● 01.31.22

Gemini version available ♊︎

● Links 31/1/2022: Falkon 3.2.0 and Minetest 5.5.0

Posted in News Roundup at 2:16 pm by Dr. Roy SchestowitzContentsGNU/LinuxDistributionsDevices/EmbeddedFree Software/Open SourceLeftovers

GNU/Linux

Server

=> ↺ Funny and malicious server banners | Netcraft News

• Amongst the 1.2 billion websites, there are plenty of examples of unlikely server banners.

• There are hundreds of web servers that claim to be running on a Commodore 64, but are more than likely not.

• And whilst it is not impossible for a web server to be powered by a potato, one of the most well known examples that hit the news 22 years ago ultimately turned out to be a joke. Today, possibly in homage to this prank, there are several hundred websites that return a “Server: Potato” response header.

• Perhaps to avoid any ambiguities with a Debian distribution from the same era named Potato, there are also dozens of websites that claim to be running on “A literal potato with wires sticking out of it”. A couple of servers also claim to be running “GLaDoS PoTaTo”, which is a reference to the potato battery that powers the antagonist in the computer game Portal 2. All of the purportedly potato powered web servers insinuate that there is only one potato involved in the generation of electricity (other examples include “A Single Potato” and “a potato”), with the only exception being a small number of servers that have adopted a higher tech approach with “somme potatoes linked together” [sic].

Kernel Space

Graphics Stack

=> ↺ Buildability of the Xorg drivers

=> ↺ Numerous Linux/X11 Display Drivers Can No Longer Even Properly Build

• While many Linux enthusiasts like to cite Linux’s stellar support for older hardware platforms, in reality that isn’t always the case. For instance with many old X.Org user-space mode-setting drivers for powering old graphics cards at least for display purposes, they can no longer even build with with modern toolchains / software components. Given the lack of bug reports around such issues, there are very likely few users trying some of these vintage hardware combinations.

• Longtime X.Org developer Alan Coopersmith of Oracle recently looked at going through all of the available X.Org drivers that aren’t in an archived state and seeing how they fair — with a goal of at least setting them up for simple continuous integration (CI) builds on GitLab.

Benchmarks

=> ↺ AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT Linux Performance Review

•  AMD recently launched the Radeon RX 6500 XT graphics card for the $199 USD price point. While built on the current-generation RDNA2 architecture, this graphics card was widely panned for its price while only offering 4GB of video memory, limited to PCIe x4 bandwidth, and performance similar to the years-old Polaris GPUs. While all the major benchmarks online to this point have been under Windows, here is a look at how the AMD Radeon RX 6500 XT is performing under Linux.

• The Radeon RX 6500 XT launched earlier this month for $199 USD. This RDNA2 GPU has 16 compute units and 16 ray accelerators, 32 ROPs. 1024 stream processors, clocks up to a 2815MHz boost frequency, and has 4GB of GDDR6 video memory with a 64-bit memory interface.

Applications

=> ↺ Best Free and Open Source Alternatives to Adobe Dreamweaver

• Adobe is a large multinational computer software company with over 22,000 employees. Its flagship products include Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, XD, Acrobat DC, and the Portable Document Format (PDF). The products are wrapped up and marketed as the Creative Cloud, a subscription-only way of accessing more than 20 desktop and mobile apps and services for photography, design, video, web, UX, and more.

• We are long-standing admirers of Adobe’s products. They develop many high quality proprietary programs. It’s true there are security and privacy concerns in relation to some of their products. And there’s considerable criticism attached to their pricing practices. But the real issue is Adobe Creative Cloud does not support Linux. And there’s no prospect of support forthcoming.

=> ↺ Logseq: A Free & Open-Source App to Create Notes, Manage Tasks, Build Knowledge Graph, and More

•  In the age of information, it is crucial to properly organize your thoughts, task list, and any other note related to your work/personal life.

• While some of us choose to use separate applications and services, how about using an all-in-one open-source, privacy-friendly app to do it all?

Instructionals/Technical

=> ↺ Install Linux Kernel 5.16/5.4 on Rocky Linux 8 – LinuxCapable

• Rocky Linux, as many know, is a downstream version of RHEL, which often means it is incredibly stable but usually has very outdated packages in terms of features and not security updates. Rocky Linux currently features kernel 4.18, but for some users, they may require a more recent kernel for better hardware compatibility, amongst many other things.

