Tag: Linux

  • CheckMag | Surface Go: The Best Compact Device Choice for 2025

    CheckMag | Surface Go: The Best Compact Device Choice for 2025

    Key Takeaways

    1. Small productivity devices like tablets have become less popular, with limited options struggling in multitasking and file management.
    2. A used Surface Go 2 can be a budget-friendly choice, but Windows 11 can significantly slow down performance.
    3. Installing a Gnome-based Linux distribution can transform the Surface Go 2 into a more efficient and portable device for various tasks.
    4. The Surface Go 2 excels as a multi-purpose device for reading, media playback, and remote gaming, with expandable storage options.
    5. Customization options in Linux, such as Gnome extensions, enhance usability and performance on the Surface Go 2, despite its hardware limitations.

    Small productivity devices that can handle desktop-level web browsing, basic image editing, and media consumption have become less popular. Now, the only choices are iPads and Android tablets, which struggle with multitasking, file management, and mobile browsing. There are also gaming handhelds with small screens or options from Chinese manufacturers. While 13-inch tablets and 2-in-1s offer power, they are often too cumbersome to hold for extended periods. In 2025, finding a sub-13-inch device that runs a desktop-class operating system is nearly impossible.

    A Bargain Purchase

    When I needed a portable device that wouldn’t take up much space while traveling with just carry-on, I found a used Surface Go 2 for about $100, featuring 8 GB of RAM and a 128 GB SSD, which seemed like a great deal. However, after testing it out, I discovered the previous owner had “upgraded” it to a fresh install of Windows 11, which made the setup process painfully long—over 30 minutes! Once I got through that, even opening simple applications like the file manager or web browser took ages, and trying to load something resource-heavy like YouTube caused the device to freeze for minutes.

    Transforming the Experience

    I really liked the design, so I sought another way to make it work. Erasing Windows completely and installing a Gnome-based Linux distribution turned my second-hand Surface Go 2 from a sluggish machine into a surprisingly effective, touch-friendly, and portable device.

    Installing the new OS was straightforward: just burn an image to a USB drive and boot from it. I opted for Ubuntu due to my familiarity with it, the abundance of online support, and many guides available for installing Ubuntu on the Surface Go. Any Linux distribution would suffice, but for a better tablet experience without the keyboard, the Gnome desktop environment is key. There are a few steps to follow, like disabling secure boot and re-enabling it after enrolling the keys, but once that’s done, you end up with a functioning system. Installing the Linux-Surface kernel is also a good idea, though most features, including screen rotation, audio, Wi-Fi, and the detachable keyboard, worked right away.

    Minor Limitations

    The only part that doesn’t function is the cameras. This wasn’t a deal breaker since using my phone as a webcam works fine, but there are ways to enable the cameras in most software, including Firefox.

    Working with Linux feels like a breath of fresh air compared to the bloated Windows 11, although one must adjust their expectations. The Surface Go’s processor is weak in all respects, yet launching programs (like Chrome) is fast, and I never faced issues with multiple tabs opened. I wrote this entire article on the Surface Go 2, including some basic image editing, and it never felt like the device was hindering me. Gimp was the slowest to start, taking about 15 seconds, but once opened, it handled basic tasks quite well. The native resolution without scaling provides ample screen space, and switching to 150% scaling for a more touch-friendly experience is simple.

    Multi-Purpose Capabilities

    The Surface Go excels not just as a capable work machine but also as an e-reader, music player, remote gaming device, and TV, making it ideal for traveling light.

    FBReader supports nearly all e-book formats, including ePub and mobi, allowing for comfortable reading without causing strain on your hands. Even though FBReader has not been open source since 2015, it’s among the best touch-friendly e-book readers available for Linux.

    Lollypop serves as a fantastic MP3 player with an intuitive touch interface that makes navigating albums, artists, and playlists much simpler than using something like Rhythmbox.

    You can use Feeds, or the Feedly GUI, to import news feeds and read them just like you would on an iPad or phone, while Kodi allows you to explore and watch your media library. Unlike the iPad, the Surface Go 2 offers expandable storage, so there’s nearly no limit to how much media you can keep on the device.

    Gaming and Remote Access

    With Moonlight, you can stream games from your gaming PC, although the Surface Go surprisingly handles lightweight titles like Hollow Knight quite well. Remmina enables remote access to any Windows machine when you need to manage your gaming setup.

    You can also install WayDroid, which adds Android and Google Play Store capabilities to your Surface Go. My experience with WayDroid was impressive, providing access to virtually any Android app. Still, I generally preferred using native Linux applications.

    Customization Options

    While not mandatory, the Gnome Extension Manager lets you add some useful tweaks. TopHat places a handy set of system stats in the toolbar, showing remaining RAM and disk space, and letting you know how much the CPU is working on the Surface Go. Unless you’re doing something really intensive, all four cores rarely exceed 50%.

    Better OSK helps you customize the on-screen keyboard, utilizing the full width of the screen in landscape mode, while also providing access to CTRL, ALT, and Delete keys.

    From an aesthetic angle, I added the Wobbly Windows and Magic Lamp effects simply because I enjoy Compiz Fusion from the past, and neither adds much strain on the already burdened CPU.

    Conclusion

    The Surface Go is by no means a powerhouse. It lacks the processor, RAM, or even battery life found in more modern devices. If you need a tablet that fits that niche, you might want to consider the exorbitantly priced ROG Flow Z13 (Available on Amazon).

    Still, you can find the Surface Go at reasonable prices in the second-hand market in various configurations (just avoid the 4 GB RAM models). It offers several compelling uses as a versatile all-in-one device. While it’s practically useless with Windows, with a little DIY effort, you’ll end up with a highly flexible, multi-functional device that fits into a form factor not found outside of iPads and Android tablets, providing a potentially more versatile and effective experience overall.

