Fedora 44 - released

[dos2unix]

It's already been delayed a couple of weeks, it was originally scheduled to be released on 4/14, today is 4/28.
But I think it will really happen today, because I see the repo's are being staged. (If you know where to look).

I was able to do a

dnf upgrade --refresh

dnf system-upgrade download --releasever=44

dnf5 offline reboot

... yesterday, and it worked. I'm running the full44 right now, not the beta.

so I feel pretty confident the iso's will be released today.

 

[Alexzee]

Is Fedora still on a 18 month schedule Ray?

I can't look gotta head out for work. bb later

 

[dos2unix]

Is Fedora still on a 18 month schedule Ray?

How do I answer that?

There is a new release every 6 months (or 6 months and 2 weeks in this case).
But the 18 months, is the EOL for a specific release. No updates or patches after 18 months.
You have to continually update every 6 months or so. (I suppose you could wait a year, or the entire 18 months
if you really wanted to).

There is no LTS version of Fedora. (well, some might debate that, in a way).
RHEL, Rocky, Alma, Oracle, etc.. are the LTS versions of Fedora.

 

[dos2unix]

Fedora Linux

An innovative platform for hardware, clouds, and containers, built with love by you.

fedoraproject.org

The Fedora Linux 44 Release is Here! - Fedora Magazine

I’m excited to announce that Fedora Linux 44 is here! Keep reading to discover highlights of Fedora Linux 44, or if you are ready, just jump right in and give Fedora Linux 44 a try!

fedoramagazine.org

"In all the old familiar places".

 

[CaffeineAddict]

@dos2unix
You're true prophet!

 

[kc1di]

Yep downloading now but it's very slow at the moment.

 

[Cyberbleuet]

I just finish upgrade 43 to 44 no problem, except some gnome extension not work for now...

 

[kc1di]

Installed and seems to be running smoothly. Will keep testing for so far good release.

 

[Alexzee]

How do I answer that?

There is a new release every 6 months (or 6 months and 2 weeks in this case).
But the 18 months, is the EOL for a specific release. No updates or patches after 18 months.
You have to continually update every 6 months or so. (I suppose you could wait a year, or the entire 18 months
if you really wanted to).

There is no LTS version of Fedora. (well, some might debate that, in a way).
RHEL, Rocky, Alma, Oracle, etc.. are the LTS versions of Fedora.

Thanks, it's been a while since I've ran FC.
I used to perform fresh installations every say 13 months.
When time allows I'll give Rocky a spin when the contractors are done tearing my house apart, LOL!

 

[piorunz]

I'v been on Fedora on my main workstation, for last 2 releases. But 43 is going to be my last. Can't stand IBM/Red Hat bossing around in open source projects. Too many bugs and regressions also. To this day, I don't have Windows key working on my keyboard (KDE) to open application menu, I have to use Alt+F1 to do so, or Alt+F2 and search using Krunner. Been working fine in 42 and until two months ago, but one update broke it. Any configuration in KDE settings doesn't change it.
Will be reinstalling soon to Devuan.

 

[dos2unix]

Can't stand IBM/Red Hat bossing around in open source projects.

Do you have any examples of where this is happening?

 

[KGIII]

To this day, I don't have Windows key working on my keyboard

It'll be a little amusing if you later find out that it was a broken keyboard.

 

[osprey]

Do you have any examples of where this is happening?

There are many issues that arose in the wake of, and because of IBM's takeover of Red Hat, some of which are mentioned in the Spoiler where there's an AI response from gemini to the query: "what influences and interventions have IBM imposed on Red Hat since the takeover?"

The main issue that concerned me was the restriction that Red Hat placed on the "free and open source code". Although it was still available by subscription, Red Hat placed hurdles to accessing the code. Hurdles included, that the code could now be obtained through payment, or be acquired through the "16 free-licences-for-individuals-program", see here: https://discussion.fedoraproject.or...nsequences-for-fedora-in-the-long-run/84671/3. There may be other means, but none of them were the commonly available free download such as is available for the kernel and most linux distros.

Whilst this issue is superficially at Red Hat's door, it has consequences for fedora because of its deep dependency on Red Hat. Red Hat backs fedora financially, owns the fedora trademark, uses fedora as its test OS, pays fedora developers keeping them employed, provides infrastructure for fedora, shares engineers with fedora, and likely there are lots of other dependencies not as well known as these. Then, as mentioned in the Spoiler, IBM is gradually integrating Red Hat into its own structures, so the future of the matter is at best unknown and uncertain. The whole Red Hat/IBM scenario significantly contrasts with a number of other community driven linux organisations in the way in which they function in the free and open source environment. Whilst fedora itself doesn't yet have the hurdles Red Hat has imposed, the relationships with Red Hat, and ultimately IBM, are aspects which don't exist in many other purely community driven distros, and are generally unwelcome for users who value the original free and open source ideas that don't have looming clouds like corporations whose fiduciary duties are in the first place to their stakeholders rather than to the social licence implied by free and open source ideas.

It's worth noting I guess, that corporations are very involved in linux at the level of the kernel and more generally for various distros, but they don't own those parts of the linux ecosystem which makes a significant difference to what has occurred with Red Hat and IBM. Ownership confers power, which is different to just influence.

