Linux gets a Blue Screen of Death

Until now, the Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) was a "trademark" of Windows, which will also find its way into Linux distributions in the future. This is because the system service collection "systemd", which is currently part of a number of Linux distributions, will get a "systemd-bsod" component in version 255, which is still marked as experimental.

Like its Windows counterpart, the Linux version of the blue screen will also display full-screen error messages with a QR code in the event of serious system errors. Instead of having to dig through the system's log files to find an error, Linux newcomers receive direct feedback via the blue screen.

The look of the Linux version of the "Blue Screen" remains unknown. On GitHub, the systemd developers write: "A new "systemd-bsod" component has been added that can display logged error messages in full screen size [...]. This component is experimental and its public interface is subject to change."

Hardware problems or unstable drivers can also lead to so-called "kernel panics" under Linux, which sometimes cause individual parts of the operating system to crash or a complete reboot. The log files of the Linux distribution, which can be viewed via the 'Logs' application of the GNOME desktop, provide insights into error messages. However, the blue screen would directly indicate a serious system error.