Intel Revamps VRR for GPUs on Wayland
- The KDE desktop habitat is poised to receive initial support for Wayland protocol session restoration, thanks to the work of developers David Edmundson and Vlada Zaharodniiho.
- Plasma 6.4.0 is slated to include a double-speed selection dialog with a test area for speed evaluation.
- Bug fixes are being addressed in both Plasma 6.3.5 and the development version leading to Plasma 6.4.0.
Tech Update: KDE, GNOME, AMD, Intel, and Linux Kernel Developments
Table of Contents
By Technology News Desk, April 13, 2025
KDE enhancements: Wayland Session Restoration and Plasma Updates
The KDE desktop habitat is poised to receive initial support for Wayland protocol session restoration, thanks to the work of developers David Edmundson and Vlada Zaharodniiho. This enhancement, utilizing the KWIN composite, will initially focus on restoring window size, position, and virtual desktop location. Future iterations will address internal window elements, requiring toolkit and application support.
Plasma 6.4.0 is slated to include a double-speed selection dialog with a test area for speed evaluation. System updates will be accessible directly from the Widget notification, streamlining the update process. Additionally, Frameworks 6.14 aims to rectify non-functional links within system settings messages.
Bug fixes are being addressed in both Plasma 6.3.5 and the development version leading to Plasma 6.4.0. These include Kwin crashes, NVIDIA GPU issues causing screen flashing or blackening, and text selection errors in XWAYLAND applications. Support for Plasma integration on Chrome, Firefox, and their flatpak variants like Librewolf and Ungoogled Chromium is also in development. More details can be found in a blog post by Nate Graham.
GNOME Developments: Weather App port and Productivity Tools
GNOME Weather is being ported from JavaScript to TypeScript,mirroring a similar transition for audio player applications. A tool designed to balance work and leisure, Solanum 6.0.0, features a timer that scales with window size, a full-screen mode option, improved notification behaviour, and restored system accent integration.
Keypunch, a keyboard training tool, has been updated to version 6.0, offering more realistic results, expanded language support, and a “release of frustration” feature, according to a blog post by the author.
Third-party projects are also seeing updates, with Jabber/XMPP client DINO 0.5 featuring reworked dialogs and improved file transmissions.ADWAITA has a new version for communicating with AI models, and Alpaca 6.0.0 includes several enhancements.
AMD ROCM 6.4: Focus on Existing Hardware
AMD has released ROCM 6.4, a computing package, following sub-updates within the ROCM 6.3 series. While it lacks official support for RDNA4-based Radeons (RX 9000), unofficial operation is reportedly possible.The same applies to newer APU generations like Strix Halo. However, the Radeon Pro W7800, equipped with 48GB of memory, receives official support.
ROCM 6.4 improves compatibility with newer and older kernel versions, adds support for Pytorch 2.5 and 2.6, incorporates VP9 video format support within RocDeCode/RocpyDeCode, and officially supports Oracle Linux 9 and RHEL9 derivatives.
Linux Kernel 6.15: Spectre RSB Repair Documentation Improved
The upcoming linux 6.15-RC2 development version incorporates patches addressing the Spectre Return Stack Buffer (RSB) vulnerability. Josh Poimboeuf of Red Hat has focused on unifying and clarifying documentation for CVEs related to Spectre in relation to Return stack buffer (RSB), also known as Return Address Stack (RAS) or Return Address Predictor (RAP) on AMD microarchitectures.
Poimboeuf aims to streamline the documentation, focusing on current repairs for Spectre RSB and avoiding descriptions of RSB operation and exploit mechanics.
Intel Prepares VRR Refactoring and XE3 Support for Panther Lake
Intel is preparing a code refactoring to support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) in the Linux 6.16 kernel, alongside repairs and improvements for DP MST (Multi-Stream Transport) via DisplayPort. Repairs to scanline_offset are also planned for Lunar Lake, Battlemage, and later generations.
Support for XE3LPD generation graphics cores is being prepared,enabling graphics display on Panther Lake processors in future kernel versions. The code is being prepared in advance of the Linux 6.16 integration window, expected to open in late May or early June.
