came to pass, but today at its Inspire 2021 conference Microsoft takes the wraps off Windows 365, a cloud-based Windows subscription service.
Download Tails Linux 4.20, man
Hey, man. Want to know something totally far out? The privacy-focused Linux-based operating system, Tails, has achieved version 4.20. How groovy! If you aren't familiar, Tails is designed to run from an optical disk or USB drive and hide your browsing activity. It is particularly handy for journalists or computer users living in countries ruled by oppressive governments.
Version 4.20 of Tails receives several improvements. For instance, OnionShare has been updated to 2.2 and KeePassXC is now at 2.6.2. More importantly, the Tor Browser has been updated to 10.5.2 and the Linux kernel now sits at 5.10.46. Most significant, however, there are massive enhancements when connecting to a Tor network, including a new assistant.
Microsoft has its own Linux distro called CBL-Mariner
It's no secret that Microsoft has been showing Linux a lot more love in recent years -- just look to Windows Subsystem for Linux as an example. Nonetheless, it might surprise you to learn that Microsoft has its very own Linux distribution.
A recent blog post by a member of the Microsoft Azure team shares details on the company's Linux distro. In it, Juan Manuel Rey sheds light on the creation, and gives an intriguing insight into it. Called CBL-Mariner the distro is used by Microsoft engineering teams to build its cloud infrastructure and edge products and services.
Windows 11 WSL2 performance compares very favorably with bare metal Ubuntu Linux in benchmarks
Windows Subsystem for Linux has been both a revelation and a revolution. Now in its second iteration (WSL2), the technology has advanced dramatically in recent years and increasing numbers of people are using it to enjoy Linux distros and apps within Windows.
With the launch of the first Insider builds of Windows 11, there is interest from the Linux community about what progress Microsoft has made. Benchmarks pitting WSL2 against "bare metal" Ubuntu show that performance is pretty impressive... but there are still improvements to be made.
Ubuntu Linux-maker Canonical is 2021 Microsoft Partner of the Year finalist
Microsoft has been getting more and more friendly with both the Open Source and Linux communities in recent years. For instance, the Windows 11-maker offers its some of its popular software for Linux-based operating systems these days, such as Windows Calculator and the Chromium-based Edge web browser. No to mention, Linux is essentially integrated into Microsoft's desktop operating system thanks to the Windows Subsystem for Linux.
To show just how close-knit Microsoft and the Linux community are, today, something fairly shocking is announced. You see, Ubuntu-maker Canonical is a 2021 Microsoft Partner of the Year finalist. Wow.
Download Linux Mint 20.2 today and tell Microsoft you don't want Windows 11
With Windows 11 on the horizon, many consumers will find themselves unable to upgrade due to the crazy system requirements the operating system has. And so, some of those people will look for alternatives, such as Linux distributions. While Ubuntu is a wise choice for those interested in switching to Linux, it isn't the best choice. Actually, Windows-switchers should instead give Linux Mint (which is based on Ubuntu) a try.
Wouldn't you know it, today, the all-new Linux Mint 20.2 becomes available for download. Named "Uma," it can be had with your choice of three great desktop environments -- Cinnamon 5.0, MATE 1.24, and Xfce 4.16. Mint 20.2 is based on Ubuntu 20.04 and uses Linux kernel 5.4.
Forget Windows 11 -- deepin Linux 20.2.2 doesn't require your PC to have a TPM
Windows 11 looks quite beautiful, but let's be honest... it is pretty much just Windows 10 with a fresh coat of paint. Sadly, Microsoft is requiring some pretty strict hardware requirements for the upcoming operating system, meaning many people could find themselves unable to upgrade. Even worse, the company has provided confusing communications regarding TPM requirements.
Thankfully, even if Microsoft thinks your perfectly fine computer is obsolete, the Linux community doesn't think that. In other words, if your computer is incompatible with Windows 11 due to a lack of a TPM chip or other hardware issue, it can still run a modern Linux distro just fine. Case in point, one of the prettiest Linux distributions, deepin, just reached version 20.2.2 and it is the perfect option for those that are unable to upgrade to Microsoft's next desktop OS. It even supports Android apps like Windows 11!
Ubuntu-maker Canonical will support open source Blender on Windows, Mac, and Linux
Blender is one of the most important open source projects, as the 3D graphics application suite is used by countless people at home, for business, and in education. The software can be used on many platforms, such as Windows, Mac, and of course, Linux.
Today, Ubuntu-maker Canonical announces it will offer paid enterprise support for Blender LTS. How cool is that? Surprisingly, this support will not only be for Ubuntu users. Heck, it isn't even limited to Linux installations. Actually, Canonical will offer this support to Blender LTS users on Windows, Mac, and Linux. Wow!
WDDM 3.0 to bring support for graphical Linux apps in Windows 11
Tomorrow is the day we learn more about Windows 11. Microsoft's big event is going to be packed with information about the upcoming version of the operating system, but the leaks that have already made their way to the internet mean there's already a lot that we know.
There is undeniably a lot to look forward to, although many have already decried Windows 11 as being little more than a new theme pack for Windows 10. One thing we know Windows 11 includes is WDDM 3.0 (Windows Display Driver Model) and this means WSL GUI, or WSLg for short -- or, to put it another way, graphical Linux apps in Windows.
Linux Foundation launches Open Voice Network
Many organizations are now relying on voice assistant systems to handle enquiries, but just as with other forms of information it's important to protect the consumer and the proprietary data that flows through voice.
The Linux Foundation is launching an Open Voice Network, an open source association dedicated to advancing open standards that support the adoption of AI-enabled voice assistance systems.
Download Debian Linux 10.10 'Buster' now
Windows 11 may be the name of the upcoming version of Microsoft's desktop operating system, but that doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the number ten. For instance, one of the most popular Linux distributions, Debian, currently sits at version 10 (Code-named "Buster").
Actually, taking the number ten even further, Debian 10.10 is now available for download. Yes, this is the tenth point release of the tenth version of the wildly popular operating system. Those that believe in numerology may see significance in this versioning. Current Debian users should update their packages immediately, as 10.10 is chock full of important bug fixes and security updates.
Download Ubuntu-based Linux Mint 20.2 'Uma' Beta with Cinnamon, MATE, and Xfce
Linux Mint is an operating system based on Ubuntu. The distribution comes with some interesting tweaks that many users appreciate, making it a popular choice in the Linux community for both beginners and experts alike. It is stable, easy to use, and has a well-designed Update Manager that puts many other distros to shame. Linux Mint is a joy to use.
Last month, we told you that Linux Mint 20.2 would be named "Uma." At the time, we shared the Uma Beta would be released in the middle of June. Well, folks, today is June 15 and guess what? You can download Linux Mint 20.2 Beta immediately!