News: Fedora 37 Beta Available.

The Fedora development team announced the beta for version 37 of the open-source operating system has been released on time on September 13, 2022.

This was announced on Fedora Hyperkitty

If you want to test the new beta of Fedora 37, the default x86_64 version can be downloaded from the official Fedora download server.

You will see this comes with many of changes.

Fedora 37 : Use radiotray-ng to simple radio player.

Radiotray-NG is a simple radio player for Ubuntu that runs from the system tray.

You can use this command to install the package.

dnf install radiotray-ng

After installation, you will see an icon on the tray area.

Use this to select the radio and this will play it.

The project can be found on GitHub.

.

Fedora 37 : Starting with the conda tool.

In this tutorial, I will show the first steps for working with conda tool on Fedora 37.

Conda is an open-source package management system and environment management system that runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, and z/OS. Conda quickly installs, runs, and updates packages and their dependencies. Conda easily creates, saves, loads, and switches between environments on your local computer. It was created for Python programs, but it can package and distribute software for any language., see the official webpage.

I used the DNF tool to install this tool.

[root@fedora mythcat]# dnf install conda

By default, Conda is configured to activate the base environment when I open a fresh terminal session and you can set it to false.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda config --set auto_activate_base false

For the changes to be applied, run the source command with the .bashrc file as an argument.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ source ~/.bashrc

After installation, the conda can be activated with the base environment.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda activate
(base) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda deactivate
[mythcat@fedora ~]$

Let's start a new project environment named test001 with this command:

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda create -n test001 python=3.9
...
  zlib               pkgs/main/linux-64::zlib-1.2.12-h5eee18b_3
Proceed ([y]/n)? y
Downloading and Extracting Packages
libffi-3.3           | 50 KB     | ##################################### | 100%
...
setuptools-63.4.1    | 1.1 MB    | ##################################### | 100%
Preparing transaction: done
Verifying transaction: done
Executing transaction: done
#
# To activate this environment, use
#
#     $ conda activate test001
#
# To deactivate an active environment, use
#
#     $ conda deactivate

The next step is to activate this with the next command and list installed packages in a conda environment.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda activate test001
(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda list

If you want to see all environments then use the next command:

(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda env list
# conda environments:
#
test001               *  /home/mythcat/.conda/envs/test001
base                     /usr

The basic usage of conda is to install packages, you can see how to install the scipy package with the next command:

(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda install scipy

Using the conda tool.

Also, you can update a package like the pip tool, see the next command:

(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda update
CondaValueError: no package names supplied
# Example: conda update -n myenv scipy 

You can deactivate/deactivate the environment with these commands:

(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda deactivate
[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda activate test001
(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ 

You can export the conda environment into YML file type:

(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda env export > test001.yml
(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ ls test001.yml
test001.yml 

With this file, you can create a new environment in another area, and see the next commands for deactivating and creating the new environment.

(test001) [mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda deactivate
[mythcat@fedora ~]$ ls
Desktop    Downloads     Music     Public     test001.yml
Documents  kernel-tests  Pictures  Templates  Videos
[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda env create -f test001.yml
CondaValueError: prefix already exists: /home/mythcat/.conda/envs/test001

Because I try to create in the same place as the old environment I got this error.

You need to use the YML file in another place.

Another option is to clone one environment.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda create --name test001_new_clone --clone test001
Source:      /home/mythcat/.conda/envs/test001
Destination: /home/mythcat/.conda/envs/test001_new_clone
Packages: 34
...

You can see all environments with this command:

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ conda info --env
# conda environments:
#
test001                  /home/mythcat/.conda/envs/test001
test001_new_clone        /home/mythcat/.conda/envs/test001_new_clone
base                  *  /usr

These commands shown are just the beginning of working with the conda utility. It has many more development options.

Fedora 37 : Kernel Test Days.

The main goal of a Kernel Test Day is to test a new kernel on many different machines as possible ...

To test the kernel and help the Fedora development team you need to run one tool from Fedora.

I used DNF to install the fedora python package.

[root@fedora kernel-tests]# dnf install python3-fedora.noarch
...
Installed:
  python3-fedora-1.1.1-7.fc37.noarch                                            
  python3-kitchen-1.2.6-14.fc37.noarch                                          
  python3-lockfile-1:0.12.2-8.fc37.noarch                                       
  python3-munch-2.5.0-10.fc37.noarch                                            
  python3-openidc-client-0.6.0-17.20220119git0e2ed81.fc37.noarch                

Complete!

