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2.5.4 Kernel Out
Saint Aardvark writes: "Just in time for my 30th birthday, the new kernel is out...how did he know? Thanks, Linus! Change log here. I usually stick to stable stuff, but I think I'll try this for fun." Reader Scooby Snacks writes: "Be sure to use the patches and pick from the fine list of mirrors."
Are you going to post stories now when you get an email from your grandma? Because a point release is about as pathetic.
This must be a slow geek news day...
If the open source/Linux development holds up on this one, with any luck, there will only be 220 more notices before we see 2.6.0. Yay!
2.6.0 released
2.5.20 released
2.5.19 released
2.5.18 released
2.5.17 released
2.5.16 released
2.5.15 released
2.5.14 released
2.5.13 released
2.5.12 released
2.5.11 released
2.5.10 released
2.5.9 released
2.5.8 released
2.5.7 released
2.5.6 released
2.5.5 released
Expect all these articles on this site soon.
Slashdot, news for "nerds", notifying you of minor changes to the penguin!
Well, I'm still having trouble with 2.4.17 on my AMD. A couple of weeks ago it was suggested here that I should add "nopentium" to my boot parameters but after that the machine doesn't feel as fast anymore (can't understand why; it should not be noticable)
Parsing the changelog, I don't see that many changes with potential enormous impact. Should I consider trying this version because many problems are straightened out or should I wait for a next "stable" 2.4.x?
I did see something regarding AGP (which I believe to be the source of my problems, as they go away if I disable 3D support) Linus said something about a workaround for AGP problems until a real solution was found. Doesn't look very encouraging, but hey...
no sig error.
The whole premise of slashdot is to post news articles (and I use the term news lightly), and then people discuss the article (and troll).
Just what do the slashdot janitors expect us to say after the 10th or 20th kernel announcement? There's not much to say, that hasn't been said 10 or 20 times before.
If there is an excess of trolling, it's because The Janitors aren't thinking clearly, when deciding news articles. They're so worried about their precious little Linux, that they'd rather post crap about it, then find something that with a little more substance.
That is why none of them will ever be serious journalists. That and because, collectively, they have about 1/20th of a brain - and 1/40th of a penis.
What's the big new stuff / benifits we can expect from 2.5 series???
Good to see the patches, mirror list, and changelog linked to, not just the full kernel. We knew you could do it! Keep it up, guys!
See that middle number of the kernel version? Note that it is of the form 2n-1 where n>0, otherwise known as an odd number. Now, in the Linux world this means that it is a development kernel. D-E-V-E-L-O-P-M-E-N-T. In other words, extreme beta.
So, unless you wish to contribute to the kernel development or want a range of unknown problems, stick with the even middle-numbered kernels.
I've got a fever and the only prescription is more COBOL.
The BitKeeper works, and this release is here to show us.
Not being anything remotely resembling a kernal hacker, it was great to see and compare some of the (proposed) changes between 2.4.x and the new 2.5 fork at the recent linux.conf.au. The speaker, Rusty Russell, took us through the netfilter and scheduler code (2.4.13 vs 2.5.3) and it was a real eye-opener. I don't claim to be a C wizard, but I can tell elegance when I see it, and some of the code overhauls certainly have that ring to them.
"Einstein argued that [...] God is not capricious or arbitrary. No such faith comforts the software engineer." ~ Brooks
After seeing so many posts on the preemptible patch being including into Linus' tree, I would have thought that everyone would be dying to try the first dev release with it incoporated. Give it test drive and see if that is really a useful feature.
Or does everyone here REALLY run Win XP ??
You obviously don't know C very well.
You're missing some semicolons....
Stick to VB or Logo, moron.
Today there is a release of some sort in 4 kernel trees (see freshmeat.net):
2.0.40-rc2
2.2.21-pre2
2.4.18-pre7-ac3
And, of course, 2.5.4.
Granted, only one was a full revision bump, but to see updates in so many trees is neat.
XML is like violence. If it doesn't solve the problem, use more.
Moderators, this isn't a troll. Enough complaints have been made about this over time for it to be a justified request.
There are those of use who do want to read Linux stories, but don't want to know about every release of the kernel. It's not as if theres a shortage of sites that have that information.
How come there are ratings for each post? And why would someone want to spend so much time rating them all?
Some of us use slashdot as a central news source. Why go around to a zillion other places, when we can just catch the announce here? Saves time.
