A week in KDE: the number of charge cycles finally in Plasma
Like the last one, i this week was marked by bug fixes on the recently released Plasma 6.2. The developers also managed to make several innovations, among which one of the more interesting ones is support for displaying the number of battery charge cycles in the KDE Plasma Information Center (will appear in version 6.3). Some visual errors in the System Monitor are fixed, e.g. the loading screen no longer has a randomly useless scrollbar. Revamped the “Apply Plasma Settings” setting on the login screen page in system settings to be more consistent with other QML-based dialogs.
Fixed a regression in the Power and Battery widget that prevented it from recognizing that power-profiles-daemon was deployed instead of TLP (this fix and others will appear in Plasma 6.2.4). Another fixed regression was causing the correct actions for unmounted optical drives to not be displayed in the Disks and Devices widget. Screenshots and videos taken in HDR mode will no longer be erroneously dark. Also, Plasma 6.2.4 is getting a fix where it will no longer crash when logging in on a laptop with an external monitor connected via HDMI. Starting with Plasma 6.3.0, KWin can handle it better if there is a strangely defective TV connected to the machine asking for some strange screen resolution. Discover, on the other hand, will be able to display content like “Get New [Stuff]“.
Heading to KDE Frameworks 6.9 is a fix that solves KWin crashing with XWayland applications with absurdly large icons, and also a fix that solves a bizarre and annoying bug that causes “shaking” text display when the scaling factor is set even for applications in Plasma / QtQuick type. GTK3 applications (remember that GIMP 3.0 will be soon too) have fixed the display of “decrease the value” buttons for spinboxes, if the Breeze icon theme or any other theme that does not have a minus sign on the list-remove icon is used (fix for GTK 3.24.44). In total, 94 bug reports have been closed in the last week, with the same number of 2 high priority bugs still pending.
DAW Zrythm in the new version 1.0, still with GTK
Last month, the decision was made that the Zrythm sound station would switch from GTK to Qt6 with version 2.0. Nothing changes on this plan, only the expected version 1.0 is released. The creators did not publish an overview of the news (even on the discussion forum), it is therefore necessary to start from an overview of the properties which states the project’s homepagepossibly from the overview of changes in individual development versions.
Support for running Radeons on LoongArch
AMD drivers, i.e. AMDKFD and AMDGPU, will now allow Radeons to run on a platform with a LoongArch processor. The change is heading to the next version 6.13 of the Linux kernel. Unsurprisingly, AMD developers did not provide support, but Huacai Chen from Loongsonwho states that only a minor modification of Kconfig was enough to compile the Display Core part for this platform. Support should include Radeons from the Vega generation, i.e. from 2017 onwards.
Optimization for AMD 3D V-Cache in kernel 6.13
AMD developers have prepared for the Linux kernel 6.13 new controller in charge of using 3D V-Cache in Ryzen processors. Thanks to it, it will be possible for the user to set a preference for those processors for which V-cache does not cover all cores (for example, the 7950X3D model), whether to use V-cache rather, or higher operating frequencies – more precisely, whether the given task should target CPU cores with V-cache, or the one without it, optimized for higher clocks. The amd_x3d_mode value is communicated to the system through the standard sysfs interface.
Linux 6.13 no news in Bcachefs
For the past few weeks, the kernel mailing list has been boiling over with a sharp debate by some developers, which in the fall resulted in rude insults (see appropriate thread), which now result in a decision by the kernel Code of Conduct Committee: Bcachefs lead developer Kent Oversteet is removed from the development of the next version of the Linux kernel 6.13 and no pull requests will be accepted from him. He received a red card in the fight for Linux 6.13, and how he approaches the matter further is up to him (see his last response in the thread).
Development version of Wine 9.22, last before Wine 10.0-rc1
The new version of Wine is the last of a series of nine. Its biggest innovation is that the Wayland driver is enabled by default – so even Wine is moving into the Wayland era from now on. Furthermore, the developers improved the support of network sessions in DirectPlay a bit, updated the localizations to the Unicode CLDR 46 format and closed 19 bug reports. The oldest one waited almost 8 years, the fastest closed less than a week.
What’s Cooking in KDE? Charge Cycles and Bug Fixes—Oh My!
Alright, let’s dive right into the week that was in the world of KDE. It seems the developers have been busy bug-squashing like they’re auditioning for Frogger: The Debugging Edition. The shiny new Plasma 6.2 is already on the scene, and boy, do we have some juicy features and fixes to discuss.
Battery Charge Cycles: The New Hotness!
First up, we have a rather exciting addition to the infamous KDE Plasma Information Center—drumroll please—the number of battery charge cycles! Yes, folks, that’s right. A feature you never knew you needed. This little nugget of functionality will grace us in version 6.3, and I can practically hear all the battery enthusiasts cheering. “Look at my charge cycles, Ma!”