I install the Development Tools group for development issues.

[mythcat@fedora kernel-tests]$ sudo dnf -y groupinstall "Development Tools"

I clone the kernel-tests tool from the GitHub repository.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ git clone https://pagure.io/kernel-tests.git
Cloning into 'kernel-tests'...

Into the folder kernel-tests set your user and password to send data to the Fedora development team.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ cd kernel-tests/
[mythcat@fedora kernel-tests]$ cp config.example .config
[mythcat@fedora kernel-tests]$ vi .config

Set the SELinux settings, if this is enabled.

[mythcat@fedora kernel-tests]$ sudo semanage boolean -m --on selinuxuser_execheap

I run both tests, like in the documentation area.

See these results of my tests on HP Compaq 6710b laptop:

[mythcat@fedora kernel-tests]$ sudo ./runtests.sh
[sudo] password for mythcat:
Test suite called with default
./default/cachedrop                                              PASS    
./default/insert_leap_second                                     PASS    
./default/libhugetlbfs                                           SKIP    
./default/memfd                                                  PASS    
./default/modsign                                                PASS    
./default/mq-memory-corruption                                   PASS    
./default/paxtest                                                SKIP    
./default/posix_timers                                           PASS    
./default/selinux-dac-controls                                   PASS    
./default/stack-randomness                                       PASS    
./default/sysfs-perms                                            WARN    
./default/timer-overhead                                         PASS    

Test suite complete                                              WARN    

Your log file is being submitted...
Upload successful!
The following information is not submitted with your log;
it is for informational purposes only.
Vulnerability status:
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/itlb_multihit:KVM: Mitigation: VMX unsupported
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/l1tf:Mitigation: PTE Inversion
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/mds:Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/meltdown:Mitigation: PTI
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/mmio_stale_data:Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/retbleed:Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spec_store_bypass:Vulnerable
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v1:Mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v2:Mitigation: Retpolines, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/srbds:Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/tsx_async_abort:Not affected

[mythcat@fedora kernel-tests]$ sudo ./runtests.sh -t performance
Test suite called with performance
Using config in CONFIG.fedora
Sun Aug 21 05:19:23 PM EEST 2022
Latency measurements
Sun Aug 21 05:21:46 PM EEST 2022
Calculating file system latency
Sun Aug 21 05:21:48 PM EEST 2022
Local networking
Sun Aug 21 05:25:29 PM EEST 2022
Bandwidth measurements
Sun Aug 21 05:34:57 PM EEST 2022
Calculating context switch overhead
Sun Aug 21 05:35:20 PM EEST 2022
./performance/lmbench3                                           PASS    

Test suite complete                                              PASS    

Your log file is being submitted...
Upload successful!
The following information is not submitted with your log;
it is for informational purposes only.
Vulnerability status:
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/itlb_multihit:KVM: Mitigation: VMX unsupported
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/l1tf:Mitigation: PTE Inversion
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/mds:Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT disabled
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/meltdown:Mitigation: PTI
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/mmio_stale_data:Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/retbleed:Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spec_store_bypass:Vulnerable
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v1:Mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/spectre_v2:Mitigation: Retpolines, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/srbds:Not affected
/sys/devices/system/cpu/vulnerabilities/tsx_async_abort:Not affected

Fedora 37 : Install PyQt5 and PyQt6 on Fedora.

In this tutorial, I will show you how to install PyQt5 and PyQt6 on Fedora 37 Distro Linux.

I used the DNF tool on the sudo user.

To install PyQt5 I used this command:

[root@fedora mythcat]# dnf install python3-qt5.x86_64
Last metadata expiration check: 2:20:40 ago on Wed 17 Aug 2022 09:42:57 PM EEST.
Dependencies resolved.
...
Installed:
  openal-soft-1.22.2-2.fc37.x86_64                                              
  python-qt5-rpm-macros-5.15.6-7.fc37.noarch                                    
  python3-pyqt5-sip-12.11.0-2.fc37.x86_64                                       
  python3-qt5-5.15.6-7.fc37.x86_64                                              
  python3-qt5-base-5.15.6-7.fc37.x86_64                                         
  qt5-qtconnectivity-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                       
  qt5-qtlocation-5.15.5-3.fc37.x86_64                                           
  qt5-qtmultimedia-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                         
  qt5-qtsensors-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                            
  qt5-qtserialport-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                         
  qt5-qtsvg-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                                
  qt5-qttools-common-5.15.5-2.fc37.noarch                                       
  qt5-qttools-libs-designer-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                
  qt5-qttools-libs-help-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                    
  qt5-qtwebchannel-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                         
  qt5-qtwebsockets-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                         
  qt5-qtxmlpatterns-5.15.5-2.fc37.x86_64                                        

Complete!

