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Linux Kernel 2.2.0 Press Release Draft
L2000 writes "Here
is the draft of the press
release for the upcoming linux kernel 2.2.0. It seems
like we might get the offical 2.2 kernel before the end of
this month." We're getting closer to the big day.
And there shall be great rejoicing throughout the land.
Why is this posted here? People have been bouncing this so-called draft on linux-kernel. No one should claim this is an actual draft of the press release. Give people time to actually get their act together. Linus has not even said anything about this "draft".
Oh, the best part was left out of this "draft". "NT is a trademark of Northern Telecom." (fact)
As it is one of the main sources of Linux info for MANY users.
I spotted that "vender" should be "vendor".
And "Titanic" was NOT created on Linux. A Linux and NT network created the water, not the whole thing. (And I don't think NT being part of the network was an achievement of NT; if NT were all that good then Linux would not have been needed...)
The Video4Linux supports radio devices as well as TV tuners.
Also, don't use that phrasing about SCSI and other things which already were supported. Mention "Support for even more SCSI devices..." rather than making it sound as if earlier versions did not support any SCSI. Similar phrasing is scattered around for other things which have had a great deal of support (or were supported in user space rather than kernel).
Much more stuff went into 2.2 than just a handfull of features that were listed.
Get rid of the fluff at the end. Add and highlight the following stuff:
That's just off the top of my head. The kernel has doubled in size, there's a boatload of stuff in there.
Play up the versus-NT angle. Mention that with all the recent announcements from enterprise database vendors, a 2.2 kernel running on a multi-CPU machine, from an US$50 CD will outperform a $4500 NT box on the same hardware.
That is not an offical release.
That is not an offical draft of a release.
Linus has not given any acknowledgement of that
draft.
Throwing publicity on this draft in this state
is foolhardy, and may be damaging to Linux.
Maintainers, remove this news item.
This lame press release is an embarassment. I hope someone writes something much more coherent before the release.
1) Get rid of all of those URL's. Pick just one. I would suggest Linux International. Let folks continue surfing from links found there. No need to have a whole page of links.
2) There were some serious editorial problems in the document. How about that repeated paragraph towards the end, listing trademarks?
3) Some of these features were already in 2.0. It would be more correct to state that these features have been greatly improved since 2.0.
4) Can we get some independent benchmarks done on NT vs. Linux for file/print serving with Samba? And web serving with Apache? These could be press releases on their own but I think that managers rely greatly on benchmarks and it's high time we get some out there. You know and I know that Linux is an order of magnitude faster. But most managers don't know that yet and need hard cold numbers to understand it.
Press releases are supposed to show what's good about a product. Slashdot does that sometimes, but more often than not it shows the dark side of Linux - how we argue with each other and flame each other to death over things as petty as which window manager we use. I'm not saying that the dark side should go away - it never will - but it's not the sort of thing you put in a press release that is supposed to sell people on a product. It'd be the equivalent of Ford selling a new car by pointing out that last year's model was only in X number of crashes.
Where it says...
"Projects such as GNOME (GNU Network Orientated Model Environment)..."
...should read...
"Projects such as GNOME (GNU Network *Object* Model Environment)..."
...this occurs in Linux-2.2.DRAFT6.txt.
Elaborate on your Titanic comment or take it out.
Does your opinion have to do with the
story line or the effects?
The comment probably does not belong here, because it is either is irrevelent or undermines the
credibility of the achievment.
-don
Also, the Tradmark section is half repeated.
The comment that "High end SMP
support scales well, supporting up to 64-bit processor systems" is showing the authors lack of insight. SMP scalability is not related to whether the processors are "32-bit" or "64-bit". Stating that a processor is "64-bit" is more marketing whiz-bang talk than technical information.
I thought it was great That is one of the things that SHOULD stay in there.
MS, with all it's misquotings to the press, lies, and FUD, deserves a little "mis-quote" thrown right back at them.
I can't wait till everything is released..
Why doesn't it mention the GNU General Public License? I think the most important 'feature' of the kernel is the license!
Sounds quite noble. Before the end of the month. 10 days, that is. It still doesn't compile on my sparc machine. I wonder if the release will.