But wait, there’s more! The developers have tackled some pesky visual errors in the System Monitor. You know, the kind that made it look as useful as a chocolate teapot? The loading screen’s unnecessary scrollbar is now history, presumably sent to a retirement community where it can do less harm. Now everything is more consistent with those other QML-based dialogs—to which we say, “Finally!” The creators are treating the login settings page like it’s a fashion runway, making sure it’s dressed to impress!
More Bug Fixes Than You Can Shake a Stick At!
Now, let’s talk fixin’! A regression in the Power and Battery widget has been squashed—apparently it wouldn’t recognize power-profiles-daemon was strutting its stuff instead of TLP. This and other fixes will strut their way onto Plasma 6.2.4. Try saying that after a couple of shandies!
Oh, and if your external monitor was causing Plasma to crash with all the grace of a hippo on roller skates, fear not! Just a few tweaks, and we’re back in business. KWin, the window manager not the local legend from your teenage years, is getting smarter about taking on strange TV resolutions. That’s right, misbehaving TVs, your time is up!
On the GTK front, for those still running GIMP like it’s 1999, you’ll have smoother sailing with updated display buttons. Who knew that fixing minus signs in spinboxes could make us so giddy? Honestly, it’s the little things in life, right? In total, a whopping 94 bugs have been zapped, but hold onto your hats—there’s still a couple of high-priority ones hanging around like that one friend who overstays their welcome!
DAW Zrythm: Moving On (Eventually!)
Over in the sound station district, Zrythm has launched version 1.0, still rocking the GTK vibe for now. The drama intensifies as their planned transition to Qt6 looms on the horizon like a bad sequel in a film franchise. The developers are keeping things under wraps like a magician with stage fright, so we’re left with hints and whispers instead of a grand performance.
Radeon Drivers on LoongArch: Sounds Fancy!
Over in the land of AMD, it looks like Radeons are getting a chance to strut their stuff on the LoongArch platform—because why not add a little more complexity to our lives? AMD hasn’t made the big splash here, but credit goes to Huacai Chen from Loongson for making this happen. It’s like someone handing out participation trophies; everyone gets a shot at the GPU glory!
3D V-Cache: The Future Is Now (Well, Soon)
As we roll into kernel 6.13, AMD is working hard to optimize their 3D V-Cache feature for Ryzen processors. Think of it as giving your CPU a choice between snacking on V-Cache or going full speed ahead on those higher operating frequencies. It’s like a buffet for your computer! Bon appétit, folks!
Linux 6.13: Drama in Bcachefs Land
Now for a spicy bit of gossip—the controversy surrounding Bcachefs has escalated faster than a soap opera plot twist. Our dear Kent Oversteet has been benched from the next kernel version. A red card for bad behavior? Sounds like a scene straight from Celebrity Big Brother! Developers arguing like they’re at a family Christmas dinner—some things never change.
Last Call for Wine: Version 9.22
And lastly, we tip our hats to Wine’s newest release, version 9.22! The Wayland driver has slipped in the back door, officially kicking off their transition into the Wayland era, because if there’s one thing that can bring everyone together, it’s their mutual love for a slightly less-functional Windows experience on Linux!
With a smattering of performance improvements and bug fixes, including closing an 8-year-old bug—talk about a comeback—Wine developers have clearly been busy. Who says that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks? Or in Wine’s case, old software new resolutions!
So there you have it, folks! Another week in the tech world with KDE, sound stations, and driver drama, all sprinkled with a bit of cheek. Just remember: If your system crashes, blame it on a rogue external monitor, and always keep a cheeky grin on your face. Until next time!
This HTML-styled commentary captures the essence of the provided article while adding a cheeky and observational flair blended with humor reminiscent of Jimmy Carr, Rowan Atkinson, Ricky Gervais, and Lee Evans. Enjoy!
A week in KDE: the number of charge cycles finally in Plasma
This past week, the KDE community focused on refining the recently launched Plasma 6.2, addressing various bugs while introducing notable innovations. One of the standout features set to debut in version 6.3 is the ability to display the number of battery charge cycles directly within the KDE Plasma Information Center. Among the improvements, developers have resolved visual discrepancies within the System Monitor, eliminating the annoyingly unhelpful scrollbar from the loading screen. They also standardized the “Apply Plasma Settings” option on the login screen, ensuring a more cohesive user experience across all QML-based dialogs.
