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Linux Kernel 2.6.8 Released
J ROC writes "According to The Linux Kernel Archives kernel 2.6.8 is now out. It includes some fixes from 2.6.7. Happy upgrading." You may want to read this earlier story and think twice before upgrading.
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Has the 2.6 branch been patched with exec-shield yet? I know there is some compatibility issues, but Linus said he was going to allow it anyway.
I'm repeating this message from OSNews, which had the story first.
I think Linux is a great kernel, but a 42 MB download is really a bit too much for my liking. Much of that is code for hardware that I don't have or features that I don't want. I am a great advocate of modularity, and I would like to see it applied not only to the compiled kernel, but also to the sources. I am aware that this will add some administrative overhead, but it could save a lot of traffic and CPU time.
Here are some ideas:
- Split the distribution in a base that has the common stuff, and optional add-ons for lesser-used network devices, filesystems, etc. etc.
- Employ a BSD ports like system that downloads the sources on request (i.e. when compilation of some part is requested)
- Distribute only the configuration interface, and download only the parts actually needed based on the configuration selected.
I am too occupied now to come up with a proper proposal, but I hope this will set some people thinking.
Please correct me if I got my facts wrong.
This might be a silly question, but what does "brown paper bag" release mean? (and how did the phrase come into use? :-D)
the real at&t mix
They've been saying for some time that they'd also release small updates (like 2.6.8.1) against previous releases when necessary, so it should be reasonably safe to take a recent kernel if you wait a couple weeks after the major release and check for any such updates.
For what it's worth, I've been upgrading on every major release (and most of the -rc's too) since 2.6.0, without any disasters.
Of course, depending on which particular drivers you care about and so on, your mileage may vary.
--Bruce Fields
Hope your friends are ok! It's now too late in the day, my shortwave reception has dropped off. I saw some pics uploaded last night from another forum that showed some nasty destruction in I think port charlotte, someone still had net connection some how. Whole buildings smashed, etc.
I've been through at least three I can remember the names of, agnes, frederick and opal. Agnes I though we were goners, we were supposed to evac, but all we had were bicycles so we stayed put and buttoned it down, little duplex on the beach I had with two girls, hmm, this was 72. It flooded the block and tore a lot of shingles off, etc. the next day we wandered around looking at what we called sea monsters, all kinza huge fish washed ashore and stranded. It was quite the mess. That whole neighborhood is gone now, it's all very expensive beachfront high rise hotels, etc. That was at madeira beach florida. Agnes hit much further north, we only got the sideways edge of it and it was one spooky night, tell ya what. Frederick I was living in my VW camper at the time, I stayed down at the beach as long as I could to enjoy it,sto9rms are pretty nifty if you like that sort of thing, then went inland to some campground and parked it in the middle of a field away from any trees with the windshield pointed towards the storm front. Pretty high winds but I don't think they went past 70 mph or so, so it was like driving on the freeway but sitting still except for some rocking. That was outside tampa as well. Hurricane Opal I was up in atlanta, it churned it's way a;; the way up there and knocked down thousands of trees all over, lady up the street from me had a huge tree squish her real pretty old 60's barracuda. My landlady at the time evacced to her basement, a big tree fell, penetrated her roof and drove a tree branch right through her bed where she would have been sleeping. Man, I got a lot of free woodchips and firewood after that storm, the powerline guys were begging for places to put the stuff, so I filled my driveway with it, then used it landscaping, etc. What a mess that storm was.
I've also been through some dandy blizzards and floods and forest fires and tornadoes, which got ot be the worst I think because the destruction is so total. Seen most of the usual natural disasters except for a big earthquake, and I'll pass on that.
the kernel seems to have a rsync mirror. I haven't tried it yet, but that way you would be able to download the kernel in cvs style by only downloading what you need. this ofcourse only has a adventage when you download new kernel versions all the time, but most people that download from kernel.org seem to do just that. I also like the all in one package. this way I don't have bother 'bout searching for supported hardware. if it ain't in linus tree, it's not worth it for me.
still isn't working after anything newer that I've tried than 2.6.7-rc2. :(
Is there a simple way to know which kernel upgrades include security patches, and which do not? The changelogs are huge, it would be great if someone did the work and shared it with all.
Adjusting the screen brightness makes a slightly larger difference, but not much (maybe 20 minutes between second brightest and most dim).
What really makes the difference is CPU load. If I run a lot of cpu-intensive stuff, and let the system adaptively raise the cpu frequency to handle it, it can cut battery life by more than half! Luckly I can comfortably play movies and do word processing with the CPU locked at the slowest speed (600Mhz), but to do much development work at the same time it really helps to let the cpu ramp up.