On January 29th, the Open Build Service (OBS) experienced a significant service disruption. All OBS users were affected for around 1 hour and 45 minutes. We want to give you some insight into what happened and what steps we are taking to prevent similar problems in the future. Detection During deployment, we detected many errors being tracked in our logs. Root Cause The errors tracked in our logs pointed to a lock wait timeout. After...

More than 30 years ago, when 32 Bit, and Athlon used to be modern, I was fascinated with the little program freq51 (called as xfreq on X11). That thing could use a normal microphone and soundcard, and gave you an idea about the frequency spectrum of arbitrary sounds – in real time. Times have changed, and nowadays you probably would use your mobile phone to accomplish this, but still I missed xfreq.

I had some AI time from my subscription still available, and thought, why not trying “Vibe Coding” to get that back. About everything would have to be changed, and I had no idea about programming of a pulseaudio device, or what to use for graphical interfaces. Still, I wanted to try, and it actually did take me about an evening to modernize that old piece of a gem. This now looks like this:

Now, I have to explain a bit, because it really looks somewhat different. The reason is not so much the AI, but the additional features I requested. The current sample is a tuning sound from a KORG Auto Tuner, that is why all the harmonics are just in line.

First, the FFT graph: You can use the mouse wheel to change the looked at interval for both, Amplitude and Frequency. Just point to the scale and turn the wheel. To zoom in or out, just point to the main spectrum window. You can also just click and drag to move the graph around.

On the right hand side is something totally new. Back then, I helped another Student with his final study, where he compared the sound of Celli a) from a hearing perspective, and b) from a analytical perspective. What he found back then was, that the harmonics of string instruments never are exactly where theory would expect them. However the closer they are, the better the instrument sounds. Of course his work covered lots more, but this is the result in very short. Ever since that study, I wanted to have the possibility to have such an analysis easily performed. And that is, what you can see to the right.

That panel shows subharmonics (calculated from the harmonics, but not measured) as grayed out values, then from the base frequency up to 16 harmonics all the different measured harmonics and their deviation from the calculated value. The result is in both, frequency and cent. In order to make it even more easy to look at, I also let it create a vertical line, that shows deviations from the calculated value. In that case, this is only a scale form -10 to 10 Cent, anything beyond would just change the color.

To see what this could look like, here is another improvised example:

All the other drop down menus should be self-explanatory. There is not much difference to the original program, even standard keys are implemented.

I have added that little toy to my home project in OBS: home:azouhr for Tumbleweed. You can find the resulting package as well as the source code at https://build.opensuse.org/projects/home:azouhr/packages/freq-modern/repositories/openSUSE_Tumbleweed/binaries

So, tell me if you also like it. To me, this one nice toy, just being created by an AI. No, I did not do a review, and I have no idea what the AI did exactly. However, from my experience with bash code and reviewing it, it probably is easy to read and well done.

Reading files and monitoring directories became a lot more efficient in recent syslog-ng releases. However, it is also needed manual configuration. Version 4.11 of syslog-ng can automatically configure the optimal setting for both.

Read more at https://www.syslog-ng.com/community/b/blog/posts/automatic-configuration-of-the-syslog-ng-wildcard-file-source

This article was written by Marcus Rueckert, Build Service Engineer at SUSE. This article originally appeared on the ‘Nordisch by Nature‘ blog under the same title and has been slightly updated for the suse.com blog. The End of Spec File Sprawl? Enter Declarative RPM For decades, the RPM spec file has been the “Swiss Army […]

The post Declarative RPM: Cleaning Up Your Spec Files appeared first on SUSE Communities.

Dear Tumbleweed users and hackers,

Just in time for the weekend, we have managed to get a snapshot out. You likely noticed the gap between Jan 13 and Jan 21; this was due to some tricky conflicts between Postfix and SELinux. While the pause dragged on longer than we would have liked, the resolution was successful.

Crucially, nothing broke on existing systems, and new submissions to Factory continued to be processed in the background. This resulted in a massive accumulation of changes rolling into snapshot 20260121.

