NPM explodes! Canonical wants you to opt-in, Wayland needs documentation and where is XFCE 4.14? All this plus your emails.
Special thanks:
Michael Mc.E (latest patreon)
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Colour key – Venn Pedro
News:
NPM == BLAM
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/linux/botched-npm-update-crashes-linux-systems-forces-users-to-reinstall/
https://github.com/npm/npm/issues/19883
https://www.reddit.com/r/programming/comments/7zfbi0/npm_v570_critical_bug_destroys_linux_servers/dunqy1w/
- V5.7.0 either crashes the system, various local apps, or prevents the system from booting.
- Dude on Reddit noticed some wackiness and opened a pull request.
- It was ignored but that’s the norm for outside pull requests.
- The issue is that if you run NPM with sudo, like say you would if you were deploying it to a server for use by several people, it messed with /usr and /boot permissions.
- I think we all know what happens when you mess with the permissions of system-wide folders.
- <Le>I’ve had a look at the pull request that was supposed to fix the issue. Deleting whole chunks of code and changing a tool’s behavior is NEVER going to get approved, the guy noticed something weird (that could have been easily fix with a small patch) and went on and removed the whole sudo related code from the project.
- THIS is an example of how the Node community is immature. No experienced developer would send a PR like that.</Le>
- 1. Don’t test in production, kids (yes, deploying something that has just been released == testing in production)
- 2. Developers, if you are going to ignore pull requests make sure you don’t do something as boneheaded as this.
Lappy refresh
https://puri.sm/posts/tpm-by-default-and-free-international-shipping/
- Purism announced that it has successfully integrated Trammel Hudson’s Heads security firmware into its Trusted Platform Module (TPM)-equipped Librem laptops.
- Heads is an open-source computer firmware and configuration tool that aims to provide better physical security and data protection.
- They also now offer free international shipping.
- Which means people ordering from all over can get their purism laptops for slightly cheaper.
Opt-in Upgrade
https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ubuntu-devel/2018-February/040190.html
- It’s a start.
- If you are upgrading Canonical will ask permission before collecting your data.
Browser alternatives
https://www.howtogeek.com/335712/update-why-you-shouldnt-use-waterfox-pale-moon-or-basilisk/
- Ah, a list of browsers i’ve never heard of.
- We did hear about Pale Moon last week, even if it was just because the dev went in to the BSD proposed packages git and told them to stop.
- Moral of the story is this.
- If you are going to use a fork make dang sure you have a valid reason and understand (for the most part) you are using a less secure product.
Yaba daba
https://opensource.com/article/17/10/flintos?sc_cid=70160000001273HAAQ
- Another ChromiumOS respin to give Hexxeh a run for his money.
Linux on Linux
https://www.androidpolice.com/2018/02/25/chrome-os-may-soon-able-run-linux-applications-container/
- Don’t know if i’m a fan of this.
- Rather like the KISS mentality of Chrome OS
- Would much rather see Android apps run on Linux with official google support than this.
- That’s a great idea unless you are in the business of selling Chromebooks.
WHAR 4.14
https://fosspost.org/analysis/xfce-4-14-development-roadmap-future
- “Xfce’s situation is a bit concerning because by the time Xfce 4.14 is out, GTK+ 4 could already be released as stable.”
- Didn’t stop them from releasing 4.12 with barely any GTK3 support.
- Honestly, having used Fedora 27 with XFCE for a bit, I wouldn’t mind a few of the apps which need work being replaced with something else which already does have GTK3 support.
- Replace Squeeze with file-roller,XFBurn with Brasero, volumed with pasystray or volume-icon.
- Not broke, don’t need fixin.
- Ever wonder why XFCE users look at you a bit sideways when you talk about issues with your Desktop Manager?
- It’s the Debian stable of DM’s.
RTFM argument defeated
https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/7ze4p1/a_guy_trying_to_develop_for_wayland_it_simply/
https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/wayland-devel/2018-February/036783.html
- Points, dude has them.
- I was surprised that there is no real central documentation.
Slice of Pi
Water Pi (fan of cavity searches?)
https://hackaday.io/project/21222-pipecam-low-cost-underwater-camera
- Zero, this has a TSA acceptance factor of ZERO.
- That’s a homemade pipe bomb!
Car Pi
https://www.electromaker.io/blog/article/openauto-turns-your-raspberry-pi-into-a-carputer
- Not entirely sure how the etymological side of me feels about the the word “carputer”
Feedback
Le ARCH
https://linuxgamecast.com/bradley/?dHEEpQe
- ARCH is a good way to learn Linux because it has a massive community behind it.
- You know what communities foster?
- Yeah, all the stuff that helps you learn the Linux.
- Also, even all you’re doing is following the wiki you learn that the wiki is a good place to go to solve issues.
- I don’t know about you, strider, but I wished the Arch Wiki was a thing back in 2005.