It realy should mention that Open Source and Debian are Registered Certification Marks of Software in the Public Interest, Inc.
Here's your chance to earn the respect of the Linux geeks and /. crowd: Write a better press release, LGPL it, and post it here for comments.
Sadly, press releases don't include a by-line. But maybe you could quote yourself in it or quote some industry big-wig.
I find this kind of PR embarassing. It has enough errors in it to lend it a very amateurish look, and contains enough non-sequiturs (e.g. what does Y2K have to do with internationalization?) as to give the appearance of a document written by someone who'd seen a press release, but doesn't know anything about them.
I have severe doubts that this document would get past Linus -- it's random, incoherent, and misses much of the point completely. I know for certain I could personally write a better press release. But it's futile because Linus and/or the distros will put out something better suited for general consumption.
From the look of comments, it appears that some random IRC channel decided to make this stuff up. That gives it even less credibility than an AC posting on slashdot! =)
"Projects such as GNOME (GNU Network Orientated Model Environment), KDE (K
Desktop Environment), and Enlightenment all take advantage of the Linux
kernel, and allow users to completely customize their Graphical User Interface
(GUI). This makes for quick and easy interaction with hardware and software
through desktop icons, menus, and keyboard shortcuts."
What the HELL? KDE/GNOME/E have not a THING to do with the Linux kernel. I have one word to say: twm (probably much older X window managers too, but this is the oldest I know). E is completely different from KDE/GNOME also.
That comment about Microsoft is the most disrespectful, ignorant thing I have ever seen coming from free software/open source land. They did not intend for it to be used in the way its used. Hell, MS could find many faults with the free software community that they could use (i.e.: people in the free software community can not agree and always get into flame wars).
This "press release" is by no means "official". I seriously doubt Linus would ever approve of this.
People usually think of Microsoft when they see the word "FUD", but I'm starting to think of Slashdot. If you can't do research you shouldn't run a news site. Else it will turn into just another site with rumors and worthless content.
that's why it was in brackets (you knoe those [ ] things) and had a clearly labelled "COMMENT" next to it.
not knowing linus' prose style, i assumed that linus had some hand in the thing. i'm sure the intent was benign, but the effect was to put words in linus' mouth. i am also sure that i was not the only one who made that mistake.
if yr gonna flame people, don't do it ex-cathedra when speaking for a community, and don't sure as hell do it over somebody else's name . . .
I found the following a little bit bizarre:
* Already legendary Linux performance is significantly enhanced. High end SMP
support scales well, supporting up to 64-bit processor systems. In addition
to this, Linux offers a revolutionary new system, called Beowulf
, which allows for multiple computer systems to be
used as they were one single machine.
Should it not be 64-processor systems ?
Linux support for 64-bit systems is old news.
there are several bugs even a dumbass like me
can detect, and that framebuffer shit (fbset, etc)
is quite hard to find as the documentation url
only points to the root of a morass, and
it doesnt even compile.
The way I read the draft 'press release' is that the 'highlights' section seems to indicate that these things are new to the 2.2 kernel.
Hmm, I must be imagining having a SCSI Jukebox hooked up to my Linux box so I can back it up to 8mm tape.
For starters take the "you"s out of the document!!!
Get someone to check the grammar!!!
Take the redundant information off the document.
Dex-
Kill the section on Beowolf. As it's phrased now, it's completely inaccurate. Beowolf clustering is no where close to using a bunch of machines as a single computer. It makes writing distributed programs easier, but it's not even close to what the article describes it as.
Titanic was created on a network of Alphas, not a supercomputer. There's a big difference. A supercomputer is a single computer; a distributed system is quite different. There are many tasks that are only possible on a supercomputer. Linux has not been ported to any semimodern supercomputers (it only has a port to one supercomputer (note: not just one type; one actual machine), which is ancient, and slower than most modern workstations. I don't know the maturity of that port; it's certainly not worth mentioning).
Linus didn't create Linux because he was 'disillusioned' with the quality of commercial software. He had no idea Linux would ever become anything useable until quite late into the project. He just wanted to learn more about kernel hacking. Of all the free software projects I know of, only GNU actually has the intention of having a complete, usable free OS.
