[Closed] Solus

No summary, post is pretty short. Also questions: Do you like the summary? Which method you like most? Is it useful at all?

This summary is generated with ChatGPT and edited by me

Heya folks! It's news time! Here’s the latest roundup from Solus.

Kernel Updates:

** kernels are updated to v6.9.10 (current) and v6.6.41 (LTS). The BORE scheduler is also updated to v5.2.4 on linux-current. These kernel updates include significant changes to the initrd:

• Removed previous init implementation that relied on symlink hacks.
• Added additional firmware paths to enable proper firmware file pickup.
• Included a depmod.conf file to adjust the kernel module search path within the initrd.
• Added a /.dracut-depmod-invalidate file to NVIDIA kernel module initrds to run depmod in the initrd, generating a new index.
• Adapted NVIDIA modules to the new changes.
• Temporarily moved the nvidia-glx-driver linux-current initrd to a subpackage due to user reports of issues with the 6.9 kernel.
• Disabled firmware initrd generation for NVIDIA drivers older than v555.x.

These changes make early KMS for NVIDIA cleaner and more maintainable. We’re looking for testers to join the packaging channel on Matrix to help improve this process further!

KDE Updates:

• KDE Plasma:

  • Updated to 6.1.3.
  • Bugfix release with translations and fixes including:
    • KWin Plugins nightlight: Relax custom times constraints.
    • KWin Tiling: Don’t put maximized windows in tile.

• KDE Frameworks:

  • Updated to 6.4.0.

MariaDB Update:

• MariaDB:
  • Updated to v10.11.
  • Changes to the package:
    • mariadb-libs is now mariadb-common.
    • Moved libmariadbd.so to mariadb-server, reducing mariadb-common size.
    • Reorganized utilities and man pages, added mariadb-errmsg.
    • Made mariadb and libdbi-drivers stateless.
    • Added perl-dbd-mariadb to replace perl-dbd-mysql.

Other Notable Updates:

• OBS Studio: Updated to 30.2 with UI updates, Hybrid MP4 recording, multitrack video output, and Nvidia NVENC support. Full release notes.
• Pipewire: Updated to v1.2. Read more.
• Abseil C++ (abseil-cpp): Updated to v20240116.2. Testing libraries moved to -devel package, reducing install size.
• PPP: Updated to 2.5.0. Many VPN packages updated. Please report any breakages.
• typos: Added to the repository. A tool to find and correct spelling mistakes in source code.

Deprecations:

• Kodi: Deprecated due to rebuild issues. Users are recommended to switch to the flatpak version or explore alternatives like Jellyfin.
• yubikey-manager-qt and ajour: Also deprecated.

Taskforce Updates:

Our Solus Package Taskforce has been diligently working to bring the repository up to current standards:

• Appstream Metainfo: 216 packages (down 13) need appstream metainfo added.
• Homepage Key: 307 packages (down 12) left without homepages.
• Build Failures: 16 packages (down 2) do not build.
• Obsolete Macros: 6 cargo packages (down 15).
• Tagged for Deprecation: 42 packages (down 2).

Security Updates:

• graalvm: Updated to 22.3.3-7. Includes fixes for CVE-2023-22006, CVE-2023-22036, CVE-2023-22041, CVE-2023-22044, CVE-2023-22045, CVE-2023-22049, CVE-2023-22051.
• libraw: Updated to 0.21.2-19. Includes fixes for CVE-2023-1729.
• nasm: Updated to 2.16.03-19. Includes fixes for CVE-2022-46456.
• openvpn: Updated to 2.6.12-36. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-5594.
• qt5-base: Updated to 5.15.14-106. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-39936.
• qt6-base: Updated to 6.7.2-30. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-39936.

Be sure to install all updates for the latest security protections.

That’s all for this week, folks! Tune in next week for more Solus news.

Heya folks! With the 6.9 update to our Current branch of the Linux kernel, we are dropping the AppArmor patchset from Canonical. This means

No Summary this week as the post is pretty short

Cheers!

Sync Updates

• Node.js 20 is now in the repository, and it is co-installable with Node.js 18. Some applications, however, are still using very old versions of Node.js. As such, they have to be removed. This list includes:
  • beekeeper-studio
  • mailspring
  • kitematic
  • mongosh
• emscripten package is also in need of a maintainer, or else it, too, will be removed from the repository.
• linux-firmware is now compressed using zstd. This should save around 400-500MB on end user systems.
• pinentry has been updated to 1.3.0. We now build GTK4 and Qt6 frontends for it. A wrapper script will detect at launch, the DE you are running, and will use a suitable frontends for said DE.
• Qt is now at version 6.7.2. This release contains over 200 bug fixes, security enhancements, and other improvements.
• XWayland 24.1 has landed in the repository, bringing explicit sync for GNOME Wayland users using AMD/Intel hardware.
• The Steam udev rules have been moved into their own subpackage, named steam-udev-rules. People using the Steam flatpak can now install it to enable use of gaming controllers with the flatpak version of Steam.

