Published Jun 15, 2022, 4:55 PM EDT
David is a freelance writer based in the Pacific Northwest, but originally hailing from the Bay Area. A journalist by training who has been writing professionally since 2009, he discovered the power of Unix-like operating systems and the command-line interface while learning how to edit video on macOS. It also helped that he'd originally cut his computing teeth on MS-DOS in the '90s.
He has been using Linux regularly in some form since 2006. David has been able to combine his passion for computing and writing in his career as a freelance writer. His writing has appeared in Techopedia, TMCnet, and Walyou, among others.
David holds a B.A. in communication from California State University, East Bay. A dedicated lifelong learner, he's been using Linux-based CAS tools like SymPy and Sage on Linux to make sure he remembers what he learned in his math classes and maybe even pick up a few new concepts along the way. Linux and open source have allowed him to explore advanced topics like calculus and linear algebra more easily than he could with pencil and paper.
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Fwupd version 1.7.8, a tool for updating firmware from Linux, has been released. The new version adds more supported devices and improves existing hardware support.
What's New in Fwupd 1.7.8?
Fwupd 1.7.8 mainly concentrates on enhancing hardware support. The new version adds support for PixArt and FlatFrog devices. There are also a number of bug fixes to improve reliability when installing firmware with certain devices.
The program can be downloaded directly from the project's GitHub page or installed using a standard Linux package manager.
Fwupd 1.7.8? Streamlines Linux Firmware Updates
Fwupd's goal is to make it easier for Linux users to update the firmware for supported hardware from Linux. This mainly includes PC motherboard firmware but also encompasses peripherals. Previously, the only way to do this was through Windows or booting a USB stick running MS-DOS or FreeDOS, an open source reimplementation of MS-DOS to run an update utility.
More extensive information on supported hardware can be found on the the Linux Vendor Firmware Service website. A number of major manufacturers, like Dell, HP, Intel, and AMD, all have hardware that can be updated through Fwupd.
Could Fwupd 1.7.8 Be a Boon for Desktop Linux?
Hardware support has long been one of the major pain points of Linux on the desktop. Linux support forums are filled with people who have some sort of problem with their machine, whether it's Wi-Fi that doesn't work or a laptop that won't go to sleep. If vendors start treating Linux firmware updates as first-class citizens, it could make desktop Linux a much more attractive proposition.
While Fwupd will likely prove most useful for datacenters who run massive deployments of Linux servers by making updates easier, the same thing applies to more casual Linux use. This means that vendors may offer even great support for Linux in the future, perhaps even offering Linux preinstalls on more than just servers and developer-targeted machines.
And it may ultimately make Linux gaming more mainstream as users could apply firmware updates to GPUs and controllers as easily as they can in Windows.
Fwupd 1.7.8 Makes Firmware Updates Less Scary
Fwupd 1.7.8 will make life easier for many Linux users since they don't have to scrounge up a USB stick or boot up their Windows partition to update their firmware. Firmware updates are increasingly necessary to keep devices usable, and Linux is no exception. It may seem like a daunting prospect, but users who take care of their machines will find them running much more smoothly in the future.