• ELREPO has both Linux Kernel Mainline LTS versions. The mainline version is the most recent stable release of the Linux Kernel, and the current LTS Kernel they are supporting is 5.4.

• The following tutorial will show you how to import the ELRepo kernel repository and install both 5.16/5.4 kernels on Rocky Linux 8 Workstation or Server.

=> ↺ Install CMake on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS – LinuxCapable

• CMake is a free, open-source, and cross-platform compiler designed to build native environments, generate wrappers, build executables in arbitrary combinations. CMake is popular due to its cross-platform so that developers using the build system work the way they’re used to.

• In the following tutorial, you will learn how to install CMake on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS Focal Fossa.

=> ↺ Increase DNF Download Speed Rocky Linux 8 – LinuxCapable

• Rocky Linux users may notice that the DNF download speed can be slow compared to some other distributions. This can be frustrating when you need to download and install many packages.

• Most users do not realize that a few minor tweaks to some configuration files can increase your download speed immensely. In the following tutorial, you will learn how to configure and increase your DNF update/upgrade package manager speed on Rocky Linux 8 Workstation or Server.

=> ↺ How to migrate from CentOS 8 to AlmaLinux 8. – Unix / Linux the admins Tutorials

• AlmaLinux is a free and open source Linux distribution, created originally by CloudLinux to provide a community-supported, production-grade enterprise operating system that is binary-compatible with Red Hat Enterprise Linux.

=> ↺ How to install Linuxfx 11.1.1103 – Invidious

• In this video, I am going to show how to install Linuxfx 11.1.1103 #linux #Linuxfx #tutorial #opensource Latest vid

=> ↺ How to extract and disassemble vmlinuz file – TREND OCEANS

• Recently, we wrote an article on how to unpack initrd or initramfs to view content in Linux. After that, I thought I should write an article on the extraction of VMlinuz.

• Obviously, you might wonder, why extract VMLinuz? What is the use of it? Extraction of assembly code may be helpful when you want to debug where the problem occurred and how the specific function is executed.

• And in this article, you will see how to extract the vmlinuz file and disassemble (read) the vmlinuz file in Linux.

=> ↺ How to Install and Configure bspwm in Linux

• Binary Space Partitioning Window Manager (bspwm) is a powerful minimalist window manager for Linux. It is highly configurable and it proposes an innovative approach to window management. Bspwm is written in C and it can be configured using any language. Bspwm is the epitome of user customization in window managers. This makes it attractive to power users and tinkerers who are interested in learning to create their own unique workflow.

=> ↺ How To Enable PowerTools Repository on AlmaLinux 8 – idroot

• In this tutorial, we will show you how to enable PowerTools repository on AlmaLinux 8. For those of you who didn’t know, PowerTools is another repository that is meant to supply mostly developer-related packages, tools, and libraries. This one is also created for RedHat and its derivatives such as CentOS, AlmaLinux, and others. Most repositories rely on the PowerTools to be enabled, including the most popular Extra packages for the Enterprise Linux repository.

• This article assumes you have at least basic knowledge of Linux, know how to use the shell, and most importantly, you host your site on your own VPS. The installation is quite simple and assumes you are running in the root account, if not you may need to add ‘sudo‘ to the commands to get root privileges. I will show you through the step-by-step setup PowerTools Repository on an AlmaLinux 8. You can follow the same instructions for CentOS and Rocky Linux.

=> ↺ How to build a Tkinter application using an object oriented approach

• In a previous tutorial we saw the basic concepts behind the usage of Tkinter, a library used to create graphical user interfaces with Python. In this article we see how to create a complete although simple application. In the process, we learn how to use threads to handle long running tasks without blocking the interface, how to organize a Tkinter application using an object oriented approach, and how to use Tkinter protocols.

=> ↺ Setup Multi-Factor Authentication For SSH In Linux – OSTechNix

• In this guide, we are going to learn what is Multi-Factor authentication and its importance and finally how to setup Multi-Factor authentication for SSH in Linux using Google Authenticator app.

=> ↺ How to Install Cockpit Web Console on Rocky Linux 8

• Cockpit is a free web-based graphical tool to manage linux server and is used to perform all day-to-day administrative tasks. Cockpit is best suited to the admins who have moved from windows to Linux as it provides easy and graphical way to manage Linux servers.

