The allure of the Kroger Plus card, or any similar frequent shopper program, is a powerful one: immediate savings at the checkout, discounts on fuel, and personalized coupons. However, what consumers gain in nickel-and-dime savings, they forfeit in a priceless currency: privacy. These cards are not merely discount tools; they are sophisticated data collection mechanisms that paint an unnervingly detailed portrait of your life.

The Central Intelligence Unit: Who is 84.51°?

At the core of this vast surveillance system is Kroger’s wholly-owned subsidiary, 84.51°. This is not a quaint corporate offshoot; it is a full-scale retail data science, insights, and media company. Its fundamental purpose is to harvest, analyze, and monetize the data generated by the 62 million-plus U.S. households that use the Kroger Plus card.

84.51° acts as the retailer’s central intelligence unit, transforming raw transaction logs into granular consumer profiles and then selling the “insights” to other corporations.

84.51° Function Privacy Implication 84.51° Insights Creates hyper-detailed profiles of shopping habits, allowing partners to infer sensitive personal details (e.g., family size, health issues) for targeted marketing. 84.51° Loyalty Marketing Uses data to personalize offers, reinforcing the data-sharing cycle by providing incentives only to profiled users. Kroger Precision Marketing A retail media solution that sells ad space directly to Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies, promising them direct access to shoppers based on their established purchase history.

In short, Kroger is increasingly becoming a data company that operates grocery stores, with 84.51° being the engine that turns your shopping cart contents into a new, highly lucrative revenue stream.

The threat to privacy extends beyond the physical loyalty card. Retailers have developed multiple frictionless ways to link your purchases to your identity, often with minimal consumer awareness.

1. The Phone Number at Checkout
   When a cashier asks for your phone number to look up your “account,” you are giving them the universal key to your digital dossier. Even if you do not carry the physical card, this number instantly ties your entire current shopping basket to your name, address, email, and historical purchases. This is a common practice used to:

• Track “Loyal” Non-Card Users: It ensures that every discount-seeking shopper contributes to the profile database.

• Facilitate Cross-Platform Tracking: The phone number can be matched against databases from data brokers or social media companies to link your in-store purchases with your online browsing and app usage.

1. Payment Card “Anonymization”
   Even if you forgo a loyalty card, many stores track debit and credit card transaction data. While the store may not immediately link the card number to your name, they can still:

• Track Spending Habits: They can track how much you spend and how frequently you visit, building a profile on a “known customer identifier” that can be used to measure the success of promotions and predict when you might stop shopping.

• Combine Data: They can contract with data analysis firms to aggregate and analyze these payment card transactions, often for purposes like deciding on new store locations or validating their internal models.

The choice is clear: The small discount at checkout is a Trojan Horse. By embracing the convenience of a shopper card or providing your phone number, you grant a massive corporation the permission to track your most mundane and most intimate purchasing decisions, with that data feeding into a billion-dollar data-brokering ecosystem. The cost of “savings” is the loss of your retail anonymity.

What Are The Solutions

Great but you still want your discount right? So what is the solution?

This can be difficult but not impossible to bypass, there are many people who enter random numbers, or even numbers from songs and area code and 867-5309. I’ve also heard with places like Kroger you can request a new card each time and to not hold up the line they hand you a card and ask you to fill out information later.

The best thing to do is shop somewhere else but that’s not always an option in small towns or rural areas. One thing to do is never provide real information, instead provide fake names, a burner phone number, and fake e-mails or proxy e-mails that you can disable.

Older generations often view a preference for digital interaction as a disconnect from the "real world." But this shift isn't an abnormality; it's a rational response to a world where traditional public spaces have become increasingly monitored, restricted, and policed. Simple acts of youth—skateboarding, hanging out in a park, or just loitering with friends—can now be treated with suspicion or even as offenses. In this environment, the digital world offers a refuge—a place to connect, explore, and express oneself without the immediate fear of physical harassment.

This taste of freedom is powerful, even addictive. While radio and television once offered a window to the world, the internet provides a door. It’s a global society where you can be anonymous or known, where you can learn from billions of people, and witness the full spectrum of human creativity and consciousness. Or, at least, that’s what it was designed to be.

Like all freedoms, this one is fragile and slowly slipping away. The trade is familiar: we are asked to sacrifice our privacy and autonomy for a promise of security. Mass surveillance of our emails, messages, location, and online activity has been normalized, sold to us as necessary for safety. This monitoring is championed by corporations and governments who have weaponized our fear to gain unprecedented control over the digital landscape.

The result? A dangerous complacency. Many bury their heads in the sand with the mantra, "I have nothing to hide." But this ignores a critical truth: privacy isn't about hiding wrongdoings; it's about protecting the right to have a life free from unwarranted scrutiny. We have strong laws protecting the privacy of our physical mail. If a company hired people to open our letters, it would be a scandal. Yet, we accept that our digital correspondence—which contains our most sensitive information—is routinely scanned, analyzed, and sold. The law has failed to keep pace with technology, and our rights have evaporated in the process.

This is why we must recognize the internet for what it is: the modern public square. It is where we meet, protest, organize, and share ideas. Platforms like X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and TikTok have become the de facto town halls of our era. However, this square is now owned by private corporations—monopolies with more power and personal data than any government agency could have once dreamed of.

