The city of Largo, Florida, is spending $1.7M to transition from Linux to Microsoft Windows.

[Adopted Annual Budget FY2020 -- 46MB PDF](https://www.largo.com/Adopted_Budget_Final.pdf)

> Project Denoscription:

> This project includes funding for the planned transition of City’s current desktop user interface from a Linux
environment to Microsoft Windows environment. The main goal of this project is to deliver a seamless user experience
for the use of Microsoft Office products city-wide. This transition was identified as a recommendation from the City’s
strategic plan as a needed tool to improve collaboration with outside agencies, to aid in recruiting and retaining
employees, and assumes that staff will be more productive due to their familiarity with a standard office product
and a better integrated environment. The initial cost includes server hardware and security software, virtualization
software/licensing agreement(s), Microsoft Office software/licensing agreement(s), vendor supplied implementation
and training services for IT staff in order to support this platform. Project delivery alternatives, including phasing are
also being evaluated during FY 2019.

> Beyond 5 Years:

> Once this type of platform environment is implemented, perpetual annual software licensing would be required at
appropriately cost range of $250,000 - $400,000. Initial expectation of hardware replacements would follow the City’s
standard server replacement cycle of 5 years at an expected cost of $500,000.

> Level of Service Change Due to Project:

> This would not change the level of service, just provide a different user experience regarding application integration.
As outlined in the City’s Strategic Plan Project S2.3.3, this project would address issues specifically articulated as
the “fragmented environment for users of the City desktop. Employees at all levels and in all functions expressed
frustration at the lack of integration between the multiple servers that house various City applications. With the
current and ever-increasing number of applications staff use in their daily work, process challenges arose when
operating across platforms - for example, preparing documents in Microsoft Office, while simultaneously pulling
information from a department application on a different server and pulling information from email or the internet in
another server. The fragmented nature of this arrangement creates workflows and work-arounds that appear small
in isolation but significant in their cumulative effect on efficiency.”

https://redd.it/f50ce1
@r_linux

[question] I have a Chromebook running on Linux but it won’t let me connect to my iPhone why is that?

Why won’t my iPhone connect to my Chromebook that is running on Linux?

https://redd.it/f5zusf
@r_linux

A tool I made for enabling the Asus Supremefx HiFi DAC on Linux

TLDR: The Asus Supremefx HiFi is a really good DAC that doesn't work on linux out of the box.

I made a small python noscript using pyusb that makes the DAC usable.

You can find the noscript [here](https://github.com/IcyEyeG/supremefx-hifi), it needs to be run whenever you want to use the DAC, or change the settings.

I have no experience in making drivers or configuration software, so help testing and improving this proof of concept would be very welcome.

-----

I've been trying to find a front panel DAC that I can use on my PC case, in a 5.25'' bay, and I came across the Asus SupremeFX HiFi.

This DAC is a wierd beast, but can be found for around $40-$60 on [eBay](https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_nkw=asus+supremefx+hifi), used:

- It uses a PCI-e 6 pin power cable (just like a graphics card);

- Has really good audio components: Nichicon Gold and WIMA audio grade capacitors, as well as an ESS Sabre ES9018K2M, LM4562 socketed opamps, etc. ([Read more here](https://www.tweaktown.com/reviews/7764/asus-rog-rampage-edition-10-intel-x99-motherboard-review/index3.html));

- It was originally included in top tier (really expensive) Asus motherboards, such as the ROG Rampage V Edition 10 and the ROG MAXIMUS VIII EXTREME/ASSEMBLY;

- The USB interface is an unknown chip labeled 9C1525, likely manufactured by a Chinese company called SaviAudio. There's a firmware update (v1.6) for this DAC whose user manual calls the chip SV3U326, but both chip numbers and the company can't be found anywhere;

- It needs a small piece of proprietary software to work on Windows (can be found at the ROG Rampage V Edition 10 and the ROG MAXIMUS VIII EXTREME/ASSEMBLY support page). In it, you can select which headphones plug to use, test their impedance and turn on/off the microfone amplification. The software doesn't have any drivers. Instead it runs on the background and simply allows you to configure the DAC features.

I had no idea if it would work on Linux, but decided to buy it anyway, because it seems cheap taking into account the specs.

ALSA does recognise it as a generic USB audio interface. However, only audio capture works, not the sound outputs, so I decided to investigate. When I enable the DAC on a windows VM with the Asus software installed, I hear relays clicking and the headphones start working. This means the software sends some kind of trigger to the DAC to enable it.

Taking inspiration from [here](https://github.com/openrazer/openrazer/wiki/Reverse-Engineering-USB-Protocol) and [here](https://github.com/charlysan/pyrfidhid/wiki/Reverse-Engineering-A-USB-HID-RFID-Reader-Writer) I was able to reverse engineer a way to enable it on Linux using a simple noscript written in python.

https://redd.it/f60kq4
@r_linux

Using gcc sanitisers to get a nasty bug fixed

When a bug surprises you when doing Apertis packaging of a typical vendor code signing tool, it's time to debug it using the compiler's built-in tools.

[https://blog.shadura.me/2020/01/31/fsanitize-address/](https://blog.shadura.me/2020/01/31/fsanitize-address/)

https://redd.it/f60jqf
@r_linux

GamePad: Linux Exclusive Game Platform Kickstarter
https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/game-pad/gamepad-the-linux-exclusive-game-platform

https://redd.it/f62j7y
@r_linux

MATE 1.24 landed in Debian unstable
https://sunweavers.net/blog/node/109

https://redd.it/f62bz3
@r_linux

Linux desktop market share is about the same as it was in 1997 - 1998 CNN article
http://www.cnn.com/TECH/computing/9806/12/upstarts.idg/index.html

https://redd.it/f62x0h
@r_linux

Weekly Questions and Hardware Thread - February 19, 2020

Welcome to r/linux! If you're new to Linux or trying to get started this thread is for you. Get help here or as always, check out r/linuxquestions or r/linux4noobs

This megathread is for all your question needs. As we don't allow questions on r/linux outside of this megathread, please consider using r/linuxquestions or r/linux4noobs for the best solution to your problem.

Ask your hardware requests here too or try r/linuxhardware!

https://redd.it/f650lh
@r_linux

Update: Launching free, fast, anonymous open source VPN w/ unlimited bandwidth

Hi r/linux

Months ago, I created a test post on Reddit about a completely free, unlimited bandwidth VPN that I was thinking about working on called FreePN: [find it here](https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/cs93fr/launching_free_fast_anonymous_vpn_w_unlimited/). After rounds of helpful feedback, I decided to pursue it and we’re getting pretty close to having our alpha version ready for public launch (looking like around a month).

**FreePN is a new Linux-first open-source peer-to-peer VPN project** that has some pretty awesome features that address a lot of the problems that most VPN services currently have:

* It’s 100% totally free (speech + beer)
* No sign up, no accounts
* It’s open source
* Unlimited Bandwidth
* We’ll (hopefully pretty soon) have more available nodes than any other VPN service
* Anonymous + Private + Secure
* Great for streaming, using p2p applications
* Super duper easy to use
* (Coming soon) Built-in DNS-level ad-blocking!

If you're interested in the project, I’d really appreciate it if you’d [sign up for the waitlist](https://freepn.com/?pk_campaign=community&pk_kwd=reddit)

and give some feedback [on this simple survey](https://forms.gle/7GZjoShXiHuKUdxe6?pk_campaign=feedback&pk_kwd=reddit) (which distros we should target first, what features you’re most interested in - only 4 questions).

Thank you!

https://redd.it/f5ykkn
@r_linux

Blog: An introduction to cluster provisioning using Crossplane
https://www.infracloud.io/cluster-provisioning-using-crossplane/

https://redd.it/f5q3iy
@r_linux

Well
https://redd.it/f673qh
@r_linux

Hiri Mail - Let's not let our community do this kind of thing

I wanted to share something that really bums me out, and I'd really appreciate your guy's/girl's help in getting a bit of a spotlight on this sort of behavior, in the Linux community.

`tldr; At the bottom`

## Intro for context

I have been a linux user for quite a long time now, and I work in the enterprise IT space.

I have been on the hunt for a decent office 365 mail client alternative (my company runs on office 365).

*\*No, web based office 365 is not the same. The experience is just not there yet.*

## Research

I tested a couple of different offerings mail offerings and, for my own reasons, settled on Hiri mail as the mail client of choice. They had a fairly active community of people, interested in features and providing feedback on issues.

So, because I love my linux (*and anyone who supports our community)*, I decided to support these Devs and paid the licence costs (went the full monty and paid for a lifetime subnoscription).

## About a month after that, the Hiri team disappeared off the face of the planet

No comms, no feedback, nothing... Development had apparently stopped (according to the wiki page [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiri\_(email\_client)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hiri_(email_client))) in late August 2018.

*Ok, so I get that things happen, and companies fold.*

I also can appreciate that I am paying for work that is already done, not what is yet to be done.

Having said that, I also paid for a **subnoscription**... because I am investing into the idea that the company/product is proposing for the *future*. To me, a subnoscription indicates active forward momentum to a product (for each month I am subscribed, something might evolve).

Like I said though; sometimes companies go under, so I can't complain that the company went bang.

## The shady stuff

What I can complain about is the thing that really bothers me.

I think it is pretty freaking unprofessional to not let your customers know anything is going on. I can't even find a tweet on what's happening

However, what really is insulting, to me at least, is that they continue to advertise for the licence purchase on the website (with huge **BUY NOW/MASSIVE SALE!!!** type banners), without any notes that development on the tech has stopped. In fact, the website seems to be left in an intentionally misleading way. In fact, as of today, if you click on the purchase button, the blurb below both purchase offerings says the following *"INCLUDES ACCESS TO UPDATES AND NEW FEATURES INDEFINITELY"*.

There are several bugs/features that still need to be addressed/added, which now never will be, and there is nothing on the site that indicated that these things ever will be addressed.

As far as I can tell, the site has been updated/modified since the development ended several times as well.

So it seems that the Dev's are happy to take our money for a subnoscription based service, when they know full well that they are not delivering anything new (the reason one subscribes in the first place).

**I dislike it when people take advantage of other people.**

## Why did I wait so long to post

Honestly, I was really hoping that the team were just swamped/too busy to update any social media sites. I didn't want to jump the gun, if they were working hard at delivering something.

My general hope is that people will do the right thing, if you give them a chance.

I have tried reaching out through several comms methods, and have never got anything other than an automated response.

# tldr;

Subscribed to a "linux focused" service (because let's support each other), and the company smoke-bombed, yet is still (imo) running the shady practice of advertising that more to come, taking your money, and not delivering on that promise.

https://redd.it/f67pt2
@r_linux

First bought copy of Linux.
https://redd.it/f6878k
@r_linux

Things-like GTD app that syncs with Todoist!
https://blog.elementary.io/appcenter-spotlight-planner/

https://redd.it/f6715i
@r_linux

I wrote a simple noscript. Critiques and suggestions are welcome!

(I really hope this doesn't count as self-promo)

So I've recently been spending some time learning more about Linux than I bothered to before and I've been falling more in love with it lately as well.

One of the things I got into was bash noscripting. A few days ago one of my friends said- "I'd like a tool with which I can cd into directories with their serial number. That'd be fun!".

So I wrote a noscript that lets you do just that and it's recursive so you can glide around your file system if you feel like it. Any suggestions and feedback regarding it is welcome.

I know about POSIX compliance issues and I don't have enough knowledge to make the noscript POSIX compliant yet, but it currently works with Bash and ZSH.

You can check it out here- [https://github.com/AviusX/linux-navigator](https://github.com/AviusX/linux-navigator)

The [README.md](https://README.md) contains all the information you'll need about the tool. It can easily be installed and uninstalled with a single command.

Thanks in advance for checking it out and for any feedback! :D

https://redd.it/f66w0u
@r_linux

Can you translate this R noscript into BASH?
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/60295971/rs-paste-function-equivalent-in-bash

https://redd.it/f67ycv
@r_linux

Linux – how to install it, migration details and little kinks explained
https://aschatria.github.io/linux-how-to-install-it-migration-details-and-little-kinks-explained/

https://redd.it/f6aitw
@r_linux

security things in Linux v5.4
https://outflux.net/blog/archives/2020/02/18/security-things-in-linux-v5-4/

https://redd.it/f6b3hu
@r_linux

Got Linux up and running on the desktop in class today, sadly the principle walked in and I got in shit.
https://redd.it/f6bv3e
@r_linux

Linux Laptop Recommendations

Looking for an inexpensive laptop that ships blank or with Linux. Recommendations? I am have a lot of Linux experience, but it has been a long time since I have run Linux on anything other than a VM.

https://redd.it/f6cw8l
@r_linux

How kernel modules (KVM) and distros work

I would like to use the latest edition of linux mint. But Fedora is tempting me due to their up-to-date KVM/Qemu package.

So my question is: Is there anyway to update linux mint/ ubuntu 18.04 to use the latest KVM and qemu without breaking its stability?

I understand that 18.04 uses an older kernel than fedora 31, and KVM is a kernel module. So does this mean ubuntu automatically has an older KVM?

Any help is appreciated.

https://redd.it/f6dldi
@r_linux