=> ↺ How to install PHP 8.1 on Debian 11 – NextGenTips

• In this tutorial, I am going to show you how to install the current stable release version of PHP 8.1 on Debian 11.

• PHP is a general-purpose scripting language suitable for web development.

=> ↺ How to set up a CI pipeline on GitLab | Opensource.com

• This article covers the configuration of a CI pipeline for a C++ project on GitLab. My previous articles covered how to set up a build system based on CMake and VSCodium and how to integrate unit tests based on GoogleTest and CTest. This article is a follow-up on extending the configuration by using a CI pipeline. First, I demonstrate the pipeline setup and then its execution. Next comes the CI configuration itself.

• Continuous integration (CI) simply means that code changes, which get committed to a central repository, are built and tested automatically. A popular platform in the open source area for setting up CI pipelines is GitLab. In addition to a central Git repository, GitLab also offers the configuration of CI/CD pipelines, issue tracking, and a container registry.

=> ↺ Install UNRAR on Rocky Linux 8 – LinuxCapable

• UNRAR is widely known and used amongst Windows users. RAR files are much smaller archives and compress better than ZIP for most files by compressing files “together,” saving more space. UNRAR does not come pre-installed natively on Rocky Linux and is not featured in its repositories.

• The following tutorial will show you how to install UNRAR on Rocky Linux 8 Workstation or Server with RPM FUSION, along with the most commonly used commands.

=> ↺ Introduction to systemd timers – Invidious

=> ↺ 4 skills every sysadmin needs to know in 2022 | Enable Sysadmin

• Modern sysadmins must maintain a diverse and ever-evolving set of technical skills. When you’re looking to increase your sysadmin skills, you might set out looking for training on key technologies, such as Kubernetes, containers, and automation. In fact, you’ve probably already started building your aptitude in those areas. But these aren’t the only things you need to work on if you want to stand out in your sysadmin career.

Games

=> ↺ Terraria to get Steam Deck optimizations soon | GamingOnLinux

• It already has native Linux support and it seems they’re going to do some tweaks to get it just right on the Steam Deck.

=> ↺ Minetest 5.5.0 is out, forked their own rendering engine with IrrlichtMT | GamingOnLinux

• Minetest 5.5.0 has rolled out, with a switch over from Irrlicht to their own fork of the rendering engine IrrlichtMt designed to have special enhancements just for Minetest. What is Minetest? It’s an open source voxel game engine, that can be modded into many different games – like Minecraft.

=> ↺ Get a bunch of Myst games in this latest bundle | GamingOnLinux

• Up for some exploration? Humble Bundle has a nice selection of new and old games in the Myst universe. Here’s a look at how they can run on Linux.

• This is a 12 item bundle and it’s actually pretty great value. No native Linux games in this bundle, but looking over them all, it appears they will all work with Steam Play Proton. However, some may need Proton-GE for working videos which you can install easily with ProtonUp-Qt.

=> ↺ Dota 2 on Linux gets upgraded to use the newer Steam runtime container | GamingOnLinux

• Hopefully an update that will allow Dota 2 to continue working on Linux and the Steam Deck long into the future.

• Back in September 2021, Valve announced some major technical changes were planned for the Dota 2 client. This included dropping OpenGL support, with Vulkan as the default amongst other adjustments. Part of their plan has now shipped, at least for Linux.

• At the bottom of their latest blog post, they noted that “As part of our continuing efforts to move Dota’s technology forward, we have upgraded the Linux client to use the container version of the Steam runtime. This ensures better compatibility across distributions and prepares for future improvements.”.

=> ↺ Linux Gaming Gets A Big Boost From A 12-Year-Old Ubuntu Developer

• Late last year, young developer Rudra Saraswat gifted Ubuntu gamers with a great GUI tool. The cleverly-named “Gamebuntu” utility was effectively a bash script that automatically installed a veritable kitchen sink of gaming tools and then used a convenient overlay for finding and launching things like Steam, VLC, OBS, Twitch, Lutris, Discord, and others. Now, he has announced a completely new version that takes Gamebuntu in a different, and more elegant, direction.

• “I’ve completely rewritten Gamebuntu so that people have the freedom to choose what they want to install,” Rudra says. “You can choose from 4 launchers, 2 kernels, 7 tools and 1 streaming app.”

