An interesting article about a vulnerability that was discovered in Nixpkgs (Github): https://ptrpa.ws/nixpkgs-actions-abuse
OK, it's time for me to do what I dislike doing the most: to beg. Uhg, I feel gross just thinking about it but...
I want to get the Sparrow Nix package updated in Nixpkgs ASAP because if it doesn't get updated before the Java SDKs 22-24 get dropped (which will happen sometime between now and the release of NixOS 25.11) the Sparrow package will be in a broken state; Hydra won't build it, and end-users won't be able to install it. Which means I'd have to do a NixOS 25.11 backport of the Sparrow package, and I hate backporting.
I'm doing this disgusting begging dance in hopes that some plebs will test the Nix package and make some noise on the PR: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/449169
Luckly PRs have been getting merged much quicker than they used to, so there's still a good chance. So,
1. Test the package.
2. Post stickers, comments, whatever, on the PR.
Also notice that the PR number ends in 69, which is the number of... uh... creation ;)
sparrow 2.3 is coming to a Nixpkgs near you.
1. To test, execute: nix run github:emmanuelrosa/nixpkgs/sparrow-2.3.0#sparrow
2. Report your findings, or more generally signal your interest at https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/449169
#nix #nixos
OK, sparrow 2.3.0 is out! And you can get the Nix package from my Nix flake https://github.com/emmanuelrosa/btc-clients-nix
Did I beat all of the other third-party packages?
The update will make it to Nixpkgs at some point, but it's worth noting that this Sparrow update did not work with the recent Nix package update to Zulu 24. So, I removed the Nixpkgs JDK and went with the bundled JDK, which is something I recently mentioned I may have to do, which is Temurin 22.
One nice benefit of this change is that the package is simpler; Less Nix code.
Nix package updates:
- The bisq2 JDK was updated from 23 to 25, and from openjdk to Zulu JDK; Because there seems to be an issue with openjdk 25 and JFX 25.
- The sparrow JDK was updated from 23 to 24. sparrow is currently not compatible with JDK 25.
The problem here is that within a couple of months JDK 22-24 will be dropped from Nixpkgs, which leaves sparrow without a compatible JDK. Yeah, this is all happening again.
I already tested sparrow with the bundled JDK (created with jpackage), which is Temurin JDK 22, and it works. So there's that option.
There's nothing quite like a good game of whack-a-mole.
Can you imagine Apple, Dell, Lenovo, or HP taking about their defered or rejected products? Yeah, that's not going to happen.
Well, Framework did just that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RzUBqtgODM
What I find interesting about this is that instead of the usual, constipated "business talk" that's used by BigTech, the CEO of Framework talks like a normal person to consumers.
It's refreshing. And smart.
OK, we are doing some package updates because Nixpkgs will be dropping JDK 23 since it's now EOL.
So, if you use the sparrow and/or bisq2 Nix packages, I'd like for you to test the Nix package updates:
- sparrow: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/445018
- bisq2: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/445024
Note: The apps haven't been updated. Only the JDK has.
You can test them with the following commands:
- nix run github:msgilligan/nixpkgs/msgilligan/bisq2-zulu-25#sparrow
- nix run github:emmanuelrosa/nixpkgs/bisq2-zulu-25#bisq2
After trying them out, report your findings in the PR.
Thank you!
#nix #nixos #sparrow #bisq2
CUPS needs to be updated to fix two CVEs:
- (high severity) https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-58060
- https://www.cve.org/CVERecord?id=CVE-2025-58364
The NixOS PR to watch is https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/442076
#nixos
Nix package updates:
- aarch64 support for the Bisq 2 Nix package was merged into Nixpkgs.
- The bitcoin core and bitcoin knots Nix packages now have automatic build-time GPG verification.
- Webcam QR code scanning support for Bisq 2 has been merged into Nixpkgs.
Coming up is upgrading the sparrow and bisq 2 packages to JDK 24. And thank goodness there's now a second maintainer helping out with the sparrow package :)
#nix #nixos
I asked the Qwen3 "Thinking" Large Language Model to find associations between the Ninja Turtles and the classical four elements. It was quite creative:
- Leo = Fire (energy, strength)
- Mikey = Water (fluidity, adaptability)
- Raph = Earth (stability, power)
- Donnie = Air (movement, speed)
Not bad.
Then I raised the stakes and asked it to use this to create a short funny poem. It was such a disaster, that I'm not even going to post it.
