Episode
329: Linux 6.18, New Valve Hardware, COSMIC 1.0, NixOS, LXQt, Raspberry Pi, & more Linux news
- Podcast
- This Week in Linux
- Published
- Dec 22, 2025
- Duration seconds
- 1634
- Processing state
processed- Canonical source
- https://thisweekinlinux.fireside.fm/329
Actions
POST https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/this-week-in-linux-66844/episodes/329-linux-6-18-new-valve-hardware-cosmic-1-0-nixos-lxqt-raspberry-pi-more-linux-news/transcription-requests
Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode.GET https://stenobird.com/podcast/this-week-in-linux-66844/329-linux-6-18-new-valve-hardware-cosmic-1-0-nixos-lxqt-raspberry-pi-more-linux-news.md
Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource.
Summary
The Linux 6.18 LTS kernel arrives with significant performance enhancements and the removal of BcacheFS. This episode also covers the first stable release of the COSMIC desktop and hardware updates from Valve and Raspberry Pi.
Topics
- Linux Kernel
- Open Source
- COSMIC Desktop
- Raspberry Pi
- Valve Steam
- NixOS
- FreeBSD
- Wayland
- Firmware
Highlights
- Main idea: Linux Kernel 6.18 is now an LTS release featuring improved memory management and Rust-based drivers
- Failure mode: BcacheFS has been officially removed from the Linux kernel tree as of version 6.18
- Practical takeaway: The COSMIC Desktop 1.0 stable release is now available, bringing a high-performance Rust-based environment to Pop!_OS
- Main idea: Valve is expanding its ecosystem with the announcement of the Steam Frame VR headset and new Steam Machine hardware
- Economic impact: Raspberry Pi prices are increasing across several models due to rising RAM market costs and supply constraints
Chapters
1:00Linux Kernel 6.18 LTS: Details on the new stable LTS kernel, including memory management improvements and the removal of BcacheFS.3:00Valve Hardware Announcements: News regarding the Steam Frame VR headset, Steam Controller, and new Steam Machine hardware.9:00Framework Sponsors LVFS: Framework becomes the first OEM to provide official sponsorship for the Linux Vendor Firmware Service.13:00COSMIC Desktop 1.0 & Pop!_OS: The first stable release of the Rust-based COSMIC desktop environment and its integration with Pop!_OS.15:00LXQt 2.3 Release: Updates to the lightweight LXQt desktop, focusing on improved Wayland support and panel enhancements.17:00Raspberry Pi Price Increases: Analysis of rising costs for Raspberry Pi models due to global RAM market volatility.21:00NixOS 25.11 Updates: New features in NixOS, including expanded firewall configuration options and package updates.25:00FreeBSD 15.0 Release: A look at the major milestone release of FreeBSD and its hardware driver improvements.