The threat is no longer just surveillance, but silencing. The anonymity that once protected dissenting voices is being eroded. It's now easy to connect an online profile to a real person, making them vulnerable to intimidation, job loss, and worse. The same tactics used to quell physical protests are now deployed online, chilling free speech and assembly through the threat of real-world consequences.

A common counter-argument is that unfettered freedom also protects bad actors: trolls, bigots, and purveyors of misinformation. This is the ugly truth of liberty. But the solution to hateful speech is not less freedom for everyone; it is more speech, better tools, and resilient communities.

So, what is the path forward?

Embrace User Empowerment, Not Top-Down Censorship: The answer isn't to let corporations or governments be the sole arbiters of truth. Instead, we should champion platforms and tools that give users control—powerful filters, community moderation, and transparent algorithms. The choice of what to see and engage with should belong to the individual.

Update Laws for the Digital Age: Existing laws against threats, harassment, and incitement to violence must be robustly enforced online. We don't need new, broad speech police; we need to apply our longstanding legal principles to the digital realm.

Reject the Illusion of Corporate Morality: We cannot outsource our moral compass to for-profit companies. Corporations that prioritize access to markets over human rights are not fit to be the guardians of our public discourse. Their interest will always be shareholders, not society. Just see how quickly the corporations who seem to be your friends buckled the instant administrations change. They're not your friend and they don't like you. They just want your money.

Recognize the Propaganda War: State-sponsored disinformation campaigns are a real threat, designed to sow chaos and distrust. A healthier, more decentralized internet—with many smaller, federated platforms—is more resilient to this manipulation than a few massive, centralized networks.

As I said at the start, there is no perfect answer. I don't claim my answers a The balance between safety and liberty is delicate. But history shows us that progress often comes from unpopular ideas. The voices against slavery, for women's suffrage, and for workers' rights were once the silenced minority. If today's tools of control existed then, the very champions of justice would have been "canceled."

We must choose the harder, better path: to defend the principle of a free and open internet, even when it is messy and uncomfortable. We must evolve as a global society to handle this new landscape with critical thinking, empathy, and resilience. Our freedom—to connect, to learn, to protest, and to simply be—depends on it.

We also welcome Red Hat VP Mike McGrath for an in‑depth conversation about Lightwell - a new approach to simplifying modern infrastructure, improving predictability, and supporting open source ecosystems at scale. Mike shares insights on AI’s rapid rise, open source economics, partnerships with industry heavyweights, and how Lightwell helps developers, sysadmins, and researchers in real‑world environments.

Along the way, we cover Session chat updates, website security improvements, and reflect on the origins of Destination Linux with Rocco. We wrap with a fun lightning round.

Below are the full timestamps for this episode:

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:22 Community Feedback
00:06:44 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:08:14 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:10:37 Session Chat and Website Security
00:16:23 Rocco and the Origins of Destination Linux
00:28:31 Meet Mike McGrath
00:32:28 AI’s Rapid Rise
00:41:00 Open Source Economics
00:47:47 Introducing Lightwell
00:49:55 Why Lightwell Exists
00:53:15 Predictable Security at Scale
00:56:59 Keeping It Simple for Developers
01:00:43 Real-World Security Scenarios
01:02:47 Palo Alto Networks Partnership
01:05:47 What Lightwell Does
01:09:58 Helping Researchers
01:12:40 Getting Started with Lightwell
01:13:45 Roadmap and New Ecosystems
01:17:19 The Lightning Round
01:21:57 Closing Thoughts

Destination Linux is a weekly show where Ryan, Jill, and guests share their passion for Linux and Open Source. Destination Linux is a show for all experience levels, whether you’re a beginner to Linux and Open Source or a long time user, this is the podcast for you. Destination Linux covers a wide range of topics from the latest news, discussions on Linux and Open Source, Linux distributions, Linux applications, security, privacy, AI, gaming on Linux, and unique in-depth interviews with Linux developers and leaders and much more.

Destination Linux website
https://deviantairwaves.com

Become a Patron
https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee
https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Merch
https://shop.deviantairwaves.com

EFF x Destination Linux
https://eff.org/destinationlinux

Sandfly Security
https://sandfly.com/?utm_source=destinationlinux&utm_medium=youtube&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=yt-description

We explore the realities of surveillance, motion‑sensing routers with privacy tradeoffs, and Craig’s full breakdown of the chaos and hype coming out of Black Hat - including agentic AI, guardrails that don’t guard anything, and the growing divide between restricted AI and open‑weight models. Craig also covers the Cold Incident Response Conference, AI‑powered threat detection, and a Bitcoin RNG hack that proves why dice still matter.

Jill celebrates Linux’s 35th birthday and Valve’s 30th anniversary with a look back at the milestones that shaped open source, gaming, and the Linux desktop.

Below are the full timestamps for this episode.

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:02:04 Community Feedback
00:18:28 Destination Linux Session Server
00:22:24 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:24:16 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:25:45 Black Hat Agentic AI Hype
00:38:01 AI Guardrails Fall Short
00:52:13 Linux Turns 35
01:04:25 Valve Turns 30
01:16:00 Closing Thoughts

About the show:
Destination Linux is a weekly show where Ryan, Jill, and guests share their passion for Linux and Open Source. Destination Linux is a show for all experience levels, whether you’re a beginner to Linux and Open Source or a long time user, this is the podcast for you. Destination Linux covers a wide range of topics from the latest news, discussions on Linux and Open Source, Linux distributions, Linux applications, security, privacy, AI, gaming on Linux, and unique in-depth interviews with Linux developers and leaders and much more.

