Linux 3.12 Merge Window Closes With Release of Linux 3.12-rc1

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Linux 3.12 Merge Window Closes With Release of Linux 3.12-rc1

Posted by timothy on Tuesday September 17, 2013 @02:12AM from the just-in-time-for-the-next-big-thing dept.

hypnosec writes "Linus Torvalds has released Linux 3.12-rc1, marking the first major development in over two weeks for the forthcoming successor of the Linux 3.11 kernel. Announcing the closure of the 3.12 merge window, Torvalds said in the release announcement that the window was fairly normal. Dissecting the updates, he noted that 73 percent of them are related to drivers, 12 percent related to architecture updates, and 6 percent related to file systems. ... Torvalds liked the 'scalability improvements that got merged this time around.' Torvalds also mentioned the tty layer locking getting resolved, and work on dentry refcount scalability."

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Is it true they removed host file support? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 02:14 · Score: 0, Funny

If so apk is gunna be pissed.
1. Re:Is it true they removed host file support? by petermgreen · 2013-09-17 02:58 · Score: 3, Informative
  
  Host files have nothing to do with the kernel. Name resoloution on linux is handled by userland libraries.
  
  --
  note: i'm known as plugwash most places but i screwd up registering that here somehow in the past and now can't register
2. Re:Is it true they removed host file support? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 04:15 · Score: 0
  
  Woosh.
3. Re:Is it true they removed host file support? by larry+bagina · 2013-09-17 07:44 · Score: 1
  
  Just some friendly advice when it comes to APK and HOSTS files...
  1. Never get involved in a land war in Asia.
  2. Never wrestle with a pig. You get dirty and the pig likes it.
  3. Never argue with an idiot. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience.
  4. When the wise man argues with the fool, the fool crapfloods the thread and there is no peace.
  
  --
  Do you even lift?
  These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
Compatibility? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 02:22 · Score: 0

Can I still run this in my workgroups like in the last version?
Its happening again! by jellomizer · 2013-09-17 02:24 · Score: 4, Insightful

A Slashdot post for every minor release of the Linux kernel.
I was ok with Linux Kernel 3.11, as it kinda made fun of the Popular Windows 3.11 version.
Also when Linux lost his stuff when his Hard Drive died.
But to fill stories with every Minor release, it gets kinda silly.

--
If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
1. Re:Its happening again! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 02:46 · Score: 0
  
  But to fill stories with every Minor release, it gets kinda silly.
  Are you a German?
2. Re:Its happening again! by tbuddy · 2013-09-17 02:48 · Score: 1
  
  I particularly don't like Linus stories that don't portray him as swearing tyrant who is out of touch and preventing Linux from widespread adoption.
3. Re:Its happening again! by delt0r · 2013-09-17 02:50 · Score: 1
  
  You can always not click on such stories and not post on them either. Seriously why do you have to click on every /. story? Your brain broken or something?
  
  --
  If information wants to be free, why does my internet connection cost so much?
4. Re:Its happening again! by drinkypoo · 2013-09-17 02:59 · Score: 4, Insightful
  
  I was ok with Linux Kernel 3.11, as it kinda made fun of the Popular Windows 3.11 version.
  I think I speak for everyone here at Slashdot when I say that it's a massive relief that you were OK with Slashdot reporting on Linux Kernel 3.11.
  However, I'm sure you don't speak for everyone here on Slashdot when you complain about kernel release news. More than a few of us are interested in such things, and would like to discuss the releases here on Slashdot, preferably with a minimum of whining. You've already used up the quota here...
  