- pmitros
yep, slashdot is an *advocacy* site, not a news site. (or if you prefer, a news site with lots of advocacy). it's a nice place for me because of the interesting information i pick up here (99% of which is in the comments, not the news stories), but for the non-geek i think this would be a scary place.
Gumber sez:
The section on SMP is muddled. It conflates support for 64 bit processors with SMP, which seems wrong.
Better to emphasize the SMP support and to specify how it has been improved (ie, now supports 4 processors, or now supports 8, or whatever)
LINUX KERNEL 2.2
The Internet, February XX, 1999
Today the software development team led by Linus Torvalds releases a
major update to the Linux operating system. The new release brings
enterprise scalability, broad support for newer hardware, and a large
collection of low-level features. Highlights include:
* Advanced network routing and WAN support, which gives Linux the
ability to replace many expensive proprietary network devices.
Users can take control of their intranet with priority traffic,
usage limits, firewalls, accounting, and virtual private networks.
* Strong 256-bit encryption, available as an add-on component
uncompromised by US export restrictions. Linux protects both
network infrastructure and hard disk storage, including swap space.
* Enterprise-level network filesystem support, complete with data
replication for performance, mobility, and extreme reliability.
File server destruction need not and should not stop business.
* Video conferencing and recording support, TV tuner support,
enhanced audio support, and other exciting multimedia enhancements.
* Support for a wider variety of parallel port devices including
disk drives, tape drives, and other easy-to-use external devices.
* Greater performance than the already legendary linux 2.0, especially while
under heavy load or while running on computers with multiple processors.
* Easy access to documents stored on NTFS-format hard disks.
This NT compatibility support provides an upgrade path to Linux.
As of now, technical users can download this update from the Internet.
Business users will get a fully supported copy when Linux vendors
ship complete integrated systems containing the update on easy-to-use
CD-ROM distributions.
BACKGROUND
Linux is a secure network operating system for demanding users.
It interoperates well with a wide variety of other systems.
Linux takes advantage of modern PC and PowerMac hardware and gives
new life to older 486-based computers. With Euro support and
Y2K compliance, Linux is ready for the next millennium.
Linux support is widely available via both traditional contracts
and cost-effective Internet groups. Linux is provided under an
unlimited-use license that lets users make in-house customizations
to the system itself. Linux makes over 25 percent of all web servers
work, more than any other operating system. Initial estimates suggest
that Linux has 20 million users worldwide.
-- quote goes here (which one?) --
Linus Torvalds, native to Finland, lives with his family in the
Silicon Valley. He and his Linux development team created
and maintain Linux as a labor of love. Their devotion to software
quality has created a world-class operating system adopted by
large enterprises, small businesses, governments, educational
institutions, and home users alike.
For more information, see www.Linux.ORG (please note the ".org"),
www.uk.Linux.ORG and www.LinuxResources.com.
#### insert contact address/phone here ####
Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. Open Source is a
trademark of the Open Source Initiative. PowerMac is a trademark
of Apple Computer, Inc. NT is a trademark of Northern Telecom Limited.
All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of
their respective owners.
/dons asbestos suit/
I'd like to see some mention along the lines of "the kernel, along with a myriad of other programs, comprises a complete computer system."
The press release makes it sound like the kernel *is* the system. To quote: "Linux is a secure network operating system"
The GNU project is very briefly mentioned in the Links section. Hardly enough recognition IMHO.
Linus and Co. have been doing a wonderful job with 2.2.0. I've been running the pre kernels religously, and have not experienced any crashes or unstable behaviour.
----------------- ------------ ---- --- - - - -
----------------- ------------ ---- --- - - - -
Your honor is perfectly understandishable.
Yeah! Go Nortel!
They give jobs to my friends.
-- Erich
Slashdot reader since 1997
It doesn't need eloquence and wit. I'd settle for a simple announcement that had everything spelled correctly. One that didn't erroneously call the Linux kernel a "secure network operating system" would be nice as well.
