Emacs 31.1 and DRM graphics work

Emacs 31.1 shipped while DRM maintainers reviewed large driver series for Qualcomm DSP and Rockchip HDMI, a scheduler lifetime bug, and dmabuf io_uring paths. Desktop projects also saw early UX debates around Blender Outliner defaults and a proposed KDE image viewer replacement.

Emacs 31.1 released

Emacs 31.1 source and Windows binaries were announced on emacs-devel. The thread includes a minor build bug report and terminology clarifications on package addition. Editor users and packagers gain a new stable baseline with the usual accompanying packaging notes.

Qualcomm DSP Accelerator driver (v2)

Qualcomm posted a 15-patch v2 DRM accel driver for the DSP FastRPC interface. Reviewers rejected duplication of the existing fastrpc path and insisted on a single-driver approach. Clean integration of Qualcomm DSP acceleration into DRM depends on resolving that design point.

HDMI 2.0 for DW HDMI QP TX (v11)

A 74-patch v11 series adds HDMI 2.0 support (4K at 60 Hz) to the DW HDMI QP transmitter on RK3576 and RK3588, along with DRM core HDMI connector API changes. Rockchip platform users and HDMI stack maintainers are the primary audience. Five participants refined the large series across more than a hundred messages.

Possible UAF in drm_sched_fini

Discussion examined a potential use-after-free in drm_sched_fini caused by freeing run queues before canceling the TDR work the function waits on. Three participants analyzed the lifetime ordering on dri-devel. Graphics driver unload paths risk crashes or memory corruption until the race is closed.

dmabuf read and write via io_uring (v5)

A 16-patch v5 set introduces dmabuf-backed registered buffers for io_uring fixed read and write, demonstrated with NVMe. Key maintainers reviewed the work. The change strengthens zero-copy paths between graphics buffers and storage for high-throughput workloads.

Rust Ownable trait and Owned type (v21)

A nine-patch v21 series adds the Ownable trait and Owned type, plus ARef interop and Page changes for Rust kernel memory ownership. Two participants continued the discussion on dri-devel. The work advances safer ownership patterns used by Rust code in the graphics and memory subsystems.

Blender Outliner focus and expand defaults

Developers and users debated whether new Outliner Scroll-to-Active and Expand-on-Focus features should activate by default after complaints of distraction in complex scenes. Fourteen messages from twelve participants weighed the UX tradeoffs. Scene navigation behavior in dense projects may shift based on the outcome.

Photos proposed as Gwenview replacement

KDE users supplied early critical feedback on a proposed Photos application intended to replace the long-standing Gwenview image viewer. Thirty messages from nineteen participants examined the suggestion. Users who rely on Gwenview now have an early signal on whether a successor is gaining support.