Linux NewsSeafile 13.0 File Sync Server Launches With AI Search, Advanced Metadata
Seafile 13.0 updates its file sync server with AI search, structured metadata, real-time collaboration, and full-text indexing.
Gentoo looks back on 2025
Gentoo Linux has published a 2025 project retrospective that looks at how the community has evolved, changes to the distribution, infrastructure, and finances for the Gentoo Foundation. Gentoo currently consists of 31663 ebuilds for 19174 different packages. For amd64 (x86-64), there are 89 GBytes of binary packages available on the mirrors. Gentoo each week builds 154 distinct installation stages for different processor architectures and system configurations, with an overwhelming part of these fully up-to-date. The number of commits to the main ::gentoo repository has remained at an overall high level in 2025, with a slight decrease from 123942 to 112927. The number of commits by external contributors was 9396, now across 377 unique external authors.
[$] SFC v. VIZIO: who can enforce the GPL?
The Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC) is suing VIZIO over smart TVs that include software licensed under the GPL and LGPL (including the Linux kernel, FFmpeg, systemd, and others). VIZIO didn't provide the source code along with the device, and on request they only provided some of it. Unlike a typical lawsuit about enforcing the GPL, the SFC isn't suing as a copyright holder; it's suing as a normal owner of the TV in question. This approach opens some important legal questions, and after years of pre-trial maneuvering (most recently resulting in a ruling related to signing keys that is the subject of a separate article), we might finally obtain some answers when the case goes to trial on January 12. As things stand, it seems likely that the judge in the case will rule that that the GPL-enforcement lawsuits can be a matter of contract law, not just copyright law, which would be a major change to how GPL enforcement works.
[$] GPLv2 and installation requirements
On December 24 2025, Linus Torvalds posted a strongly worded message celebrating a ruling in the ongoing GPL-compliance lawsuit filed against VIZIO by the Software Freedom Conservancy (SFC). This case and Torvalds's response have put a spotlight on an old debate over the extent to which the source-code requirements of the GNU General Public License (version 2) extend to keys and other data needed to successfully install modified software on a device. It is worth looking at whether this requirement exists, the subtleties in interpretation that cloud the issue, and the extent to which, if any, the SFC is demanding that information.
EU Launches Call for Evidence on European Open Digital Ecosystems
The European Commission has opened a public consultation on a new Open Digital Ecosystems strategy focused on open source, security, and EU tech sovereignty.
Mesa 26.0 RADV Merges The Big Ray-Tracing Improvement For UE5 Lumen
The RADV ray-tracing improvement covered earlier this week for some big performance gains for Unreal Engine 5 titles running under Linux thanks to Steam Play has been merged for Mesa 25.0...
How I used Linux KDE Plasma widgets to build a project management dashboard (no apps needed)
Who needs another productivity app when your desktop can be the productivity app?
Two new stable kernels
Greg Kroah-Hartman has released the 6.18.4 and 6.12.64 stable kernels. As always, each contains important fixes throughout the tree. Users are advised to upgrade.
5 reasons I stopped using Ubuntu
Sorry Ubuntu! I can't help it.
Security updates for Thursday
Security updates have been issued by AlmaLinux (gcc-toolset-14-binutils, gcc-toolset-15-binutils, httpd, kernel, libpng, mariadb, mingw-libpng, poppler, python3.12, and ruby:3.3), Debian (foomuuri and libsodium), Fedora (python-pdfminer and wget2), Oracle (audiofile, bind, gcc-toolset-15-binutils, libpng, mariadb, mariadb10.11, mariadb:10.11, mariadb:10.5, mingw-libpng, poppler, and python3.12), Red Hat (git-lfs, kernel, libpng, libpq, mariadb:10.3, osbuild-composer, postgresql, postgresql:13, and postgresql:15), Slackware (curl), SUSE (c-ares-devel, capstone, curl, gpsd, ImageMagick, libpcap, log4j, python311-filelock, and python314), and Ubuntu (libcaca, libxslt, and net-snmp).
Orange Pi RV2: Setting Up a RISC-V Media Server with Ubuntu
The Orange Pi RV2 is a Single Board Computer (SBC) that differs from the SBCs that have an ARM processor. This board uses a RISC-V (pronounced 'Risk-Five') processor, but we can get into that soon. Before I get into the differences between RISC-V and ARM, we need to look at the specs of the SBC itself. Orange Pi RV2 Specifications The specs are for the RV2 board and consist of the following specifications: Ky X1 8-core 64-bit RISC-V (RV64GCVB) @ 1.6 GHz GPU... https://www.linux.org/threads/orange-pi-rv2-setting-up-a-risc-v-media-server-with-ubuntu.58545/
Logitech MX Anywhere 3S Mouse With Linux 6.19 Now Supports High Resolution Scrolling
For those that happen to have a Logitech MX Anywhere 3S mouse connected via Bluetooth, the upcoming Linux 6.19 kernel release is enabling HID++ support for it to enjoy high resolution scrolling and other functionality of the updated protocol...
KDE Gear 25.12.1 Released with Various Improvements for Your Favorite KDE Apps
KDE Gear 25.12.1 is now available as the first maintenance update to the latest KDE Gear 25.12 open-source software suite series with fixes for various KDE applications.
Percona’s Fast-Impact Database Services Aim to Speed AI Readiness
Percona is refocusing on fast, structured database services to help enterprises overcome talent shortages, improve performance, and prepare open-source data platforms for AI readiness. The post Percona’s Fast-Impact Database Services Aim to Speed AI Readiness appeared first on LinuxInsider.
Mesa 26.0 Now Supports GPU Hardware Replay With The Intel Xe Kernel Driver
The Intel Mesa graphics drivers have supported a GPU hardware replay feature for making it easier to reproduce issues. But until now that functionality has only worked with the i915 kernel driver while for Mesa 26.0 the Intel Xe driver will also be supported...