Best Slashdot Co
Quote
:-) - or is it Windows you are talking about here? :p
--------
I usually stick to stable stuff
--------
Wow, there is a stable version of linux?? gimme gimme
http://www.webhostingtalk.com
Make it idiot proof and someone will make a better idiot.
The slash engine was designed? I thought it just sort of grew. Like a fungus.
A'course, I haven't actually looked at it in a few years. The first release was traumatic.
Best Slashdot Co
Sick of these minor release announcements on development branch kernels... Not because of the announcement itself, but because of all the people yelling and screaming that they don't want to know about it... Stop bitching and skip the article and move on and leave the thread clean for those that DO like to read about it and read INTERESTING comments...
7:58 - Slashdot post that new kernel is out
7:59 - "Bleeding edge" kernel hackers start downloading it
8:30 - download finally is over, start unpacking it
8:35 - ooh and ah over new features in config
8:40 - start compiling, so far so good
8:55 - kernels done, reboot
8:56 - system is as fast as ever and that leet hardware is now supported
8:59 - file system gets fscked due to some small oversight
9:00 - a large scream is heard through country
9:10 - screaming stops
9:20 - hacker finally remembers that its the 2nd #, not the 3rd that means the kernel is unstable
9:30 - i laugh
can't sleep slashdot will eat me
America still west of Europe.
It seems that the geographical relationship between the two continents hasn't changed in the last six months.
I can't compile it on Red Hat 7.2 although I updated /usr/src/linux-2.5.4/include/asm/thread_info.h:13,
/usr/src/linux-2.5.4/include/linux/thread_info.h:1 0,
/spinlock.h:7,
4 : dereferencing pointer to incomplete type
5 : warning: control reaches end of non-void function
e2fsprogs.
What's wrong? Please help me.
# make bzImage
gcc -D__KERNEL__ -I/usr/src/linux-2.5.4/include -Wall -Wstrict-prototypes -Wno-trigraphs -O2 -fomit-frame-pointer -fno-strict-aliasing -fno-common -pipe -mpreferred-stack-boundary=2 -march=i386 -DKBUILD_BASENAME=main -c -o init/main.o init/main.c
In file included from
from
/mmzone.h:8,
/usr/src/linux-2.5.4/include/asm/processor.h: In function `thread_saved_pc':
/usr/src/linux-2.5.4/include/asm/processor.h:44
/usr/src/linux-2.5.4/include/asm/processor.h:44
make: *** [init/main.o] Error 1
Just in time for my 30th birthday
:)
And my 14th, and thousands of other peoples' birthdays. What better present than a new kernel
They extrude a new one every few days - what great big new feature does 2.5.4 provide that we should all care about?
Or is slashdot just desperate for news on Monday morning?
- A.P.
"Remember when the U.S. had a drug problem, and then we declared a War On Drugs, and now you can't buy drugs anymore?"
Is it just me not knowing/noticing something, or e-mail address of Dave M. has magically changed from davem@redhat.com to davem@pizda.ninka.net?
For people that do not read Russian: 'pizda' in Russian stands for 'C-word' and 'ninka' is a short form of female name.
I'm glad to see a change Log that I can understand!.
I's detailed and clear.
I'm from Argentina: Tango, Asado, Mate, Gaucho, Maradona, YPF
On the top of the changelog, there are plenty of changes marked with
... it makes very, very bad look.
<davem@pizda.ninka.net>
The problem is that the word 'pizda' is one of the most rude curses in the Polish language (used to name women vagina). This is problably some kind of humor of Dave Miller (whose wife is Polish) but
After all, in case some 'adult filter' is implemented for Polish language, it will filter out the Linux change log.
Having said that, having a separate "Kernel Release" topic is not a bad idea.
And personally I like to see new kernel releases announced here. Freshmeat is too cluttered with new software release and update announcements to be useful; everything from the trival to the profound is given equal billing. (Not that I don't find Freshmeat extremely useful, just that their frontpage is overwhelming.)
Still no signs of ALSA (and CML2 for that matter) making it into the 'official' development kernel yet.. This is really a thing I'd like to see in it.. But it's nice that Linus already accepted two controversial patches (O(1)-scheduler and the pre-emptible kernel patch)..
xer.xes -- 4181
The first three have been out for quite some time. Open your eyes. Maybe look at http://kernel.org once in awhile.