The accumulated changes include:

• 389-ds 3.2.0
• ImageMagick 7.1.2.13
• Mozilla Firefox 147.0
• alsa 1.2.15.3
• Amarok 3.3.2
• KDE Plasma 6.5.5
• FreeRDP 3.20.2
• Linux kernel 6.18.6
• libvirt 12.0.0
• PHP 8.4.17
• Postfix 3.10.7
• Ruby 4.0.1
• Shadow 4.19.2
• util-linux 2.41.3

From an end-user perspective, the result is essentially the same as receiving five smaller snapshots, though major updates like KDE Plasma 6.5.5 had to simmer a bit longer than usual before reaching you.

With the blockage cleared, we look forward to returning to our regular pace. Here is what is coming your way soon:

• Mozilla Firefox 147.0.1
• Pipewire 1.5.85
• PackageKit 1.3.3
• Cockpit 354
• Linux kernel 6.18.7
• Pam 1.7.2
• libzypp (adding support for UAPI style configuration)

This is a roundup of articles from the openSUSE community listed on planet.opensuse.org.

The community blog feed aggregator lists the featured highlights below from Jan. 16 to Jan. 22.

Blogs this week highlight mentoring with the Season of KDE 2026, efforts to tackle the Y2K38 problem, an announcement about the call for proposals for the openSUSE Conference, news about a high-end executive laptop by Slimbook and several other topics. Other topics include discussions about KDE, Myrlyn 1.0, testing of syslog-ng’s 4.11 release, adding Firefox’s Nightly Repository and much more.

Here is a summary and links for each post:

Season of KDE 2026 Projects Announced

The KDE Blog reveals the selected projects for Season of KDE 2026, which is a mentorship program that pairs contributors with experienced developers to create impactful open-source features over several months. This year’s cohort includes diverse initiatives such as improving accessibility in KWin, enhancing KDE Connect’s file transfer reliability, developing a new vector-based icon theme, and integrating AI-assisted coding tools into Kate and KDevelop.

Myrlyn 1.0 Released: A New Package Manager for openSUSE

Victorhck reports that Myrlyn, the modern Qt6-based graphical package manager for openSUSE, has reached its 1.0.0 milestone. The new version brings community repository support on Leap 16.0, improved package search (including RPM Recommends), and a more organized transaction history view. Myrlyn continues to evolve with usability enhancements that simplify installing, updating, and removing software.

A New Era for Calligra Plan and Key Productivity Improvements This Week in KDE Apps

The KDE Blog reports progress with the release of Calligra Plan 4.0.0, which is the first version of the project planning tool built on Qt 6. Recent updates include improved Gantt chart rendering, better resource allocation tools, and enhanced file compatibility with other project management formats. The roundup also covers updates across the ecosystem, including improvements in NeoChat, Kaidan, Drawy, Kdenlive, Kate, and more.

Call for Testing: syslog-ng 4.11 is Coming

Peter Czanik invites the community to help test the upcoming syslog-ng 4.11 release. Key features under test include support for Elasticsearch/OpenSearch data streams, a new Kafka source, and various CMake build fixes.

Add the Firefox Nightly Repository in openSUSE

Victorhck explains how to install Firefox Nightly on openSUSE using Mozilla’s official RPM repository. The Nightly version offers early access to new features and performance improvements, and can coexist alongside the stable Firefox release without conflict. Instructions include adding the repository via zypper, refreshing package metadata, installing the browser, and optionally adding language packs for localization.

Accessibility with Free Technologies – Episode 11: EU, Fediverse, Open Data, Apps, Joomla, and Inclusive Talent

The KDE Blog highlights the long-awaited return of a Spanish-language podcast focused on digital inclusion through open-source tools. Episode 11 covers a wide range of topics including EU accessibility initiatives, Fediverse client recommendations and more.