If you want to use PyQt6 then you need to use the sip solution.

Let's search and install it with the DNF tool.

[root@fedora mythcat]# dnf search qt6 | grep python
Last metadata expiration check: 1:02:01 ago on Sun 21 Aug 2022 04:43:24 PM EEST.
python3-pyqt6-sip.x86_64 : The sip module support for PyQt6
[root@fedora mythcat]# dnf install python3-pyqt6-sip.x86_64
Last metadata expiration check: 1:02:24 ago on Sun 21 Aug 2022 04:43:24 PM EEST.
Dependencies resolved.
...
Installed:
  python3-pyqt6-sip-13.3.0-3.fc37.x86_64                                        

Complete!

I used the python command and I import PyQt5 and PyQt6

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ python
Python 3.11.0rc1 (main, Aug  9 2022, 00:00:00) [GCC 12.1.1 20220810 (Red Hat 12.1.1-4)] on linux
...

The python modules are installed and working well.

Fedora 37 : About DNF tool.

DNF's name tool comes from Dandified YUM.

You can find all about this tool in the Fedora documentation area.

As you know the YUM is in use on older systems and comes from Yellowdog Updater, Modified.

All of these tools need to have sudo that gives you administrative access to your system.

When you run the DNF tool this will checks for metadata automatically whenever you begin a system update or otherwise install software from repositories.

For this reason, the update and upgrade commands perform the same function.

Let's see the basic usage of the DNF tool:

Search a fedora package named FedoraPackage in the repositories.

sudo dnf search FedoraPackage

Install the FedoraPackage package if exist in the repository.

sudo dnf install FedoraPackage

If you want to uninstall the package FedoraPackage use this:

sudo dnf remove FedoraPackage

I can reinstall the package FedoraPackage

sudo dnf reinstall FedoraPackage -y

To automatically remove unneeded dependencies, use:

sudo dnf autoremove

The DNF can find out which package provides a particular file.

sudo dnf provides /etc/httpd/conf/httpd.conf

The detailed information of a package can be viewed with:

sudo dnf info httpd

The DNF history contains all actions that have been performed by the DNF command.

sudo dnf history

I can view further information about a transaction by specifying its ID:

sudo  dnf history info 13

I can undo this transaction if we want:

sudo dnf history undo 13 -y

I can redo with:

sudo dnf history redo 13 -y

The DNF will cache data to the /var/cache/dnf directory and I clean it with:

dnf clean all

I have the option to manually make the cache so that future actions will be quicker.

sudo time dnf makecache

The DNF tool gives me the ability to list all packages that are currently installed on our Linux system:

sudo dnf list installed

Packages that are related to each other may be grouped together into a package group.

sudo dnf grouplist

I can install it with this command:

sudo dnf groupinstall "Web Server" -y

I can check if an update is available

sudo dnf check-update

I can ignore an update for the FedoraPackage package with this command:

sudo dnf update -x FedoraPackage

I can use it for automatic tasks such as updating regularly via cron jobs.

sudo  dnf install dnf-automatic -y

I can install security only

sudo dnf updateinfo list sec

I can see displays information for enabled repositories only:

sudo dnf repolist

I can see all of the repositories

sudo dnf repolist all

Set update testing with:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-enable updates-testing

Disable update testing:

sudo dnf config-manager --set-disable updates-testing

You can list packages from a specified repository, for instance, FedoraPackage:

sudo dnf repository-packages FedoraPackage list

To display only a list of those packages available from the specified repository, add the available option.

sudo dnf repository-packages fedora list available

To display only a list of those packages installed from the specified repository, add the installed option

sudo dnf repository-packages fedora list installed

To add and enable a new repository like Grafana, run the following command.

Open a new file named grafana.repo:

sudo nano /etc/yum.repos.d/grafana.repo

Add this in the grafana.repo

[grafana]
name=grafana
baseurl=https://packages.grafana.com/oss/rpm
repo_gpgcheck=1
enabled=1
gpgcheck=1
gpgkey=https://packages.grafana.com/gpg.key
sslverify=1
sslcacert=/etc/pki/tls/certs/ca-bundle.crt

sudo dnf config-manager --add-repo /etc/yum.repos.d/grafana.repo

To enable the DNF repository

sudo dnf --enablerepo=grafana install grafana

To disable a DNF repository

sudo dnf --disablerepo=fedora-extras install grafana 

To permanently disable a particular repository

sudo dnf config-manager --set-disabled grafana

These are just a few basic ways to use the DNF utility.