Spoiler: AI output

Since IBM acquired Red Hat for $34 billion in 2019, the tech giant has pursued a strategy of "independent subsidiary" management, allowing Red Hat to operate separately while gradually integrating its operations, strategy, and business model. While Red Hat has maintained its open-source culture and branding, IBM has intervened to drive efficiency, increase revenue, and integrate Red Hat into its hybrid cloud focus.

Key influences and interventions imposed by IBM on Red Hat include:

1. Strategic and Product Integration

• OpenShift as the Core Strategy: IBM positioned Red Hat’s OpenShift platform as the foundation of its entire hybrid cloud strategy. IBM moved over 100 products to OpenShift, creating Cloud Paks (pre-integrated software bundles) to run on this platform.
• Rationalizing Storage Technology: Red Hat's storage technologies, such as Ceph, were moved into the broader IBM Storage portfolio, aligning product offerings under IBM's unified structure.
• Shifting to Subscription Models: IBM has adopted Red Hat’s subscription-based revenue model for its own major releases, including Cloud Paks and WatsonX.

2. Operational and Structural Changes

• Back-Office Absorption (2026): In September 2024, IBM announced that, starting in 2026, Red Hat's back-office functions—including Human Resources, finance, legal, and accounting—will be fully integrated into IBM.
• "For Now" Autonomy: Engineering, product development, sales, and marketing teams currently remain separate, but industry analysts anticipate gradual integration, treating this as the "beginning of the end" of complete autonomy.
• Workforce Reductions: In April 2023, Red Hat laid off roughly 4% of its workforce (around 800 employees), largely attributed to IBM’s efforts to align costs and efficiency.

3. Community and Upstream Changes

• Killing CentOS Linux: In December 2020, Red Hat (under IBM) terminated the traditional CentOS Linux, replacing it with CentOS Stream, a rolling preview of RHEL. This shift aimed to move users to paying for RHEL or using the upstream "stream" version.
• Restricting RHEL Source Code: In June 2023, Red Hat restricted public access to Red Hat Enterprise Linux (RHEL) source code, making it more challenging for downstream rebuilds (like AlmaLinux and Rocky Linux) to function.

4. Cultural and Leadership Changes

• Leadership Turnover: Former Red Hat CEO Jim Whitehurst was initially seen as a key figure bridging the two companies, becoming President of IBM. However, he resigned from IBM in July 2021, and Paul Cormier subsequently took the reins at Red Hat.
• Cultural Shift Concerns: While Red Hat maintains a high Net Promoter Score (NPS), some employees have reported a shift toward increased corporate bureaucracy, micromanagement, and a loss of the original, distinct Red Hat culture.

5. Sales and Revenue Growth

• Leveraging Sales Networks: IBM has leveraged its global salesforce to cross-sell Red Hat products to its massive enterprise customer base (serving 95% of Fortune 500 companies).
• Doubling Revenue: Red Hat has seen immense growth under IBM, with revenue increasing from roughly $3.4 billion in 2019 to $6.5 billion in 2024.

 

[dos2unix]

Whilst this issue is superficially at Red Hat's door, it has consequences for fedora because of its deep dependency on Red Hat.

Thanks for sharing. It is indeed a concern. yet all of Fedora's code is freely downloadable.
and even though I agree with the statements you've made here, I don't see any examples of IBM/redhat telling
FOSS/Linux how that have to do anything. The very fact there there are hundreds of non RHEL distro's tells me they have the freedom to do as they like.

 

[piorunz]

It'll be a little amusing if you later find out that it was a broken keyboard.

Haha that would be something, but no, it is working. Works fine in VMs when they intercept the key press sometimes.

Do you have any examples of where this is happening?

Recently? Xlibre. Quote "This morning, Redhat employees banned me from the freedesktop.org gitlab infrastructure – so censored all my work (not just on Xorg). They killed my account, my git repos, my tickets in Xorg and closed all my merge requests. And then making fun on social media about it."
I am sure you heard about it.

 

[piorunz]

There are many issues that arose in the wake of, and because of IBM's takeover of Red Hat

I couldn't have worded it better. Not only Red Hat/IBM is manhandling single developers, but entire communities too.

 

[f33dm3bits]

The main issue that concerned me was the restriction that Red Hat placed on the "free and open source code". Although it was still available by subscription, Red Hat placed hurdles to accessing the code. Hurdles included, that the code could now be obtained through payment, or be acquired through the "16 free-licences-for-individuals-program", see here: https://discussion.fedoraproject.or...nsequences-for-fedora-in-the-long-run/84671/3. There may be other means, but none of them were the commonly available free download such as is available for the kernel and most linux distros.

Because of this I've moved my personal vpses from Rocky Linux to Debian last year, even though Rocky Linux found a way around it because I rather not wait around for the situation to repeat itself and to have to deal with it then.

 

[diggy33]

Upgraded my trusty ThinkPad P52 today and no issues so far

 

[ranking1960]

I downloaded the 44 to test today and it installed just fine. Only thing I've noticed so far is it's not keeping my wallpaper change after a reboot.

I did dig around and see that I'm running the latest Nvidia (the 595.xxx whatever) driver.

 

[dos2unix]

I did dig around and see that I'm running the latest Nvidia (the 595.xxx whatever) driver.

I'm also running the same driver, I am able to keep my custom back grounds, no problems.