Open-Source Community Tackling Y2K38 Epoch

The openSUSE Project reports on the growing community efforts to address the Y2K38 problem, which is a timekeeping crisis set to occur on January 19, 2038. Testing by openSUSE developers has already revealed failures in compilers, version control systems, desktop toolkits, and core utilities when simulating post-2038 dates, even on modern 64-bit systems. The blog highlights actions related to toolchain improvements, build system hardening, and advocacy for safer time types like int64_t.

Amarok 3.3.2 Released with Improved Usability and Stability

Victorhck and the KDE Blog cover the release of Amarok 3.3.2, which is KDE’s beloved music player. This version includes refined playlist handling, better metadata synchronization, and fixes for crashes related to large libraries and online service integrations. The update also bumps the dependency to KDE Frameworks 6.5.

Register and Submit a Presentation for openSUSE Conference 2026

The openSUSE Project has opened registration and the call for proposals for the openSUSE Conference 2026, which is scheduled to be held in Nuremberg, Germany, from June 25–27. Attendees can submit talks or workshops in categories such as Lightning Talks (10 min), Short Talks (30 min), Long Talks (45 min), and Workshops (1 hour), across tracks including Cloud, Community, Embedded Systems, Open Source for Business, and more. The event coincides with other major open-source conferences in Central Europe. Submissions are accepted until April 30.

KDE Express Episode 64 – Happy New Year 2026 with Love from Phoronix

The KDE Blog presents the latest episode of KDE Express, hosted by David Marzal, and summarizes key developments in KDE and the wider free software ecosystem at the start of 2026. Highlights include KDE dominating Phoronix’s most-read stories of 2025 and KDE’s fundraising efforts.

Open Source in Data Centers with Eduardo Collado – Compilando Podcast

The KDE Blog features a new episode of Compilando Podcast where host Paco Estrada interviews Eduardo Collado, a respected expert in telecommunications and open source infrastructure. They discuss the strategic role of open source software in modern data centers, and cover topics like digital sovereignty, Linux’s dominance in production environments, and real-world applications in networking, automation, and cloud services.

Dark Mode Toggle and Global Push-to-Talk in Plasma

The KDE Blog highlights new features being merged ahead of Plasma 6.7, including a system-wide dark mode switch that lets users instantly flip between light and dark themes. A global push-to-talk option is also coming that allows all microphones to remain muted until a chosen key is held down.

Slimbook Executive Range Renewed

The KDE Blog reports that Slimbook has refreshed its high-end Executive laptop lineup with updated hardware and improved connectivity for professional Linux users. The renewed models emphasize powerful performance, a high-resolution display, and premium build while maintaining strong Linux compatibility.

openSUSE Tumbleweed Weekly Review – Week 3 of 2026

Victorhck and dimstar provide an overview of openSUSE Tumbleweed snapshots released during the third week of January 2026. They highlight key updates such as Linux kernel 6.18, GNOME 49.3 components, and AppArmor 4.1.3. The review points out reports by GNOME users who have experienced some crashes with Bluetooth devices.

The Journey of Auditing UYUNI

The SUSE Security Team blog details the comprehensive security audit of Uyuni. The audit identified several vulnerabilities to include XSS flaws and unprotected endpoints. The audit also identified numerous minor issues and led to code hardening suggestions.

View more blogs or learn to publish your own on planet.opensuse.org.

The syslog-ng 4.11 release is right around the corner. Thousands of automatic tests run before each new piece of source code is merged, but nothing can replace real-world hands-on tests. So help us testing Elasticsearch / OpenSearch data-streams, Kafka source, cmake fixes and much more!

The development of syslog-ng is supported by thousands of automatic test cases. Nothing can enter the syslog-ng source code before all of these tests pass. In theory, I could ask my colleagues at any moment to make a release from the current state of the syslog-ng development branch once all tests pass. However, before my current job, I was working as a director of quality assurance, so I have a different take on testing things. Automatic test cases are indeed fantastic and help us to catch many problems during development. However, nothing can replace real-world users trying to use the latest version of your software.

