Week 29 in Review: Nvidia, openSUSE, and the Problem of Centralized Infrastructure.>
Monday:
Richard Brown has in openSUSEThe mailing list reveals behind-the-scenes insights into the current relationship between SUSE and the community project that supports it. The text shows that the group sees interests drifting apart. SUSE has historically provided not only the name, but also significant resources and support for the openSUSE project. The possibility, or rather the demand, to rename the distribution is in the room. If this issue is not resolved amicably, it could negatively impact SUSE’s support and prioritization. Governance issues were raised at the openSUSE conference and SUSE managers expressed their concerns, pointing to necessary changes. openSUSE is at a crossroads and must either adapt to SUSE’s strategic interests or risk losing its relevance.
Tuesday:
Blender 4.2L Published. The latest 3D software suite, supported through July 2026. Notable features include GPU-accelerated rendering, improved performance through a rewritten render composer, and a comprehensively redesigned EEVEE rendering engine. The release also brings improved noise reduction quality, new sculpting tools, and an updated user interface. Other new features include improved video sequencer integration, support for hair curves and point clouds, and more UI customization options.
Release Notes , Blender Blog , website
Wednesday:
Nvidia The company announced that it will develop open source GPU kernels in the future. According to Nvidia, the first driver under the new license terms is the upcoming version 560.
Older GPU models for Maxwell, Pascal, or Volta architectures are not supported. For owners of GPUs for these architectures, such as the GTX 1080, this means that they will still have to use proprietary or Nouveau drivers.
For newer GPUs from the Turing, Ampere, Ada Lovelace, or Hopper architectures, NVIDIA recommends switching to open source GPU kernels. Newer platforms like NVIDIA Grace Hopper or NVIDIA Blackwell require open source GPU kernels, as proprietary drivers are not supported on these platforms.
Friday:
Major disruptions have occurred worldwide due to a faulty security update from CrowdStrike. Microsoft 365 Cloud ServicePlanes remain grounded, supermarkets are closed, and hospitals in Germany are postponing non-urgent operations. The problem affects Windows machines, while Linux and macOS devices are not affected. The disruptions came just in time for the holiday season in the north, making the situation even worse.
According to media reports, the update also affected Microsoft software and caused problems for major airlines in the United States and energy companies in Australia. The reactions of the Federal Aviation Authority, which grounded flights, and discussions about the centralization of critical infrastructure in the news, such as in Deutsche Welle, show the far-reaching consequences of such incidents.
The root cause of today's massive IT outage | DW News
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