Destination Linux website
https://deviantairwaves.com

Become a Patron
https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee
https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Merch
https://shop.deviantairwaves.com

EFF x Destination Linux
https://eff.org/destinationlinux

Sandfly Security
https://sandfly.com/?utm_source=destinationlinux&utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=podcast&utm_content=player-page

We're joined by Craig Rowland of Sandfly Security https://deviantairwaves.com/sandflysecurity

Special Guest: Craig Rowland.

We celebrate Debian’s 33rd birthday, look at Discord’s newly increased upload limits, explore the lightweight MarkLite Markdown editor, and dive into one of Jill’s favorite new features in Linux Kernel 7.2: USB4STREAM, a retro‑cool way to transfer data directly between machines.

Ryan covers the growing conflict between GrapheneOS and Fairphone, examining what it means for privacy, repairability, and secure mobile devices.

Links From the Show
Sandfly Security – https://deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Destination Linux Patreon – https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Destination Linux Store – https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

EFF x Destination Linux – https://www.eff.org/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee – https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Linux Kernel USB4STREAM – https://itsfoss.com/news/linux-usb4stream-protocol/
Linux Kernel USB4STREAM – https://www.phoronix.com/news/USB4STREAM-In-Linux-7.2
Debian 33rd Birthday – https://www.phoronix.com/news/Debian-33-Birthday

Debian Announcement Archive – https://wiki.debian.org/DebianHistory?action=AttachFile&do=get&target=Debian-announcement-1993.txt

Discord Upload Limit Update – https://alternativeto.net/news/2026/8/discord-doubles-free-upload-limit-to-20mb-and-unifies-size-checks/

MarkLite 1.1.0 Release – https://mikechilson.com/blog/MarkLite-1.1.0-Released

GrapheneOS vs Fairphone Discussion – https://nitter.net/GrapheneOS/status/2040887784253141142
GrapheneOS vs Fairphone Discussion – https://clubic.com/actualite-604786-murena-e-os-interview.html
GrapheneOS vs /e/OS Analysis – https://codeberg.org/divested-mobile/divestos-website/raw/commit/c7447de50bc8fadd20a30d4cbf1dcd8cf14805a0/static/misc/e.txt
Android Comparison – https://eylenburg.github.io/android_comparison.htm
GrapheneOS Device Discussion – https://discuss.grapheneos.org/d/24134-device

*Timestamps: *

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:23 Jill Goes to Vegas
00:23:54 Community Feedback
00:27:59 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:29:48 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:31:48 USB4STREAM Arrives
00:36:49 Debian Turns Thirty-Three
00:44:52 Discord Loosens Upload Limits
00:51:30 Lightweight Markdown Editing
00:56:31 GrapheneOS Versus Fairphone
01:12:18 Closing Thoughts

We examine how systems like Flock Safety cameras are forming a private nationwide tracking grid, how multiple industries are integrating this data, and how governments are pushing OS‑level identity verification that could fundamentally reshape how Linux systems operate. We break down how these systems work, how they’re already being abused, and why they conflict with open‑source values.

We also cover community feedback, kernel fixes, Calibre updates, SparkyLinux’s return to 32‑bit support, and Mathieu’s topic on the decline of LUGs and the future of Linux community education.

Destination Linux website
deviantairwaves.com

Become a Patron
patreon.com/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee
buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Merch
shop.deviantairwaves.com

EFF x Destination Linux
eff.org/destinationlinux

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:02:13 Community Feedback
00:20:20 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:21:53 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:22:53 Flock Cameras and Surveillance Creep
00:44:42 Linux 7.2-rc7 Fixes "Nasty" Race Condition
00:55:05 Calibre 9.13 Released
01:00:53 SparkyLinux Revives 32-Bit Support
01:06:08 Linux User Groups Fade Away
01:19:22 Packaging Software for Linux
01:34:27 Closing Thoughts

References From Show:
Linux Kernel Race Condition Fix – https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.2-rc7-UAF-PTDUMP
Calibre 9.13 Update – https://linuxiac.com/calibre-9-13-e-book-manager-arrives-with-a-batch-of-bug-fixes/
SparkyLinux 8.4 Release – https://linuxiac.com/sparkylinux-8-4-brings-back-32-bit-support-for-older-pcs/
Packaging Blog – https://getfresh.dev/docs/blog/packaging-for-linux/

Linux #opensource #FOSS #podcast #security #privacy #AI #redhat #ubuntu #suse #opensuse #debian #SteamOS

Support The Show
Sandfly Security – https://deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Destination Linux Patreon – https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Destination Linux Store – https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

EFF x Destination Linux – https://www.eff.org/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee – https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

*Timestamps: *

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:23 Community Feedback
00:06:49 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:08:41 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:11:36 Arch AUR Attack Continues
00:34:44 Microsoft Tracking Clarified
00:43:42 Jellyfin Leadership Shakeup
00:56:56 Cinnamon Wayland Support Ready for 6.8
01:08:36 Closing Thoughts

Destination Linux website
deviantairwaves.com

Become a Patron
patreon.com/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee
buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Merch
shop.deviantairwaves.com