• The new approach for Gamebuntu is refreshingly reminiscent of what Ubuntu Budgie is adding to its welcome app for version 22.04. Instead of a large install routine that sets up a predetermined gaming environment, Gamebuntu 1.0 lets the user choose exactdly which software to install.

=> ↺ Microsoft heads for second big EU showdown — this time over gaming

• Clash over Activision deal expected to differ from earlier epic antitrust battle, as technology landscape has changed dramatically and so has Microsoft’s approach.

=> ↺ Retro Gaming With Retro Joysticks | Hackaday

• One of the biggest reasons for playing older video games on original hardware is that emulators and modern controllers can’t replicate the exact feel of how those games would have been originally experienced. This is true of old PC games as well, so if you want to use your original Sidewinder steering wheel or antique Logitech joystick, you’ll need something like [Necroware]’s GamePort adapter to get them to communicate with modern hardware.

• In a time before USB was the standard, the way to connect controllers to PCs was through the GamePort, typically found on the sound card. This has long since disappeared from modern controllers, so the USB interface [Necroware] built relies on an Arduino to do the translating. Specifically, the adapter is designed as a generic adapter for several different analog joysticks, and a series of DIP switches on the adapter select the appropriate mode. Check it out in the video after the break. The adapter is also capable of automatically calibrating the joysticks, which is necessary as the passive components in the controllers often don’t behave the same way now as they did when they were new.

=> ↺ Splitgate – Beta Season 1 is out now with a Map Creator | GamingOnLinux

• Splitgate, the free to play first-person shooter with portals has a big upgrade out now with the start of the first official Beta Season.

• This big new update has been in the works for a while, to officially bring an in-game map editor you can make with other players. This gives you full control over everything too like walls, floors, ceilings, weapon pads, objectives and much more.

=> ↺ Oxygen Not Included to get some improvements for the Steam Deck | GamingOnLinux

• Oxygen Not Included from Klei Entertainment is a brilliant building sim and it’s getting some Steam Deck improvements.

• Going over some of their plans for further additions to ONI, Klei put up a roadmap on Steam that sounds pretty great. There’s both technical improvements and free content planned, including “support for Steam Deck in the coming weeks”. They did just recently fix an issue with the random generation in the native Linux build too. They didn’t go into specifics on the Steam Deck changes but it’s likely gamepad input support which would be the big one.

• On top of that there’s also plans for performance improvements, bug fixes and the free content planned for both the base game and the Spaced Out expansion. They teased the free upgrade could include “quirky new Duplicants, new critter morphs, and fresh decor and recreation buildings, all designed to expand opportunities for expressive gameplay”.

=> ↺ Retro-styled 3D racer Super Indie Karts gets a new ‘Mission Mania’ mode | GamingOnLinux

• Love a bit of Mario Kart or other similar games? Check out Super Indie Karts, which recently had a big content update. Could be a great one to play on the Steam Deck!

• Super Indie Karts is a classic retro ’90s style karting game featuring a large curation of Indiegame karts and Indiegame themed race tracks, in both the 16-bit flat Super style and the 64-bit low poly Ultra style. With Time Trials, Grand Prix, Splitscreen GP, Quick Race, and a few Battle Modes.. there’s plenty of ways to tackle the tracks!

Desktop Environments/WMs

K Desktop Environment/KDE SC/Qt

=> ↺ KDE Falkon 3.2 Web Browser Released with Screen Capture Support, Many Improvements

• Falkon is one of the less known and used web browsers, since it was initially developed only for educational purposes, but it is shaping up as a feature-rich browser that could very well compete with popular open-source browsers like Mozilla Firefox.

• The latest release, Falkon 3.2, is here almost two years after version 3.1 with major new features like screen capture support, built-in PDFium-based viewer, initial support for downloading themes and extensions, and improved cookie management by allowing users to select more than one cookie at once.

=> ↺ Falkon 3.2.0 released

=> ↺ KDE’s Falkon Browser Sees First Major Update In Nearly Three Years

• Falkon as the KDE/Qt-focused open-source web browser is out with Falkon 3.2 as its first major update in nearly three years.

• Falkon 3.1 was released all the way back in March 2019, well before the pandemic and what seems like an eternity compared to the fast pace of Mozilla Firefox and Google Chrome development.

