Leap Micro 6.1 Alpha images can be found at get.opensuse.org. Unless some serious issues are found, users can expect a quick transition to GA within a few weeks.

About Leap Micro

Leap Micro 6.1 is a rebranded SUSE Linux Enterprise Micro 6.1 which is an ultra-reliable container and Virtual Machine host by SUSE. Leap Micro is released twice a year and has support over two releases.

Leap Micro 5.5 will be EOL with the release of Leap Micro 6.1

With the release of Leap Micro 6.1, Leap Micro 5.5 reaches End Of Life; users will no longer receive maintenance updates and are advised to upgrade to 6.1.

More conservative users can stay on Leap Micro 6.0, which will receive updates until the release of Leap Micro 6.2.

Notable changes

Users performing clean install will notice visible changes to the first boot wizard. The jeos-firstboot wizard can now create an additional user and optionally the 2FA secret but the PAM config is missing. It will be added with the GM builds.

We’ve added soft-reboot support.

Inclusion of vhostmd for SAP Virtualization. Addition of chrony-pool-empty and pf-bb-config. PREEMPT_RT kernel for Arm, ZRAM support, and support for TOTP 2fa for pam login mainly for the cockpit. Working JIT compilation of eBPF rules.

SLE Micro 6.1 received additional support for ppc64le, however, we intend to keep Leap Micro only for x86_64 and aarch64. The main reason is that there is no demand from the community to support these arches.

Understanding individual images

Users can refer to the Leap Micro 6.0 announcement where we already covered this part.

Upgrading from previous release.

A recommendation for migration from 5.X is to make a clean install since this is a brand-new major version.

For those who’d like to try migration, please follow the upgrade guide.

Migration from 6.0 should work with zypper --releasever 6.1 dup inside transactional-update shell

There is a chance that we’ll include a new migration tool which is expected to be developed as part of hackweek in Leap Micro 6.1 Beta. This would make the upgrade more straightforward for the future upgrades.

Release Notes

Users can refer to SLE Micro 6.1 Release notes once available.

Leap Micro 6.1 uses openSUSE-repos for repository management. It is highly recommended to pay attention to this detail, especially for those who migrate. Here is an article explaining how openSUSE repos work.

Just like 6.0, Leap Micro 6.1 has no longer a dedicated SLE update repo. This has been merged into the main repository.

The end of Windows 10 support in October 2025 presents a great opportunity for the Linux community to collectively help users transition their still-functional hardware to operating systems that can extend the life of their laptops, desktops or other devices.

Millions of users face the prospect of upgrading to a new version of Windows or transition to alternatives like openSUSE’s operating system or other Linux alternatives.

This looming transition sets the stage for Linux communities to embrace the Upgrade to Freedom! campaign; its aims is to help Windows users understand how to continue using their current hardware and switch to a Linux distribution like openSUSE, or others. Many of which are just as user-friendly and familiar in design as paid operating system versions.

This time next year Windows 10 is expected to no longer receive security and maintenance updates, which leaves systems vulnerable to malware, cyberattacks and other threats. This should raise significant concerns about data privacy and system reliability for businesses, governments and individuals.

The Upgrade to Freedom! campaign is designed to encourage people to select an environmentally responsible solution by collectively guiding users through the process of transitioning to a Linux Distribution.

One key argument for moving to Linux is the environmental benefits. Joanna Murzyn, who spoke at the KDE Akademy conference in 2024, warns about the increasing problem of electronic waste (e-waste). In her presentation, titled Only Hackers Will Survive, she highlights the environmental toll of throwing out perfectly usable computers.

E-waste, which includes discarded laptops, desktops and other electronics, releases toxic substances like lead, mercury and cadmium into the environment, according to Murzyn. These substances can contaminate soil and water as well as cause long-term harm to ecosystems and human health. Murzyn urged people to resist the urge to “upgrade” to new hardware and instead explore solutions like Linux that extend the life of existing devices.

Distributions like Ubuntu, Fedora, AlmaLinux and more are likely to do similar campaigns to bring users into the Linux ecosystem. Members of the openSUSE community feel that it would be best to combine forces with these distributions and have a unified and collaborative approach that highlights the shared benefits of transitioning to Linux. Linux communities can amplify their collective impact and make the transition smoother for users.

This campaign has the desired effect to show powerful, secure and customizable alternatives to Windows can be. One of the campaign’s core goals is to show users that their existing hardware is still fully functional, even if Windows 10 is reaching its end-of-life.