New Packages

• Several XApps have been added to the repository this week. If you haven't heard of them, XApps are generic applications for traditional GTK desktop environments that don't aim to integrate only in one environment. The following applications have been added:
  • xed, a text editor
  • xviewer, an image viewer based on Eye of GNOME
  • xviewer-plugins, a collection of plugins for XViewer
  • xreader, a PDF viewer
  • pix, a photo organization application based on gThumb
• Other new packages available in the repository this week :
  • ryujinx, a Nintendo Switch emulator
  • distrobox
  • fooyin, a customizable music player
  • lime3ds, a Nintendo 3DS emulator, replacing Citra
  • nxsiv, an image viewer, replacing xsiv

Staff Updates

We formed a taskforce to handle our repository housekeeping tasks. This taskforce will mostly do mundane, but much needed, chores for our packages repository. This includes, but is not limited to:

• Adding appstream metainfo - 316 packages (+8 font packages) need appstream metainfo added
• Adding homepage key - 435 packages left without homepage (Down from 2300 packages in October 2023)
• Fixing packages that do not build - 18 packages do not build
• Replace obsolete macros in recipes
• Tagging packages for deprecation

Most of these tasks are beginner-friendly, and can be a great way to learn Solus packaging. We invite anyone that has the time and inclination to join us!

Security Updates

• ghostscript was updated to 9.56.1-27. Includes security fixes for CVE-2023-28879, CVE-2023-38559, CVE-2023-43115, CVE-2023-52722, CVE-2024-29510, CVE-2024-33869, CVE-2024-33870, CVE-2024-33871.
• kerberos was updated to 1.21.3-22. Includes security fixes for CVE-2024-37371.
• wget was updated to 1.24.5-33. Includes security fixes for CVE-2024-38428.

This summary is generated by me (lol)

Sync updates

Applications updates

• KDE Gear has been updated to 24.05.1
• OBS Studio was updated to 30.1.2.
• Clear Boot Manager (CBM) now supports multiple kernel-dependent initrd extensions. This allows the graphics driver to initialize earlier in the boot, which can reduce flickering.

New application

• Papers has been added to the repository this cycle. It is a new PDF viewer for the GNOME desktop.

Development updates

• As a part of our plan to fully remove Python 2, the Solus Software Center will be replaced by GNOME Software and KDE Discover, since we don't have the developers to maintain the Solus SC application.
• In order for us to be able to do that, AppStream metainfo files have to be added to packages so they show up in the new software centers. There are 319 packages that need metainfo added before a switch can be made.
• Adding metainfo is a good and simple way to get started with packaging. We have an issue up on our tracker reagrding this effort. If you would like to help, get in touch in the Solus Packaging room on Matrix.

Security updates

• mbedtls was updated to 2.28.8-14. Includes security fixes for CVE-2024-28960.

This summary is generated by Open Text Summarizer and edited by me

Sync Summary

• Rust has been updated to 1.79.
• Nheko has been updated to 0.12.0. Note that upstream Qt6 has an issue with scrolling with mouse scroll wheels, to work around this, we've added a downstream patch. As this downstream patch is a significant departure from how it works with upstream Nheko, please report any issues with scrolling on the Solus issue trackers.
• VLC was updated to 3.0.21. VLC package was modified to split it between the binary and the library portion, meaning that VLC should now be able to be uninstalled on Plasma.
• Bash will now inherit the $PATH from the process that spawned it, rather than resetting it.
• An issue was fixed where some processes or services couldn't find configuration files.
• All packages that shipped files in /etc/xdg have been fixed to ship them in the correct stateless directory instead.

Desktop Updates

• GNOME has been updated to 46.2. This is a bugfix update, and should be a safe and uneventful upgrade from 46.1.
• KDE Frameworks has been updated to 6.3.0. This release contains many fixes and improvements to the KDE Frameworks 6 series.
• Mesalib was updated to 24.1.1. GNOME will now use explicit sync for Wayland-native applications for AMD and Intel GPU users. XWayland applications will have to wait for an updated XWayland, and Plasma users have to wait for Plasma 6.1. More news about Mesa 24.1 can be read here.

Security updates

• flask-cors was updated to 4.0.1-10 . Includes security fixes for CVE-2024-1681.
• libvte was updated to 0.76.3-64. Includes security fixes for CVE-2024-37535.

This summary is generated b y ChatGPT and edited by me

Heya folks! We're here with another installment of the weekly Solus news! Let's dive in.

GRUB Update:

• GRUB:
  • Updated to version 2.12.
  • Brings numerous fixes and improved support for various technologies.
  • Important Notes:
    • GRUB does not get automatically updated; it must be done manually.
    • If you have a /boot partition, it must be mounted before the manual installation.
    • To update the GRUB bootloader, run the following command after fully updating your system, replacing sdX with your boot drive:

      sudo grub-install --boot-directory=/boot/ --target=i386-pc --recheck --force /dev/sdX
      

LLVM and Related Tool Updates:

• LLVM:
  • Updated to 18.1.6.
  • Crystal: Updated to 1.12.1.
  • ISPC: Updated to 1.23.0.
  • Ziglang: Updated to 0.12.0.
  • Rust: More tools included in the Rust package and moved into the development subpackage (rust-devel). Install rust-devel for a complete Rust development environment.

