Linux After Dark Linux After Dark – Episode 112
Jan 2, 2026
The conversation dives into future visions for the Linux and FOSS world, balancing ambition with practicality. There's a heated debate on the performance rivalry between x86 and ARM, especially in high-end laptops. The hosts discuss the implications of disk encryption and hopeful advances in user-friendly security options. They also tackle the challenges of composable Debian developments and the prospects of Valve's hardware enhancing Linux gaming. Lastly, there's a push for open-source integrity and the need to escape algorithmic social media.
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X86 Catches Up To High-End ARM
- AMD's Ryzen AI Max 395 Plus closed the performance and power gap with Apple's M4 Max in benchmarks and power figures.
- Gary highlights x86 is now in the same ballpark as high-end ARM for multi-threaded workloads.
Encryption Progress Was Incremental Not Transformative
- Disk encryption improvements stalled and pausable per-user encryption didn't advance noticeably.
- TPM-backed LUKS enrollment exists and is now appearing in installers, but broader pausable user encryption remains absent.
Debian Bootable Containers Trial
- Chris experimented with Debian Bootable Containers and hit AppArmor vs SELinux issues when building on Debian.
- He found the project promising but too hands-on and Fedora/RHEL-centric for general users.