For users with older laptops and desktops, especially those incompatible with Windows 11, switching to a Linux distribution is a powerful way to avoid discarding perfectly usable hardware. openSUSE, for example, provides excellent performance on a wide range of hardware, including machines more than a decade old. By choosing Linux, users can continue using their devices for years to come and don’t need to invest in new hardware.

The Upgrade to Freedom! campaign will begin hosting webinars, releasing video tutorials and live Q&A sessions to help users make the switch to Linux. Whether you’re a gamer, a developer, or an everyday user, there are Linux distributions that cater to your needs.

If you decide to make openSUSE your choice as the result of the Freedom Campaign, great! Use the steps below to get started. If you want more exhaustive steps, click here.

How to Download and Install openSUSE:

Step 1: Download the ISO

1. Go to get.opensuse.org.
2. Choose your preferred version of openSUSE (E.g. Leap or Tumbleweed).
3. Download the ISO file to your computer.

Step 2: Create a Bootable USB

1. Insert a USB drive (at least 4GB) into your computer.
2. Use software like Etcher, Rufus (Windows), or Impression (Linux) to write the openSUSE ISO to the USB drive.
3. Select the downloaded ISO file and start the process to create a bootable USB.

Step 3: Install openSUSE

1. Once the system boots from the USB, select “Install openSUSE.”
2. Follow the on-screen instructions to choose your language, region, and partition your hard drive.
3. Confirm the installation and let the process complete.

Step 4: Restart and Enjoy

1. Once the installation is complete, restart your computer.
2. Remove the USB drive.
3. Boot into your new openSUSE system and enjoy!

Steps if you have problems

1. Check your bios options in Window and change it for the USB.
2. If you encounter issues, reach out to the openSUSE forum.

Or said in another way: How to run openSUSE on Hetzner dedicated servers.

TL;DR:

1. Install any other linux distribution from their installer.
2. Follow the SDB article about remote installation
3. Install openSUSE via SSH.

Why not build an image for their installimage tool? I have that too. But last time I used that, the install tool logged more things to their logging server than I liked. And it did so via plain HTTP.

Open-source software developers, tech enthusiasts and innovators worldwide are set for Hack Week 24 that starts today and runs through Nov. 22.

The event is a cornerstone of fostering creativity and collaboration and invites participants to explore personal and community-driven projects.

Hack Week provides a unique opportunity for developers to step away from their usual tasks and dive into passion projects, learning new skills and forge new connections.

This year’s theme is “Train of Thought” and draws inspiration from the idea that seemingly unrelated ideas can connect to spark innovative breakthroughs.

Here are some Hack Week 24 projects that are garnering attention.

• New openSUSE-welcome: This project aims to revamp the openSUSE Welcome app to enhance the first-time user experience. Key goals include integrating end-of-life (EOL) notifications for openSUSE Leap, addressing potential upgrade notifications and ensuring the application is rebranded and maintained. The updated application will be submitted to openSUSE Factory and Leap 16.0, with corresponding updates to openQA testing.
• Port Classic Games to Linux: Revive 1990s-era games by reverse-engineering their data and creating open-source engines.
• Cluster API Provider for Harvester: This project builds on progress made in Hack Week 23 to create an infrastructure provider for Harvester using Cluster API (CAPI). Enhancements for 2024 include adding support for ClusterClass, improved CI and end-to-end testing. Developers are also exploring packaging templates as Helm Charts and testing with newer Harvester versions. The project encourages collaboration from those familiar with CAPI, Harvester, and related technologies.
• openSUSE on LoongArch: Targeting a new architecture from China, this project focuses on building openSUSE support for LoongArch, which has already seen adoption in Debian Ports and Gentoo. The initial goal is to integrate LoongArch into OBS (Open Build Service) and build a minimal set of packages.

Other projects range from deep learning integration to creating openSUSE images for emerging architectures like Arm and RISC-V. Participants can also join efforts to modernize system tools or explore creative avenues like applying AI to board games or designing user-friendly command-line tools.

Hack Week thrives on collaboration and participants are encouraged to join discussions through platforms like the Uyuni Gitter channel or work on group projects.

Whether you’re an experienced coder or a curious learner, Hack Week 24 offers a welcoming environment to push the boundaries of open-source innovation.

For more details, visit the Hack Week website.

The post highlights the benefits of the KClock application for KDE Plasma, expressing its utility as a desktop clock, timer, and alarm tool. The author appreciates its user-friendly features, ease of installation, and familiarity akin to mobile apps. Suggestions for improvements include customizable alarm sounds and lap notes. Overall, it’s a highly recommended application for Linux users.