Blender Enhancements:

• Blender:
  • Now includes CUDA and OptiX support.
  • NVIDIA users can render projects using their GPU, significantly speeding up rendering times.

Kernel-side Changes:

• BCC (BPF Compiler Collection):
  • Kernel-side changes for BCC have been implemented. BCC is a toolkit for creating efficient kernel tracing and manipulation programs, including several powerful performance tools. These changes enable the tools to work effectively with the updated kernel.

Software Center Updates:

• GNOME Software and KDE Discover:
  • No longer marked as experimental.

Community Contributions:

• Repository Cleanup:
  • Shoutout to those working on adding homepages to package.yml files, cleanup, and adding monitoring.yml files. Close to 1700 packages have been cleaned up since the initiative started in September 2023. This essential work by community contributors is greatly appreciated.

Security Updates:

• GRUB:
  • Updated to 2.12-39.
  • Fixes numerous security issues, including:
    • CVE-2014-4607
    • CVE-2020-10713
    • CVE-2020-14308 to CVE-2020-14311
    • CVE-2020-14372
    • CVE-2020-15705 to CVE-2020-15707
    • CVE-2020-25632, CVE-2020-25647
    • CVE-2020-27749, CVE-2020-27779
    • CVE-2021-20225, CVE-2021-20233
    • CVE-2021-3418, CVE-2021-3695 to CVE-2021-3697
    • CVE-2021-3981
    • CVE-2022-2601, CVE-2022-28733 to CVE-2022-28736
    • CVE-2022-3775
    • CVE-2023-4692, CVE-2023-4693

That’s all for this week, folks! Tune in next week for more Solus news.

This summary is generated by ChatGPT with edits from me

Heya folks! It's time for another roundup of the news! Let's dive in.

Driver Updates:

• NVIDIA Beta Driver:
  • Updated to 555.42.02.
  • Adds support for the linux-drm-syncobj-v1 protocol for Wayland explicit sync in EGL.
  • Issue: Rebooting directly into a Wayland session with Vulkan using the Beta driver causes Vulkan not to work. Workaround: Log into an XOrg session first, then into a Wayland session.

Software Updates:

• Neovim:

  • Updated to 0.10.0.
  • Major release with numerous changes and breaking changes for plugins and configurations. Make sure to update plugins and check configs.

• MimeType Handling:

  • Branding packages that ship a mimeapps.list file are now co-installable again.
  • Files added to the MATE and XFCE desktop branding packages.

• Desktop Environment Updates:

  • KDE Plasma:
    • Updated to 6.0.5.
    • Contains many bugfixes.
    • KDE Frameworks 5 updated to 5.116.0 for applications not yet on Frameworks 6.
  • Qt:
    • Updated to 6.7.1.
    • Brings new features and bugfixes.

Performance Improvements:

• Bash Optimization:
  • Significant speed improvement achieved by building Bash with Profile-guided optimizations (PGO).
  • Startup speed for running a script improved by approximately 60%.
  • Example script startup speed reduced from 1.409 seconds to 1.366 seconds.
  • Shellbench benchmarking tool confirms the performance increase.
  • Trade-off: Binary size increased from 9.68 MB to 9.82 MB, and build times are longer due to multiple compilations required for PGO.

Security Updates:

• gnome-remote-desktop: Updated to 46.2-15. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-5148.
• podman: Updated to 5.0.3-42. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-3727.
• postgresql: Updated to 16.3-49. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-4317.
• qt5-networkauth: Updated to 5.15.13-24. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-36048.
• skopeo: Updated to 1.15.1-29. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-3727.
• wireshark: Updated to 4.2.5-87. Includes fixes for CVE-2024-4853, CVE-2024-4854, and CVE-2024-4855.

Browser Updates:

• Opera and Vivaldi: Updated to include the latest Chromium security updates.

That’s all for this week, folks! Check in next week for another Solus news roundup.

This summary is generated with ChatGPT and edited by me

Here's the latest update for this week:

System Update Measures:

• We've implemented safety measures to ensure system updates won't break your system, regardless of the last update. An in-depth breakdown of last week's issues will be provided later. We're working on further steps to ensure everyone transitions to a fully /usr Merged system safely. Thanks for your patience.

Kernel Updates:

• The Current branch kernel has been updated to 6.8.10.
• The LTS branch kernel has been updated to 6.6.31.
• The build time for these kernels now derives from the SOURCE_DATE_EPOCH.

KDE Frameworks Update:

• KDE Frameworks have been updated to 6.2.0. These are 72 addon libraries to Qt providing commonly needed functionalities.

