Linux 2.6.0-test11 Kernel Released

An anonymous reader writes "Linus Torvalds has released his final 2.6.0-test kernel, calling it the 'Beaver In Detox'. Following this release, Linus says that 2.6 development will be led by Andrew Morton. The kernel's name refers in jest to the previous release, which Linus had named "Stoned Beaver". It contains a fix for the aic7xxx driver, proper error handling in do_fork(), some firewire fixes, and correction of a few skbuff leakage points. Download it from a kernel.org mirror."

Comments

Fork it all

[Anonymous Coward]

proper error handling in do_fork()

So you could say the previous version was forked up?

Names make a difference!

[Sponge Bath]

Some may scoff at changing a release name to suit customers and corporate supporters, but it is a simple and useful thing to do.

I suggest the next release should go a step further. Something smooth, something that rolls off of the tongue, something like "Clean Shaven Beaver"

Re:names

[Anonymous Coward]

Haven't you seen Half Baked? No one needs rehab for getting stoned.

On a side note, Linus "went on to note that he'll be too busy eating for the next few days to check his email." I know it's Thanksgiving and all, but no one eats a whole weekend away unless they're...

No way, dude! Far out! Linus has the munchies, man!

Re:Fuck

[blixel]

I just compiled test10!

Slacker. I've been running test10 for several day now.

For those who didn't read the parent...

[blixel]

No word on a resolution for the problem with pre-empt, at least none that can be seen with a search for "preempt" in the page. :-P

Stop this filth

[MrEd]

It's no wonder that the Linux Kernel development process isn't being taken seriously, what with the childish drug references and sexual innuendo being spouted. We need a wholesome, filth-free name to call the 2.6.0 release. I propose 'squeaky clean beaver'.

Re:Question

[grasshoppa]

Is it really necessary to have every test release on the front page?

Yes, as it happens, it is.

Newbie comment

[Murmer]

If you're a new to all this, and you're a little intimidated by all the options you get from running "make menuconfig" or "make xconfig", here's a tip - if you're running Knoppix, or have one of your current kernels around in /usr/src, you can pull over your old configuration files from /usr/src/kernel and just copy them in the new kernel's source directory, if you're willing to compile the source.

Then run xconfig, make sure you've got console support compiled in (this point is key) and off you go. make, make install.

It's worth saying again, no matter how many times it's been said, that Linus and his band of merry coders are doing incredible work. On older machines, like my humble P2/266 laptop, a recompile actually feels faster, a lot faster in fact. If you're running older hardware, it's worth it to give these test kernels a try for that alone, if nothing else.

Re:Newbie comment

[FueledByRamen]

Actually, what you really should do, instead of "make xconfig" after pulling over the old config file, is "make oldconfig". It's a version of the (original, text-based) config that only asks you about configuration items that weren't defined in the file - like if a new feature (and thus a configuration item) is present in the newer kernel. BTW, the name for the kernel config file is .config (it's invisible - note the dot)

The pre-empt problem:

[ciaran_o_riordan]

A full discussion of the pre-empt problem can be found here:
http://kerneltrap.org/node/view/1679

This is probably what has been happening to me.
I tried up to -test9, but after a few (2-10) hours, my cpu and disk access would shoot up and RAM usage would slowly increase. I dropped to a tty, typed the username "root", but the cpu load was so hight that login timed out before I was even prompted for a password!
So I had to kill the power on my machine while I could hear that my disk was fully active. I was not a happy camper.

Re:The pre-empt problem:

[Daniel Serodio]

If you really, absolutely must kill the power, use the "Magic SysRq" key! Alt+PrintScreen+S will sync the filesystems, and Alt+PrintScreen+U will remount them read-only.

See /usr/src/linux/Documentation/sysrq.txt.

Re:More Information

[golan]

Also check out this to see stats about the different 2.6.0-testX versions compile warnings and errors by John Cherry from the OSDL.

Re:Question

[marauder404]

I agree. Announcing minor and test versions is only news worthy to the people that are following progress closely, who are likely to know about it anyway. And those people that don't follow it closely are only interested in hearing about major changes since the last time they checked up on a project.

For example, the launch of Windows 2000 didn't even make a story on Slashdot when it launched in February 2000 even though a development kernel release did. I realize a large portion of Slashdot doesn't use Windows, but it's still significant news for every nerd.

C'mon Slashdot ... get back to you roots. Show me stuff that matters.

Clean Shaven Beaver

[Tumbleweed]

Now _that's_ a smooth name that just rolls off the tongue... :)

Sorry Tux, Here comes Bux.

[Bill, Shooter of Bul]

Looks like Tux has been replaced in Linus' heart. Thats Great! I've always prefered Beaver meat to Penguin. Plus, you can make the coolest hats out of Beaver pelts. Now we just need a name for the little fellow. How about Bux?

Re:Sorry Tux, Here comes Bux.

[kinnell]

Wouldn't Fux be a better name for a beaver mascot?

Re:Question

[unixbob]

The reason that this made the front page is that it's the test release prior to the first "production" release of the 2.6 kernel which we have waited 2years + for. Seems only right that this should be on the homepage. Same as todays earlier story on FreeBSD 5.2.

At least Linus

[Nonillion]

At least Linus didn't call it the "SCO, fuck your mama" build ;)

Re:names

[Anonymous Coward]

Open Beaver? Longhorn? could a merge be possible here?

Re:Fuck

[fiftyLou]

# times i have recompiled the kernel in the last week - 3
# times i have gotten busy with the girlfriend in the last week - 0

Huh. How ironic is this.
Number of times I have recompiled the kernel in the last week - 0
Number of times I have gotten busy with your girlfriend in the last week - 3

;-)

this test goes to 11?

[Anonymous Coward]

why don't they just make the tests bigger and make the highest one 10?

Re:Hmmm....

[fishbowl]

You are correct. I've given up, and now I assume that FB consoles are something that nobody but me wants or uses. Others are happy with 80x25 consoles and use some sort of XTerm. I prefer 160 column framebuffer consoles, and this is in fact one of the main reasons I run linux.

I thought it was only broken for my radeon card though. I also thought I was the only person still using a radeon 8500LE who wants to use consoles at fbset 1280x1024-75. This has not worked in any 2.6 kernel, whereas it does work well on 2.4. I've reported it. I've tried the patches that were posted, but it doesn't fix the problem I've reported. I gave up.

Torrent

[teoruiz]

As usual, I set a torrent here.