Distributions

Reviews

=> ↺ Review: CalinixOS 2021.10.17 and HefftorLinux 2021.06.26

• For me, it was interesting to examine these two projects which declare almost identical designs and goals (a 2GB ISO offering a macOS-like desktop running on top of Arch Linux with the Calamares installer). Yet the two projects provided quite different experiences. CalinixOS required a password to sign into the live environment and the Awesome window manager barely functioned at all. The system was nearly impossible to use for any purpose and, while the layout of the desktop looked very macOS-ish, having windows display their control buttons down the left side looked alien to the macOS experience.

• On the other hand, HefftorLinux offered a smoother introduction with a faster boot and logged into the live environment automatically. Its Xfce desktop worked and did a passable job at imitating macOS. However, the broken installer launcher and the way the panels kept disappearing whenever a window got close to them made navigating the interface frustrating. The biggest hurdle though was the lack of working Hefftor repository servers which prevented the package manager and system installer from working.

• In short, these two projects may have had good ideals, but they both need a lot of work to become usable. Despite claiming to be user friendly, both require some guess work and technical ability just to navigate the desktop and launch programs (or the installer) and this is a poor first impression by both distributions.

New Releases

=> ↺ Nitrux 2.0 Features XanMod Kernel 5.16.3 as Default and Adds Visual Tweaks to the Desktop Experience

• Nitrux 2.0.0 is an exciting release with XanMod Kernel as its default along with various other visual and technical improvements.

• [...]

• With Nitrux 2.0.0, XanMod Kernel 5.16.3 has been made the default choice. You still get to select the latest mainline LTS or non-LTS (5.15.17, 5.16.3) Linux Kernel as well.

• Not to forget, you also get the ability to install Liquorix and Libre kernels if you need those.

• Updated Layouts and Changes to Panels

• The top panel now shows window controls, title, global menu and houses the system tray.

• The layout remains similar to previous iterations, but there are a few position adjustments, like adding the application menu to the dock, the application menu being the Launchpad Plasma (thanks to adhe).

IBM/Red Hat/Fedora

=> ↺ The NeuroFedora Blog: Next Open NeuroFedora meeting: 14 February 1300 UTC

• Please join us at the next regular Open NeuroFedora team meeting on Monday 14 February at 1300 UTC The meeting is a public meeting, and open for everyone to attend.

=> ↺ Artificial intelligence (AI): 3 everyday IT tasks where automation fits

• If I were to ask someone why they chose a career in information technology, I doubt they would respond with “I love data entry!”, “I could debug code all day long!”, or “Handling tickets is so much fun, I’d do it even if I didn’t get paid for it.”

Devices/Embedded

=> ↺ Maker Nano RP2040 offers Arduino Nano, Grove and Qwiic modules compatibility

• Cytron Maker Nano RP2040 is board similar to Raspberry Pi Pico but with Arduino Nano form factor, a proper reset button, two RGB LEDs, single color LEDs for some GPIOs, a buzzer, as well as two Qwicc/STEMMA QT connectors that can also be used to connect Seeed Studio Grove modules using provided conversion cables.

• While the board mostly aims to be an Arduino Nano/Maker Nano upgrade, there are some notable differences with the I/O voltage being limited to 3.3V without 5V tolerance, and there are only four ADC inputs (A0 – A3) instead of eight on the Arduino Nano.

Open Hardware/Modding

=> ↺ Eliminate Your Game Lags With The Best Android Game Boosters

=> ↺ US Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5G finally gets Android 12 update – Phandroid

=> ↺ Alldocube Smile X: Budget tablet launched for US$149.99 with a 1200p display, Android 11 and expandable storage – NotebookCheck.net News

=> ↺ Tecno Spark 8C With Dual Rear Cameras, Android 11 (Go Edition) Launched: Specifications | Technology News

=> ↺ TCL 305 With MediaTek Helio A22 SoC, Android 11 (Go Edition) Launched: Price, Specifications | Technology News

=> ↺ How To Enable and Switch Keyboards on Android Smartphones Easily

=> ↺ How to Enable Paytm Tap to Make NFC Payments on Your Android Smartphone | NDTV Gadgets 360

