Linux will have a blue screen of death (like Windows)

Linux is about to inherit one of Windows’ most iconic features, and we’re not talking about solitaire. Latest version of systemd Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) implemented), which will provide information about operating system error messages. This feature will be very similar to what we see in current versions of Windows.

Report Phoronix provides detailed information about systemd 255, a startup system that will appear on most Linux distributions in 2024. In the list of new features there is a component called Systemd-BSOD, designed to display error messages with the value LOG_EMERG. When an emergency occurs that prevents the use of the system, the component displays an error log.

Blue Screen of Death in Linux was developed by the Outreachy project an attempt to improve the user experience in the event of a critical system failure. Like Windows, BSOD in systemd has similar functionality and returns an error code. Following the Microsoft line, Linux blue screens will contain a QR code that can be scanned with a mobile phone and get more information about it.

“Added a new component “systemd-bsod” that can display error message logs in full screen mode if they are at LOG_EMERG level. This component is experimental and its public interface is subject to change,” reads a post on GitHub.

Since systemd is the default boot system for distributions such as Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, openSUSE and Arch Linux, it is a fact that we will see blue screens of death in the first half of 2024. This version also includes security improvements and new shortcuts for turning off the computer from the start menu.

What is the function of blue screens of death in Windows (and now Linux)?

Yes, sure blue screens of death are ridiculed The truth since Windows 95 has been that there were good reasons for its implementation in the operating system. The first versions were present in beta versions of Windows 1.0, although they did not make their official debut until Windows NT 3.1. show errors when the system crashes and instantly shuts down.

According to Dave Plummer, a former Microsoft developer, the blue screen in Windows NT 3.1 was programmed by John Wert, who chose the color because the firmware on his development machine was white on blue. This version of NT have evolved over time, adding more digestible information to the error message. and a QR code to search for a possible solution.

With the arrival of Windows 11, the Blue Screen of Death has undergone some aesthetic changes to maintain the new design language of this version. However, the functionality remains the same as in the early years: report a critical error that prevents the operating system from starting.