LibreOffice Icon Theme:

• Previously, LibreOffice on Budgie used the Sifr Dark icon theme by default, causing unreadable icons with a light theme. Now, LibreOffice defaults to the colored Elementary icons, ensuring readability across all editions of Solus.

Boot Loader Management Tool:

• Over at Serpent, Ikey has been developing blsforme, a replacement for clr-boot-manager. blsforme is a tool and library for the Boot Loader Specification, progressing swiftly towards Solus 5. This change addresses several issues associated with clr-boot-manager.

GLib CVE Fix and Application Crashes:

• The recent GLib CVE fix revealed other bugs causing crashes in Inkscape, gedit, HandBrake, and possibly other programs when vala-panel-appmenu is installed. We've backported a patch to GLib to fix these issues.

Security Updates:

• git: Updated to 2.45.1-128, including fixes for CVE-2024-32002, CVE-2024-32004, CVE-2024-32020, CVE-2024-32021, and CVE-2024-32465.
• libxml2: Updated to 2.12.7-48, addressing CVE-2024-34459.
• Chromium-based browsers: Updated to address zero-day flaws CVE-2024-4761 and CVE-2024-4947. If you're using Brave, Opera, Vivaldi, or any Chromium-based browser, ensure these updates are applied due to known exploits.

This summary is generated using ChatGPT and edited by me

Here's the latest from this week's roundup:

1. Package Updates:

   • Steam and xfce4-panel-profiles: Missing dependencies for these packages have been addressed. Update your system to ensure these packages can work properly again.

2. "/usr Merge" Progress:

   • The "/usr Merge" initiative continues, with /bin and /sbin directories fully moved into the /usr directory. Compatibility symlinks have been added. This transition is crucial as the next version of systemd will drop support for unmerged-usr setups.

3. Extended Attributes (xattrs) Support:

   • ypkg and eopkg got new feature to export extended attributes (xattrs) info to files in packages and apply them during installation. This enables setting file capabilities for binaries, such as KWin being able to raise its process priority for improved responsiveness under load. Note that you may not see these benefits until the next package update. You can reinstall KWin to ensure it has capabilities with sudo eopkg it kwin --reinstall. To check which binaries have file capabilities, run getcap -r /usr/bin/.

4. Security Updates:

   • Important security fixes were made to several packages:
     • buildah: Updated to 1.35.3-44, addressing CVE-2024-1753 and CVE-2024-24786.
     • glib2: Updated to 2.80.2-106, fixing CVE-2024-34397.
     • strongswan: Updated to 5.9.14-10, resolving CVE-2023-41913.

Make sure to apply these updates promptly to stay protected!

That's all for this week's roundup! Keep an eye out for more updates next week!

This summary is generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me

This week's highlights from Solus:

1. CUPS Update: CUPS packages have been updated, switching to the actively maintained OpenPrinting version of CUPS. cups-filters was also updated to 2.0.0 and split into separate packages, addressing printing issues. Users may see file conflict warnings during updates, but these are harmless.

2. Workrave Package Update: Workrave package has been split to remove unnecessary files and dependencies, ensuring that only relevant components are installed based on the desktop environment.

3. Zynaddsubfx Fix: Zynaddsubfx now works again after breaking due to missing dependencies when switching to Pipewire by default. The package now depends on pipewire-jack.

4. Nano 8 Update: Nano text editor has been updated to version 8, featuring modernization efforts such as default key bindings for search, improved command-line options, and mousewheel scrolling.

5. Element Matrix Client: The Element Matrix client now uses Wayland by default, enhancing its compatibility with modern desktop environments.

6. Font Rendering Improvement: Fonts now use slight hinting by default, resolving font rendering issues with certain websites.

7. Solus MATE Transition Tool (SMTT): SMTT has been added to the repository, but it's not yet recommended for general use. Users can help debug potential issues by testing it.

8. New Additions to Repository:

   • diffoscope: A tool for in-depth file, archive, and directory comparisons.
   • helvum: A graphical patchbay for PipeWire, enabling audio, video, and MIDI data routing.
   • gnome-online-accounts-gtk: A standalone application for configuring online accounts on GTK desktops.

9. Security Updates: Security updates include patches for python-idna, qt6-base, and tpm2-tools. Make sure to apply all updates for the latest protections.

This summary is generated using ChatGPT and edited by me

This week's highlights from Solus:

1. GNOME 46.1: The latest GNOME Desktop version brings new features like global search in Files, improved GNOME Online Accounts with Microsoft OneDrive support, and remote login with RDP. Check out the release post for more details.

2. Default Program Definitions: Solus is addressing issues with files opening in the wrong programs by providing a file defining default programs for MIME types. GNOME users will benefit from this improvement, ensuring that files open in the appropriate applications.

3. Samba 4.19.6: The update includes performance improvements, migration of smbget to use a common command line parser, removal of in-tree cryptography in favor of GnuTLS, and more.

4. nftables Update: Solus now uses nftables by default instead of legacy xtables. Users of Docker, lxd, libvirtd, and firewalld shouldn't need to take action, but manual users should note the change. Rebooting after updating is recommended for users of containers or VMs.

