Asahi Linux Progress Linux 7.3
435 points
• 5 days ago
• Article
Link
Linux 7.3 的发布标志着 Asahi Linux 项目取得了显著进展,其特点是在上游化工作方面实现了实质性进步。包括 macaudio 和 AVD 组件在内的主要驱动程序已提交接受审核。尤其是 AVD 驱动程序,已在创纪录的时间内从下游树转移到审核列表。此外,面向 M4 Pro 、 M4 Max 和 M5 的设备树开发工作也已启动。在策略上,团队正转向对新硬件支持(如 Thunderbolt 和 TI USB-PD 驱动)优先走上游路线,这种做法被证明非常高效。
M3 系列机器的支持已达到普遍可用阶段,这意味着用户不再需要依赖实验性的安装程序标志。针对 M3 实现的一系列改进(例如启用 DCP)带来了更好的续航和性能。这些更新还使功能完善的睡眠模式成为可能,并能充分利用 MacBook 凹槽周围的区域。与此同时,团队正着手解决 M5 系列芯片带来的复杂虚拟化难题:这些芯片使用 Exclaves 和 Tightbeam 协议。通过在 m1n1 下的 EL1 中成功启动多个虚拟机,团队现在能够对 M4 和 M5 系列硬件进行逆向工程。
GPU 开发也在稳步推进,贡献者已成功初始化 M3 GPU 并渲染出三角形。尽管 Apple 独特的设计选择带来了技术门槛,团队仍在努力将这些成果整合进上游的 Mesa 项目。此外,Thunderbolt 支持在中断两年后终于回归。目前能力虽然仅限于 USB3 、 XDomain 和网络,但这次集成仍然是重要的里程碑。团队在处理 Apple 专有控制器架构时遇到了不小的困难——该架构偏离了 Intel 所确立的行业标准,不过他们现已成功合入所需补丁。
通过二进制翻译在 Linux 上实现更顺畅的游戏体验,相关工作取得了切实的改进。团队利用最初为 Android 设计的 Per Process Page Size(P3S)补丁集,成功让各种 x86 应用能够在受限的 muvm 虚拟机环境之外运行,包括更老的游戏作品,如 Fallout: New Vegas 和 Grand Theft Auto IV 。虽然性能已明显提升,但这一领域依然复杂。团队目前正在等待明确 Google 对 P3S 补丁集的长期规划,因为依赖非官方内核修改来实现内存管理并不是适合长期上游维护的策略。
在上述核心功能之外,项目也进一步完善了现有基础设施。用于麦克风阵列的 Triforce beamformer 引入了经过 SIMD 优化的代码,因此获得了显著的性能提升。此外,团队还在上游发布的同时成功推出了 Fedora Asahi Remix 45,这为其发行工作树立了新的标杆。这些逐步累积的改进,让不断增长的用户群体获得更精致、更强大的桌面体验。
最后,项目正在对法律框架做出重大调整。为保护他们的工作成果不被恶意行为者和试图在未做出适当署名的情况下将成果商业化的机构侵害,Asahi Linux 正在将其仓库从宽松的 MIT 许可证迁移到 GNU General Public License version 2 或更高版本。此举体现了项目对 Free and Open Source Software 原则的坚持。通过采用强 copyleft 路线,团队希望避免代码被切分和被剥削,确保他们的努力继续服务于更广泛的生态系统,而不是被专有分支据为己有、封闭起来。
The release of Linux 7.3 marks a period of significant progress for the Asahi Linux project, characterized by substantial advancements in upstreaming efforts. Major drivers, including macaudio and the AVD component, have been submitted for review. The AVD driver, in particular, moved from the downstream tree to the review list in record time. Furthermore, development on M4 Pro, M4 Max, and M5 device trees has begun. In a strategic shift, the team is now favoring an upstream-first approach for new hardware support, such as Thunderbolt and TI USB-PD drivers, which is proving to be a highly effective methodology.
Support for M3 series machines has reached general availability, meaning users no longer need to rely on the experimental installer flag. Improvements to the M3 implementation, such as the enablement of DCP, have resulted in better battery life and performance. These updates also allow for functional sleep modes and the utilization of the area surrounding the MacBook notch. Meanwhile, the team is tackling the complex virtualization challenges posed by M5 series chips, which utilize Exclaves and the Tightbeam protocol. By successfully spawning multiple virtual machines in EL1 under m1n1, the team can now perform reverse engineering on both M4 and M5 series hardware.
GPU development continues to move forward, with contributors successfully initializing the M3 GPU and rendering a triangle. Despite the technical hurdles introduced by Apple's unique design choices, the team is working on integrating these developments into the upstream Mesa project. Additionally, after a two-year hiatus, Thunderbolt support has arrived. While current capabilities are limited to USB3, XDomain, and networking, the integration marks a major milestone. The team encountered significant difficulties navigating Apple's proprietary controller architecture, which deviates from industry standards set by Intel, but they have now successfully incorporated the necessary patches.
The pursuit of seamless gaming on Linux via binary translation has seen meaningful improvements. By leveraging a Per Process Page Size (P3S) patchset originally designed for Android, the team has managed to run various x86 applications, including older titles like Fallout: New Vegas and Grand Theft Auto IV, outside of the restrictive muvm virtual machine environment. While performance is significantly improved, this remains a complex area. The team is currently awaiting clarification on Google's long-term plans for the P3S patchset, as relying on unofficial kernel modifications for memory management is not a sustainable long-term strategy for upstream maintenance.
