More Rust in Linux + Pressure on Microsoft + Updates

Summary

This video covers a series of exciting developments within the Linux and open-source communities. Key highlights include Greg Kroah-Hartman’s removal of Microsoft’s insecure RNDIS protocol from the Linux kernel, the Free Software Foundation’s push for alternatives to Microsoft platforms, and the Fish shell’s successful transition to Rust. It also touches on Bottles’ adoption of Rust in its Windows compatibility tool, and C++’s movement towards safer memory management. The video wraps up with GNOME’s image viewer update, marking significant strides in Linux software security, performance, and user experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Greg Kroah-Hartman has removed the RNDIS protocol from the Linux kernel due to its security vulnerabilities and obsolescence. This will enhance system security.
• 😀 The Free Software Foundation (FSF) is urging users to boycott Microsoft platforms and services like GitHub, pushing for the adoption of Linux for greater software freedom.
• 😀 The Fish Shell project has successfully transitioned from C++ to Rust, improving memory safety, performance, and maintainability with Rust's safety features.
• 😀 Bottles, a tool for running Windows apps on Linux, is rewriting its platform to incorporate Rust, aiming to enhance performance and security.
• 😀 The introduction of Safe C++ aims to bring Rust-like memory safety features to C++ while maintaining compatibility with standard compilers, tackling some of C++'s inherent safety issues.
• 😀 Gnome's 3.0 RC2 includes updates such as bug fixes, new settings migration features, and new image-editing capabilities, improving the overall user experience.
• 😀 RNDIS, which was mainly needed for older Windows systems like XP, is now considered unnecessary for modern systems, leading to its removal from the Linux kernel.
• 😀 The shift to Rust in projects like Fish Shell and Bottles reflects the growing preference for Rust due to its better safety, concurrency features, and community support.
• 😀 The FSF's criticism of Microsoft’s forced upgrades and TPM module in Windows 11 highlights their advocacy for digital freedom and reduced e-waste.
• 😀 Safe C++ leverages Clang IR for better diagnostics and optimizations, aiming to improve C++ safety while ensuring compatibility with existing codebases.
• 😀 Gnome's updated image viewer now supports basic image editing features like crop, rotate, and flip, filling a long-standing gap in the desktop environment.

Q & A

What is the significance of Greg Kroah-Hartman's patch to the Linux kernel regarding the RNDIS protocol?

Greg Kroah-Hartman, a prominent Linux kernel developer, has called for the disabling of the RNDIS (Remote Network Driver Interface Specification) protocol in the Linux kernel due to its inherent insecurities and obsolescence. The removal enhances Linux kernel security by reducing potential vulnerabilities associated with untrusted hosts or devices. It aligns with modern system needs where Windows systems only required RNDIS for versions older than XP, and Android has disabled it for years.

Why is the Free Software Foundation (FSF) calling for increased pressure on Microsoft?

The FSF is pushing back against Microsoft's influence on software freedom, criticizing policies like the TPM (Trusted Platform Module) requirement in Windows 11. They also highlight Microsoft's move to discontinue security updates for Windows 10. The FSF is advocating for users to consider alternative operating systems such as Linux and to avoid Microsoft's software platforms, including GitHub, in order to promote digital freedom and reduce e-waste.

What makes the transition of the Fish shell from C++ to Rust a significant event?

The Fish shell's transition from C++ to Rust is a noteworthy milestone because it enhances the shell's performance, safety, and maintainability. Rust's memory safety, tooling, and concurrency features were key motivations for the rewrite. The project faced challenges but ultimately resulted in a more reliable, extensible, and modern codebase. The port was completed incrementally to ensure the shell remained functional throughout the process.

What challenges did the Fish shell project face during its transition to Rust?

The Fish shell's transition from C++ to Rust involved several technical challenges, including handling differences in tools and compiler platforms, improving ergonomics, and ensuring thread safety. The project also dealt with issues like manual target enumeration and duplicated work for portability, localization challenges, and maintaining compatibility with older libraries and platforms.

How did the Fish shell team manage to maintain functionality during the transition?

The Fish shell team used an incremental porting strategy, where components were rewritten from C++ to Rust one at a time. This allowed for continuous testing and the release of updated versions of the shell while the transition was ongoing. The team also used Foreign Function Interface (FFI) glue to connect the remaining C++ components with the newly written Rust code, facilitating a smooth transition.

What are the key advantages of using Rust for the Fish shell project?

Rust offers several advantages, including improved tooling, better memory safety, and fearlessly concurrent multi-threading, which are beneficial for projects like Fish shell. Rust's tooling, like Cargo, simplifies the development process, while its memory management system reduces common issues seen in C++ code, such as null pointers and unsafe memory access.

What is Bottles, and why is its move to Rust significant?

Bottles is a tool that allows users to run Windows applications and games on Linux. It includes features like sandboxing, customization, and dependency management. The announcement of Bottles transitioning to Rust is significant because it reflects the growing adoption of Rust in Linux-based projects, particularly for performance and reliability improvements. Bottles' rewrite will incorporate Rust and LibCosmic for its GUI and Windows API integration.

What was the main reason Bottles developers decided to switch to Rust for the project?

Bottles developers switched to Rust after extensive research and community feedback, particularly regarding concerns about Electron. They found that no suitable GUI toolkits in Go met their project’s needs, leading them to adopt Rust, a language known for its performance, reliability, and growing community support.

What is the potential impact of the C++ safe memory features, like Safe C++ and Clang IR?

Safe C++ is an extension of C++ that introduces Rust-like memory safety features, such as borrow checking and stricter safety checks, while maintaining compatibility with standard C++ compilers. Clang IR, which is used for advanced analysis and optimizations, is designed to help improve diagnostics and performance. This shift is important as it aims to bring safer memory practices to C++ without abandoning its core compatibility and portability.

What new features are expected in the GNOME desktop environment's image viewer and editor?

The GNOME desktop environment has added new features to its image viewer and editor, including the ability to crop, rotate, and flip images. Currently, only PNG images are supported, with JPEG support coming in the future. These features are significant because they offer quick image editing options directly within the desktop environment, something that has been long missing from GNOME.