EFF x Destination Linux
eff.org/destinationlinux

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:02:51 Community Feedback
00:14:15 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:15:50 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:17:31 Interview with Till Kamppeter of Open Printing
00:18:18 Printing's Biggest Anti-Consumer Practices
00:23:12 Recreating Office Space
00:26:30 Printers as Ink Cartridge Packaging
00:28:28 Printer Ownership vs. Subscription Models
00:33:02 Commercial Printing Growing as Consumer Printing Shrinks
00:34:00 Subscriptions Spreading to Other Electronics
00:35:39 Current Printer Driver Situation
00:41:52 Printer Recommendations
00:48:49 The Open Printer
00:57:38 Framework Should Build a Printer
01:05:11 Anthropic's Huge Copyright Settlement
01:11:42 The Windows Global Device Identifier
01:18:10 GrapheneOS Duress PIN
01:28:29 Closing Thoughts

We cover what Canonical Academy is, who it’s for, how the curriculum works, what makes it unique, how it supports beginners, and how learners can get started. Whether you’re a newcomer, a sysadmin, a homelabber, or just Linux‑curious, this episode is packed with insights, fun moments, and a lightning round you won’t want to miss.

Support The Show
Sandfly Security: https://deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Destination Linux Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Destination Linux Store: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

EFF x Destination Linux: https://www.eff.org/destinationlinux

Buy Me a Coffee – Destination Linux: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Get 20% off Canonical Academy with code: DESTINATIONLINUX2026

Timestamps
00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:03:01 Community Feedback
00:09:43 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:11:21 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:12:42 Canonical Academy Interview
00:13:32 What Canonical Academy Is
00:18:40 Who Canonical Academy Is For
00:25:23 Inside the Curriculum
00:41:18 What Sets It Apart
00:46:31 Making It Less Intimidating
00:51:05 Public Beta And Other Surprises
00:54:20 How to Get Started
00:58:14 Career Paths In Linux
01:02:45 Real Environments In Exams
01:04:04 Lightning Round
01:17:36 Closing Thoughts

We kick things off with community feedback about resurrecting old hardware with Linux Mint, then dive into how a persistent Windows device ID helped investigators identify a ransomware operator despite VPNs and IP hopping. We explore a new PyPI supply‑chain attack, discuss whether open source can keep up in the age of AI, celebrate the re‑release of GIMP 0.54, and even talk a little Palworld.

Grab your favorite Pal and your Pal Spheres, this isn’t Pokémon, but you’ll want to collect every moment of this episode.

Stop breaking your own servers. Go to deviantairwaves.com/sandfly to see how agentless security actually respects your uptime.

And for the home lab warriors out there, you can secure your own fortress with the Sandfly Home Edition. Use the code DESTINATION50 for 50% off right now. That’s $50 for the first YEAR!

That's deviantairwaves.com/sandfly. Go get your uptime back.

Support the show:
Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

Get Some Swap: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

Support EFF: https://www.eff.org/destinationlinux

One Time Donation: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:19 Community Feedback
00:08:12 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:14:09 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:18:05 Malware Operator Caught with Persistent Windows ID
00:34:33 PyPI Supply Chain Attack
00:37:39 Akrites Initiative Launched
00:57:07 GIMP 0.54 Released...Again!
01:04:33 Palworld is Fun
01:08:13 Closing Thoughts

Special Guest: Craig Rowland.

Then we tackle the big story everyone's talking about: Sony is going full digital-only, no more physical game discs. But the scarier headline is that Sony has already started removing movies people purchased from their libraries with no refund and no warning. Ryan breaks down what this means for digital ownership, why DRM is a trap, and why platforms like GOG and Itch.io are the real answer.

Jill brings the good news: SteamOS 3.8 is now officially available for installation on standard home PCs with AMD GPUs. With 132 million monthly Steam users, this might be the biggest mainstream moment Linux gaming has ever had. The year of the Linux desktop might just be the year SteamOS goes everywhere.

Zeb covers ClamAV 1.5.3 and why it still matters (and when it doesn't), KDE Plasma 6.8's long-overdue multi-monitor improvements, and why that headline claiming Windows dropped below 60% market share deserves a serious side-eye.

Sponsored by Sandfly 100% agentless Linux security. No agents, no kernel panics, no excuses. Sandfly Home Edition. deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Support the show: Patreon: patreon.com/destinationlinux
Buy Me a Coffee: buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux
Store: shop.deviantairwaves.com
EFF x Destination Linux: eff.org/destinationlinux

Jason shares the origin story of the EFF, how the organization is structured, and the biggest battles it’s fighting today, from digital ID verification laws to global censorship and data privacy threats. We explore how the EFF fights back, how listeners can get involved, and what the future of digital rights looks like if surveillance laws continue to expand.

Plus, we have community feedback from a blind Linux user discussing accessibility challenges, updates from Sandfly Security, and our usual mix of open‑source news and humor.

Join us for this historic conversation about the fight for privacy, freedom, and the open internet.