5. Docker 26.0: Docker has been updated to version 26.0, with docker-buildx updated to 0.14.0. docker-machine has been removed from the repository as it is no longer maintained upstream.

6. Prism Launcher Update: Prism launcher has been updated to version 8.3, now using Java 21 instead of Java 17, ensuring compatibility with the latest Minecraft versions.

7. Intel QuickSync Support: Handbrake and FFMPEG now work with Intel QuickSync on Tiger Lake and later GPUs. Users need to manually install vpl-gpu-rt.

8. iputils Ping: Solus now uses the iputils version of ping, which is more advanced and actively developed. Subpixel rendering is also enabled by default, and fontconfig snippets can now be added to override default configuration files.

9. Shim-signed Update: shim-signed was updated to the latest Fedora upstream version, fixing issues with running the Mok Management application upon a Secure Boot violation.

10. Security Updates: Important security updates include patches for glibc and libarchive. Make sure to apply these updates to stay protected against vulnerabilities.

This summary is generated by ChatGPT3.5 and edited by me

Here's the latest from Solus:

1. KDE Plasma 6.0.4: This week, KDE Plasma was updated to version 6.0.4, bringing three weeks' worth of bug fixes and translation updates. Fixes include improvements to Desktop Portal URL exporting, resizing fixes in System Monitor's overview page, and more.

2. HDR on Plasma: A guide was shared on forum on using HDR on Plasma, although it's still experimental and not officially supported by either Plasma or Solus developers.

3. Wayland Explicit Sync Support: Updates to libxcb and xcb-proto bring Solus closer to supporting explicit sync in Wayland. This feature aims to improve graphics performance, especially for NVIDIA users, by refining interaction between applications, the OS, and graphics hardware.

4. Kernel and PAM Updates: The Linux kernel branch has been updated to 6.8.7, bringing new features like the xe GPU driver and bcachefs. PAM has been updated to version 1.6, with improvements and bug fixes, including persisting faillock across reboots for enhanced security.

5. LibreOffice 24.2.2.2: LibreOffice has been updated to version 24.2.2.2, featuring the Qt6/KF6 backend for better integration with Plasma 6 and improved performance.

6. OpenJDK 21: The latest LTS release of OpenJDK, version 21, is now available in the repository, offering new features such as sequenced collections and pattern matching for switch statements.

7. Lua 5.4.6 Update: Lua has been updated to version 5.4.6, introducing new features like generational garbage collection mode and const variables.

8. GNOME 46 Update: GNOME 46.1 is being worked on Solus, with plans to land it in the Unstable branch next week for testing.

9. Security Updates: Several security fixes have been implemented this week across various packages, ensuring users have the latest protections against vulnerabilities.

10. Multimedia, Gaming, CLI Tool, System, and Programming Updates: Numerous updates have been made across these categories, including updates to multimedia software, gaming tools, CLI utilities, system components, and programming languages.

This summary is generated by ChatGPT3.5 and edited by me

Here's the latest from Solus:

1. Python 3 Ports: Solus has been focused on finalizing the Python 3 ports of eopkg and ypkg. Transitioning users during regular updates can be tricky, but a solution is being tested to ensure a robust transition.

2. Unicode Support: Work has been done to support multi-character Unicode symbols (such as emoji) in package update commits and changelogs. With the move to Python 3, this is now possible, except for the Software Center, which remains Python 2 until it's replaced by GNOME Software and KDE Discover. The Software Center will handle these characters differently to avoid breaking the code.

3. KDE Frameworks and Gear Updates: KDE Frameworks was updated to version 6.1, bringing many bug fixes post-Plasma 6 release. Similarly, KDE Gear has been updated to version 24.02.2, addressing issues like crashes and broken volume sliders.

4. ROCm 6: AMD's open-source software stack for GPU computation, ROCm, has been reintroduced as ROCm 6.0 after previous issues with Blender compatibility. With bug fixes and workarounds in place, users can expect better performance and wider device compatibility.

5. Deprecations: evopop-gtk-theme and qt5-pas have been deprecated. On the other hand, a new addition, fan2go, makes its debut as a daemon to control computer fans.

This summary is generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me

Highlights of the Weekly Solus Roundup:

1. Python 3 Porting: Solus has been porting its old Python 2 tooling and eopkg to Python 3, as Python 2 reached end of life in 2020. This transition not only ensures the use of up-to-date software but also brings a noticeable speed boost. ypkg and eopkg4-bin are now fully Python 3 compatible, with significant updates to eopkg4-bin.

2. Desktop Fixes: XFCE4 and Budgie Desktop received fixes and improvements. XFCE4 now has the freedesktop sound theme set by default, with event sounds enabled. Budgie Desktop received a patch addressing an issue where closing a notification triggered the notification's default action.

3. Deprecations: Yuzu, a Nintendo Switch emulator, along with several other packages like powerlevel9k and lbreakout2, have been deprecated and removed from the repository.

4. Security Updates: Capnproto, xorg-server, xorg-xwayland, WireShark, and Golang received security updates to address various CVE issues, ensuring system security.

5. Multimedia Updates: Various multimedia packages such as blender, drawing, openimageio, and others were updated, bringing new features and improvements.

6. Gaming Updates: Gaming-related packages like cockatrice, dhewm3, openrct2, and others received updates, enhancing gaming experience on Solus.

7. CLI Tool Updates: Numerous CLI tools including ansible, btrfs-progs, cryptsetup, devilspie2, and others were updated to their latest versions, improving functionality and security.

8. System Updates: Core system packages like dbus, docker, libvirt, util-linux, xorg-server, xorg-xwayland, and others were updated to ensure system stability and performance.

9. Language and Programming Updates: Various language and programming-related packages like babashka, cython, golang, haskell-base16-bytestring, and others were updated, bringing new features and improvements for developers.

10. Other Desktop Updates: Several other desktop-related packages received updates, including browsers like Firefox and Vivaldi, productivity tools like calibre and Texstudio, system utilities like sddm and wireshark, and more.

These updates ensure that Solus continues to provide users with a stable, secure, and up-to-date operating system.

This summary is generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me

Highlights of the Weekly Solus Roundup:

1. KDE Plasma 6 Release: KDE Plasma 6 has been released and is now available in the Solus stable repository. This major release brings significant improvements, including the move to Qt 6 and enhanced Wayland support. Users are advised to ensure their systems do not sleep during updates and to reboot after applying them. Plasma 6.0.3 will be initially available, with bug fixes from the initial release.

2. Default Settings Changes: Several default settings have been adjusted in Plasma 6, such as single-click selection of files and folders, enabling touchpad tap-to-click on Wayland, and more.

3. Removal of qt5-webkit: Due to security concerns and lack of upstream maintenance, qt5-webkit has been removed from the repositories. Applications relying on it have also been removed, and users will see automatic uninstallation of affected packages.

4. Transition to Qt6: With the release of Plasma 6 and Qt6 support added to the Breeze theme, the conversion of applications from Qt5 to Qt6 has begun. Users may notice slight visual changes in applications due to this transition.

5. Offline Updates Exploration: Efforts are underway to add support for offline updates to Solus, making system updates safer by preventing core library changes while the system is running.

6. Translations for Solus MATE Transition Tool: Translators are sought to help localize the Solus MATE Transition Tool. Interested individuals proficient in languages other than English are encouraged to contribute.

7. Security Updates: A backdoor was discovered in XZ tools, potentially compromising SSH servers on affected systems. Linux distributions, including Solus, have acted swiftly to mitigate the issue.

8. Notable Package Updates:

   • GNOME updated to version 45.5, bringing bug fixes.
   • gstreamer updated to 1.24.
   • network-manager updated to 1.44.
   • WirePlumber updated to 0.5.
   • ibus updated to 1.5.29.
   • Waybar updated to 0.10.
   • freerdp 3 added in preparation for GNOME 46.

9. QtStylePlugins to QAdwaitaDecorations: GTK2-based style plugins have been replaced with QAdwaitaDecorations, addressing compatibility issues with modern Qt5 and Qt6 apps.

📌 This summary is generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me

⚠️ THERE WILL BE NO SYNC NEXT WEEK ⚠️

1. Early Sync for KDE Plasma 6 Testing:

   • This week's sync is happening early to allow ample time for testing KDE Plasma 6 in the Unstable repository. After two weeks of testing, Plasma 6.0.3 will be rolled out to stable repositories.

2. Desktop Environment Updates:

   • MATE Desktop updated to 1.28 series.
   • XFCE Desktop updated to 4.18 series
   • Backported patches to Budgie Desktop to fix regressions.

3. New Software Inclusions:

   • Labwc: wlroots-based Wayland compositor for window stacking.
   • Wofi: Launcher/menu program for wlroots-based Wayland compositors.
   • MelonDS: Nintendo DS emulator.
   • Shortwave: Internet radio player with access to over 30,000 stations.

4. Security Updates:

   • Visual Studio Code (vscode) update resolves CVE-2024-26165.

5. Multimedia Updates:

   • Updates to various multimedia tools including ardour, audacity, darktable, handbrake, musescore, and portmidi.

6. Gaming Updates:

   • Updates to gaming-related packages such as black-hole-solver, mame, linux-steam-integration, and steam.

7. CLI Tool Updates:

   • Updates to CLI tools like nmap, rclone, wget, yt-dlp, and more.

8. System Updates:

   • Updates to system components including linux kernels, firmware, iptables, openssh, wine, and more.

9. Programming and Language Updates:

   • Updates to programming tools and languages such as clj-kondo, nuitka, perl, pygal, and verilator.

10. Other Desktop Updates:

    • Updates to various desktop applications including Brave, Discord, GNOME Software, Opera, Vivaldi, Wireshark, and more.