Fedora 37 : First test with the Fedora Cinnamon spin.

The Fedora Cinnamon spin provides advanced innovative features and a traditional user experience.

I install this Fedora Spin from the official website.

I installed it again without an update.

It seemed faster than the old distro 36 with the Mate environment.

Here is a screenshot of Fedora 37 on the HP C6710b laptop. 

Fedora 36 : Rootkit Hunter tool.

rkhunter (Rootkit Hunter) is a Unix-based tool that scans for rootkits, backdoors and possible local exploits. It does this by comparing SHA-1 hashes of important files with known good ones in online databases, searching for default directories (of rootkits), wrong permissions, hidden files, suspicious strings in kernel modules, and special tests for Linux and FreeBSD..., see wikipedia .

You can find it on this website.

On Fedora 36 you can search and install with the DNF tool.

[root@fedora mythcat]# dnf search rkhunter
Last metadata expiration check: 3:38:34 ago on Sat 06 Aug 2022 10:35:34 AM EEST.
======================== Name Exactly Matched: rkhunter ========================
rkhunter.noarch : A host-based tool to scan for rootkits, backdoors and local exploits
[root@fedora mythcat]# dnf install rkhunter.noarch
Last metadata expiration check: 3:39:00 ago on Sat 06 Aug 2022 10:35:34 AM EEST.

The first step is to upgrade it and then you can check the system.

[root@fedora mythcat]# rkhunter --propupd
[ Rootkit Hunter version 1.4.6 ]
File created: searched for 179 files, found 139

[root@fedora mythcat]# rkhunter --check
[ Rootkit Hunter version 1.4.6 ]

Checking system commands...

  Performing 'strings' command checks

...

The result can be found on the log file and you can set settings on the conf file type.

[root@fedora mythcat]# vi /var/log/rkhunter/rkhunter.log
[root@fedora mythcat]# vi /etc/rkhunter.conf

Fedora 36 : first steps with the Hy.

Hy is a dialect of the Lisp programming language designed to interact with Python by translating s-expressions into Python's abstract syntax tree (AST). Hy was introduced at Python Conference (PyCon) 2013 by Paul Tagliamonte.

This is quite similar to the old GIMP Script Fu that I've worked with in the past. The syntax assumes a join like tabs in HTML, only we'll use parentheses. I haven't studied in detail the implications it has with the python language, but it certainly wasn't invented for nothing.

First, you need to install it with the pip tool.

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ pip3 install hy --user
Collecting hy
...
Successfully built hy
Installing collected packages: funcparserlib, colorama, hy
Successfully installed colorama-0.4.5 funcparserlib-1.0.0 hy-0.24.0

The I test some examples:

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ hy
Hy 0.24.0 using CPython(main) 3.10.5 on Linux
=> (setv a 1)
=> "hello world"
"hello world"
=> (setv mylist [1 2 3])

=> (get mylist 0)
1
=> (defn greet [name]
...  "Hello "
...  (print "Hello " name))
=> (greet "mythcat")
Hello  mythcat

You can test it online with this online tool:

Fedora 36 : The zeek tool.

Zeek is a powerful network analysis framework that is much different from the typical IDS you may know.

Use the DNF tool to add repo for zeek tool:

[root@fedora home]# dnf config-manager --add-repo https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/security:zeek/Fedora_36/security:zeek.repo

Adding repo from: https://download.opensuse.org/repositories/security:zeek/Fedora_36/security:zeek.repo

Use DNF tool to install

[root@fedora home]# dnf install zeek-lts
The Zeek Network Security Monitor. (Fedora_36)   18 kB/s |  77 kB     00:04    
Last metadata expiration check: 0:00:02 ago on Sat 11 Jun 2022 12:33:29 AM EEST.
Dependencies resolved.
================================================================================
 Package                    Arch     Version              Repository       Size
================================================================================
Installing:
 zeek-lts                   x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   7.9 k
Installing dependencies:
 libbroker-lts-devel        x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   1.3 M
 libpcap-devel              x86_64   14:1.10.1-3.fc36     fedora          141 k
 python3-GitPython          noarch   3.1.26-1.fc36        fedora          275 k
 python3-gitdb              noarch   4.0.9-2.fc36         fedora          107 k
 python3-semantic_version   noarch   2.8.4-9.fc36         fedora           39 k
 python3-smmap              noarch   5.0.0-1.fc36         fedora           46 k
 zeek-lts-btest             x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   326 k
 zeek-lts-core              x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   4.8 M
 zeek-lts-devel             x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   957 k
 zeek-lts-libcaf-devel      x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   1.6 M
 zeek-lts-zkg               x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek    50 k
 zeekctl-lts                x86_64   4.0.7-1.1            security_zeek   1.8 M