  --
  "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
5. Re:Its happening again! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 03:22 · Score: 0
  
  You do know that there is a place where you can influence which stories make it to the main page?
  Maybe this story hit the main page because there are enough Linus-worshippers and people entertained by the concept of trolling Linus-worshippers to vote this into primary circulation.
6. Re:Its happening again! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 04:38 · Score: 0
  
  But the "swearing tyrant" is why Linux is doing so well. Someone has to let many of the programmers know that they're bad. He may blow things up, but it's hard to fight his logic.
7. Re:Its happening again! by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 05:22 · Score: 0
  
  Okay, I'm willing to listen to your thoughts on Linux 3.12-rc2, 3.12-rc3, 3.12-rc4, 3.12-rc5, 3.12-rc6, 3.12-rc7 and 3.12 final when each of them are released.
8. Re:Its happening again! by Virtucon · 2013-09-17 05:26 · Score: 1
  
  Agreed, keep that on linux.com.
  
  --
  Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
9. Re:Its happening again! by NotBorg · 2013-09-20 06:39 · Score: 1
  
  RC1's significance is that marks the end of the merge window. It means that large chunk of features have made it in which is interesting. It also marks the start of the testing phase, which we want a lot of participation in. There are a lot of reasons why RC1 is interesting and noteworthy.
  My thoughts on other RCs? While they're an important part of the process, they aren't interesting enough to warrant much discussion. Which is why you won't see articles on them.
  On the other hand, it would be fun to create and promote articles about the other RCs simply because we now know they're good clickbait for angry nerds in search of something to rage about. Thanks for the tip!
  
  --
  I want this account deleted.
Re:first by smittyoneeach · 2013-09-17 02:25 · Score: 2

Not yet, and that could be a real blocker for 2014 being the year that linux conquers the desktop.

--
Get thee glass eyes, and, like a scurvy politician, seem to see things thou dost not.--King Lear
I must be tired by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 02:26 · Score: 4, Funny

I looked at the headline and thought it said Linux was to merge with Windows
1. Re:I must be tired by DougOtto · 2013-09-17 02:28 · Score: 2
  
  Not without, at least, dinner and drinks.
  
  --
  Solving Unix problems since 1989...
2. Re:I must be tired by Aboroth · 2013-09-17 02:32 · Score: 2
  
  Man you must be tired!
  
  It's pretty cool that Linux is now able to close windows.
3. Re:I must be tired by VortexCortex · 2013-09-17 04:50 · Score: 1
  
  I looked at the headline and thought it said Linux was to merge with Windows
  Well, not merged, but they sleep in the same digital bed of my hard drive: Rockin' knockin' dual boots.
  No denying they've been doin' tha nasty. I mean, they spawned Wubi...
nothing noteworthy by Cyko_01 · 2013-09-17 02:44 · Score: 5, Interesting

so let me get this straight. linus says this release is "fairly normal" (ie. nothing special), and someone thought "hey I should post this to slashdot!"?
1. Re:nothing noteworthy by Kjella · 2013-09-17 03:16 · Score: 1
  
  I find that fairly normal. Par for the course, you might say.
  
  --
  Live today, because you never know what tomorrow brings
2. Re:nothing noteworthy by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 03:37 · Score: 0
  
  It's not an actual release, just an rc.
3. Re:nothing noteworthy by Atzanteol · 2013-09-17 05:13 · Score: 2
  
  What's more amazing is that somebody then thought "that's so outrageous I need to post a complaint about it!"
  
  --
  "Ignorance more frequently begets confidence than does knowledge"
  
  - Charles Darwin
4. Re:nothing noteworthy by Virtucon · 2013-09-17 05:29 · Score: 0
  
  Yes, normal in that did he go ballistic on somebody during the merge over a badly written fix or did he just take it out on his SSD?
  
  --
  Harrison's Postulate - "For every action there is an equal and opposite criticism"
I'm a fanboi and I agree by raymorris · 2013-09-17 02:47 · Score: 2

I've been accused of being a Linux fanboy and even I agree.
Of course, I've also been accused of being a Microsoft shill and an Oracle shill. I AM a Linux kernel dev, barely, so yeah, that qualifies me as being a fan, I suppose.
* My name is in the kernel CHANGELOG exactly once.
1. Re:I'm a fanboi and I agree by clickclickdrone · 2013-09-17 02:54 · Score: 5, Funny
  
  >* My name is in the kernel CHANGELOG exactly once.
  "Fixed the bit Ray M broke"
  
  --
  I want a list of atrocities done in your name - Recoil
2. Re:I'm a fanboi and I agree by Skiron · 2013-09-17 05:49 · Score: 1
  
  Haha - that made me laugh out loud, indeed :)
Re:first by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 02:49 · Score: 0

what's a "desktop" grandpa?

