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Linux Kernel Shuffling Zombie Juror Aka 3.16 Released

Posted by samzenpus on from the check-it-out dept.

sfcrazy writes Linus Torvalds has announced the release of Linux kernel 3.16 codenamed "Shuffling Zombie Juror", which brings many notable improvements. Linus said, "So while 3.16 looked a bit iffy for a while, things cleared up nicely, and there was no reason to do extra release candidates like I feared just a couple of weeks ago." It also means that working on 3.17 has started, "And as usual (previous release being the exception) that means that the merge window for 3.17 is obviously open," said Linus.

63 comments

  1. BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Just by that name alone !!

    1. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Informative

      Debian will be using the Shuffling Zombie release. So the Shuffling Zombie will live on, for a number of years.

      https://lists.debian.org/debia...

    2. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by BasilBrush · · Score: 1

      "Shuffling Zombie Juror" is an excellent step towards people taking Linux more seriously.

    3. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by eventhorizon5 · · Score: 3, Informative

      The last 3 releases (3.14, 3.15 and 3.16) have all been named Shuffling Zombie Juror (with 3.13 being "One Giant Leap for Frogkind"), so I'm guessing Linus gave up on the nonsense release names or something. I was looking forward to new ones, but there haven't been any in a while.

      --
      #Secret Windows Source Code, in MS C% - if (uptime >= "24 hours") then bsod() else print "Windows License Violation!"
    4. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Tenebrousedge · · Score: 4, Informative

      It's actually less crazy than most of them.

      --
      Those who advocate genocide deserve every protection afforded by law, and none afforded by common human decency.
    5. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by mythosaz · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I get the idea of catch codenames for internal development, but for public release...I echo your sentiment.

      If you want to be taken seriously, dial down the comedy a bit.

      Google's "dessert" naming strategy is probably about as far as I'm willing to accept without some serious reservations about the seriousness of your project.

    6. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Yeah, just think about all the public!

      I mean, just imagine all those people looking at an Android smartphone and asking the salesman "By the way, what's the codename of this phone's Android distribution's kernel? What, Shuffling Zombie Juror?! Oh, no, I think I'll better go to the Apple Store".

      Or the managers going "What did you say the kernel on our web server is codenamed?.. Right. You're all fired. We're migrating to Windows, IIS and MS SQL as of now".

      Linux just won't be taken seriously by all those people!

      PS: Seriously, this argument pops up every new codename change and it doesn't become less stupid. It's a codename that no user will know of a component that most users won't even know the version number of.

    7. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by mythosaz · · Score: 0

      Google turned "Jelly Bean" and "Kit-Kat" into marketing strategies and brands. Mainstream news covering technology refers to Android by those names.

      Picking version names like Shuffling Zombie Juror is a turnoff for anyone that hears it who isn't living in their parent's basement.

    8. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Are you intentionally obtuse, or did you just miss the point?

      What's marketed is Android, Ubuntu, Debian, RHEL, various set-top boxes, PMPs and what not.

      Nobody markets "Linux Shuffling Zombie Juror". This codename is something only popping up on geek websites and in the source code. Most people don't even know that they're looking at something including Linux kernel 3.16, or even what is "a Linux kernel".

      It isn't marketed as such even to the geeks, it's marketed as "Linux kernel 3.16", and it's mostly of interest to people who build new systems - "marketed" is pretty generous term here.

      It's as much "marketed" as a new version of zlib or libc is "marketed". IIRC those guys don't bother with catchy codenames at all, they probably suck at marketing.

    9. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by mythosaz · · Score: 1

      Perhaps it's you that's missing my point.

      Even people in technology will take something less seriously if you call it Shuffling Zombie Juror. Right or wrong, the name tells people that it's not something to be taken seriously. It might be a case of judging a book by its cover, but "SZJ" hurts more than it helps.

    10. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

      If you want to be taken seriously, dial down the comedy a bit.

      Linus is already taken seriously by a more than sufficient number of people, so he couldn't care less how seriously you take him. Meanwhile, the kernel's code name isn't going to be printed on any boxes, nor used as a bullet point. The numeric version will be provided, if anything, as always.

      --
      "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    11. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And I've covered it in last two paragraphs of my reply.

      People in technology will call and know it as "Linux 3.16", which sound as seriously as "gcc 4.9" or "Android 4.2". You're absolutely off the mark.

