http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 3WELCOME
WHO WE ARE
The tenth month of the year arrives
and so does a new Ubuntu 19.
(Eoan Ermine) update. Is it a portent
that this is the 31st release of Ubuntu
and with the 32nd release next year,
32-bit x86 Ubuntu builds will end?
It shouldn’t come as a surprise
to anyone. It’s been discussed for
literally years, and access to x
builds has been slowly decreasing;
the net build was still an option for
19.xx, but with 20.04, x86 builds will
be 64-bit only. Sure, Arm still has
32-bit builds for those vital embedded devices. The more worrying
concern was support for 32-bit software: hardware eventually dies,
but software lives on for as long as it can be stored. Thankfully, the
community outcry made Canonical see sense here and 32-bit library
support continues, for now.
A letter in this issue talking about supporting older hardware had
me thinking about how open source has changed over the decades.
Many parts of the FOSS world are now big business, and businesses
have very different priorities and goals to community-led projects.
You could guess certain decisions within Canonical were made with
business intentions at their heart – cloud servers don’t often use
Wine – which then triggered the huge community pushback: humans
do often use Wine.
It’s an issue that’s happened before and will happen again. How do
you feel? Let us know! At least as open source, other projects are free
to spring up and take over, and part of that is why we’re looking at
how you can run lighter and faster distros in this issue.
Alongside that we have HDR photography, OpenShot video
editing, customising your boot menu, recovering lost data, keeping
your Raspberry Pi cool, and how to fix Raspbian’s Bluetooth stack.
It’s quite the collection of open source and Linux for you to sink your
teeth into. So, as always, enjoy!Jonni Bidwell
Some open source projects might benefit
from being ‘consumed’ if it helps them profit- everyone has to eat, after all. But I think the
corporatisation of Linux (and free software in
general) is a legitimate concern too. I write
this from the comfort of a Linux Foundation conference, where
generous corporate backing provides me with infinite snacks.
Les Pounder
Open source projects rely on the community
to keep them alive. They need a strong and
active community in order for them to grow
and develop into better products for
consumption. This costs time and money for
all involved, which is not easy for some communities to raise.Neil Bothwick
Commercial influence on Linux is nothing
new – many developers on major projects
are paid by big companies. Smaller projects
generally have more freedom, and can
develop into larger ones if they prove
popular. Then big money moves in and the cycle continues.Mayank Sharma
You say it as if it’s a bad thing! There’s too
much corporate interest in open source
already and I think misadventures like
Canonical’s, if they go uncorrected, will
help sort the companies that have the
best interest of the community from the ones that only
care about their bottom lines.Adieu, 32
This issue we asked our experts:
We’re wondering where open source could
be heading over the next decade – and if
it’ll be consumed by corporate interests...thi f th fll l d h hlTh bibest interest of theAlexander Tolstoy
I put aside my tea in a tea glass holder
(I think this is a language thing – Ed) and say
that dropping 32-bits has long been overdue.
My most ancient Linux machine has a
Pentium IV CPU, which was already 64-bit.
Nevertheless,Ne ertheless big big corporations are usually evil!cWin a secure Nitrokey Storage 2
Send your thoughts to the Linux Format dungeon server at
[email protected] and secure your chance to win
a 32GB Nitrokey! It’s the complete open hardware-
encrypted storage solution!
Learn more at http://www.nitrokey.com.Subscribe
& save!
On digital and print
- see p
Neil Mohr Editor
[email protected]http://www.techradar.com/pro/linux December 2019 LXF257 3WELCOME
WHO WE ARE
The tenth month of the year arrives
and so does a new Ubuntu 19.
(Eoan Ermine) update. Is it a portent
that this is the 31st release of Ubuntu
and with the 32nd release next year,
32-bit x86 Ubuntu builds will end?
It shouldn’t come as a surprise
to anyone. It’s been discussed for
literally years, and access to x
builds has been slowly decreasing;
the net build was still an option for
19.xx, but with 20.04, x86 builds will
be 64-bit only. Sure, Arm still has
32-bitbuildsforthosevitalembedded devices. The more worrying
concernwassupportfor32-bit software: hardware eventually dies,
butsoftwarelivesonforaslong as it can be stored. Thankfully, the
communityoutcrymadeCanonical see sense here and 32-bit library
supportcontinues,fornow.
A letterinthisissuetalkingabout supporting older hardware had
methinkingabouthowopensource has changed over the decades.
ManypartsoftheFOSSworldare now big business, and businesses
haveverydifferentprioritiesand goals to community-led projects.
Youcouldguesscertaindecisions within Canonical were made with
businessintentionsattheirheart – cloud servers don’t often use
Wine– whichthentriggeredthe huge community pushback: humans
dooftenuseWine.
It’sanissuethat’shappened before and will happen again. How do
youfeel?Letusknow!Atleastas open source, other projects are free
tospringupandtakeover,and part of that is why we’re looking at
howyoucanrunlighterandfaster distros in this issue.
AlongsidethatwehaveHDR photography, OpenShot video
editing,customisingyourbootmenu, recovering lost data, keeping
yourRaspberryPicool,andhow to fix Raspbian’s Bluetooth stack.
It’squitethecollectionofopensource and Linux for you to sink your
teethinto.So,asalways,enjoy!Jonni Bidwell
Some open source projects might benefit
from being ‘consumed’ if it helps them profit- everyone has to eat, after all. But I think the
corporatisation of Linux (and free software in
general) is a legitimate concern too. I write
thisfromthecomfortof a Linux Foundation conference, where
generouscorporatebacking provides me with infinite snacks.
Les Pounder
Open source projects rely on the community
to keep them alive. They need a strong and
active community in order for them to grow
and develop into better products for
consumption. This costs time and money for
allinvolved,whichisnot easy for some communities to raise.Neil Bothwick
Commercial influence on Linux is nothing
new – many developers on major projects
are paid by big companies. Smaller projects
generally have more freedom, and can
develop into larger ones if they prove
popular.Thenbigmoney moves in and the cycle continues.
Mayank Sharma
You say it as if it’s a bad thing! There’s too
much corporate interest in open source
already and I think misadventures like
Canonical’s, if they go uncorrected, will
help sort the companies that have the
bestinterestofthecommunity from the ones that only
careabouttheirbottom lines.Adieu, 32
This issue we asked our experts:
We’re wondering where open source could
be heading over the next decade – and if
it’ll be consumed by corporate interests...
thi f th f
ll l d h hlTh bibest interest of theAlexander Tolstoy
I put aside my tea in a tea glass holder
(I think this is a language thing – Ed) and say
that dropping 32-bits has long been overdue.
Mymost ancient Linux machine has a
Pentium IV CPU, which was already 64-bit.
Nevertheless,Ne ertheless bigbigcorporations are usually evil!cWina secureNitrokeyStorage 2
Send your thoughts to the Linux Format dungeon server at
[email protected] and secure your chance to win
a 32GB Nitrokey! It’s the complete open hardware-
encrypted storage solution!
Learn more at http://www.nitrokey.com.Subscribe
& save!
On digital and print
- see p
Neil Mohr Editor
[email protected]