Personally, I run a nightly or git snapshot build of syslog-ng on all my hosts. However, none of my machines are mission-critical, where downtime would cost $$$ with each and every passing minute. While syslog-ng snapshot builds are usually quite stable and breaking configuration changes are rare, I still do not recommend installing these builds on critical servers. On the other hand, I am a big fan of production testing on hosts where running into occasional problems is not a critical issue.

Read more at https://www.syslog-ng.com/community/b/blog/posts/call-for-testing-syslog-ng-4-11-is-coming

Just 12 years remain before a fundamental limit in timekeeping threatens to disrupt unprepared computer systems; Y2K38 is the new Y2K, and open-source contributors are aiming to create actionable warnings.

Known as a Faulty Date Logic, which is a lot more common in computer systems than people may think, openSUSE is actively surfacing and fixing these issues through early testing, toolchain improvements and community-driven coordination to ensure software remains reliable well beyond 2038.

At 03:14:07 UTC on Jan. 19, 2038, the UNIX Epoch will exceed the maximum value of a signed 32-bit integer; 2,147,483,647, or 0x7fffffff. Beyond that point, systems that still rely on 32-bit representations of time risk rolling over into invalid dates, triggering failures that range from subtle data corruption to outright crashes.

While most see this as an issue for 32-bit platforms such as i586 or armv7, there are some exposures with modern 64-bit systems as covered in an openSUSE Conference talk some years ago.

Y2K38 is close enough to force action and recent testing by openSUSE developers demonstrates that the risk is immediate and tangible. By advancing a build system’s clock into the year 2038, numerous packages failed to compile or pass their test suites. Affected software in the tests included version control tools, editors, compilers, Python libraries, desktop toolkits and system components.

In some cases, basic system behavior like uptime reporting was disrupted.

Several of these failures have been corrected, but breakages in these tests show how deeply embedded 32-bit time assumptions exist.

Each new feature or refactoring carries the risk of reintroducing the problem if developers default to using int or long instead of safer types such as time_t, int64_t or long long.

The problem extends beyond applications. Commonly used protocols, including SOAP/XML-RPC and SNMP, encode timestamps using 32-bit values. Implementations must therefore take extra care to handle dates beyond 2038 without breaking interoperability.

Testing itself remains challenging. Tooling improvements are being explored as a next step for these adjustments. Discussions are underway about adding compiler warnings when code performs unsafe conversions between 32-bit integers and time-related types.

Leap 16 is 2038 safe as it comes with 32-bit (ia32) support disabled by default, but the tests show that changes in future minor releases will need to be made for affected 64-bit pieces.

Developers interested in the topic can engage with the openSUSE Factory mailing list or with the discussion on Reddit discussion about the topic.

Registration for openSUSE Conference 2026 is now open and people are encouraged to submit a talk beginning today.

The conference is scheduled to take place June 25 to 27 in Nuremberg, Germany. Flock to Fedora will take place in Prague, Czech Republic, from June 14 to 16, followed by DevConf.CZ, which will take place in Brno, Czech Republic, from June 18 and 19. Calls for proposals are currently open for all of these open-source developer conferences. With multiple major events happening across Central Europe, June is shaping up to be an excellent opportunity to travel, connect with community members, and engage with open-source developers.

Until April 30, people can submit proposals for a talk or workshop to share their expertise. People are encouraged to submit talks based on the following length and topics:

Presentations can be submitted for the following length of time:

• Lightning Talk (10 mins)
• Short Talk (30 mins)
• Long Talk (45 mins)
• Workshop (1 hour)

The following tracks are listed for the conference:

• Cloud and Containers
• Community
• Embedded Systems and Edge Computing
• New Technologies
• Open Source
• openSUSE
• Open Source for Business: Beyond Code into Sustainability Track

Volunteers who would like to help the with the organization of the conference are encouraged to email email ddemaio@opensuse.org or attend a weekly community meetings.

Conferences need sponsors to support community driven events to keep events free and open to new contributing members. Companies can find sponsorship information or donate to the Geeko Foundation to assist with funds that will go toward the conference.