Learn more and support the EFF: https://www.eff.org/destinationlinux

Don't forget to check out our amazing sponsor: Sandfly https://deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Get the Resist T-Shirt by going to: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

• Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

00:00:09 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:02:25 Community Feedback
00:15:33 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:17:55 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:22:43 What the EFF Does and How It Started
00:41:52 Jason’s EFF Origin
00:51:18 How the EFF Is Organized
01:01:31 How the EFF Fights Back
01:07:55 The Biggest Issues the EFF Is Fighting
01:18:40 Digital ID Future Fears
01:25:31 Who Is Behind the Push for ID Verification
01:36:03 Privacy and Censorship
01:44:10 The EFF's Strategy Against ID Verification Laws
01:52:04 Global Digital Rights Network
01:57:40 How Listeners Can Help
02:05:20 Lightning Round
02:10:30 Closing Thoughts

We kick things off with community feedback about balancing cybersecurity education, family life, and work, a topic many in the Linux community relate to. Jill reveals the long‑awaited Steam Machine, complete with specs, pricing, and why Valve may have launched now. Ryan breaks down Cape Private Wireless, a new privacy‑focused carrier aiming to fix the surveillance‑heavy telco model. Mathieu joins us to discuss local AI models catching up, the hardware demands behind them, and his new e‑ink learning project, Semilla.

Zeb rounds out the episode with hot news

All that plus Sandfly Security, supporter shoutouts, and closing thoughts from the DL crew.

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:02:03 Community Feedback
00:11:25 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:13:48 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:14:23 Upcoming Guest Announcement
00:16:03 Steam Machine Reveal
00:44:27 Cape Private Wireless
00:58:11 Local AI Catching Up
01:07:02 E-Ink Learning Project
01:22:00 Linux Kernel Gets Rid of strncpy

Support Links

• Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

• DL Store: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com

• Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

Steam Machine

• Phoronix: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Steam-Machine-1049

• Steam Machine Store Page: https://store.steampowered.com/hardware/steammachine

• dbrand Companion Cube Case: https://dbrand.com/shop/limited-edition/companion-cube

Cape Private Wireless

• Cape: https://www.cape.co/

Local AI / GLM 5.2

• TechStackUps GLM 5.2 vs Opus: https://techstackups.com/comparisons/glm-5.2-vs-opus/

Linux Kernel / strncpy Removal

• XDA Developers: https://www.xda-developers.com/after-6-years-and-over-360-commits-linux-72-finally-removes-a-persistent-source-of-bugs/

First up in the lobby, we bring in a special VIP segment featuring Mo and guest Jeff Ligon from Red Hat to dive deep into Linux in the automotive space. How does a car's kernel differ from your laptop, and how does open source handle strict real-time safety regulations?

Next, a Grandmaster-level milestone: DistroWatch just turned 25! We look back at the history of distro-hopping, the days of ordering physical Linux CDs in the mail, and how the ecosystem has evolved into modern immutable architectures.

Then, Zeb calls out an enemy Ultimate in the news. The Arch User Repository (AUR) has faced consecutive malware attacks, and we break down what you need to know to stay safe. Plus, we highlight the brand-new features of the Linux 7.1 kernel release!

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:00 Community Feedback
00:12:54 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:14:25 Meet Jeff From Red Hat
00:24:53 Automotive Linux Explained
00:32:26 Real-Time Kernel Basics
00:39:27 Future of Car Safety
00:42:02 Privacy, Clouds, and Control
00:46:23 DistroWatch Turns 25
00:54:30 Linux 7.1 Released
01:01:29 Arch AUR Malware Attack
01:14:44 Closing Thoughts

Show Links

• DistroWatch 25th Anniversary News: DistroWatch Weekly Issue 1175

• Linux 7.1 Features: Phoronix Kernel Overview & In-Depth Kernel Review

• Arch AUR Security News:Phoronix - Arch Linux AUR Malware

Support The Show

• Sponsor: Get 50% off Sandfly Security Home Edition using code DESTINATION50 at deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

• Patreon: Support us directly on Patreon

• One-Time Donations: Buy Me A Coffee

• Merch Store: Grab a desk mat or t-shirt at shop.deviantairwaves.com

Jill brings fantastic news as Proton Drive officially begins work on a native Linux client, complete with a brand‑new unified engine and huge performance gains. She also covers major improvements coming to Intel Arc Battlemage GPUs thanks to Linux kernel 7.1 and Mesa optimizations.

Ryan unleashes a full‑power rant as Apple integrates Google’s Gemini AI directly into iOS and Siri, raising serious questions about privacy, data routing, and Apple’s long‑held “trust us” philosophy.

Zeb dives into the business battlefield with:
Google paying SpaceX $920M per month for compute access
S&P 500 rejecting SpaceX’s fast‑track entry
Ladybird shutting down public pull requests due to AI‑generated code concerns
Plus community feedback, Sandfly Security sponsorship, and updates from the DL community.

Support Links:
https://patreon.com/destinationlinux (patreon.com in Bing)
https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/
https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux (buymeacoffee.com in Bing)

Timestamps:
00:00:06 Welcome to Destination Linux

00:03:46 Community Feedback

00:14:28 Sponsored by Sandfly Security

00:19:29 Ryan's Surgery Update

00:23:00 Thanks to Our Supporters

00:24:55 Native Linux Client for Proton Drive

00:36:06 Intel Arc Updates

00:43:49 Apple Integrating Google Gemini to Siri

01:06:03 Google Rents Compute from SpaceX

01:11:08 S&P 500 Denies Fast Entry for SpaceX

01:17:27 Ladybird Closes Public Contributions

01:23:24 Closing Thoughts

References:

Proton Drive & Intel Arc
https://www.omgubuntu.co.uk/2026/06/proton-drive-linux-client
https://www.phoronix.com/review/intel-b580-linux-71