Tech Update: KDE, GNOME, AMD, Intel, and Linux Kernel Developments – Your Q&A Guide
By Technology News Desk, April 13, 2025
General Topics
What major updates are covered in this tech update?
This tech update covers advancements in the KDE and GNOME desktop environments, the AMD ROCM 6.4 computing package, and developments in the Linux kernel, including Intel support.The updates concentrate on the Wayland protocol, productivity tools, and the enhancement of existing hardware.
This tech update is by the Technology news Desk.
KDE Updates
What are the major updates coming to KDE?
KDE is set to receive initial support for Wayland protocol session restoration. Plasma 6.4.0 will include a double-speed selection dialog and streamlined system updates. Bug fixes are being addressed in both Plasma 6.3.5 and the development version leading to Plasma 6.4.0, with improved support for Plasma integration on Chrome, Firefox, and their flatpak variants.
What is Wayland session restoration in KDE?
Wayland session restoration, as developed by David Edmundson and Vlada Zaharodniiho, aims to allow users to restore their KDE desktop session, including settings like window size, position, and virtual desktop location. Future iterations will expand to include internal window elements.
What are the key features of Plasma 6.4.0?
plasma 6.4.0 is planned to include the following:
- A double-speed selection dialog,with a test area for speed evaluation.
- System updates accessible directly from the Widget notification.
- Frameworks 6.14 aims to rectify non-functional links within system settings messages.
What bug fixes are included in the KDE updates?
Bug fixes address issues such as Kwin crashes, NVIDIA GPU problems (screen flashing/blackening), and text selection errors in XWAYLAND applications. More details are provided by Nate Graham in a blog post.
GNOME Developments
What’s new in GNOME?
GNOME has focused on porting the Weather app to TypeScript. Productivity tools like Solanum 6.0.0 and Keypunch 6.0 are being updated. Third-party projects like DINO 0.5, ADWAITA, and Alpaca 6.0.0 are also seeing updates and new versions.
What is the Solanum 6.0.0 tool?
Solanum 6.0.0 is a tool designed to balance work and leisure. It features a timer that scales with window size, a full-screen mode, better notification behavior, and restored system accent integration.
What improvements does Keypunch 6.0 offer?
Keypunch 6.0 includes more realistic results, additional language support, and a “release of frustration” feature.
AMD ROCM 6.4
What does AMD ROCM 6.4 offer?
AMD ROCM 6.4 focuses on existing hardware compatibility, improving compatibility with newer and older kernel versions. It adds support for pytorch 2.5 and 2.6 and incorporates VP9 video format support within RocDeCode/RocpyDeCode. ROCM 6.4 officially supports Oracle Linux 9 and RHEL9 derivatives.
Which hardware does AMD ROCM 6.4 support?
ROCM 6.4 lacks official support for RDNA4-based Radeons (RX 9000) and newer APU generations like Strix Halo, even though unofficial operation is reportedly possible. It officially supports the Radeon Pro W7800, equipped with 48GB of memory.
linux Kernel 6.15
What is being addressed in Linux Kernel 6.15?
The upcoming Linux 6.15-RC2 development version includes patches to address the Spectre Return Stack Buffer (RSB) vulnerability. Josh Poimboeuf of Red Hat is focusing on streamlining the documentation related to Spectre vulnerabilities.
What is the focus of the documentation updates for Spectre RSB?
The documentation will focus on current repairs for Spectre RSB, steering clear of descriptions of RSB operation and detailed exploit methodologies, for clearer understanding of the vulnerabilities.
Intel Developments
What is Intel working on for the Linux 6.16 kernel?
Intel is preparing a code refactoring to support Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and making repairs and improvements for DP MST (Multi-Stream Transport) via DisplayPort in the Linux 6.16 kernel. Repairs to `scanline_offset` are planned for lunar Lake,Battlemage,and later generations. They are also including support for XE3LPD generation graphics cores is being prepared, enabling graphics display on Panther Lake processors.
When is the Linux 6.16 integration window expected to open?
The Linux 6.16 integration window is expected to open in late May or early June.
Summary Table
Here’s a summary table of the key developments: