Qubes OS updates Weekly Review - Y2025-W50

General Discussion
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Qubes OS updates Weekly Review - Y2025-W50

Introduction

Weekly review of new packages uploaded to Qubes OS repositories. Link to previous Newsletter here.

Alphabetically sorted list of new packages uploaded to Qubes OS repositories 
awesome-4.3-15.fc42.x86_64.rpm
awesome-doc-4.3-15.fc42.noarch.rpm
i3-settings-qubes-1.14-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
i3-settings-qubes-1.14-1.fc42.noarch.rpm
i3-settings-qubes-1.14-1.fc43.noarch.rpm
i3-settings-qubes_1.14-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb
i3-settings-qubes_1.14-1+deb13u1_amd64.deb
i3-settings-qubes_1.14-1+jammy1_amd64.deb
i3-settings-qubes_1.14-1+noble1_amd64.deb
python3-gbulb_0.6.6-1+noble1_all.deb
python3-splitgpg2_1.1.12+deb12u1_amd64.deb
python3-splitgpg2_1.1.12+deb13u1_amd64.deb
python3-splitgpg2_1.1.12+jammy1_amd64.deb
python3-splitgpg2_1.1.12+noble1_amd64.deb
qubes-ansible-1.2.7-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
qubes-ansible-dom0-1.2.7-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
qubes-ansible-tests-1.2.7-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
qubes-ansible-vm-1.2.7-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
qubes-core-admin-addon-whonix-4.3.5-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-2.0.81-1-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
qubes-gpg-split-2.0.81-1.fc41.x86_64.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-2.0.81-1.fc42.x86_64.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-2.0.81-1.fc43.x86_64.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-dbgsym_2.0.81-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split-dbgsym_2.0.81-1+deb13u1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split-dom0-2.0.81-1.fc37.noarch.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-dom0-2.0.81-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-tests-2.0.81-1.fc41.x86_64.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-tests-2.0.81-1.fc42.x86_64.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-tests-2.0.81-1.fc43.x86_64.rpm
qubes-gpg-split-tests_2.0.81-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split-tests_2.0.81-1+deb13u1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split-tests_2.0.81-1+jammy1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split-tests_2.0.81-1+noble1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split_2.0.81-1+deb12u1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split_2.0.81-1+deb13u1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split_2.0.81-1+jammy1_amd64.deb
qubes-gpg-split_2.0.81-1+noble1_amd64.deb
qubes-template-whonix-workstation-18-4.3.0-202512110447.noarch.rpm
qubes-template-whonix-workstation-18-4.3.0-202512111204.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-1.1.12-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-1.1.12-1.fc42.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-1.1.12-1.fc43.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-dom0-1.1.12-1.fc37.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-dom0-1.1.12-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-tests-1.1.12-1.fc41.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-tests-1.1.12-1.fc42.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-tests-1.1.12-1.fc43.noarch.rpm
split-gpg2-tests_1.1.12+deb12u1_all.deb
split-gpg2-tests_1.1.12+deb13u1_all.deb
split-gpg2-tests_1.1.12+jammy1_all.deb
split-gpg2-tests_1.1.12+noble1_all.deb
split-gpg2_1.1.12+deb12u1_all.deb
split-gpg2_1.1.12+deb13u1_all.deb
split-gpg2_1.1.12+jammy1_all.deb
split-gpg2_1.1.12+noble1_all.deb
xfdesktop-4.18.1-7.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xfdesktop-4.18.1-7.fc42.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-Xephyr-21.1.21-3.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-Xnest-21.1.21-3.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-Xorg-21.1.21-3.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-Xvfb-21.1.21-3.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-common-21.1.21-3.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-devel-21.1.21-3.fc41.x86_64.rpm
xorg-x11-server-source-21.1.21-3.fc41.noarch.rpm

Highlights

  • Major work on i3 desktop.
  • Build bot glitches, many failed builds, misleading build reports.

Details

In addition to the usual minor fixes and patches (full list here):

  • qubes-template-whonix-workstation-18 4.3.0-202512111204 (r4.3)
    qubes-template-whonix-workstation-18 4.3.0-202512110447 (r4.3)
    qubes-template-whonix-workstation-18 4.3.0-202512101521 (r4.3)
    qubes-template-whonix-workstation-18 4.3.0-202512081448 (r4.3)
    There were multiple failed attempts to build a newer Whonix Workstation template. But it finally succeeded.

  • core-admin-addon-whonix v4.3.5 (r4.3)
    Assuring Whonix’s add-on for Qubes core does not interfere with Qubes Air RemoveVMs.

  • desktop-linux-i3-settings-qubes v1.14-1 (r4.3)

    • mod+shift+d shortcut will open Qubes AppMenu.
    • Fixing notification daemon on i3.
    • Improving XDG autostart.
    • Rework of i3 config. This should change menu, shortcuts and many other corners. Since I do not use i3, I have not tested this personally and I could not provide screenshots.

  • app-linux-split-gpg2 v1.1.12 (r4.3)
    app-linux-split-gpg2 v1.1.12 (r4.2)
    app-linux-split-gpg v2.0.81 (r4.3)
    app-linux-split-gpg v2.0.81 (r4.2)
    Updating unittests for Thunderbird 145

  • vmm-xen-windows-pvdrivers v4.2.0-1 (r4.3)
    gui-common v4.3.1 (r4.3)
    gui-agent-windows v4.2.2 (r4.3)
    core-vchan-xen v4.2.7 (r4.3)
    core-qubesdb v4.3.1 (r4.3)
    These build logs are lies. Nothing was changed. Build bot got confused and built them yet again. Generally Windows build logs could be wrong.

  • xfdesktop v4.18.1-7 (r4.2)
    Minor change. Assuring the upstream packages would be fetched over HTTPS from XFCE website. Previously builder only relied on SHA512 checksum to verify the package.

  • linux-gbulb v0.6.6-1 (r4.3)
    linux-gbulb v0.6.6-1 (r4.2)
    desktop-linux-xfce4-xfwm4-420 v4.20.0-1 (r4.2)
    desktop-linux-i3 v4.23-2 (r4.3)
    desktop-linux-i3 v4.23-2 (r4.2)
    These builds (many failed) and logs appear to be build bot glitches.

  • desktop-linux-awesome v4.3-15 (r4.2)
    Minor maintenance patch for Awesome DE support.

  • xorg-x11-server v21.1.21-3 (r4.3)
    Updating X11 from 21.1.14 to 21.1.21 and removing two local patches since they are now included in upstream.

10 Likes
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The important part is to add this package to qubes repositories for R4.3 in the first place. Compared to upstream version, it has a patch for screen resolution on novacustom v54 laptops, but it was uploaded only to R4.2 before.

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  • app-linux-split-gpg2 v1.1.12 (r4.3)
    app-linux-split-gpg2 v1.1.12 (r4.2)
    app-linux-split-gpg v2.0.81 (r4.3)
    app-linux-split-gpg v2.0.81 (r4.2)
    Updating unittests for Thunderbird 145

With the development of split-gpg2, is the regular split-gpg [1] going
to be deprecated and taken out from the qubes os repos? I am a happy
user of the regular old split-gpg [1], so I wonder if I will be forced
to switch my setup.

Footnotes:
[1] Split GPG — Qubes OS Documentation

2 Likes
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BTW, there is currently an openQA integration test for i3 and you could watch its video here (but maybe reduce playback speed). And one of the kind community members has offered to provide specific screenshots if needed. So if anyone needs screenshot of very specific part, please let us know.

1 Like
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2 Likes
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“Using split-gpg2 as the “backend” for split-gpg1 is known to
work”

Alright, this sounds good. So long as I can “plug-and-play” between
split-gpg and split-gpg2 using my existing configuration, I am fine with
it.

1 Like
7

Regular split-gpg is still fully supported in R4.3.

1 Like