Systemd Fixes Bug While Facing New Challenger in GNU Shepherd
The systemd developers have fixed a really nasty bug amid the release of the new GNU Shepherd init system.
The version of systemd that was released back in June included a bug that could lead to everything in /home being deleted if the systemd command is run incorrectly to delete temporary files. This happened because systemd-tmpfiles (originally created to manage temporary files) evolved into something much bigger. Well, that bigger something wound up causing a pretty serious issue.
To fix this issue, the systemd developers made a change to the format of a config file (that isn't backward-compatible) making it less likely /home will be deleted. It's not an ideal fix, but it works.
The systemd v256.1 contains the fix (which should be installed via a standard update). If you're running version 256.0, no patch has been applied, and you should be careful when running the systemd-tmpfiles --purge command.
At the same time, a new challenger, GNU Shepherd, has arrived to give systemd a run for its money Okay, GNU Shepherd isn't actually new, as it was first developed over 20 years ago. What's important is that it has finally, after 20 years, reached its first stabile release (version 1.0). The biggest difference between GNU Shepherd and systemd is that GNU Shepherd is developed with Guile Scheme and serves as the default init system for the GNU Guix distribution.
There's little to no chance that GNU Shepherd will be replacing systemd anytime soon, but at least there's more competition in the market, which always leads to more innovation.
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Gnome 48 Debuts New Audio Player
To date, the audio player found within the Gnome desktop has been meh at best, but with the upcoming release that all changes.
-
Plasma 6.3 Ready for Public Beta Testing
Plasma 6.3 will ship with KDE Gear 24.12.1 and KDE Frameworks 6.10, along with some new and exciting features.
-
Budgie 10.10 Scheduled for Q1 2025 with a Surprising Desktop Update
If Budgie is your desktop environment of choice, 2025 is going to be a great year for you.
-
Firefox 134 Offers Improvements for Linux Version
Fans of Linux and Firefox rejoice, as there's a new version available that includes some handy updates.
-
Serpent OS Arrives with a New Alpha Release
After months of silence, Ikey Doherty has released a new alpha for his Serpent OS.
-
HashiCorp Cofounder Unveils Ghostty, a Linux Terminal App
Ghostty is a new Linux terminal app that's fast, feature-rich, and offers a platform-native GUI while remaining cross-platform.
-
Fedora Asahi Remix 41 Available for Apple Silicon
If you have an Apple Silicon Mac and you're hoping to install Fedora, you're in luck because the latest release supports the M1 and M2 chips.
-
Systemd Fixes Bug While Facing New Challenger in GNU Shepherd
The systemd developers have fixed a really nasty bug amid the release of the new GNU Shepherd init system.
-
AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta Released
The AlmaLinux OS Foundation has announced the availability of AlmaLinux 10.0 Beta ("Purple Lion") for all supported devices with significant changes.
-
Gnome 47.2 Now Available
Gnome 47.2 is now available for general use but don't expect much in the way of newness, as this is all about improvements and bug fixes.