--R
Look ma, I'm a
"How come there are ratings for each post?"
Looks like you were chosen as a moderator for a while. See here http://slashdot.org/faq/com-mod.shtml#cm600 for more info.
"And why would someone want to spend so much time rating them all?"
Well ratings on posts you think are important help others filter out the noise from the signal. They also generate points for the poster that can effect their ability to get their message readily heard.
---
So assuming you want to moderate I'll give you the following suggestions.
Read at a threshold of zero. This lets you get a pretty fair picture of all the comments.
I'm a big fan of threaded.
You want to read the oldest first so you don't slap "redundant" on the first post that mentioned a topic.
Mod up by a point and pick a reason why. The secret society of slashdot ninjas seems to take out the garbage, don't do their job be as fair as you can in promoting the best posts.
Realize that if you post in a thread you cannot moderate it, but that should NOT mean that you are going to stealthfully get you opinion across by promoting those that hold your opinion and moderating down those that don't. Instead moderate up those posts you think add to the conversation as a whole.
This place is still pretty useful and cool so you might sometime try reading the Frequently Asked Questions http://slashdot.org/faq/
p ingmeep
The changelog for the kernel-v2.5.4 contains a
few patches posted from "davem@pizda.ninka.net"
In Russian the word "ninka" is a female name
while the word "pizda" is a very dirty slang for a female genitals. To a Russian this email address sounds very offending!
You know Linus cannot be proficient in all world languages. Therefore some ethics on the side of
Linux contributors is very much appreciated.
+Leo+
Details can be found here. The isos can be downloaded from here and all bug reports can be discussed here.
Very few 'really ugly' bugs have been found in the first beta, and we have been able to concentrate on hardware recognition, improving the *drake* tools, and updating the packages. For more details about what has changed since the beta1, and what should be tested, please wait for the articles in the "test this" serial.
If you can't fix it, then don't use it. It won't compile and nobody should use 2.5.x.
...but checking the "JonKatz" box on the "exclude authors" config page. Saves me having to even think about him, and also saves some screen real estate (no, I don't have to pay $$$ for it, that doesn't mean I like it wasted). Too bad there isn't a similar option for $KERNEL_MINOR_AND_SHORTLIVED_VERSIONS.
Hate trolls? Troll 'em back...at home!
This has mostly nothing to do with this post, but bear with me. For a while now, my kernel 2.4.something has become silent, ie: it does not write to kern.log or syslog, have i missed a compilation option or does it just not like to talk to me anymore? anyone have a problem like this before? g. I know i'm stupid, but @ least i have no problem admitting it.
Although most people use the term 'Linux' for the operating System as a whole it really only the name of the Kernel. Would we call it 'Hurd' if we ran it with a hurd-Kernel? No, we probably talk about 'Linux with a Hurd-kernel' or somesuch, which is funny enough (maybe it should be 'GNU/Hurd' or just 'GNU' then). In that light (Linux being really just the name of the kernel) news about new kernelversions are very appropriate under this topic, what more interesting could there be under the 'Linux' topic, than something about a new Version of 'Linux'?
...). The term 'Linux-kernel' is redundant, and thus really not a good topic.
So if we want to keep the terms right (and those who always complain about the use of the term hacker in a wrong context know we should) maybe there should be another topic 'GNU/Linux' or 'LinuxOS' (and also 'LinuxAPPS'?) to comfort those who want to read about Linux, but not about the kernel (so actually not about 'Linux'
I also wonder, how one can be interested in Operating systems based on the Linux kernel, without being interested in the development of the kernel itself (especially the unstable versions, since there is much more happening), and for a lot of readers the 'new kernel' news is the place to discuss these developments. So if you want to vent your complaints, that hardware x isn't supported, why patch y didn't make it in, express your happiness that z works now (z preferably being the VM), or just have a question these stories are the place to go. The kernel is the thing that all those LinuxOSes, LinuxDevices and whatnot have in common, and if you're interested in Linux on your Palm, or maybe in your coffee-machine, then you should be interested in the kerneldevelopment, since without a kernel allowing to be shrinked down to that size it's just not possible. If you're interested in 'Linux' running on big iron, like n-Processor machines, well, it's really the kernel and its development that makes it possible.
