Go 1.15 Release Notes

The latest Go release, version 1.15, arrives six months after Go 1.14. Most of its changes are in the implementation of the toolchain, runtime, and libraries. As always, the release maintains the Go 1 promise of compatibility. We expect almost all Go programs to continue to compile and run as before. Also: Go 1.15 Released With Much Improved Linker, New CPU Mitigations

Intel and Linux: Mesa, mOS, SERIALIZE and IWD

• Intel Iris Gallium3D Driver Adds Compute Kernel Support In Mesa 20.3

  While Mesa 20.2 isn't even releasing for a few weeks, Mesa 20.3 is already seeing new feature work that will debut next quarter.  Intel's Jason Ekstrand has landed a set of patches for handling of kernels within Iris, Intel's modern Gallium3D driver. He commented, "This MR contains most of the patches required to handle kernels in iris. I've had them lying around in a branch in some form or another for a while. We should upstream what we can." 

• Intel Making Progress On Their "mOS" Modified Linux Kernel Running Lightweight Kernels

  For a while now Intel has been quietly been working on "mOS" as the "multi-OS" that is a modified version of the Linux kernel that in turn is running lightweight kernels for high-performance computing purposes.

         

• POWER10 Virtualization, Intel SERIALIZE Come For KVM On Linux 5.9

  Sent in last week for the Linux 5.9 kernel merge window were the initial batch of changes to the Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) while today some additional interesting changes were sent out.  This latest material for KVM in Linux 5.9 includes:  - Support for the SERIALIZE instruction on KVM x86/x86_64. Intel's SERIALIZE ensures all flags/register/memory modifications are complete and all buffered writes drained before moving on to execute the next instruction. This can be used for stopping speculative execution and prefetching of modified kernel. The first CPUs expected with SERIALIZE are Sapphire Rapids and Alder Lake next year while Linux has already begun preparing for SERIALIZE where relevant. 

• Ubuntu Is Looking At Offering Better WiFi Support By Using Intel's IWD

  Ubuntu developers are looking at using Intel IWD as the iNET wireless daemon to potentially replace WPA_Supplicant for offering a better WiFi experience. Intel's open-source team has always been working on IWD as a potential replacement to WPA_Supplicant while recently the Ubuntu folks have found it has "mostly reached feature parity" now to WPA_Supplicant albeit is in need of more testing on the desktop side.

Games: Terminal Phase, Imperator: Rome and More

• Terminal Phase in Linux Magazine (Polish edition)

  Hey look at that! My terminal-space-shooter-game Terminal Phase made an appearance in the Polish version of Linux Magazine. I had no idea, but Michal Majchrzak both tipped me off to it and took the pictures. (Thank you!) I don't know Polish but I can see some references to Konami and SHMUP (shoot-em-up game). The screenshot they have isn't the one I published, so I guess the author got it running too... I hope they had fun!

• Imperator: Rome gets a major free update, new DLC and cross-store multiplayer

  Paradox Interactive and Paradox Development Studio put out a massive upgrade for Imperator: Rome which includes a free update, an expansion and cross-platform / cross-store online play. There's quite a lot to dissect here, so let's start with the free content update. The 1.5 "Menander" update went out, as part of their focus on smaller and more regular updates to various systems. With the main point being to add greater depth to cultural management in the game.

• Prepare your hard drive as another Steam Game Festival is coming in October

  After a massive success with the most recent Steam Game Festival back in June, it's going to return for another round later this year in October. This is where Steam users get to play through a ton of limited-time demos, which originally started back in December 2019 to go along with The Game Awards. From a post on the Steamworks Development group on Steam, the date is confirmed to be October 7 - 13. Valve mentioned in the announcement that they will soon open up the developer opt-in for the event, giving developers another chance to get a demo out there and get more eyes on their game. Developers don't have long, as the opt-in date is only open from between August 19 - 26.