Summary is generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me

1. Python 3.11 Upgrade:

• Python 3.11 rollout completed, involving the rebuilding of all Python packages. Signifies Solus's adaptation to significant language changes and robustness of the eopkg port to a statically compiled Python 3.10 binary with Nuitka.

2. KDE Plasma 6 Preparation:

• Preparation for KDE Plasma MegaRelease 6 is underway. Early testing initiated to mitigate issues before the official rollout. KDE Frameworks stack updated to version 6.0 in anticipation of Plasma 6 landing in the Unstable repo post next week's sync.

3. Graphics Driver Updates:

• Nvidia mainline driver upgraded to the 550 series, offering enhanced graphical capabilities.
• Mesa reverted to version 24.0 with patches to resolve previous Nvidia-related crashes.

4. Sway and Wayland Updates:

• Sway, an i3-compatible Wayland compositor, updated to version 1.9, introducing new features and incorporating improvements from wlroots 0.17.
• GNOME Maps reintroduced in the Solus repository alongside debut inclusions such as tv-lite for IPTV viewing, snapshot, gnome-clocks, and kio-admin.

5. Security Updates:

• Thunderbird updated to 115.8.1 to address CVE-2024-1936.

6. Multimedia and Gaming Updates:

• Updates to various multimedia and gaming packages, including cadence, cava, Darktable, EasyEffects, Kodi, Krita, musescore, sdl2, v4l-utils, endless-sky, prism-launcher, and sunshine.

7. CLI Tool Updates:

• Updates to CLI tools such as ansible, bitwarden-cli, certbot, docker-compose, fastfetch, gi-dockgen, github-cli, go-task, hugo, iotop, lynx, mu, Neovim, nvme-cli, powertop, streamlink, svtplay-dl, sympy, thefuck, thin-provisioning-tools, and xauth.

8. System Updates:

• Various system updates including BORE Scheduler, removal of AMD HDR patches from linux kernels, updates to btrfs-progs, edk2-ovmf, firewalld, fwupd, glibc, linux kernels, linux-tools, mesalib, nvidia drivers, PostgreSQL, qemu, systemd, tree-sitter, wine, xz, and yq.

9. Language Updates:

• Updates to language-related packages including gdal, gdb, git, git-cola, Golang, musl, NodeJS, Python 3, and vscode.

10. Desktop and Application Updates:

• Updates to desktop environments and applications like Brave, Calibre, dbeaver, Discord, Element, Firefox, gnome-bluetooth, kcolorpicker, kimageannotator, lemonbar, logseq, menulibre, nextcloud-client, Opera, pidgin, rapid-photo-downloader, rednotebook, Solaar, syncthing, tailscale, Vivaldi, Wireshark, wlroots, xpra, yubico-authenticator, and Zotero.

This summary is generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me

Announcement : Sync will be deferred for the next week due to the Python 3.11 upgrade.

1. Kernel Updates:

• Transition of the LTS kernel version to the latest in the 6.6 series, aligning with the -current branch. Users encountering issues urged to report them.

2. New Software Additions:

• Introduction of Foliate, an eBook reader supporting various file formats.
• Addition of icdiff, a developer tool highlighting file changes with color.
• Inclusion of Budgie Application Menu, a menu applet displaying applications in a grid format.

3. Python 3.11 Upgrade:

• Completion of the Python 3.11 upgrade, a significant task affecting over 1,000 Python packages. Rolling out to Unstable users with a deferred sync for the next week.

4. Security Updates:

• Budgie Control Center update addressing CVE-2023-5616.
• Thunderbird update to version 115.8.0 resolving multiple CVEs.
• Patched wpa_supplicant to fix CVE-2023-52160.

5. Media and Gaming Updates:

• Updates to giflib, Mixxx, quastools, rawtherapee, gnubg, openjazz, openxcom, pentobi, puzzles, rocksndiamonds, and simsu.

6. CLI Tool Updates:

• Updates to eza, fastfetch, github-cli, hugo, iperf, meld, quilt, ripgrep, scdoc, and tmux.

7. System Updates:

• Resolution of issues with VirtualBox USB device usage and systemd permissions.
• Mesalib downgrade to address issues with nVidia hardware.
• Ensuring psmouse kernel module inclusion in the initrd image for certain Fujitsu laptops.

8. Language Updates:

• Updates to bazel, mercurial, ogre, tensorflow, and tortoisehg.

9. Desktop and Application Updates:

• KDE Gear applications update to version 23.08.5.
• Updates to various desktop applications including Brave, CoreCtrl, fb2converter, Firefox, font-iosevka-ttf, freeplane, gpxsee, Hexchat, Kitty, Opera, pandoc-crossref, polybar, tailscale, Teamspeak3, Telegram, and Vivaldi (snapshot).

Summary was generated by ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me.

1. Microsoft's .NET Runtime Inclusion:

• Introduction of Microsoft's .NET runtime (dotnet) enabling cross-platform application development and easier execution of C#/.NET applications on Solus.