Dear Tumbleweed users and hackers,

While everybody started thinking about HackWeek, Tumbleweed kept rolling on without any major bumps on the road. This week, we released five snapshots (1108, 1109, 1111, 1112, and 1113).

The most relevant changes were:

• KDE Gear 24.08.3
• KDE Frameworks 6.8.0
• Mesa 24.2.6
• LLVM 19.1.3
• cURL 8.11.0
• Mozilla Firefox 132.0.1: No longer use custom patches to interact with KDE’s file dialogs, but rather use the xdg-desktop-portals
• Linux kernel 6.11.7
• Swig 4.3.0

Looking back at last week’s review, that is pretty much what had been advertised then. The preview for the upcoming snapshots includes:

• Linux kernel 6.11.8
• Enabling Python 3.13 modules; Python 3.11 will remain the default for now, subject to change
• Icu 76.1
• cmake 3.31.0
• Debugedit 5.1
• dbus-1-x11 will be removed: after the move to dbus-broker, we only need a simple dbus-launch, without X11-integration

The openSUSE Board is calling for the formation of a working group to explore topics focused on project governance, operational models and rebranding for the project.

This follows a call on the openSUSE Project mailing list to formalize efforts, ideas and suggestions by community members in a centralized location.

The openSUSE Board emphasizes its role as a facilitator rather than the sole driver as community participation should shape the project.

“The strength of open-source projects like openSUSE comes from the community,” was posted in an email to the openSUSE Project mailing list.

Objectives of the Work Group:

• Exploring Models for Project Governance
• Examining Operational Improvements
• Determining Resources for Effective Project Rebranding

The work group will concentrate community discussions and propose actionable options within 90 days; this will provide opportunities for the wider community to weigh in on the items proposed. Key governance documents, such as the current Board guidelines and election rules, should be reviewed to assess potential updates.

Discussions will be organized centrally in a separate section of the openSUSE forums to foster constructive debate and minimize off-topic discussions. This forum will be heavily moderated. openSUSE community members interested in participating can request access to the forum; the discussions will be publicly viewable.

The November syslog-ng newsletter is now on-line:

• A call for syslog-ng testing
• Working with Quickwit
• Huge improvements for syslog-ng in MacPorts

It is available at https://www.syslog-ng.com/community/b/blog/posts/the-syslog-ng-insider-2024-11-testing-quickwit-macports

Introduction This is part 4 of a series on running AI locally on an openSUSE system. Previous parts can be found here: Running AI locally Generating images with LocalAI using a GPU Introduction to AI training with openSUSE Since we have LocalAI running, generated images, text and even trained own LoRAs, another big topic is […]

The post Adding own Documents to your Local AI Using RAG appeared first on SUSE Communities.

How to create a MCP server

This guide is for developers who want or need to build an MCP server. It describes how to implement an MCP for listing and adding users.

What is a MCP server

A MCP server is a wrapper which sits between a LLM (Large Language Model) and an application and wraps calls from the LLM to the application in JSON. You might be tempted to wrap existing APIs of your application via fastapi and fastmcp but as described by mostly harmless, this is a bad idea.

The main reason for this is that an LLM performs text completion based on the ‘downloaded’ internet and can focus on the topic for not more than approximately 100 pages of text. It’s hard to fill these pages with chat; you may have never encountered this limit. This also means that you have to have a user story or tasks, which has to fill this book, with all the possible failures and dead ends. In the our example it will add a user "tux" to the system.

The first pages of this imaginary book, are already filled by the system prompt and with the description of the MCP tool and its parameters. This description is provided by tool author, so you can be very descriptive when writing the tool descriptions. A few more lines of text won’t harm.

Now every tool call has a JSON overlay, so you also want to avoid too many tool calls. Try to minimize the number of tools and combine similar operations into one tool. If you had a tool interacting with systemd, you would have just one tool that combines enabling, disabling, starting, restarting… the service, and not one tool for each operation.

For the tool output, do not hesitate to combine as much information as possible. A good tool output shouldn’t just return the group ID (GID) but also the group name.

The caveat here is that you can easily oversaturate the LLM with too much information, like returning the information of find /. This would completely fill up the imaginary book of the LLM conversation. In such a case, trim the information and provide parameters for tools, like filtering the output.

This boils down to the following points:

• Have a user story for the tools.
• Provide extensive tool descriptions and their parameters
• Condense the tools into sensible operations and don’t hesitate to add many parameters
• A tool call can have several API calls
• Avoid overload: LLMs can’t ignore output, so you are responsible for trimming information And also the following bonus point, which I learned along the way:
• Avoid a verbose parameter; an LLM will always use it

[!NOTE]Always remember: “Context is King”