    12. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by mythosaz · · Score: 0

      Then we disagree.

      "People in technology" today got to read this story, the one where they discovered the children in charge of naming picked Shuffling Zombie Juror.

      It does not inspire confidence in the people behind the product.

    13. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by mythosaz · · Score: 0

      Linus is already taken seriously by a more than sufficient number of people, so he couldn't care less how seriously you take him.

      That's a strawman.

      Naming your kernel SLZ doesn't inspire confidence in the product or the people behind it.

    14. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

      People in charge of naming picked "Linux 3.16" as you can see in official announcement.

      Shuffling Zombie Juror is internal codename, which is only public because the source code is public - it's not in the announcement, it's not on the boot screen, it won't be on any product box. It's only there in the source.

      If you'd google for this codename (which doesn't work as a name, as it can refer to either 3.14, 3.15 and 3.16) you'd see it's only used in rare instances on geek sites. Most instances are actually copies of this article snarfed by various blogspamish aggregators. Headlines and most sites properly refer to them as "Linux 3.14" etc.

      I also like your image of "people in technology" who accidentally discover that the kernel they knew as Linux 3.14 is codenamed SZJ in the source and run away - because who cares about features, stability and track record, omg that (code)name is sooo dumb!

      PS: "Children". Keeping it classy, eh? Your bias isn't showing at all.

    15. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      The seriousness of your project is determined by the engineering quality that when into it, not a string.

    16. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by epyT-R · · Score: 4, Insightful

      ..and people who pick software based on their emotional responses to their internal code names aren't worth worrying about anyway. There is nothing more expensive than an irrational customer.

    17. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      The programming behind it does, and it either meets your needs or not. The name is irrelevant. Good technical people learn not to use their emotions as first pass filters.

    18. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by serviscope_minor · · Score: 2

      It does not inspire confidence in the people behind the product.

      Linux is not a "product". It's an open, free and Free operating system kernel. Consumer economics is simply the wrong lens with which to view things here.

      The code names basically never come up except in slashdot articles. Seriously, I've never encoutered one anywhere else. Maybe they come up on the mailing lists too.

      If you look at Linux from the outside, you see the kernel running most of the web, most supercomputers, most smartphones and a huge number of the larger sort of embedded device.

      You'll only encounter quirky names if you start looking at the kernel development side of things.

      But honestly, if it does put people off, from a purely selfish point of view, that's a great thing. Why? Because it means my services will be more competitive if others needlessly restrict themselves based on a silly internal code name. I'm pretty sure my customers aren't going to stop using AWS instances and Android phones, so I'll be fine.

      --
      SJW n. One who posts facts.
    19. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, I get the idea of catch codenames for internal development, but for public release...I echo your sentiment.

      What's wrong with the public release name "3.16"?

    20. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      This is stupid in so many ways.
      First: Kernel developers do not care about marketability, marketshare or if their kernelnames names seem silly to others. They don''t care if you use Linux or not. It's all about technical improvements,nto about credibility in some MBAs eyes. Linus is just doing Linux just for fun (he even wrote a book about it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_for_Fun).
      Second, I don't think anyone in the business of IT thinks on Linux less because of the kernel names, Linux has enough credibility due to other means (such as being one of the most popular OS:es on the planet) already.

    21. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by BasilBrush · · Score: 1

      There is nothing more expensive than an irrational customer.

      There's nothing more lucrative than an irrational customer. Modern advertising is all about making them respond even more irrationally.

    22. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by mythosaz · · Score: 1

      Great.

      Now train every PHB to not use their emotions as first pass filters.

    23. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shuffling Zombie Juror

      Sounds like someone got butt hurt by a jury of their peers.

    24. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by camg188 · · Score: 1

      You've just nullified every complaint posted. The only one I've heard of before is "Linux for Workgroups", which is listed as "3.11" in LMDE.

    25. Re:BOUND TO BE A BEST SELLER !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Now train every PHB to not use their emotions as first pass filters"

      If you're the developer & your PHB is looking at source code comments, both of you are doing your jobs wrong.

  2. hm... by thieh · · Score: 1

    Let's see how that turns out for my snd_hda_intel on my dusty laptop.

    1. Re:hm... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sound drivers unfortunately see a lot of churn in linux... I've never personally had any serious regressions hit me, though.