And finally, if you're really not interested in kernel development, it's not that hard to spot, that a story is about the new kernel, just ignore it, and be happy, these storys are there, because if they weren't people would just post things about new kernel developments in other Linux-stories (even if slightly offtopic).
--
"By the way if anyone here is in advertising or marketing... kill yourself." -- Bill Hicks
There was a change to the API in this kernel release which breaks a bunch of drivers for the moment. Specifically, all drivers that allocate buffers using the kmalloc/__get_free_pages and virt_to_bus will not link. Right now, I can see atleast two groups of drivers affected: some USB, and the PCI sound drivers.
/* Copy and release all segment info associated with a VM */
/*
Even if you don't see the above problem, this kernel will not compile (atleast on most i386 systems) without the following patch:
--- linux-2.5.4/include/asm-i386/processor.h Sun Feb 10 22:00:29 2002
+++ 25/include/asm-i386/processor.h Sun Feb 10 22:21:53 2002
@@ -435,14 +435,7 @@ extern int kernel_thread(int (*fn)(void
extern void copy_segments(struct task_struct *p, struct mm_struct * mm);
extern void release_segments(struct mm_struct * mm);
-
-/*
- * Return saved PC of a blocked thread.
- */
-static inline unsigned long thread_saved_pc(struct task_struct *tsk)
-{
- return ((unsigned long *)tsk->thread->esp)[3];
-}
+extern unsigned long thread_saved_pc(struct task_struct *tsk);
unsigned long get_wchan(struct task_struct *p);
#define KSTK_EIP(tsk) (((unsigned long *)(4096+(unsigned long)(tsk)->thread_info))[1019])
--- linux-2.5.4/arch/i386/kernel/process.c Sun Feb 10 22:00:28 2002
+++ 25/arch/i386/kernel/process.c Sun Feb 10 22:26:35 2002
@@ -55,6 +55,14 @@ asmlinkage void ret_from_fork(void) __as
int hlt_counter;
+ * Return saved PC of a blocked thread.
+ */
+unsigned long thread_saved_pc(struct task_struct *tsk)
+{
+ return ((unsigned long *)tsk->thread.esp)[3];
+}
+
+/*
* Powermanagement idle function, if any..
*/
void (*pm_idle)(void);
-
-
w o r l d w i d e w e b e r
The filesystem corruption bug only occured ONCE, in ONE kernel version.
The 2.5.x series don't cause any corruptions at all.
Just in case you didn't know....
Could we please stop posting 2.5.x kernel announcements for a while? It's still quite happy to currupt filesystems (depending on driver) and not compile for most things, and otherwise be totally useless except to the people who knew it was out anyhow (or read l-k or even l-k-announce).
Once 2.5.x becomes "stable" and is out of rewrite big chunks mode, then maybe we should post on slashdot again...
If I was you (but i'm not) I would use Linux with a slightly dated yet powerful machine. Like - a year old or so. Good performance, and most bugs in the drivers have been ironed out. Looking through the list of supported hardware is also a good idea before ordering a machine or any other piece of hardware for that matter.
Then again, you can always use w2k or xp. Sadly, there are more drivers available there.
Stop the brainwash
Don't want to download a 30 mb tar.gz (or a 25 mb .tar.bz2)? Then get the kernel here! The rest of the junk is just digital penguin shit!
/.'ers have to offer. Someone may have already installed the patch, found a problem, and have posted it here, or they post a quick synopsis of what the patch includes - thus enabling me to determine whether I want this one or not. I find threads like this *very* informative. As for all those bitching about kernel updates being on the main page - click on "Start" then "Windows Update" and leave us alone.
#include "linus.h"
#include "penguin.h"
#include "gnu/goatsex.h"
#include "terrorism.h"
#include "hackers.h"
#include "unix.h"
define kernel_version="2.5.4"
printf("Welcome to linux"+kernel_version)
have_sex()
run_unix()
All kidding aside, you're right. For instance, I didn't know what the middle number represented in the kernel releases. The only reason I scan these threads, is for the simple fact that I appreciate the experiences and insights that other
This release includes the Robert Love preemtive kernel! Thought Linus didn't like it. Well anyways it's in there. And it's an options so... :-)
What happened to the 2.4 Kernel branch. It seems to be sleeping since Linux gave it away...