Transaction Summary
================================================================================
Install  13 Packages

Total download size: 11 M
Installed size: 57 M
Is this ok [y/N]:y
Downloading Packages:
(1/13): python3-gitdb-4.0.9-2.fc36.noarch.rpm   232 kB/s | 107 kB     00:00    


Complete!

Create a script file named main.zeek:

event zeek_init()
        {
        print "Hello, World!";
        }

event zeek_done()
        {
        print "Goodbye, World!";
        }

... and run this file:

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ /opt/zeek/bin/zeek main.zeek
Hello, World!
Goodbye, World!

Fedora 36 : Fill out this survey for a badge.

I've always liked Fedora distro because it applies a concept of interactivity between developers and users.

Even if not everything works, you can see the progress made from the older versions.

Today I completed my feedback in a survey requested by them and I also got a small badget for my effort.

You can find it on this webpage.

Fedora 36 : Inkscape 1.2 with Huion WH 1409 graphic tablet.

In this tutorial I will show you how to install and use the Huion WH 1409 graphics tablet with the new release of Inkscape 1.2 software.

You will need to use the DKMS feature of the kernel and the tablet-specific drivers.

Let's start with the following command to get the driver and show the files:

[root@fedora mythcat]# git clone https://github.com/DIGImend/digimend-kernel-drivers.git
Cloning into 'digimend-kernel-drivers'...
remote: Enumerating objects: 1475, done.
remote: Counting objects: 100% (26/26), done.
remote: Compressing objects: 100% (19/19), done.
remote: Total 1475 (delta 9), reused 15 (delta 7), pack-reused 1449
Receiving objects: 100% (1475/1475), 447.25 KiB | 1.66 MiB/s, done.
Resolving deltas: 100% (969/969), done.
[root@fedora mythcat]# cd digimend-kernel-drivers/
[root@fedora digimend-kernel-drivers]# dir
compat.h    dracut.conf        hid-uclogic-params.c  README.md
COPYING        hid-ids.h        hid-uclogic-params.h  udev.rules
debian        hid-kye.c        hid-uclogic-rdesc.c   usbhid
depmod.conf    hid-polostar.c        hid-uclogic-rdesc.h   xorg.conf
digimend-debug    hid-rebind        hid-viewsonic.c
dkms.conf    hid-uclogic-core.c  Makefile

Let's create it using the command

[root@fedora digimend-kernel-drivers]# make dkms_install
...

dkms add .
Creating symlink /var/lib/dkms/digimend/11/source -> /usr/src/digimend-11
dkms build digimend/11

Building module:
cleaning build area...
make -j1 KERNELRELEASE=5.17.9-300.fc36.x86_64 KVERSION=5.17.9-300.fc36.x86_64...
...

Let's check and reboot.

[root@fedora digimend-kernel-drivers]# dkms status
digimend/11, 5.17.9-300.fc36.x86_64, x86_64: installed (original_module exists)
[root@fedora digimend-kernel-drivers]# reboot

After rebooting the diver must be activated and you will see that Linux responds to the movement of the tablet pen.

[root@fedora mythcat]# modprobe -r hid-kye hid-uclogic hid-viewsonic

Install the latest version of inkscape 1.2 using the DNF utility.

Start the inkscape software:

[mythcat@fedora ~]$ inkscape
static bool Inkscape::UI::Dialog::DialogContainer::recreate_dialogs_from_state(InkscapeWindow*, const Glib::KeyFile*): Key
file does not have group “Windows”
Gdk-Message: 15:09:10.534: Error flushing display: Broken pipe

It seems that inkscape does not detect and set the tablet if you use the settings of this software, but you can use the tablet with this software even if you do not set it.

Fedora 36 : Install django-hypergen and test it.

Today I test the last version of python version 3.11.0a7 with the Django-hypergen example.

The install process can be found on the GitHub page project.

You can see the full tutorial here.