I replaced my document readers #Evince and #Okular with Papers 📖

https://flathub.org/apps/org.gnome.Papers

Papers is planned to replace Evince as the default document editor on #Gnome

It is a fork of Evince with about a third of the code migrated to #RustLang

#Linux

New blog post: FOSDEM 2025 Recommendations https://linmob.net/fosdem-2025-recommendations/

We are frequently asked how to help sponsor Alpine Linux. Now you can:

https://alpinelinux.org/posts/2025-01-30-alpine-linux-joins-open-collective.html

https://opencollective.com/alpinelinux

#AlpineLinux

As many of you, on my way to #FOSDEM! So much looking forward to meet everyone! I'll probably be hanging around a lot in both #postmarketOS and #GNOME booths!

So there's a bunch of noise going around a sneaky forced Google Pixel 4a update that seems to cripple batteries... and this is quite interesting.

Old kernel:

Linux version 4.14.302-g6ff6ddc33f7d-ab10092322 (android-build@abfarm-2004-4012) (Android (7284624, based on r416183b) clang version 12.0.5 (https://android.googlesource.com/toolchain/llvm-project c935d99d7cf2016289302412d708641d52d2f7ee), LLD 12.0.5 (/buildbot/src/android/llvm-toolchain/out/llvm-project/lld c935d99d7cf2016289302412d708641d52d2f7ee)) #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue May 9 09:35:06 UTC 2023

New kernel:

Linux version 4.14.302-g92e0d94b6cba (hsiufangho@hsiufanghocloud0.c.googlers.com) (Android (7284624, based on r416183b) clang version 12.0.5 (https://android.googlesource.com/toolchain/llvm-project c935d99d7cf2016289302412d708641d52d2f7ee), LLD 12.0.5 (/buildbot/src/android/llvm-toolchain/out/llvm-project/lld c935d99d7cf2016289302412d708641d52d2f7ee)) #1 repo:t-dev-msm-pixel-4.14-tm-qpr3 SMP PREEMPT Tue Nov 12 11:1

Compare these paths:

/buildbot/src/partner-android/t-dev-msm-pixel-4.14-tm-qpr3/private/msm-google/arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S
/usr/local/google/home/hsiufangho/android-msm-pixel-4.14-tm-qpr3/private/msm-google/arch/arm64/kernel/entry.S

So... this was built by a random engineer on their personal machine, not the proper buildsystem. In fact, the commit of the binary kernel includes only the top-level artifacts, not any of the debug builds (kasan etc) or metadata.

Of course, there's no source, so this is a GPL violation, but we knew that already.

But it's even sadder than that. There's lots of strings changes in the kernel that look like they updated some vendor subtrees, but there's more.

Modules in the old kernel mention ".lto" depends, while in the new one they don't. And the new kernel has more strings which were omitted from the old kernel. Did they compile the old kernel with LTO and the new one without?

There's also a ton of lock names like these that got added:

+&c->mutex
+&c_conn->lock
+&c_conn->mode_info_lock

As far as I know that's lockdep... but I sure hope they didn't compile the new kernel with lockdep enabled?

This is looking like a real hackjob.

The base device tree is unchanged, but the overlays change, and this is interesting:

qcom,4255777_Google_S5_SWD_LSN_3080mAH_PM7150 {
-          qcom,max-voltage-uv = <0x43e6d0>;
-          qcom,fg-cc-cv-threshold-uv = <0x43bfc0>;
+          qcom,max-voltage-uv = <0x3c45b0>;
+          qcom,fg-cc-cv-threshold-uv = <0x3c45b0>;
           qcom,fastchg-current-ma = <0x5dc>;
           qcom,batt-id-kohm = <0x0a>;
           qcom,battery-beta = <0xd70>;
[...]
+  google,enable-switch-chg-profile;
   linux,phandle = <0xc1>;
   phandle = <0xc1>;
+
+  google_debug_chg_profile {
+          google,chg-battery-capacity = <0x604>;
+          google,chg-temp-limits = <0x00 0x64 0xc8 0x1a4 0x1cc 0x1e0 0x226>;
+          google,chg-cv-limits = <0x387520 0x39fbc0 0x3c45b0>;
+          google,chg-cc-limits = <0x1e 0x0a 0x00 0x32 0x1e 0x1e 0x64 0x46 0x32 0x50 0x32 0x32 0x32 0x32 0x00 0x1e 0x00 0x00>;
+          google,chg-topoff-limits = <0xfa 0xfa 0xfa 0x1f4 0x1f4 0x1f4>;
+          google,fv-uv-resolution = <0x2710>;
+          google,fv-uv-margin-dpct = <0x3fc>;
+          google,cv-range-accuracy = <0x13880>;
+          google,cv-otv-margin = <0x15f90>;
+          google,cv-debounce-cnt = <0x03>;
+          google,cv-tier-ov-cnt = <0x01>;
+          google,cv-tier-switch-cnt = <0x03>;
+          google,chg-last-tier-vpack-tolerance = <0x1a13>;
+          google,chg-last-tier-dec-current = <0xc350>;
+          google,chg-last-tier-term-current = <0x324b0>;
+  };

So they lowered the max charge voltage from 4.44 V to 3.95 V. No duh the battery capacity went down the drain!

https://guide-images.cdn.ifixit.com/igi/f2OM6kEyPrhaWyuj.huge

According to a quick search, 3.87V nominal li-poly batteries have a max voltage of 4.45V or thereabouts, so the original setting was not wrong. But now they're suddenly being very conservative.