2. Kernel Updates and Hardware Support:

• Various hardware support enhancements in kernel configs, including gyroscope, inclinator modules, cryptographic modules, and updates to the kernel patch set for Microsoft Surface devices.
• BORE Scheduler updated to 4.1.13 with optimizations and CONFIG_EFI_DXE_MEM_ATTRIBUTES option disabled to address boot issues on Surface devices.

3. Systemd and Mesa Updates:

• Upgrade to Systemd v254 with enabled features like idn2 support in systemd-resolve, SBAT support, and use of openssl for all cryptography.
• Mesa updated to v24.0.1, bringing the latest OpenGL and Vulkan driver support and improved ray-tracing performance for AMD users.

4. Security Updates:

• Opera and Vivaldi (stable) browsers updated to address CVEs.
• Updates to ncurses, qt5-base, libxml2, and edk2-ovmf to resolve security vulnerabilities.
• UEFI shell disabled in Secure Boot builds of edk2-ovmf due to potential security issues.

5. Media and Gaming Updates:

• FFMPEG updated with new filters and shaderc support.
• Updates to various gaming-related packages including dolphin-emu, freeciv, gamescope, Heroic Games Launcher, openra, and sdl2.

6. CLI Tool and System Updates:

• Updates to CLI tools like btop, ed, fastfetch, fb2converter, git, ledger, lshw, lzip, parallel, plocate, svtplay-dl, and tilde.
• System updates including bind-utils, bleachbit, ca-certs, dnsmasq, epson-inkjet-printer-escpr, efivar, gdal, hplip, inxi, iso-codes, libgtk-3, libgtk-4, mesalib, mbedtls, nfs-utils, nginx, openvpn, PulseAudio, podman stack, power-profiles-daemon, Qt6, readline, shadow, snappy, tzdata, unbound, webrtc, and Wine.

7. Python and Language Updates:

• Ongoing upgrade of Python 3 to 3.11, with updates to numerous Python packages.
• Updates to other language packages including Mold and Shards.

8. Desktop and Application Updates:

• GNOME and XFCE packages updated to the latest versions.
• KDE Frameworks 5 stack updated to version 5.115.
• Updates to various desktop applications including Brave, Calibre, cherrytree, dbeaver, d-feet, Discord, EFL, freecad, gnumeric, iwd, keepass, libwacom, lightdm-settings, Qt Creator, slick-greeter, Telegram, Thunar, vscode, Waycheck, whiskermenu, wpa_supplicant, wxmaxima, and zeal.

This summary is generated with ChatGPT 3.5 and edited by me.

1. Repository Additions:

   • Introduction of skanpage, a scan-to-PDF tool for KDE Plasma.
   • Inclusion of polylith, aiding in building reusable Clojure components.

2. Systemd and Kernel Updates:

   • systemd now built with libaudit and libseccomp support.
   • Kernel package updated to v6.6.16 with improvements and transparent huge pages enabled.

3. libicu and glibc Updates:

   • libicu stack updated to version 74.2
   • Upgrade of glibc package to version 2.39, following shortly after the 2.38 release.

4. Security Updates:

   • python-notebook updated to 7.0.7 resolving CVE-2024-22420 and CVE-2024-22421.
   • eza updated to 0.18.2 addressing CVE-2024-24577.
   • libuv updated to 1.48.0, fixing CVE-2024-24806.
   • WebKit packages updated to 2.42.5 to address multiple CVEs.

5. Media Updates:

   • Various media-related packages updated including Alsa stack, beeref, darktable, gifski, libavif, libheif, libjxl, libpng, picard, rapid-photo-downloader, and shotcut.

6. Gaming Updates:

   • Updates to gaming-related packages including citra, fuse-emulator, gem, hatari, Heroic Games Launcher, mangohud, mbga, mupen64plus, pcsx2, ppsspp, retroarch, steam, stella, vice, and visualboyadvance-m.

7. CLI Tool Updates:

   • Updates to CLI utilities such as amdgpu_top, bandwhich, doxygen, less, makedepend, mdbook, phoronix-test-suite, restic, s-tui, wine, winetricks, and yq.

8. System Updates:

   • Updates to various system packages including AppArmor, docker, hwdata, libtraceevent, Linux (current), moby, nvidia-beta-driver, openldap, snapd, thin-provisioning-tools, xkbcomp, xprop, and xdg-utils.

9. Language Updates:

   • Updates to programming language packages including golang, gradle, ruby, and rust.

10. Other Desktop Updates:

    • Updates to various desktop-related packages including anki, birdtray, bitwarden-desktop, Blender, Brave, brewtarget, ddcutil, Filezilla, Firefox, fritzing, homebank, LibreOffice, logseq, mozjs, Numix icon themes, Opera (stable), papirus-icon-theme, protonmail-bridge, poppler, scrcpy, syncthing, Telegram, texlive, transmission, torbrowser-launcher, Vivaldi (stable), vscode, and wxmaxima.