Linux 2.4.15 is out; Linux 2.5.0 has also begun.

jbondjr writes: "It appears 2.4.15 is released. It's not quite updated on kernel.org's main page, but it is there if you dig through the tree. You can find 2.4.15 on one of your friendly Kernel.org Mirrors (note the 2.4.15 Changelog) From the 2.5 readme: "Linux-2.5.0 is exactly the same as 2.4.15, except for a version number change." So, enjoy the The 2.5 Tree

Comments

So who else is downloading 2.5

[Chuck Chunder]

so they can be cool and trendy and be on the development tree while it's still stable?

Preemptible kernel

[ThatComputerGuy]

Don't forget the Preemptible Kernel patch. This will reduce latencies and overall make a desktop machine feel snappier.

From what I hear, however, it's not recommended for servers where bandwidth is more important. But then again, you wouldn't be putting a bleeding edge kernel on there anyway, now would you?

Re:Turkey!

[chabotc]

Ps, if anyone else, like me, likes his /lib/modules tree without holidays that are not celibrated here in europe; or is a religious vegitarian, simply edit the toplevel Makefile and remove the 'extraversion' (-greased-turkey) from it. Then you will have a 'plain' 2.4.15 ;-)

Todo list?

[LinuxGeek8]

I'm sure there isn't a Todo list. And I assume there never will be one.

I was just wondering (read karma-whoring) what the first big change in 2.5.0 will be.
I guess cml2, the new config/make system.

Some other changes that might be expected;
Jfs and Xfs in the main kernel,
Fixing the latency, and maybe make the kernel pre-emptive.
There will be a scsi layer rewrite and maybe a ide layer rewrite (that's correct?),

Re:Todo list?

[Dr.Dubious DDQ]

Don't forget the possibilities of (in no particular order):

• ALSA sound
• MOSIX
• BTTV2/V4L2

Re:Todo list?

[chabotc]

To get a good feel for what the posible new cool things will be in the 2.5 kernel, check out the video / subscripts from the 2.5 kernel summit a while back. They mention

Raw access to block devices (DB work)

SCTP (nice network tricks)

Block layer redesign (scsi, ide, etc)

High performance file systems (xfs, jfs, etc)

Re-worked network driver API

Hot-Plug Devices (pci/pcmcia)

Kernel build system

Intergration of some NSA secure linux idea's (mandatory ACL's, etc)

Async-IO addons (non posix conforment)

ACPI / Power management (needed for hot plug?)
And a lot of other topics. 'Specialy make sure to check out the video's. They provide some nice insights into the wo the file systems (xfs, etc), raw access to block devices (oracle was hot on this i think),rld of kernel hero's ;-)

check out this link to the lwn article for more details, descriptions and links.

ext3

[ma2tias]

Now, for the people who use ext3:
You will not need to download ac/ext3 patches anymore to get your journaling running.

It will happen again?

[bockman]

My impression, as a linux user, is that with 2.4 we (well...they) have moved to a three stage development cycle:

• alpha : the development tree
• beta : developers realise that they have done all the tests they could and call 'stable' the development tree. More users starts using the new kernel (users which would not have used a 'development' release). New bug and problems come out; some of them may not be fixable with small patches, but may require some strong re-enginering.
• final : the developers and beta users are satisfied with the current performances of the stable kernel ( and maybe also tired of working on it ;^>). The stable kernel is given to the maitainers. A new development kernel begins.

This is not a bad model. Maybe the kernel is getting too big for the two-stage model. And maybe too many people are using Linux for critical business, starving the 'development' releases of the testers it needs to get production quality.

Informative

[beable]

There is a new technique called "Don't Click On The Link Of Stories You Don't Want To Read". Apparently it allows people to decide whether they want to read the story just by looking at the headline, and if it says "New Linux Kernel Out", it allows the user to not click the link, thus avoiding the story they didn't want to read. I can't see how this new-fangled "Don't Click The Link" technology could possibly work, but some people say they are very happy with it.

So... has anybody found any bugs on 2.4.15 yet?

Re:Stable or not?

[Ami Ganguli]

Stable is totally relative. The 2.2.x tree has had a lot longer to mature. It'll probably be a year before 2.4.x is as solid. This is true with most operating systems. If you have a mission critical server that's been working flawlessly on 2.2.x, then you have no reason to upgrade to 2.4.x. Since the old series is still maintained with security fixes, you can stay with the old kernel for a long time.

On the other hand, if you're installing a new machine you might benefit from some of the 2.4.x features. As long as the machine isn't really critical, you might as well go for it. If you're starting a project that won't be deployed for another six months or so, then 2.4.x is definately the way to go. Likewise on a desktop machine.

In your particular case, you need to evaluate how stable your Unreal Tournament server needs to be. Will you go out of business if it crashes? If not then I'd go ahead and upgrade. Chances are it'll be rock solid, and if not you can always go back.