  3. Arch not the first by grahammm · · Score: 5, Informative

    The article suggests that Arch will be the first distribution to have 3.16, but Gentoo got there before it,

    1. Re:Arch not the first by Etzos · · Score: 1

      That depends. The kernel hasn't been moved into Arch's [core] repository yet, but it is in the [testing] one (it was there first, but just barely, according to the times it was just two hours ahead of Gentoo[1] [2]). Not that it matters which was first anyway, they're both rolling release and will have it much earlier than a distro using a standard release model.

      [1] ArchLinux testing/linux package push date at 2014-08-04 06:24:21 (GMT) Source
      [2] Gentoo sys-kernel/linux-headers changelog change date at Mon Aug 4 09:39:49 2014 UTC Source

    2. Re: Arch not the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My distro already runs it.
      Mine.

    3. Re:Arch not the first by yusing · · Score: 1

      Actually it appeared in the Ubuntu 14.10 Alpha 2 releases a few days ago.

      --

      "You must try to forget all you have learned. You must begin to dream." -- Sherwood Anderson

    4. Re:Arch not the first by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My ubuntu 14.04 has had it for 25 hours and 53 minutes!

    5. Re:Arch not the first by ignavus · · Score: 1

      The article suggests that Arch will be the first distribution to have 3.16, but Gentoo got there before it,

      Reminds me of a kindergarten: "I was first! No, me! But I did it before you!"

      Now, children, why can't we all play nicely?

      --
      I am anarch of all I survey.
  4. Linux 3:16 Says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    Why the hell wasn't this version called Stone Cold Steve Austinux?

    1. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by olsmeister · · Score: 2

      Yeah. Or Chuck Norrux.

    2. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Perhaps Climate Changux

      .....get a lot of Slashdot traffic that way.

    3. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by CanHasDIY · · Score: 3, Funny

      How about, "Forgiven SYNs?"

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    4. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      Or Rollen Stewartux.

    5. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      for releases with lots of usb updates, how about sarux sharpux?

    6. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're all raciux.

    7. Re:Linux 3:16 Says... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      or dolph linux....

  5. Linus's office by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Interesting

    As a sidenote, The Linux Foundation recently posted a video showing Linus's current office. :)

  6. bleed for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's like a battle to see who's the most irresponsible.

    I guess someone has to find the bugs, better them than me!

    1. Re:bleed for me by fisted · · Score: 1

      How is that irresponsible?
      What do you suggest? Nobody use the software until somehow all bugs magically go away?
      Or is your strawman that all systems somehow are production systems?
      I take it you're the kind of person who wouldn't even bother to file a proper bug report. Thanks for nothing.

      --
      CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
    2. Re:bleed for me by BitZtream · · Score: 1

      Testers can install the kernel without it being baked into a distro.

      Its funny how many people don't remember what it was like before modern distros that do all the work for you. Freaking noobs.

      --
      Persistent Volume manager for Kubernetes - https://github.com/dwimsey/openshift-pvmanager
    3. Re:bleed for me by Etzos · · Score: 1

      To be fair, this thread is referencing both Arch Linux and Gentoo. In both cases those distributions aim to be as "bleeding edge" as possible. Plus Arch Linux puts things that may break during upgrade in the [testing] repo for a while so people can test it if they want to (baked into the distro) while leaving the majority out of it. Gentoo may have a similar system, I don't have enough experience with it to say either way.

      Saying that it's irresponsible to make the most recent version of software available to users (especially in this case where the users are assumed to be power-users at least) is kind of ridiculous given the nature and goals of Arch Linux and Gentoo.

    4. Re:bleed for me by fisted · · Score: 1

      You're a `freaking noob' if you think either gentoo or arch would be suitable for production -- Protip: They're not.
      That being said, I don't even use Linux, at least not for any kind of servers, so I daresay your little rant was a bit beside the point.
      Then again, it's pretty obvious that you were just taking the opportunity to proclaim that you're a true Linux Expert(TM) <shudders>, so whatever.
      Finally, you make yourself look like an idiot by assuming that there's a substantial difference between "Testers" and "Users" in the FOSS world.

      --
      CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
    5. Re:bleed for me by epyT-R · · Score: 1

      People can and do use gentoo stable in production environments. It does require a non braindead admin to set it up, but the results are limber and powerful, esp for updating and maintaining large numbers of hosts. The fact you don't even use linux suggests the gp is right. You are the newb here.

      By all means, use what you want, but 95% of the software is the same regardless of distro.

