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Linux distribution Fedora 45: KDE Plasma 6.8, GNOME 51 and kmscon

SoftwareNovember 4, 20261 min read

Fedora 45, a free Linux operating system, has been released two weeks late. Its visible changes are small, but it sets up big changes under the hood, mainly a new way to handle the text-only console.

Fedora 45 is out, two weeks late

The Linux distribution Fedora has released version 45. The release was delayed by two weeks. First, there was no test version ready on the planned date, so the team moved the release by one week. Then a security problem at the certificate authority eMudhra forced another one-week delay. Some private keys used for certificates could be guessed easily, so browser makers blocked those certificates. There were also boot problems with encrypted storage pools in Stratis, a storage system.

A new way to show text on screen

Fedora 45 replaces the old text console. Until now, Linux drew this text mode directly from the kernel, which is the core part of the operating system. The new tool, kmscon, runs as a normal program outside the kernel and does the same job. It supports more character sets and lets users change the font size. This matters because on modern high-resolution screens (HiDPI), the old text mode showed text that was very tiny.

Key facts

Fedora 45 was delayed by two weeks in total.
The first delay was one week, because no test version was ready.
The second delay was one week, because of the eMudhra certificate problem.
The old text console (fbcon) can still be set as the default in Fedora 45.

Why it matters

Most users will see few changes. But the switch to kmscon is a big step. It moves a core part of Linux out of the kernel, and it makes text easier to read on modern screens. The certificate problem also shows how one weak certificate authority can affect many users and browsers.

What to watch

Whether users pick kmscon or keep the old text console as the default.
How well kmscon works on different computers and with different fonts.
Fixes for the Stratis boot problem with encrypted storage pools.

Glossary

Fedora: A free Linux operating system made by a community and sponsored by Red Hat.
kmscon: A text console program that runs outside the Linux kernel and can show bigger fonts and more character sets.
eMudhra: A certificate authority, a company that issues digital certificates used to prove that websites are safe.
Stratis: A storage system for Linux that manages disks and storage pools.
HiDPI: A term for screens with very high pixel density, where small text can be hard to read without scaling.

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