=> ↺ How to check Android battery health on your device – Geeky Gadgets

=> ↺ I’d forgotten about Android Auto games until they got me through an hour in standstill traffic | TechRadar

=> ↺ What Does 5G UC Mean On Android? | Screen Rant

=> ↺ Google Chrome for Android Testing a Check to Confirm If You Want to Close All Your Tabs | Technology News

Mobile Systems/Mobile Applications

=> ↺ Lenovo Tab P12 Pro gets Android 12L Beta 2 – GSMArena.com news

=> ↺ Android Malware ‘Vultur’ Can Steal Your Banking Information

=> ↺ android: Google fixes Android Auto bug that prevents message notifications – Times of India

=> ↺ Android Auto’s new UI resurfaces ahead of the final release

=> ↺ Driving with Android is already great, but these apps can make it better

=> ↺ 8 of the best indie Android apps you’ve never heard of

=> ↺ Closing tabs in Chrome is getting much better on Android | TechRadar

Free, Libre, and Open Source Software

Web Browsers

Mozilla

=> ↺ Next JIT branch up

• There hasn’t been a lot of activity on Talospace because I’ve been busy on other OpenPOWER stuff. The POWER9 Firefox JIT has been transplanted to Firefox 97 (on a new branch) and compiles, links and basically runs (in the previous non-Ion configuration). Once the test suite is passing again, it’s time to work on the final optimizing compiler stage hopefully in time to make Firefox 102 and the next ESR. You can help.

Leftovers

Integrity/Availability

Proprietary

Security

Privacy/Surveillance

=> ↺ selling cookies: privacy madness: the “short” list of companies that want to know what forbes article a user clicked on (and god knows what else)

• So as soon as a user visits a site that “sells cookies” to Facebook, Amazon, Google and Microsoft, they all know the user with IP 182.231.223.100 wanted to know the launch date of the next Starship launch.

Civil Rights/Policing

=> ↺ Human rights organizations call for dropping the draft bill introducing biometric passports and ID cards in Tunisia – Access Now

• The Tunisian Ministry of Interior (MoI) issued a statement on January 17th announcing plans to “resume launching the project on biometric passports and ID cards and expedite its implementation,” without prior notice. This move by the Ministry completely disregards the principle of transparency and the participatory approach that should be applied to legislation affecting the rights of Tunisian citizens, especially the right to privacy. The undersigned civil society organizations reiterate their opposition to this project, which would undermine the basic rights of Tunisian citizens, and call on the MoI to withdraw the draft bill and refrain from adopting it.

• The Ministry of Interior first submitted the draft proposal for new biometric ID cards with an electronic microchip to parliament in 2016 as an amendment to Law No. 27 of 1993 on the National Identity Card. At the time, national and international civil society organizations in Tunisia strongly opposed the draft law for its failure to provide sufficient legal and technical safeguards to protect the right to privacy, stipulated in Article 24 of the Tunisian constitution, and to protect Tunisian citizens’ personal data, in compliance with the Law on the Protection of Personal Data (Organic Act No. 2004-63 of 27 July 2004 on the Protection of Personal Data). As a result, the MoI officially withdrew the draft bill after two years, but submitted it again in a new format through the Presidency of the Government in June 2020, along with the draft law on biometric passports. The Parliamentary Committee on Rights, Freedoms and Foreign Relations started the debate on this draft bill in 2021.

• The wording of the MoI’s statement was vague, as it did not specify the new amendments to the text of the law it refers to. Moreover, there is no mention of any timeline regarding the next steps, nor of the number and nature of the workshops held around the law, the stakeholders included, and the budget allocated to implement it. The statement issued by the MoI also did not clarify which version of the law is to be adopted, as past discussions and deliberations focused on two different versions of the same draft bill — the first in 2016 and the second in 2020.

Monopolies

Patents

=> ↺ Apple, Mylan lose Supreme Court bids to challenge patent review rule

• The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday turned back challenges by Apple Inc and drugmaker Mylan Laboratories Ltd to a rule change that made it harder to contest patents before the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

• The internal rule, adopted in 2020 under former PTO director Andrei Iancu, gives judges at the agency’s Patent Trial and Appeal Board greater discretion to reject challenges to the validity of specific patents.

• These challenges, known as inter partes review (IPR) proceedings, are popular with technology companies and others that are often targeted with infringement suits, but less so with inventors and pharmaceutical companies that rely on patent protection to prevent generic competition.

