Ubuntu Archives

Winsage

April 8, 2026

“Wait, Windows uses less?”: I break down the surprising requirement that flips the Linux vs. Windows script

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, developed by Canonical, will be released on April 23, 2026, with updated desktop requirements of a 2GHz dual-core processor, 6GB of RAM, and 25GB of storage. Unlike Windows 11, which enforces strict minimum requirements, Ubuntu allows installation on lower-spec machines, though performance may be compromised. The new requirements reflect a shift away from supporting older hardware, as the operating system incorporates a modern desktop stack with updated GNOME components and Wayland support. Ubuntu's installer evaluates hardware capabilities but does not block installation on unsupported devices, contrasting with Windows 11's rigid installation process that requires specific hardware features like TPM 2.0 and Secure Boot.

Tech Optimizer

April 5, 2026

Linux 7.0 Cuts PostgreSQL Performance in Half

An AWS engineer reported a significant drop in PostgreSQL throughput on Linux 7.0, with performance reduced to approximately half of its previous capability. Benchmark tests showed that the removal of the PREEMPT_NONE scheduling option was the main cause of this regression. On a 96-vCPU Graviton4 instance, throughput measured at just 0.51x compared to earlier kernel versions. Salvatore Dipietro from Amazon/AWS conducted benchmarking analysis of PostgreSQL 17, revealing that Linux 7.0 delivered only 0.51x the throughput of its predecessors. The root cause was traced to kernel commit 7dadeaa6e851, which eliminated PREEMPT_NONE as the default option, leading to increased contention due to the new PREEMPT_LAZY model. Profiling data indicated that 55% of CPU time is consumed by spinning in PostgreSQL’s spinlock, causing significant performance degradation. When a revert patch was applied, throughput rebounded to 1.94x the baseline. The decision to restrict preemption modes in Linux 7.0 aimed to address issues within the kernel's scheduling model. Dipietro proposed a patch to restore PREEMPT_NONE, but kernel developers suggested PostgreSQL adopt the rseq time slice extension instead. Database operators running PostgreSQL on Linux face potential performance reductions with the upgrade to Linux 7.0.

Tech Optimizer

April 4, 2026

AWS Engineer Reports PostgreSQL Performance Halved By Linux 7.0, But A Fix May Not Be Easy

An engineer from Amazon/AWS reported a significant performance regression in PostgreSQL when running on the nearly finalized Linux 7.0 kernel, with throughput dropping to about half of previous kernel versions. The regression, observed on a Graviton4 server, is attributed to increased time spent in a user-space spinlock due to changes in preemption modes in Linux 7.0. A patch to revert to PREEMPT_NONE as the default preemption model has been submitted but may not be adopted. Peter Zijlstra suggested that PostgreSQL should adapt to utilize the Restartable Sequences (RSEQ) time slice extension to mitigate the performance drop. If this adaptation is accepted, the responsibility for the performance decline may shift to PostgreSQL, potentially affecting users until the database is updated. The stable release of Linux 7.0 is expected in about two weeks, coinciding with the launch of Ubuntu 26.04 LTS.

Winsage

April 3, 2026

Ubuntu 26.04 now needs more RAM than Windows 11, which says more about Microsoft than Canonical

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS, set to be released on April 23, has updated system requirements that include a 2 GHz dual-core processor, a minimum of 6GB of RAM, and 25GB of free disk space. This version will be supported until April 2031. In comparison, Windows 11 can run on a 1 GHz dual-core processor with just 4GB of RAM, but this may lead to poor performance. Ubuntu's specifications aim to provide a better user experience.

Winsage

April 3, 2026

I saved a doomed Windows laptop by embracing Linux

The author switched from a MacBook Air to a nine-year-old ThinkPad X1 Carbon Gen 5, which does not meet the requirements for Windows 11 due to its 7th-gen Intel processor. Microsoft ended support for Windows 10 in October, leaving many devices like the ThinkPad considered "obsolete." The author installed Linux Mint on the ThinkPad, which is compatible with older hardware and provides a user-friendly experience. The ThinkPad has 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and was purchased for 0. Despite some challenges, such as reduced battery life and minor driver issues, the device remains functional for everyday tasks. Linux Mint is free and open source, requiring no mandatory agreements for installation.