Apple + Google Gemini
https://www.macrumors.com/2026/06/08/apple-reveals-new-ai-architecture/

Ladybird Development Change
https://ladybird.org/posts/changing-how-we-develop-ladybird/

Google Paying SpaceX for Compute
https://techcrunch.com/2026/06/05/google-will-pay-spacex-920m-per-month-for-compute/

S&P 500 Rejects SpaceX Fast Entry
https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/06/sp-500-blocks-fast-spacex-entry-wont-waive-rule-for-unprofitable-ai-firms/

The hardware segment kicks off with a look at Computex 2026, where AMD delighted budget-conscious builders by extending AM5 socket support through 2029 and launching two affordable new X3D processors. Meanwhile, Nvidia shook up the landscape by unveiling the RTX Spark Superchip—a power-efficient Arm CPU/GPU hybrid aimed at turning desktops into agentic AI environments, with Linux kernel compliance already on the horizon.

In security and development news, the panel dives into a sophisticated supply chain attack that backdoored dozens of popular packages under Red Hat's official NPM channel using a credential-stealing worm named Miasma. Craig shares vital strategies for handling software supply chain risks, advising developers to age their packages and stick to building inside containers or remote hosts. The team also discusses the community backlash surrounding GitHub Copilot’s shift to a usage-based "AI Credit" system, which has reportedly caused estimated costs to skyrocket by up to 1000% for some users.

Finally, the show wraps up with updates on the upcoming Linux 7.1 stable kernel release, a warm welcome to the EFF's powerhouse new Executive Director, Nicole Ozer, and a celebration of Phoronix's 22nd anniversary.

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:45 Community Feedback
00:03:18 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:05:17 Computex Hardware Announcements
00:16:32 NPM Supply Chain Attack on Red Hat
00:26:22 GitHub AI Pricing Shock
00:33:57 Wave of AI-assisted Linux Privilege Escalation Exploits
00:38:47 Linux 7.1-rc6 Released
00:42:40 EFF Gets New Leadership
00:51:12 Phoronix Anniversary Celebration
00:53:26 Closing Thoughts

References

Show Support & Sponsors

• Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux

• Destination Linux Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux

• Destination Linux Merchandise Store: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/

• Sandfly Security Agentless Linux EDR: https://deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

AMD & Nvidia @ Computex 2026

• Tom's Hardware - AMD Confirms AM5 Support Through 2029: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/amd-confirms-am5-support-through-2029-zen-4-and-5-platform-will-likely-see-two-more-generations-at-least

• Tom's Hardware - AMD Launches Budget-Friendly Ryzen X3D CPUs: https://www.tomshardware.com/pc-components/cpus/amd-brings-back-ryzen-7-5800x3d-launches-ryzen-7-7700x3d-to-combat-rising-component-prices-eight-core-x3d-cpus-arrive-under-usd350-for-am4-or-am5-ddr4-or-ddr5

• Tom's Hardware - Nvidia Unveils RTX Spark Superchip: https://www.tomshardware.com/laptops/nvidia-unveils-rtx-spark-superchip-at-computex-2026-new-platform-promises-to-turn-windows-into-an-agentic-ai-os-with-arm-cpu-blackwell-gpu-and-128gb-unified-memory

Security & AI Industry News

• Ars Technica - Red Hat NPM Packages Compromised via Miasma Malware: https://arstechnica.com/security/2026/06/dozens-of-red-hat-packages-backdoored-through-its-offical-npm-chan

• Ars Technica - GitHub Copilot Users React to Usage-Based Pricing: https://arstechnica.com/ai/2026/06/ai-costs-how-much-github-copilot-users-react-to-new-usage-based-pricing-system/

Zeb’s Shell Topics

• Phoronix - Linux 7.1-rc6 Kernel Released: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.1-rc6-Released

• Electronic Frontier Foundation - Welcome New EFF Executive Director Nicole Ozer: https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2026/05/welcome-new-eff-executive-director-nicole-ozer
  

  Phoronix - Phoronix Celebrates 22nd Birthday: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Phoronix-22-Birthday-This-Week

Special Guest: Craig Rowland.

Ryan steers the ship into turbulent hardware waters. Microsoft and Nvidia are teasing a "New Era of PC," heavily rumored to be Nvidia's aggressive entrance into the consumer CPU space with the N1X, a high-performance, ARM-based System-on-Chip (SoC). Packed with 20 CPU cores and a Blackwell-based graphics architecture boasting 6,144 CUDA cores, this unified memory monster could completely shift the landscape for local AI developers, PyTorch modeling, and video editors. We discuss what this unified architecture means for power-hungry x86 designs from Intel and AMD, and whether Microsoft's WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is the secret bridge to passing local GPU stacks through to developers.
Jill's Treasure Hunt: The "No Man's Sky" Teal Build & LACT

Jill unveils her latest hardware masterpiece: a gorgeous, Mini-ITX computer build decked out in a vibrant teal theme dedicated to No Man's Sky (complete with Tux and Steam logos!). She breaks down the financial savvy of buying duplicate parts in 2025 before the massive 2026 hardware price spikes, demonstrating how she saved nearly 50% on components like DDR4 RAM and NVMe SSDs.