I run an AMD Athlon with an AGP4x video card on 2.4.17 with no issues whatsoever. I also compiled the kernel as an Athlon which is not affected by the issue. Gentoo describes the bug in kernels running on Athlons that were compiled for Pentiums. Pentiums builds enable 'extended paging', where the issue resides. In short: compile your kernel as an Athlon (which you should do anyway) and you will not have issues.
... If someone posted a backdoor patch here on Slashdot and a lot of people actually used it...
Looks to of affected? Jeeesus. Just as well no-one's pre-empting the mans English...
Invoicing, Time Tracking, Reporting
suck this down ladies
Linux kernels are, in fact, as periodic as menstruation. You can synchronize the moon to haxors.
If you download and compile a kernel for your machine, you compile for your CPU. Why would you not take advantage of processor-specific optimizations? Do you compile for the least common denominator on your own machine? Did you read the parent? Is he not compiling for his own machine?
This is news???
Looks like your no longer namecalling, so at least thats good. Perhaps you can tell my why I run 2.4.17 with an Athlon T-Bird 800 using AGP 4x? Hmm? Hint: I compiled my CPU for Athlon, which as the link I provided in my first post clearly states, was never where the issue resided. Thanks for being rude, but it wasn't needed.
The slash engine was designed? I thought it just sort of grew. Like a fungus.
Like some other software out there. I qoute:
"Software "Design" is like a religion - too much of it makes you inflexibly and unpopular."
- Linus Torvalds
My Karma: ran over your Dogma
StrawberryFrog
If you look at the changelog you can see that Sparc64 preemption was added between v2.5.4-pre6 and v2.5.4 (pre6 only had i386 support). Sweet!
I've got the enemy kernel!
I've got your number! I've got *all* your numbers!
AH-HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
I'll deploy remote equipment!
[enemy remote equipment has been destroyed.]
Shazbot!
-- I'd say your post was about 3 monkeys, 18 minutes.
Gotta love it when header files reference other headers that don't exist! Specifically, there isn't:
include/asm-ppc/thread_info.h
...only for i386 and sparc64. Dammit!
That comes out to less than 18kB/s. Unless you're on dial-up, that's pitifully slow. If you're on cable, for example, getting 400 or 500kB/s from a kernel.org mirror is pretty much par for the course (in which case you'd download 31MB in about about 1 minute).
How much OSS software works the way it was designed at the beginning?
Isn't the point that future redesigns of the software are based upon the users' needs and that they can directly affect the process? In this sense, it sort of organically grows very much like a fungus.
Wasn't it Steve Balmer who said that Linux springs up "organically" as competition? Is this not one of the big strengths of OSS?
LedgerSMB: Open source Accounting/ERP
Notice the line explaining the kernel configuration? I do not compile as Pentium* therefore I do not have this issue. Nor does anyone else who follows in my footsteps. Shows over. Nothing to see here.
... is what I call a FREKKIN' changelog. It's about time, too. Now we actually kinda sorta know what's going on.
The development kernels are not for your normal user, they may turn your machine into a pile of pixy dust wihtout warning, this is probably the main reason why it should not be announced on /. since people will try it out, without backing up their system first.
I would in this case recomend just waiting for 2.4.18 to appear, it will most likely have the fix, you only needed that nopentium line if you want to run 3D Accelerated graphics programs like Quake3 anyway.
Why you threw a hissy originally is beyond me... especially over something as trivial as this argument. Go to
you sound like a fucking asshole dont you ? if you dont belive me get a recorder and listen to the shit you spit out.
> ...you only needed that nopentium line if you want to run 3D Accelerated graphics programs like Quake3 anyway.
...or anything else that causes the kernel to access overmapped AGP and main memory in a way that triggers the bug. Better safe than sorry.
Facts:
1.) This is an Athlon bug in handling 4M pages when dealing with Intel's extended-paging.
2.) This bug becomes apparent when using Pentium-class optimizations in the kernel.
3.) I never said this was not an Athlon bug.
4.) You *will not* have this issue if you do not compile as a Pentium.
5.) Calm down and stop acting like a child/children.
Reset V 3.1.4.1.5pre99.45ccad was released today also. Please note that this is the unstable branch of the stable development tree and only to be used for testing on non-production systems.
And use the mirrors, don't flood the main site in your mad rush to get a copy today!
Cripes! Enough with development point release announcements already!
.
. Quit playing Monopoly with Bill. Switch to one of many non-Microsoft products today.