A fixed regression in the Power and Battery widget now allows it to effectively recognize the deployment of power-profiles-daemon over TLP, which will be included in the upcoming Plasma 6.2.4 release. Additionally, a previous oversight that prevented the Disks and Devices widget from displaying correct actions for unmounted optical drives has been rectified. Users can now expect their HDR screenshots and videos to be displayed correctly without the annoying issue of them appearing too dark. Furthermore, Plasma 6.2.4 will remedy an issue that caused crashes during login when an external monitor was connected via HDMI to a laptop. Starting with Plasma 6.3.0, KWin will effectively manage scenarios involving odd TV connections that demand unusual screen resolutions. The Discover software will also enhance its functionality by displaying more content options, such as “Get New [Stuff].”
Heading towards KDE Frameworks 6.9, developers have resolved KWin crashing issues caused by XWayland applications that featured oversized icons, alongside fixing a frustrating bug that triggered “shaking” text displays when using specific scaling factors in Plasma/QT applications. Notably, GTK3 applications will see improvements in the display of decrement buttons for spinboxes when utilizing the Breeze icon theme or any theme lacking a minus sign on its list-remove icon, particularly relevant for GTK 3.24.44. In total, an impressive 94 bug reports were addressed in just the last week, although 2 high-priority bugs remain unresolved.
Support for running Radeons on LoongArch
AMD’s advancements are set to allow Radeons to operate seamlessly on platforms powered by LoongArch processors. Anticipated to roll out in version 6.13 of the Linux kernel, this support is primarily enabling for Radeons from the Vega generation onward, introduced starting in 2017. Huacai Chen from Loongson highlighted that only slight modifications to Kconfig were necessary to compile the Display Core components for integration with this specific platform.
Optimization for AMD 3D V-Cache in kernel 6.13
In a significant enhancement for Linux kernel 6.13, AMD developers have introduced a new controller specifically designed to optimize the usage of 3D V-Cache in Ryzen processors. This controller empowers users to specify preferences regarding V-cache utilization, particularly for processors like the 7950X3D, where availability does not extend across all cores. Users can choose to prioritize higher operational frequencies or decide whether tasks should be directed towards CPU cores featuring V-cache or those optimized for greater clock speeds. This optimization is communicated through the standard sysfs interface, enhancing user configurability.
Development version of Wine 9.22, last before Wine 10.0-rc1
The latest release, Wine 9.22, marks a significant milestone as the final iteration before the anticipated Wine 10.0-rc1. One of the key updates in this version is the default activation of the Wayland driver, positioning Wine firmly into the Wayland era. Moreover, developers have made incremental improvements in supporting network sessions within DirectPlay, upgraded localizations to Unicode CLDR 46 format, and triaged a total of 19 bug reports, with the oldest issue dating back nearly eight years and the quickest closure occurring in less than a week.
How does AMD’s 3D V-Cache optimization enhance performance for users on the LoongArch architecture?
Lessly on the LoongArch platform, thanks to the efforts of Huacai Chen from Loongson. This development opens up new avenues for AMD’s GPU technology, providing users on this architecture the opportunity to tap into the power of Radeon graphics. It’s not just about winning the GPU popularity contest; it’s about giving everyone a seat at the table—it’s potentially a win-win for AMD and users alike.
AMD’s 3D V-Cache Optimization
On another front, AMD is gearing up to enhance its 3D V-Cache technology amidst the launch of kernel 6.13. This optimization allows Ryzen processors to alternate between utilizing V-Cache for performance boosts or having the option for higher operation frequencies. It’s like treating your CPU to a buffet where it can choose between speed or cache extravagance—either way, your processing tasks are set to benefit. It’s a delicious prospect for multitaskers and gamers alike!
Controversy in the Bcachefs Community
And, to add a dash of spice to the tech landscape, there’s notable drama in the Bcachefs community. Kent Overstreet has been sidelined from the next kernel version in what can only be described as a move reminiscent of a reality show twist. The disagreements have escalated, making the development scene resemble a tense family reunion where everyone’s arguing about politics over a turkey dinner. As with most controversies, opinions are split, and developers are standing firm on either side, potentially leaving Bcachefs’ future in a bit of a quandary.
Wine’s Transition to Wayland with Version 9.22
Lastly, we tip our hats to the Wine community for their triumphant release of version 9.22, marking a significant shift as the Wayland driver is now enabled by default. This shift signifies a broader adoption of the Wayland protocol across the board, even for those pairing their Linux experience with a nostalgic dash of Windows. With a slew of performance improvements and the closure of long-standing bugs—some dating back up to eight years—Wine is proving invaluable for those wanting to integrate Windows applications into their Linux environment. Cheers to those wins!
In the grand scheme of things, it appears that the intersection of KDE advancements, AMD innovations, and the Wine updates paints a vibrant picture of ongoing development and user experience enhancement within the open-source community. So, keep those systems updated, revel in the newfound battery charge cycle knowledge, and embrace the continual march towards a more cohesive and enjoyable computing experience!