More importantly, Jill walks us through how she solved a massive headache plaguing Linux gamers running Unreal Engine 4 and 5 titles on AMD Radeon GPUs: aggressive overheating and sudden shutdowns. The savior? LACT (Linux GPU Configuration and Monitoring Tool). She details how implementing custom fan curves using this open-source application completely tamed her RX 6600, keeping things whisper-quiet and cool.
Open Source Contributor Drama & Legal Wins

Mathieu highlights a creeping, dystopian trend in open-source development: projects like the Dillo browser asking contributors to record webcam videos of themselves coding to provide "proof of humanity" against AI slop contributions. We dive into why these Captcha-like hurdles ultimately hurt real human developers more than they deter automated agents. Mathieu also addresses the shocking, corporate-style layoffs at the Wikimedia Foundation, where MediaWiki lead developer Brooke Vibber and the entire Community Tech team, largely composed of union organizers,were suddenly let go, prompting potential strikes from Wikipedia editors.

On a brighter note, Zeb delivers a massive victory for digital privacy: both California and Colorado have officially revised their Digital Age Verification laws to completely exempt open-source operating systems, ensuring Linux distributions won't face impossible legal compliance hurdles and we hear from our Patrons!

Support the Show & Network:
Destination Linux Patreon: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux
Deviant AirWaves Shop: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/
Buy Me a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux
Sandfly Security Sponsor: deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

Jill's Topic - GPU Tuning & Retro Pink Build:
LACT Source GitHub: https://github.com/ilya-zlobintsev/LACT
LACT on Flathub: https://flathub.org/en/apps/io.github.ilya_zlobintsev.LACT
Jill's Classic Pink Podcasting Rig (EP 344): https://youtu.be/h1XTs1ed3MY?si=tqWIx7x4Y0vSdgCt

Nvidia N1X & Microsoft Rumors:
Windows Central "New Era of PC" Analysis: https://www.windowscentral.com/hardware/surface/a-new-era-of-pc-microsoft-and-nvidia-tease-major-announcement-experts-predict-to-be-the-fabled-n1x-chip
Dell Computex XPS Leak via VideoCardz: https://videocardz.com/newz/dell-confirms-xps-laptop-with-nvidia-n1x-at-computex

Mathieu's Open Source Updates:
Dillo Browser Human Proof Lab: https://dillo-browser.org/lab/human-proof/
Wikimedia Mailing List Firing Announcement: https://lists.wikimedia.org/hyperkitty/list/wikitech-l@lists.wikimedia.org/thread/TRCM57VX5TNE5JACRSIN3XFVDBUWTOVM/
Medium Article on Wikipedia's Corporate Turn: https://medium.com/@jakeorlowitz/wikipedia-is-doing-the-capitalist-thing-56a393232943

Zeb's News Flash:
Phoronix Linux 7.1-rc5 Release Overview: https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.1-rc5-Released
TechSpot Streaming Tax Report: https://www.techspot.com/news/112504-canada-imposing-15-tax-global-streaming-services-support.html
It's FOSS Age Verification Exemptions: https://itsfoss.com/news/age-verification-open-source-exemptions/
How-To Geek GNOME Prism Feature: https://www.howtogeek.com/this-super-minimalist-gnome-theme-is-changing-how-i-use-linux/
GNOME Prism GitHub Repository: https://github.com/zachfeldman/gnome-prism

Then, we dive into a major funding announcement as the German Sovereign Tech Fund invests over 1 million Euros into KDE to level up its structural reliability, security, and digital sovereignty. Next, with Mo in the house, we get the exclusive inside scoop and recap from the Red Hat Summit, highlighting RHEL developments, Fedora Hummingbird, Podman Desktop sandboxes, OpenKaiden, and how NASA is using OpenShift Virtualization for deep space mission operations.

Finally, we wrap up by tackling the chilling reality of how data centers and massive AI interconnect requests are placing an unprecedented strain on the US power grid and drinking water infrastructures.

Special Announcement

On Saturday, May 30th at 1:30 PM Eastern, we are recording live! Anyone in our audience can watch the stream via the live links pinned in our Discord or Matrix chats. Stick around for the exclusive Patron Segment at the end of the recording for our Sudoer, Root, and Linux Kernel tier members to jump on mic, ask questions, and share projects. Root and Linux Kernel members can also hang out afterward for the official post-recording Patron Hangout!

*Timestamps: *
00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:33 Patron Event Announcement
00:03:44 Community Feedback
00:16:07 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:18:11 Thanks to Our Supporters
00:22:58 KDE Funding Boost
00:28:17 Red Hat Summit Recap
00:55:50 Linux Kernel AI Report Chaos
01:01:00 AI Power and Water Concerns
01:18:38 Closing Thoughts

*Links Mentioned In the Show: *
Become a Patron: https://patreon.com/destinationlinux
The Destination Linux Store: https://shop.deviantairwaves.com/
Buy Me A Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/destinationlinux
Contact & PO Box Info: https://deviantairwaves.com/contact/
KDE Sovereign Tech Fund Announcement: https://9to5linux.com/kde-receives-over-e1m-from-sovereign-tech-fund-for-software-development
RHEL Spotlight Recap: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mABwS4AHqWI
Red Hat Desktop Products: https://www.redhat.com/en/products/desktop
OpenKaiden AI Project: https://openkaiden.ai/
NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory & Red Hat: https://www.youtube.com/live/6K8eqQ4ymvk?si=-B_6k6l6N-9-wv4C&t=1216
NASA OpenShift Press Release: https://www.redhat.com/en/about/press-releases/nasa-jet-propulsion-laboratory-advances-deep-space-mission-operations-red-hat-openshift-virtualization
Red Hat TV: https://tv.redhat.com
Linux Kernel Bug Guideline Changes: https://linuxiac.com/linus-torvalds-merges-new-linux-kernel-security-bug-guidelines/
AI Power Grid Strain Report: https://techcrunch.com/2026/05/08/the-biggest-u-s-power-grid-is-under-strain-from-ai-and-no-one-is-happy/
Data Center Water Usage Investigation: https://arstechnica.com/tech-policy/2026/05/data-center-used-30-million-gallons-of-water-without-initially-paying/