Beyond these core features, the project has refined its existing infrastructure. The Triforce beamformer, used for microphone arrays, received significant performance optimizations thanks to the introduction of SIMD-optimized code. Additionally, the team successfully launched the Fedora Asahi Remix 45 simultaneously with the upstream release, representing a new benchmark for their distribution efforts. These incremental gains contribute to a more polished and capable desktop experience for the growing user base.
Finally, the project is making a significant change to its legal framework. To protect the integrity of their work against bad-faith actors and entities seeking to monetize their efforts without proper attribution, Asahi Linux is transitioning its repositories from the permissive MIT license to the GNU General Public License version 2 or later. This decision reflects the project's dedication to Free and Open Source Software principles. By adopting a strong copyleft approach, the team aims to prevent the fragmentation and exploitation of their code, ensuring that their efforts continue to serve the broader ecosystem rather than being enclosed by proprietary forks.
418 comments • Comments Link
- Gravity Linux 是一个面向 Apple Silicon 设备的新项目,目前重点支持 Vulkan 1.4 、 M4/M5 芯片,并改进 suspend-to-RAM 功能。
- 该项目源自 Asahi Linux 的分支,源于双方在软件开发中使用大型语言模型(LLMs)的根本分歧。
- 爱好者认为,在 Apple 硬件上运行 Linux 是重新掌控个人环境的一种方式,并且能够运行自己首选的软件对个人自由与计算机所有权至关重要。
- 怀疑者则认为,鉴于需要付出巨大的妥协,以及在执行固件更新时仍需持续依赖 macOS,把 Apple 硬件视为开放平台并不现实。
- Asahi Linux 正在过渡到 GPLv2+ 许可证,以防止其成果被外部方(包括使用 AI 生成代码的各方)未经授权进行商业开发,并可能出现的"劫持"。
- 一部分直言不讳的用户更偏好"AI 友好型"的开发模式,他们认为开发速度和功能可用性比僵化的、手动的、上游优先的工程标准更重要。
- 这场争论凸显了开发者之间的深层分歧:一方将严格的代码质量、安全性与上游兼容性放在首位,另一方则倾向于借助自动化工具实现更快、更务实的结果。
- 人们担心那些缺乏合理架构或安全考量的"slop-coded"补丁难以长期维护,这可能会带来更多技术债务与不稳定性。
- 也有部分参与者为使用 Apple 硬件辩护,尽管它有诸多限制,但他们指出当前 PC 生态里缺少同等高质量、高能效、且无风扇的 ARM 笔记本电脑。
- 这场讨论反映出开源社区在许可证选择、 AI 在软件工程中的作用,以及用个人劳动去补贴专有利益或竞争对手利益的道德影响等方面的更广泛矛盾。
这场讨论揭示了人们对高质量、稳定软件的追求,与对能体现个人用户自由的现代硬件选择之间的根本冲突。尽管不少人欣赏 Asahi Linux 路线的技术严谨性,但相当一部分用户对开发进度以及 LLMs 等新技术带来的限制感到沮丧。向 copyleft 许可证的转变,意味着"上游优先"的协作项目与更激进、可能更偏向商业的分支之间的鸿沟正在进一步扩大。归根结底,这场冲突强调:对许多人而言,他们想要的并不只是一个能用的操作系统,而是拒绝日益封闭的软件生态系统,转而支持一个他们能够真正掌控的环境。 • Gravity Linux is a new project for Apple Silicon devices, currently focusing on Vulkan 1.4, M4/M5 chip support, and improved suspend-to-RAM functionality.
• The project originated as a fork of Asahi Linux, stemming from fundamental disagreements regarding the usage of large language models (LLMs) in software development.
• Enthusiasts value Linux on Apple hardware as a means to regain control over their environment, viewing the ability to run preferred software as essential to personal freedom and computer ownership.
• Skeptics argue that treating Apple hardware as an open platform is impractical, given the significant compromises required and the ongoing need for macOS to perform firmware updates.
• Asahi Linux is transitioning to the GPLv2+ license to protect against the unauthorized commercial exploitation and potential "hijacking" of their work by external parties, including those using AI-generated code.
• A vocal contingent of users prefers "AI-friendly" development models, arguing that speed of progress and feature availability are higher priorities than rigid, manual, upstream-first engineering standards.
• The debate highlights a deep divide between developers who prioritize strict code quality, security, and upstream compatibility, and those who favor rapid, pragmatic results through automated tooling.
• Concerns were raised about the long-term maintainability of "slop-coded" patches that lack proper architecture or security considerations, potentially leading to future technical debt and instability.
• Some participants defend the use of Apple hardware despite its limitations, citing the lack of equivalent high-quality, power-efficient, and fanless ARM laptops in the current PC ecosystem.
• The discussion reflects broader tensions in the open-source community regarding license selection, the role of AI in software engineering, and the ethical implications of using one's labor to subsidize proprietary or competitor interests.
The discussion reveals a fundamental tension between the desire for high-quality, stable software and the need for modern hardware choices that reflect individual user freedom. While many admire the technical rigor of the Asahi Linux approach, a significant portion of the user base is frustrated by the pace of development and the restrictions placed on newer technologies like LLMs. The shift to a copyleft license signals a hardening of the divide between "upstream-first" collaborative projects and more aggressive, potentially commercial-oriented forks. Ultimately, this conflict underscores that for many, the goal is not just a functioning OS, but a rejection of increasingly closed software ecosystems in favor of environments they can fully govern.