• The rule allows PTAB judges to deny review petitions based on several factors, including if related court litigation is closer to trial.

=> ↺ Ericsson sues Apple for infringement of 12 5G patents

=> ↺ 1

=> ↺ 2

• Apple is being sued by Ericsson for continuing to use the Swedish company’s 5G patents in the iPhone after its license agreement expired.

• Two lawsuits have been filed by Ericsson, and together cover a total of 12 separate patents. The suits come after protracted negotiations with Apple failed to conclude before the firm’s prior licensing deal expired.

• According to IAM, the lawsuits were filed in the Western District of Texas, and also in at least one unknown jurisdiction outside the US.

=> ↺ BMW Files Odd Steering Wheel Patent for a Yoke-Like ‘Steering Handle”

• With self-driving cars at least on the distant horizon, automakers are thinking of ways to change the steering wheel. BMW’s latest idea is to turn it into a steering handle that you can manipulate with one hand.A wide crossbar with two L-shaped handles on either end is the basic shape of BMW’s idea here, and the outside handles can rotate independently of how the center bar has been turned.The whole idea here is to create a smaller steering wheel, one that would allow riders in an autonomous car the ability to read a newspaper or check emails. Yay?

=> ↺ Experts seriously doubt whether patent waivers on Covid-19 vaccines will ever come to be

=> ↺ some PR for Gates

• It’s been well over a year since a landmark proposal brought the issue of patent waiver for the mRNA Covid vaccine to the spotlight. But many observers don’t see that waiving the intellectual property (IP) rights on Covid vaccines is an effective way to put a stop to the pandemic.

• Supporters of patent waivers like Harsha Thirumurthy, associate professor of medical ethics and health policy at the University of Pennsylvania, argue the issue lies at the heart of the reason why vaccines are less accessible in lower-income countries.

• “It limits how much manufacturing there can be of that product or that vaccine,” said Thirumurthy, adding it keeps the price “artificially high enough that it limits the ability of other countries in the world.”

• But critics counter that patent waivers will not automatically lead to an improvement in global vaccine distribution.

• Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates was among those who originally spoke out against the patent waiver, emphasizing that there are problems beyond patents that must be addressed first. Gates later reversed his stance and is now in full support of temporarily waiving the protections over coronavirus vaccine patents.

• “Having a billion vaccines sitting in a warehouse of a lab that’s developing will do no good getting us back to normal,” said Heath Naquin, vice president of government and capital engagement at the University City Science Center, a nonprofit research organization, in Philadelphia.

• “The patent waiver itself doesn’t actually solve that core issues in many developing countries, which are not related to the recipe, they are related to the way you get that out the door to people.”

• However, experts on both sides of the debate seriously doubt whether a patent waiver on Covid-19 vaccines will ever come to be.

=> ↺ Applied UV Continues to Expand Intellectual Portfolio with Additional Patent Grant

=> ↺ propaganda term, “IP”

=> ↺ Proposed Changes to the Canadian Patent Rules

• The Canadian government has provided notice of a number of proposed changes to the Canadian Patent Rules. These particular changes will impact patent Applicants’ costs and may call for different prosecution tactics.

• As of this writing, the date the proposed changes are to come into force has not officially been announced. However, we expect this to happen within the first few months of 2022. Those prosecuting Canadian patent applications may therefore wish to take the opportunity to prepare in advance. The following explanation of the proposed changes is intended to be of aid during such preparations.

• We are always very happy to assist you with your Canadian patent applications, and your questions are welcome.

=> ↺ Returns to Patenting and the Gender Innovation Gap

• The purpose of this paper is to show the gender gap in the returns to patenting. Using the United States Patent and Trademark Office(USPTO)’s inventor and patent data from 2015 to 2021, I find that a gender gap exists in patent quality, measured by citations received. The gender of an inventor was statistically significant in predicting the number of citations the inventor receives in five industries, while it had less impact on the number of patents the inventor holds. I also suggest patents invented by male inventors refer more to patents of their same gender, a tendency known as homophily. It signals that women inventors’ returns on patenting could be lower than male inventors. In addition to providing a novel approach in explaining the gender gap in patenting, this research provides important implications for business administrators and policymakers who seek to improve the productivity of innovative activities by promoting gender equality.

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