We kick off the show with an important community feedback segment addressing a "Puzzled Parent" who wants to keep their kids safe online using open-source tools. The team breaks down excellent FOSS solutions for the Linux desktop, router-level blocking (like Pi-hole and NextDNS), and open-source mobile tools for /e/OS like NetGuard and TimeLimit.

Next, Ryan takes us on his personal journey from Server Purgatory to Paradise. He walks through setting up a low-power, budget-friendly HP Prodesk mini-server from eBay, detailing his troubleshooting nightmare with an unbaked Ubuntu install, his redemption using Fedora, and how he deployed a modern stack using Podman, Cockpit, Tailscale, and Filebrowser.

In hardware news, Jill delivers some bittersweet "end of an era" updates as the classic AMD K5 processor family and the Intel 486 are officially deprecated and removed from the upcoming Linux Kernel. We discuss why 30-year-old museum-grade hardware is being phased out due to maintenance burdens and share the best retro-distributions to keep your vintage rigs alive.

Finally, Zeb brings us up to speed on the "Dirty Frag" local privilege escalation vulnerability and how the latest Linux kernel stable releases fully mitigate it. We wrap up the show by celebrating the 30th birthday of Tux the Penguin, sharing the hilarious origin story of how a zoo animal bite in 1993 led to Larry Ewing designing the ultimate mascot in GIMP.

Show Timestamps:

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:02:03 Patron Event Announcement
00:05:33 Community Feedback
00:18:19 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:23:08 Linux Drops Support for the AMD K5
00:34:44 Building the DL Server
00:47:32 Dirty Frag Fix Released
00:54:11 Tux Turns Thirty
01:00:42 Software Pick: DisMail
01:01:42 Closing Thoughts

Show Note References

• Patreon Support : patreon.com/destinationlinux

• Sandfly Security : deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

• Linux Kernel Deprecates AMD K5 (Phoronix) : shorturl.at/T7J7y

• Filebrowser Open Source File Manager : filebrowser.org/index.html

• Tailscale Mesh VPN : tailscale.com/

• Podman Container Engine : podman.io/

• Cockpit Project Server Management : cockpit-project.org/running

• Linux Kernel 7.0.6 & Dirty Frag Mitigation (Phoronix) : phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.0.6-Released

• Tux the Penguin Mascot Turns 30 (XDA) : phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.0.6-Released

• Destination Linux Official Store : shop.deviantairwaves.com/

We kick things off with a major community update: Destination Linux is moving to a monthly Saturday recording schedule to better include our global audience! We detail upcoming Patron Segments and Hangouts, plus a new initiative where our supporters get to vote on which Open Source projects we donate to.

In the news, we celebrate a massive win for Linux gaming: HDMI 2.1 support is officially landing in the amdgpu driver thanks to a collaboration between AMD and Valve. We discuss what this means for 4K/120Hz gaming on your living room TV and why it was blocked for so long.

Zeb brings the "Shell" topics, covering Rocket League’s move to Easy Anti-Cheat (and why they chose to keep Linux supported when others didn't), the latest Steam Market Share numbers, and the "RAMpocalypse"—the component shortage currently acting as a speed bump for Valve's hardware ambitions.

Time Stamps

00:00:00 Welcome to Destination Linux
00:01:13 Exciting Events for Patrons
00:08:05 Sponsored by Sandfly Security
00:10:36 HDMI 2.1 Support for AMD GPUs
00:22:49 Rocket League Anti-Cheat
00:28:21 Steam Linux Market Share Update
00:31:10 The RAMpocalypse and Linux Gaming
00:45:38 Closing Thoughts

Show Note References

• Patreon Support : patreon.com/destinationlinux

• Sandfly Security : deviantairwaves.com/sandfly

• Steam Machine HDMI 2.1 News (XDA) : xda-developers.com/steam-machine-will-likely-get-full-hdmi-2-1-support-after-all/

• HDMI 2.1 Support on Linux (TweakTown) : tweaktown.com/news/111415/hdmi-2-1-support-coming-to-linux-and-valves-steam-machine-courtesy-of-amd/index.html

• Rocket League Anti-Cheat Update (GamingOnLinux) : gamingonlinux.com/2026/04/rocket-league-adds-easy-anti-cheat-with-steam-deck-linux-still-supported/

• Steam Linux Market Share April 2026 (Phoronix) : phoronix.com/news/Steam-April-2026-Survey

• The RAMpocalypse & SteamOS (Ars Technica) : arstechnica.com/gaming/2026/05/the-rampocalypse-has-bought-microsoft-valuable-time-in-the-fight-against-steamos/

• Destination Linux Official Store : shop.deviantairwaves.com/