-- posted from my eyePhone
but tell me when RedHat upgrades 2.3 to 3.10 by raymorris · 2013-09-17 02:52 · Score: 1

Having said that, RedHat is still stable on kernel 2.3.32, with some features backported. I WOULD be interested in knowing when the distros jump to a 3.10 or higher kernel. Bcache is going to be awesome for writeback caching.
1. Re:but tell me when RedHat upgrades 2.3 to 3.10 by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 05:24 · Score: 0
  
  2.6.32 maybe? (the RHEL6 series is on that anyway, RHEL4 is on 2.6.9, don't have a 5 box to hand at the moment, but distrowatch says 2.6.18)
Huh? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 03:02 · Score: 0

Torvalds also makes a note about the tty layer locking getting resolved, and work on dentry refcount scalability."
What does this even mean? Explanation please. What is a 'dentry refcount scalability'. Is Torvalds going to start fixing my teeth?
1. Re:Huh? by the_cosmocat · 2013-09-17 03:32 · Score: 2
  
  dentry is for "directory entry". To do really simple, it's a little struct that describe a file : his name and a pointer toward an i-node containing the datas of the file
"Windows", "Linux" and "Merge" in same sentence by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 03:09 · Score: 1

A cursory reading of the headline made me think for a moment that a merge of Linux and Windows is getting closer.
Damn Title Case.
Damn information overload and the resulting quick readings.
important metric: by larry+bagina · 2013-09-17 03:15 · Score: 1

how many of those "fixes" are backdoors secretly planted by the NSA?
I know linus does his kernel work on an isolated computer (no internet connection) but the NSA doesn't mind a little breaking and entering to install malware on a high value target like that.

--
Do you even lift?
These aren't the 'roids you're looking for.
1. Re:important metric: by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 03:46 · Score: 0
  
  Step 1: Rig new SSDs so that they contain a hidden wifi+"phone home for further instructions" firmware. Complete.
  Step 2: [Redacted]. Complete.
2. Re:important metric: by Bengie · 2013-09-17 04:03 · Score: 1
  
  The history of all Kernel changes are stored publicly in GIT and can be validated using checksums. But I still enjoy the humor :p
3. Re:important metric: by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 05:46 · Score: 0
  
  But since GIt was written by the same guy, surely they compromised that as well!
4. Re:important metric: by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 07:32 · Score: 0
  
  Step 3: Profit.
Notably . . . by greenreaper · 2013-09-17 03:56 · Score: 1

It's best to mix up your adjectives a bit. If you have someone "note" everything, it gets boring rather quickly. If you get stuck, "said' or "wrote" are good options.
1. Re:Notably . . . by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 10:36 · Score: 0
  
  Those are verbs.
lol, that's actually kind of true by raymorris · 2013-09-17 04:00 · Score: 1

That's funny, and even more so because it's somewhat true.
I found that one could break LVM or other layers by using it on top of a resyncing mdadm RAID.
The key was, I broke it REPEATABLY, so I could then confirm that a certain patch fixes it. When I could no longer make it break, it was known to be fixed.
Linux fanboi ? by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 04:40 · Score: 0

NO real Linux advocate would refer to himself as a 'fanboi'
Re:first by peppepz · 2013-09-17 05:19 · Score: 1

Wine does have an implementation of cards.dll.
Re:first by Anonymous Coward · 2013-09-17 05:31 · Score: 0

There are javascript solitaire games that work fine on any OS.