The Linux foundation seems ready to finally axe a Microsoft-made remote network protocol for USB that is still a part of modern Windows operating systems.
A DE has little to do with this, it’s a driver, it gets loaded when you plug in a compatible device, there’s no interaction. This should have been disabled 2 years ago when the gaping security holes were found, and actually Greg had attempted to have it disabled in 2022 but it kept getting pushed back.
Uhm 2 years ago a14 was just released. There were pretty much no devices with it. Even though the protocol is unsafe, it’s a good feature and killing desktop features just pushes Linux back.
Also a DE has stuff to do with it. It should be able to detect the connection and send a notification about it being potentially unsafe. Killing it is just a stupid move done by rich folks with latest flagships for rich folks with latest flagships.
You’re couching it as Linux “killing desktop features”, when really it’s just Linux removing one ancient, insecure driver for which there is a modern, secure alternative. And it’s not like Linux is wiping the driver off the face of the planet. If you want to reintroduce the ancient, insecure driver back into your system, there are extensive instructions on compiling your own kernel with whatever you want in it.
I would love to see a new Linux user who just installed Linux on a pretty old machine because of no official Windows 11 support or performance issues compiling their own kernel. And they’re not guaranteed to have a new phone either.
It’s like saying that we should remove SDR monitor support because HDR somewhat works on Linux and it’s better so everyone should move to it.
Same goes to X11. It’s still available on sane and serious distros because it’s needed for some people.
A DE has little to do with this, it’s a driver, it gets loaded when you plug in a compatible device, there’s no interaction. This should have been disabled 2 years ago when the gaping security holes were found, and actually Greg had attempted to have it disabled in 2022 but it kept getting pushed back.
Uhm 2 years ago a14 was just released. There were pretty much no devices with it. Even though the protocol is unsafe, it’s a good feature and killing desktop features just pushes Linux back.
Also a DE has stuff to do with it. It should be able to detect the connection and send a notification about it being potentially unsafe. Killing it is just a stupid move done by rich folks with latest flagships for rich folks with latest flagships.
You’re couching it as Linux “killing desktop features”, when really it’s just Linux removing one ancient, insecure driver for which there is a modern, secure alternative. And it’s not like Linux is wiping the driver off the face of the planet. If you want to reintroduce the ancient, insecure driver back into your system, there are extensive instructions on compiling your own kernel with whatever you want in it.
I would love to see a new Linux user who just installed Linux on a pretty old machine because of no official Windows 11 support or performance issues compiling their own kernel. And they’re not guaranteed to have a new phone either.
It’s like saying that we should remove SDR monitor support because HDR somewhat works on Linux and it’s better so everyone should move to it.
Same goes to X11. It’s still available on sane and serious distros because it’s needed for some people.
Those are terrible comparisons. The amount of people using SDR and X11 still is gigantic, the amount of people using USB tethering is… not.
I think you missed the word “regularly” in your sentence. USB tethering is not required very often.
Nope, you just misread my comment
Well then I can only say I disagree. Tethering isn’t as common as SDR but it’s still a pretty sizeable thing imo.