Notices by samueldr (samueldr@ap.samueldr.com)

I will not expand much about the other stuff, but think “alt-tech” media, and kleptocurrencies. With a side of “freezed peaches”[sic].

Whatever you opinion is about the author, please read this for the facts:

• https://drewdevault.com/2025/10/22/2025-10-22-Whats-up-with-FUTO.html

It aligns with what I'd found in the past. And even misses some of the issues I'd found.

But worse: they make it look like many projects are actively sponsored and ran from FUTO grants, when it's not (really) the case. If you are involved with any of the projects on their page, please check and see if that's the case!

@linmob @awai @Liberux anyone has details on the AW-CM256SM (CYW43455 chipset) Wi-Fi, and its general expectations regarding perfs?

In my experience, one of the worst flaw in the Pinephone (A64) was its Wi-Fi chipset, and integration thereof.

The CYW43455 is the one used in recent Raspberry Pi models, which I've been told is "bad"... But I'm still not discounting it given the context. It could be a Raspberry Pi issue...

... though it reportedly still can't do WPA3, which doesn't bode well.

... but maybe there's hope(?), reportedly the Asahi Linux people have made good work around the driver it uses?

Anyways: I wonder how likely it is, that Wi-Fi is going to be the Achille's heel of this new device.

@awai @linmob @Liberux Huh... I didn't know.

The first PinePhone Pro revision staff with AP6256, the second rev and upcoming production all use AW-CM256SM.

Which I guess explains why it didn't register with me at first. Though I suspect the actual chipset in use differs between CYW43455 and AP6256... So I won't make a judgement call based on that.

Though quickly searching for WPA3 and pinephone pro, it looks like it also had issues with WPA3 🤔. (I suspect those reports are coming from AW-CM256SM models...)

But if it's at least not worse than my experience with the AP6256, it should be serviceable for Wi-Fi, and not a drawback for most use-cases at first. Good, I guess.

Direct callout to NixOS 🤡.

I still get people asking me what it would take to come back.

Well, it came to my attention today that the different people that were banned from the project (for good reasons) continuously get invited or stay able to interact with the NixOS community or in the NixOS adjacent areas.

The #NixOS community continues platforming bigots and abusers. I want nothing to do with that.

@domenkozar, ban the fucking people banned from the NixOS community from subreddit. You are the only one who can handle this.

@grahamc, you were once a champion of making a safe space and thinking of the people. Use what's left form your trust and weight in the community to make the change you wanted to see in 2019 finally happen.

@nixos_org what the actual fuck?

People from the moderation team... What is even going on? @endocrimes, @picnoir, @lassulus, @hexa... Please figure out what is preventing you from having the authority to actually protect the people from the community.

I didn't know the social aspect was apparently getting worse since I left. What the fuck?

Wrote some words specifically about the problem that is handling dtb files on devicetree platforms with the Linux kernel's expectations regarding its own dtb files.

I suspect this may be somewhat controversial, and will spark debate (which is also kind of the goal). Still, I hope everyone who reads will make a good attempt at internalizing the nuances I am trying to highlight, even if they disagree with some of the details.

• https://samuel.dionne-riel.com/blog/2024/12/05/dtb-loading-is-harder-than-it-looks.html

Hi, I'm still looking for a job. Still in the same situation as previously posted.

Skills/experience:

• Distribution integration
• Experienced with NixOS, previously Arch Linux user
  • 18 years using Linux as my only OS
• “Holistic” understanding of the whole boot process
• Experienced with U-Boot
• Previously “full-stack” web developer (13+ years, and still doing some here and there.).

Employers and recruiters: feel free to consider the experience in a generic manner; the skills I have had to learn for the things I've done translate to any distribution. I am not “a NixOS developer”, but really, “a distribution developer”.

I am looking for remote work, and live on the Eastern Time Zone in North America. I am flexible about working hours if needed. I am bilingual (French and English).

A good fit for me will have me working and contributing back on Open Source Software as a significant component.

If you know of a job that would fit, feel free to reply at any visibility here. Feel free to also ask me superficial questions right here!

If you are interested in hiring me, please e-mail me <samuel AT dionne-riel.com>.

Thank you for your time.

(Boosts / reposts appreciated.)

#fedihired

So, what's in a Steam Deck kernel anyway? I took some time to list mainly the misc. changes that are not the video drivers work. (Not that they're unimportant, but that they're more well-known.)

With MS-DOS 4.0 being "released" as MIT, this means that the MBR is now, too... huh

• https://github.com/microsoft/MS-DOS/blob/main/v4.0/src/CMD/FDISK/FDBOOT.ASM

NO ONE’S TALKING ABOUT THIS???????

Added preliminary support for open-source BIOS and EC firmware

ARE Y’ALL NOT PAYING ATTENTION?

THAT’S THE NEW STEAM DECK.

Just a reminder:

DO NOT…

… buy hardware that does not support standards-based boot, or does not provide the affordances for standards-based boot to live outside of the operating system storage media.