Destination Linux

Welcome to Destination Linux, Episode 475! Jill is your Pal Master today, guiding you through an episode filled with privacy insights, supply‑chain surprises, AI security shakeups, and a dash of Linux nostalgia. Ryan is here, Craig Rowland from Sandfly Security joins us, and Zeb will be back next week!

We kick things off with community feedback about resurrecting old hardware with Linux Mint, then dive into how a persistent Windows device ID helped investigators identify a ransomware operator despite VPNs and IP hopping. We explore a new PyPI supply‑chain attack, discuss whether open source can keep up in the age of AI, celebrate the re‑release of GIMP 0.54, and even talk a little Palworld.

Grab your favorite Pal and your Pal Spheres, this isn’t Pokémon, but you’ll want to collect every moment of this episode.

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00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:01:19 Community Feedback

00:08:12 Sponsored by Sandfly Security

00:14:09 Thanks to Our Supporters

00:18:05 Malware Operator Caught with Persistent Windows ID

00:34:33 PyPI Supply Chain Attack

00:37:39 Akrites Initiative Launched

00:57:07 GIMP 0.54 Released...Again!

01:04:33 Palworld is Fun

01:08:13 Closing Thoughts
Special Guest: Craig Rowland.

Linux is Punk Rock! This week, listener Isaac proves it. He's recording local bands at a friend's record shop using a near $0 Linux setup: a thrifted mixer, a 2008 M-Audio interface that Windows 11 abandoned, Ardour, Audacity, OBS, and Kdenlive. That's open source closing the digital divide, and it's the most punk thing we've heard all year.

Then we tackle the big story everyone's talking about: Sony is going full digital-only, no more physical game discs. But the scarier headline is that Sony has already started removing movies people purchased from their libraries with no refund and no warning. Ryan breaks down what this means for digital ownership, why DRM is a trap, and why platforms like GOG and Itch.io are the real answer.

Jill brings the good news: SteamOS 3.8 is now officially available for installation on standard home PCs with AMD GPUs. With 132 million monthly Steam users, this might be the biggest mainstream moment Linux gaming has ever had. The year of the Linux desktop might just be the year SteamOS goes everywhere.

Zeb covers ClamAV 1.5.3 and why it still matters (and when it doesn't), KDE Plasma 6.8's long-overdue multi-monitor improvements, and why that headline claiming Windows dropped below 60% market share deserves a serious side-eye.

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EFF x Destination Linux: eff.org/destinationlinux

Welcome to ** Destination Linux Episode 473,** where digital freedom takes flight! This week, Jill, Ryan, and Zeb are joined by Jason Kelley from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) - one of the world’s leading defenders of privacy, free expression, and digital autonomy.

Jason shares the origin story of the EFF, how the organization is structured, and the biggest battles it’s fighting today, from digital ID verification laws to global censorship and data privacy threats. We explore how the EFF fights back, how listeners can get involved, and what the future of digital rights looks like if surveillance laws continue to expand.

Plus, we have community feedback from a blind Linux user discussing accessibility challenges, updates from Sandfly Security, and our usual mix of open‑source news and humor.

Join us for this historic conversation about the fight for privacy, freedom, and the open internet.

Learn more and support the EFF: https://www.eff.org/destinationlinux

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Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

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00:00:09 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:02:25 Community Feedback

00:15:33 Sponsored by Sandfly Security

00:17:55 Thanks to Our Supporters

00:22:43 What the EFF Does and How It Started

00:41:52 Jason’s EFF Origin

00:51:18 How the EFF Is Organized

01:01:31 How the EFF Fights Back

01:07:55 The Biggest Issues the EFF Is Fighting

01:18:40 Digital ID Future Fears

01:25:31 Who Is Behind the Push for ID Verification

01:36:03 Privacy and Censorship

01:44:10 The EFF's Strategy Against ID Verification Laws

01:52:04 Global Digital Rights Network

01:57:40 How Listeners Can Help

02:05:20 Lightning Round

02:10:30 Closing Thoughts

Destination Linux 472 is packed with Linux news, privacy talk, hardware excitement, and a special guest appearance from Mathieu of Lutris!

We kick things off with community feedback about balancing cybersecurity education, family life, and work, a topic many in the Linux community relate to. Jill reveals the long‑awaited Steam Machine, complete with specs, pricing, and why Valve may have launched now. Ryan breaks down Cape Private Wireless, a new privacy‑focused carrier aiming to fix the surveillance‑heavy telco model. Mathieu joins us to discuss local AI models catching up, the hardware demands behind them, and his new e‑ink learning project, Semilla.

Zeb rounds out the episode with hot news

All that plus Sandfly Security, supporter shoutouts, and closing thoughts from the DL crew.

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:02:03 Community Feedback

00:11:25 Sponsored by Sandfly Security

00:13:48 Thanks to Our Supporters

00:14:23 Upcoming Guest Announcement

00:16:03 Steam Machine Reveal

00:44:27 Cape Private Wireless

00:58:11 Local AI Catching Up

01:07:02 E-Ink Learning Project

01:22:00 Linux Kernel Gets Rid of strncpy

Support Links

Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

DL Store: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com

Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Steam Machine

Phoronix: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-Machine-1049

Steam Machine Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/hardware/steammachine

dbrand Companion Cube Case: https://dbrand.com/shop/limited-edition/companion-cube

Cape Private Wireless

Cape: https://www.cape.co/

Local AI / GLM 5.2

TechStackUps GLM 5.2 vs Opus: https://techstackups.com/comparisons/glm-5.2-vs-opus/

Linux Kernel / strncpy Removal

XDA Developers: https://www.xda-developers.com/after-6-years-and-over-360-commits-linux-72-finally-removes-a-persistent-source-of-bugs/

Heroes never die... and neither does open source! Welcome to Destination Linux Episode 471. This week, Jill takes the lead, with Ryan and Zeb locking in their roles to help move the payload.

First up in the lobby, we bring in a special VIP segment featuring Mo and guest Jeff Ligon from Red Hat to dive deep into Linux in the automotive space. How does a car's kernel differ from your laptop, and how does open source handle strict real-time safety regulations?

Next, a Grandmaster-level milestone: DistroWatch just turned 25! We look back at the history of distro-hopping, the days of ordering physical Linux CDs in the mail, and how the ecosystem has evolved into modern immutable architectures.

Then, Zeb calls out an enemy Ultimate in the news. The Arch User Repository (AUR) has faced consecutive malware attacks, and we break down what you need to know to stay safe. Plus, we highlight the brand-new features of the Linux 7.1 kernel release!

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:01:00 Community Feedback

00:12:54 Sponsored by Sandfly Security

00:14:25 Meet Jeff From Red Hat

00:24:53 Automotive Linux Explained

00:32:26 Real-Time Kernel Basics

00:39:27 Future of Car Safety

00:42:02 Privacy, Clouds, and Control

00:46:23 DistroWatch Turns 25

00:54:30 Linux 7.1 Released

01:01:29 Arch AUR Malware Attack

01:14:44 Closing Thoughts

Show Links

DistroWatch 25th Anniversary News: DistroWatch Weekly Issue 1175

Linux 7.1 Features: Phoronix Kernel Overview & In-Depth Kernel Review

Arch AUR Security News:Phoronix - Arch Linux AUR Malware

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