There are three battery profiles, one for "unknown". Excluding that one, they are:

4197910_Google_S5_SWD_ATL_3080mAH_PM7150
4255777_Google_S5_SWD_LSN_3080mAH_PM7150

Only the "LSN" profile got the downgrade. "SWD" is "Sunwoda" (the manufacturer printed on the label). ATL is probably this ATL, and LSN is probably Lishen, which are the manufacturers of the actual cells.

And then there's that battery "debug" profile. Battery capacity goes down from 3080mAh to 1539mAh! Half! It says "debug" but I'm pretty sure it's not just "debug", it's the crippled profile.

I don't know what the distribution of Pixel 4a batteries is, but if it's two sources and anywhere near 50/50, it's possible half of the phones in the wild got crippled.

You can tell which battery you have physically by the number next to the QR code. 8230015901 is ATL (good) and 8230020501 is LSN (bad). If you're replacing your battery, make sure it's ATL.

FINALLY ACHIEVED MY DREAM OF OWNING A LINUX PHONE.

The Pixel 3A arrived today so @AmyIsCoolz helped me install @postmarketOS on it. 😅

It works absolutely well - I'll be mainly using this for my Denaro / Spending records. It's AMAZING!

#linux #linuxphone #postmarketos #mainlinelinux

postmarketOS in 2025-01

* Mission statement
* systemd in edge
* 12 new devices booting
* mobile-config-thunderbird
* Linux 6.13 RC booting on the iPhone 6
* Camera progress for Midas devices
* xiaomi-miatoll went from barely booting brick to almost fully usable mobile phone
* Lomiri in edge
* FOSDEM coming up!
* lots more!

Powered by... you! Look at all these names, thanks to everybody who contributed, you are awesome! 🥳

https://postmarketos.org/blog/2025/01/28/pmOS-update-2025-01/

Finally got a chance to load up #PostmarketOS on a #pixel3a . It's still not ready for prime the but damn... it's exciting to watch it get better.

Just a FYI, #Lomiri (Unity 8) being merged in #postmarketOS is a massive achievement.

Essentially, this tightens the gap a bit between the streamlined Ubuntu Touch UI that lots of people liked, with support for lots of mainline devices and software in postmarketOS. It'll probably be a bit buggy for a while, but is a great step in the right direction.

Thanks @justsoup!

https://gitlab.postmarketos.org/postmarketOS/pmaports/-/merge_requests/4496

The Fediverse - the network of decentralised social network apps - has grown almost 40% over the last few weeks in terms of active users (almost all of which are new user accounts), and the increase currently shows no sign of slowing down.

Mon 3rd Feb, just a day after the #FOSDEM we'll have small HackDay in Brussels — hopefully making more cameras run well on #Linux, #embedded, #postmarketOS & #Mobian

If you're interested to help with hacking around #LinuxKernel CCS, #libcamera or #Qualcomm CAMSS (not limited to) ping us on #qcom-camss OFTC IRC channel or here.

For those using Linux on mobile, an old used phone to put postmarketOS on and that has many working features? (like under 100€/150€)

I would really like to try it, especially to try GNOME Shell Mobile and several Libadwaita apps

I don't know if the list on postmarketOS Wiki is up to date (definitely yes)

#linux #foss #postmarketos #gnome #gnomemobile #linuxmobile #libadwaita

🚨 Exciting news! 🚨
The Linux App Summit 2025 will be held in Tirana, Albania from April 25-26! 🎉
This week, we’re opening the call for papers! 📝 Be sure to check our website for the latest updates and details.
🌐 https://linuxappsummit.org/

I really cannot express how much sorrow and dread I'm feeling right now.

I'm digging this new #Flathub section promoting mobile apps!

fairphone | brand identity redesign

https://www.fairphone.com/2025/01/13/fairphones-next-chapter-starts-now/

#Fairphone

The first postmarketOS edge images with systemd are now available, lots more are building as of writing!

See the updated edge blog post for more information:
https://postmarketos.org/edge/2025/01/09/systemd-soon/

Huge thanks to everybody who has been involved in making this possible!

We plan to merge systemd into postmarketOS edge tomorrow (Friday, 2025-01-10)

Please note that it will take some time until all systemd related packages and images are built, and that pmaports CI and building your own images may not behave as expected on this day.

Read the full announcement here:

https://postmarketos.org/edge/2025/01/09/systemd-soon/