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    CheckMag | Surface Go: The Best Compact Device Choice for 2025

     

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  • AMD RDNA 4 GPUs Launch with Exceptional Linux Support

    AMD RDNA 4 GPUs Launch with Exceptional Linux Support

    Support for cutting-edge hardware has often been inconsistent on Linux, but it seems that the new AMD Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT GPUs might be an exception, possibly due to their unusual release timing.

    AMD’s Commitment to Linux

    As reported by Phoronix, AMD’s RADV open-source Vulkan driver for Linux has already been updated to include support for the unreleased AMD RDNA 4 GPUs. This information was shared by Samuel Ptoiset, who is the lead of Valve’s Linux graphic driver team. He assured that the support for RDNA 4 at launch would be “good enough.”

    Ptoiset mentioned, “This initial support should be good enough but it’s missing two features (cooperative matrix and video decode/encode) compared to GFX11 (RDNA3) because lack of time.”

    Ongoing Developments

    While there are still some features missing, such as Delta Colour Compression and Vulkan Video support, work is actively ongoing to address these gaps. Ptoiset expressed optimism that these final details could be completed ahead of the RDNA 4 launch in March. He stated, “DCC is still under active development, but it might be possible to finish it during the RC period.”

    Even if these features are not ready by the time the Radeon RX 9070 and 9070 XT GPUs are released, they are still expected to be functional. This is a more favorable situation compared to what often occurs with new hardware. After the launch, efforts will likely focus on enhancing support and performance for specific features, while also fixing any bugs that may arise.

    Upcoming Driver Updates

    The new RADV open-source driver will be included in the Mesa 25.0 update, which is anticipated to be available by the end of February, aligning perfectly with the release of the Radeon 9070 series GPUs. These updates will probably require a relatively recent kernel version, and Phoronix estimates that the minimum requirement will be Linux 6.13 or 6.14.

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  • Facebook Bans Linux Posts, Labels FOSS as Cybersecurity Threat

    Facebook Bans Linux Posts, Labels FOSS as Cybersecurity Threat

    With the Valve Steam Deck increasing in popularity, conversations about Linux are booming among PC gamers. However, it seems that Facebook and its parent company, Meta, are not keen on these discussions continuing.

    Ban on Linux Mentions

    DistroWatch, a well-known site that focuses on various Linux topics, has reportedly faced a ban on posts that mention Linux. After DistroWatch appealed to restore its removed content, Facebook reviewed the posts but decided not to reinstate them. Furthermore, a post from Tom’s Hardware suggests that DistroWatch is not the only one experiencing this issue. Other communities and pages have also been shut down, and some users have even had their personal accounts disabled for discussing Linux.

    Reason Behind Removal

    The alleged justification for these removals is that Linux content “may facilitate the sharing, creation or hosting of malicious content.” Initially, it appeared that Linux-related posts would be completely banned. However, posts have been made on DistroWatch’s Facebook page since the ban on January 20. A simple test was conducted by posting a public message containing a DistroWatch link and the word “Linux,” which surprisingly was not taken down. Thus, the exact cause of these bans and removals remains uncertain.

    A Contradictory Situation

    Interestingly, this situation arises just weeks after Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook announced that the platform would ease its content moderation rules to encourage discussions on more “controversial topics.”

    Meta’s community standards outline what constitutes “malicious software” and related issues:

    We prohibit:

    Unauthorized attempts to access accounts, including trying to get into accounts or profiles that don’t belong to you through deceptive means or without permission from the owner.

    Acquiring or asking for another user’s login or sensitive information to gain unauthorized access, which includes tactics like phishing—creating fake communications to trick users into giving private information.

    Attempts to share or create harmful code, which means encouraging users to download files or applications that can compromise their security, like malware, spyware, or ransomware designed to harm systems or steal money.

    Lack of Clarity on Violations

    It’s not clear if DistroWatch’s posts have broken any of these Meta community guidelines, but none of the recent posts appear to be particularly harmful upon initial review.

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  • Linux Update Could Reduce Server Energy Use by 30%

    Linux Update Could Reduce Server Energy Use by 30%

    The shift first highlighted in a study back in December 2023 is quite remarkable. By altering just 30 lines of code, data throughput can see an increase of as much as 45% while not notably extending the processing time for each request.

    Energy Efficiency Gains

    Simultaneously, there is a notable reduction in energy usage. With computing resources being heavily utilized, a decrease of up to 30% is anticipated. Given that a vast majority of servers globally operate on Linux, this could lead to a massive amount of electricity being conserved.

    As it stands, servers and data centers are estimated to consume around 500 terawatt-hours at present, and this figure is expected to double in the coming years. A mere 10% reduction in that consumption would be enough to entirely power a smaller industrial nation, such as Denmark.

    Optimizing Workflows

    Professor Karstens, one of the authors of the study, states that these advancements don’t necessitate any modifications to the Linux kernel. The key lies in optimizing workflows to reduce the number of interrupt requests sent to the processor.

    Interrupt requests (IRQs) serve to halt program execution to redirect resources elsewhere. After that shift, the program resumes from where it was interrupted.

    However, this method proves to be quite inefficient. By adjusting the kernel, the processor’s cache can be utilized more effectively, and the volume of interrupts can be lowered considerably. Therefore, servers can operate quicker and experience fewer interruptions, especially during peak loads.

    Implementation Challenges

    That’s just the theory, of course. It’s understood that applying these changes in actual servers and data centers will require some time. With the release of version 6.13 of the Linux kernel, the anticipated modifications have been integrated and are expected to be realized in future Linux updates.

    University of Waterloo, Proceedings of the ACM on Measurement and Analysis of Computing Systems, linux.org

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