    6. Re:bleed for me by fisted · · Score: 0

      Actually it does require a braindead and irresponsible admin, and will cause additional trouble for "large numbers of servers", /especially/ when upgrading. You seem to have quite a narrow horizon seeing what a Linux-centric fanboy you are. Hint: I didn't say i never used it. I used it for years, until i finally had enough of the mess, then moved on to BSD servers.

      --
      CLI paste? paste.pr0.tips!
    7. Re:bleed for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Freaking neckbeard.

  7. Bad name... by RailGunner · · Score: 1

    ... could have fostered more adoption, considering it's 3.16, by getting the celebrity endorsement of Stone Cold Steve Austin.

  8. Joystick support on Linux a mess by tuppe666 · · Score: 1

    I have just updated my Dualshock3 (to a Dualshock4) which although was wonderful and just worked out of the box...with the exception of bluetooth...which I didn't care about and rumble (although grumbels driver and Linux 3.15 now support it...now I don't have one). which I did . Where is joystick support on Linux last time I looked was a unnecessary nightmare...trivial to set up if the program has its own joystick configuration, a nightmare to get sensible universal settings.

    1. Re:Joystick support on Linux a mess by TeknoHog · · Score: 2

      Dude, Linux is a text adventure game. Just use HJKL.

      --
      Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
    2. Re:Joystick support on Linux a mess by EmperorArthur · · Score: 1

      Where is joystick support on Linux last time I looked was a unnecessary nightmare...trivial to set up if the program has its own joystick configuration, a nightmare to get sensible universal settings.

      Depends on your application. The easy "hack" I use with my Dualshock3 and Game Boy Emulator is a program that converts joystick buttons presses to keyboard button presses. It also sends key commands when the joystick goes beyond a certain point, or can convert joystick motion to mouse movement.. It's called Qjoypad if you're interested.

      Pro: Easy setup
      Cons: Analog joystick and button presses are converted to digital keyboard presses. So you lose the fine control.

      --
      So lets pretend that we've just completed writing this code, as opposed to having just completed sabotaging it -Altera
    3. Re:Joystick support on Linux a mess by EmperorArthur · · Score: 1

      Dude, Linux is a text adventure game. Just use HJKL.

      You laugh, but I give you VIM Adventures.

      --
      So lets pretend that we've just completed writing this code, as opposed to having just completed sabotaging it -Altera
  9. Release name by OhSoLaMeow · · Score: 2

    The release name aptly describes my recent foray into jury duty with the county.

    --
    They can take my LifeAlert pendant when they pry it from my cold dead fingers.
  10. Linus Torvalds by AlCapwn · · Score: 1

    Linus Torvalds: [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] [expletive deleted] Shuffling Zombie Juror kernel!

    Change Log:
    - [expletive deleted]
    - [expletive deleted]
    - [expletive deleted]
    - [expletive deleted]
    - [expletive deleted]

    Known Issues:
    - Expletives are mysteriously being overwritten in buffer

  11. Non Technical Posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I don't follow Linux releases and came here hoping for a technical discussion of the newest improvements. Stupid me.

  12. Roll Your Own by jd · · Score: 0

    I reject the argument that you should wait for the distro to release their own roll, except in those cases where custom patches are required to support the hardware or other software.

    Instead, you should think about what it is you want, what you need to support, and what isn't working the way you like. Bring in only those external patches that actually do something for you, then configure and build the kernel.

    Use hardware probes, the proc directory and whatever documentation you've not accidentally shredded to configure the kernel for what you actually have, not for generics that distros can get away with, and not excluding things the distros don't care about. The specific processor is a good place to start.

    Configure latency according to what you specifically do. Microsecond latency on a wordprocessor is going to slow you down. Microsecond latency on X-Plane might be too long.

    Disable everything you absolutely know won't be used between now and the next time you want to update.

    None of this is hard, none of this is painful unless you have ADD, what you will get is a kernel that runs faster and smoother, in less memory, than any stock kernel provided by any distro out there.

    --
    It's a small world and it smells funny; I'd buy another if it wasn't for the money; Take back what I paid (SoM)
  13. bleed for me by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Gentoo only gives you unstable packages if you explicitly ask for them. Linux 3.14 was just recently marked stable on amd64. It'll be a little while more for 3.16.

  14. linux 3:16 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Linux 3:16 for Linus so loved the world he gave us his only begotten kernel