Winsage

April 3, 2026

Linux has gotten a 3% usage bump in a month, latest Steam hardware survey suggests – though, it’s still miles off Windows

Linux accounts for 5.33% of the Steam install base, reflecting an increase of 3.10% from the previous month. This marks a rise from 2.23% in February, with earlier figures of 3.38% in January, 3.58% in December, and 3.20% in November. Linux installations now surpass those of Mac but are significantly lower than Windows, which holds 92.33% of the market share, divided between Windows 11 at 66.85% and Windows 10 at 25.36%. The leading Linux distributions contributing to the March share include Arch Linux at 0.34%, Linux Mint 22.3, and Ubuntu Core 24.

Winsage

March 26, 2026

This is probably the first mainstream mini PC that can dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows out of the box — and it even comes with the hottest AI application of 2026

GMKtec has launched the NucBox K13 mini PC, which supports dual-booting of Windows 11 Pro and Ubuntu. It features an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor with eight cores up to 4.8GHz and an Intel Arc 140V GPU. The device offers 16GB of LPDDR5X RAM, dual M.2 SSD slots for up to 16TB of storage, Wi-Fi 6E, and five-gigabit LAN. It supports triple 4K display outputs and includes various ports such as USB 3.2 Gen2, USB4, HDMI 2.1, and a 5Gbps RJ45 LAN port. Concerns have been raised about the AI tool OpenClaw, which has known vulnerabilities and has been linked to malware, leading Microsoft to advise against its use on personal or enterprise systems.

Winsage

March 26, 2026

Wine 11 might be the tipping point that finally pushes gamers from Windows to Linux

The latest release of Wine, version 11, introduces a feature called NTSYNC, a kernel driver that enhances performance for Windows games running on Linux, achieving performance gains of up to 678%. This is accomplished through a new device, /dev/ntsync, which allows the Linux kernel to handle thread synchronization natively, replacing the previous Remote Procedure Call method. Wine 11 also completes the WoW64 implementation, enabling seamless running of both 32- and 64-bit games without multilib libraries. Other enhancements include improvements to the Wayland driver, EGL as the default backend for OpenGL rendering, initial support for hardware-accelerated H.264 decoding, improved force feedback support, a new Bluetooth driver, support for Zip64 compression, Unicode 17.0.0 support, TWAIN 2.0 scanning for 64-bit apps, and IPv6 ping functionality. Wine 11 is available in most Linux distributions' default repositories, except for Ubuntu 24.04, which lacks the necessary kernel support.

Winsage

March 11, 2026

Windows 12 Rumors Spark Shift Toward Linux

The anticipated arrival of Windows 12 may drive many PC users to consider switching to Linux due to its deeper integration of artificial intelligence, increased monetization strategies, and higher hardware requirements. Microsoft has indicated a shift towards an AI-centric operating system, which could alienate users who prefer a stable desktop experience. As Windows 10 nears the end of its support in 2025, users face the choice of paying for Extended Security Updates, upgrading to Windows 12, or exploring alternatives like Linux, which has reached a 4% global market share in 2024. Recent developments in Windows 11, such as the introduction of ads and telemetry, have caused dissatisfaction among users, while Linux distributions remain ad-free and focus on security and functionality. Windows 11's new hardware requirements may leave many older PCs behind, whereas Linux is compatible with less powerful hardware. The Linux desktop has matured, with improved app distribution and gaming capabilities, and offers extensive support options. If Windows 12 emphasizes AI, advertising, and hardware restrictions, it could lead to a significant migration towards Linux as users seek a more user-friendly and controllable operating system.

Tech Optimizer

February 20, 2026

Linux 7.0 Shows Significant PostgreSQL Performance Gains On AMD EPYC Review

Initial benchmarking of the Linux 7.0 kernel on the Core Ultra X7 "Panther Lake" platform revealed performance regressions. In contrast, testing on an AMD EPYC Turin server showed no regressions and highlighted significant performance enhancements for PostgreSQL database operations. The benchmarks compared Linux 6.19 and Linux 7.0 Git, using an AMD EPYC 9755 single-socket setup on a Gigabyte MZ33-AR1 server. The upgrade to Linux 7.0 resulted in modest improvements for CockroachDB and notable enhancements in PostgreSQL 18.1 for read and write operations. Performance for in-memory databases like Memcached and Pogocache remained unchanged, while slight improvements were observed for the Nginx HTTPS web server and the Open Image Denoise library. The Panther Lake tests had shown increased context switching times, which were not replicated in the AMD EPYC Turin tests. Both platforms indicated enhancements in kernel message passing performance and improvements in socket activity and pthread performance. Ongoing benchmarking will continue as the Linux 7.0 merge window approaches its conclusion.