PostgreSQL 12 Beta 1 Released!

The PostgreSQL Global Development Group announces that the first beta release of PostgreSQL 12 is now available for download. This release contains previews of all features that will be available in the final release of PostgreSQL 12, though some details of the release could change before then. In the spirit of the open source PostgreSQL community, we strongly encourage you to test the new features of PostgreSQL 12 in your database systems to help us eliminate any bugs or other issues that may exist. While we do not advise you to run PostgreSQL 12 Beta 1 in your production environments, we encourage you to find ways to run your typical application workloads against this beta release. Also: PostgreSQL 12 Beta Released With Performance Improvements

ZFS On Linux 0.8 Released With Native Encryption, TRIM, Device Removal

The feature-packed and long-desired ZFS On Linux 0.8 release has finally taken place! ZoL 0.8 is out there! ZFS On Linux 0.8 has debuted today as the newest feature release for this ZFS file-system port for Linux systems. ZFS On Linux 0.8 supports up through the latest Linux 5.1 stable series while still working going back to the Linux 2.6.32 kernel days, but the SIMD support isn't available on stock 5.0+ kernels leading to big performance penalties.

Ubuntu Leftovers: Blobs, Snapcraft and Arronax

• Ubuntu 19.10 To Bundle NVIDIA's Proprietary Driver Packages As Part Of Its ISO

  For Ubuntu 19.10 the developers are adding the NVIDIA driver packages onto the ISO. The NVIDIA binary drivers won't be activated by default, but will be present on the install media to make it easier to enable post-install. The open-source NVIDIA "Nouveau" drivers will remain the default for NVIDIA graphics on new Ubuntu installations, but this change is positioning the mainline and legacy NVIDIA proprietary drivers onto the Ubuntu ISO so that they can be easily obtained locally post-install. The main driver here is allowing users to enable the NVIDIA proprietary graphics on Ubuntu even if you don't have an Internet connection. NVIDIA has already okay'ed the distribution of their driver packages with the Ubuntu ISO.

• Snapcraft parts & plugins

  Last week, we published Introduction to snapcraft, a tutorial that provided a detailed overview of the snap build process. We touched on the concepts like snap ecosystem components, snapcraft command line, snapcraft.yaml syntax, and more. We’d like to expand on the first lesson, and today, we are going to talk about parts and plugins, used in the build process of snaps.

• Arronax – Graphical Tool to Create Desktop Launcher in Ubuntu

  For those who want to manually create desktop shortcut launcher in Ubuntu 16.04, Ubuntu 18.04, Ubuntu 19.04, Arronax is a good choice with graphical user interface. Other than creating .desktop file via Linux command, Arronax offers a graphical interface to create (and also edit) desktop shortcut for application, executable file, or URL.

Games: Wine, IRKALLA, Vambrace: Cold Soul, ZED, and art of rally

• Valve's Proton Pulls In Latest DXVK, Steam Networking Updates, Controller Layout Fixes

  The Valve developers maintaining their Proton fork of Wine for use by Steam Play have outed a new update, version 4.2-5.

• Wine & Mingw-w64 Might Tighten Up Their Relationship - Possible "WineSDK"

  Developers between the Wine and Mingw-w64 projects are discussing the potential for further embracing their relationship given the overlap in trajectory and both benefiting from close collaboration. This extended relationship could also involve Mingw-w64 potentially adopting Wine's branding. While all Phoronix readers should be aware of Wine, for those not familiar with Mingw-w64 it's the off-shoot of MinGW focused on 64-bit support and other features over the original MinGW for providing an open-source development toolchain for Microsoft Windows. Mingw-w64 remains quite active in working on its GCC-based compiler toolchain support for Windows.

• Wine and mingw-w64 cooperation

• IRKALLA, an incredibly stylish looking pixel-art tactical-action platformer is coming to Linux

  The developers behind IRKALLA emailed in today and it grabbed my interest right away with the supremely stylish art behind it. The odd setting has my curiosity too, with mechs versus demons! According to the developer, it's a "platform-tactic game" so it has elements of an action platformer with character progression and some form of base defence building. IRKALLA has been in development for quite a few years now with their TIGForum post dating all the way back to 2013. We've been emailed today, as it seems development on it has been picked back up as they told me it's "finally coming together" and a Linux release is also confirmed of course.

• Roguelike fantasy adventure 'Vambrace: Cold Soul' has a new feature trailer ahead of release next week

  The release of Vambrace: Cold Soul on May 28th is getting close now, it's quite an impressive looking game that I've been playing and they have a new feature trailer. I won't say too much on it myself before release but since I've had access for a while, I can say it works great on Linux.

• Surreal adventure game 'ZED' about an artist suffering from dementia is releasing in June

  ZED, a game that will tell the story of an artist suffering from dementia from Eagre Games and Cyan Ventures now has a release date and it's quite soon. The Windows version is now scheduled in for June 4th, with the Linux (and Mac) version to be "later in June". Great to see it continue to be confirmed and although there is a delay, it's not going to be long it seems. Good thing too, as I'm damn excited for this one.

• art of rally is bringing a stylized racing experience to Linux later this year

  Funselektor Labs, the developer of Absolute Drift has announced their latest game, art of rally. It might look stylish but it's not just a pretty face, as the developer is also focused on how the cars handle too. While we have a few racing games now like Grid Autosport, DiRT Rally/4 and some F1 games (plus a few that work with Steam Play), they're all quite serious business. art of rally looks to be taking a slightly less realistic focus while still providing a challenge, especially with the top-down view you get a better picture of what's up ahead.