It's also disgusting in "developed" countries.
I'm using HUGE air-quotes.
This crap is to be expected. It's what happens when things get socialized:
Congratulations!
One thing I don't miss are exams.
Welcome back :)
Sparrow wallet now has support for aarch64 in Nixpkgs. It's in the unstable branch :)
Waiting for the same for Bisq2.
Here's a new Nixpkgs PR which needs some fire crackers: https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/425555
The PR adds automated GPG verification to the bitcoin and bitcoin-knots packages.
Sure, it's not as good as manual verification, but I think it's a good compromise.
#nixos #nixpkgs #nix
I just got Bisq2 QR code scanning working on NixOS!
Right now, it's only in my btc-clients-nix repo because I'm looking for feedback.
I created a package which runs the Bisq 2 webcam app, so that I can test QR code scanning without having to trade BTC. Here's how it works:
1. From a terminal, execute: nix run github:emmanuelrosa/btc-clients-nix#bisq2.webcam-app
2. Use your web cam to scan a Lightning invoice QR code.
You should then see the Lightning invoice text printed to the terminal, however it may happen quickly so it's easy to miss. You can always see it in the log file $HOME/.local/share/Bisq-webcam-app/webcam-app.log.
It'd be great if y'all can try it and let me know if it works or not. I'm pretty sure I got all the dependencies, but you never know.
PS: I had trouble getting the app to detect the QR code; I had to get more lighting into my room and hold the QR code up close and with a steady hand.
#nixos #nix
Some updates:
- Bisq 1.9.21 is now available for NixOS. See https://github.com/emmanuelrosa/btc-clients-nix
- The Sparrow wallet Nix package is getting support for aarch64-linux. If you're interested, a thumbs up in the PR would be appreciated. See https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/pull/422060
If you have aarch64 (ARM 64) hardware, a review would be great! Especially if you have a webcam to test scanning Bitcoin address QR codes.
#nixos #nix
[Chorus: Michael Jackson]
...Don't tell me you agree with me
When I saw you kicking dirt in my eye (Hee-hee)
But if you're thinking about my node
It don't matter if you're Core or Knots...
Here's my latest Nix-based project, quickdb (https://github.com/emmanuelrosa/quickdb)
Copy-pasting, ... quickdb is a suite of Nix packages to easily start development instances of PostgreSQL, MariaDB, or CouchDB on GNU Linux.
- Rootless
- The Nix package manager is the only dependency
- (somewhat) portable, because you can use nix-portable to build the packages.
- You can set up multiple instances of these databases by editing the config files to change the database port number.
- Database runs like a normal process you can kill with CTRL-C. This means the database runs when you want it to, and is not started automatically as a service.
Hmmm, how would a system be comprised using Wayland? It's a protocol, not an implementation of the protocol.
I guess one way would be to design a backdoor right into the protocol, but that would require implementations to not notice the compromise and implement the protocol in such a way that it allows the trojan horse to function.
Perhaps rather than a conspiracy, it's really just a big clusterfuck between X11 vs Wayland and DEI vs anti-woke. Two big piles of poop getting all mixes together, making challenging to see what's going on.
Another level of symbolism can be see in the clouds, which look like rolls of toilet paper (aka. fiat currencies).
As Yakko and Wakko used to say: Helloooooo Knots!
So far so good.
Though I must note that neither the bitcoind nor bitcoind-knots Nix packages (in Nixpkgs) have any kind of signature verification process. The Electrum package has verification in their updater script, and the Bisq 2 and Sparrow packages have build-time verification. I may need to roll up my sleeves and do something about this.
#nixos
I think there are some merchant areas in Chiang Mai which may be more receptive to Bitcoin payments. Name-drop incoming:
- Nimman (obviously); Wrap Master, Smoothie Blues, Beast Burger and Pizza, Free Bird Cafe, etc.
- West of the Ping river there's Blue Diamond, and I recall a night market on Changklan but I don't remember the name. Perhaps it's Ploen Ruedee.
I created a Nix flake to provide NixOS packages for Bisq, Bisq 2, and Sparrow.
This will help to streamline the process of updating and deploying updates to these packages.
If you currently get Bisq 2 and Sparrow from Nixpkgs, I encourage you to swith to using https://github.com/emmanuelrosa/btc-clients-nix
#NixOs #Nix #Sparrow #Bisq