10 PRINT CHR$(205.5+RND(1)); : GOTO 10
There are a fair number of typos which, for a major announcement, is not acceptable.
I quite like the fact that they quote Microsoft; that's quite entertaining. Unfortunately, that may need to "not make the final cut," as the statement wasn't volunteered for public use by any means...
Posted by Matt Borowski:
The press release itself is rather long, and should concentrate more on Linux 2.2 kernel features than general features of the Linux OS and X Window.
They also need to remove "Linux Online" (www.linux.org) from the list of URLs at the bottom of the article! That site is evil. =)
It's a little sad how many people here seem to want to use the 2.2 release (or the accompanying (?) press release) to push your own particular politics. "Mention GNU more!" "Don't link to linux.org!" etc.
I personally don't think a 'press release' is in order, and seeing something so obviously directed at marketroids is painful. Let RedHat and their ilk handle that, I'd rather see a nice detailed Documentation/Changes file from the kernel team...
I have done no kernel coding, so it's not that important to me and my opinion is meaningless, but do we really want to be inching and creeping towards "hey! zdnet! look what we can do now!"?
Posted by posterkid:
And Unix98 PTYs, and the beginnings of Quality-of-Service routing scheduling, fbcon, other REAL improvements. Not a fuckin' "tradition of y2k readiness". *spit*
Agreed. Thankfully there's only been one bug that has bit me hard so far, screwy swap cache causing a reboot when converting an mp3 to a cdr format. Haven't tried it with pre8 yet, though....
2.2 must not be rushed. Fuck the 'pundits', fuck their expectations, fuck their FUD. We've always been about quality.
(b) the idea is to announce, and get as many as possible interested in using/trying Linux. Education in the culture, institutions, and icons of the free software universe will inevitably follow once they're hooked [nyah-ha-ha!].
Yeah, GNU gets only brief mention, like XFree and Samba and all the other pieces that make Linux the richest OS on the planet. But that's OK; I'm sure Richard will get another dozen or so interviews when the final release comes; he's too picturesque a character for the press to ignore....
Craig
Looks like I wrote a rough draft and never cared to edit it.
High end SMP support scales well, supporting up to 64-bit processor systems. That combination makes no sense. Looks on first sight like a type, and linux supports 64 SMP processors. If it really means support for 64 bit processors (wasn't that in 2.0.0?) then seperate it out.
What I find works well when editing my own stuff is to read the entire thing backwards (backwords thing entire the read to is to stuff own my editing when well works find I when) However it is not easy and I wouldn't do that much work for something that isn't important. If this is to ever be officail it deserves every trick in the book, even if you reject the results of the trick.
Interesting, to say the least. heh.
If you can read this message, your threshold is too low.
I'm not sure calling this "the" press release for linux 2.2.0 is accurate; it's really more of a proposal for a press release that's been tossed around on linux-kernel for a while. As far as I can tell, it hasn't been officially blessed by Linus at all.
I could be wrong about that, though.
Aside from the verbosenes of the press release, why is LinuxPPC not listed in the Distributions?
Aleks
It's the right analogy. Of course it's interchangable - Linux wasn't the perfect solution either, NT provides some stuff that Linux doesn't and Linux provides some stuff NT doesn't (most notably - stability).
Matt.
--
Matt. Want XML + Apache + Stylesheets? Get AxKit.
Why would a kernel have I18n support? Or is that just food for the PHB's?
Is it just me that thinks the kernel is getting way too bloated now, and some stuff could easily move out of the kernel (video4linux doesn't strike me as something that should be at the kernel level).
Matt.
--
Matt. Want XML + Apache + Stylesheets? Get AxKit.
After a brief search through Dejanews... I found a link to Linus's 2.0 kernel release post. You can find it at http://x1.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=159433479&CONT EXT=916865358.1854734395&hitnum=3 assuming Slashdot doesn't munge the URL. Btw, I couldn't put that URL in an HREF in this comment submit box.
My personal opinion is that we should leave marketing pitches to the corporations who care and press releases are nothing but marketing.
I spotted that "vender" should be "vendor".
According to my copy of Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, "vender" is an alternative spelling to "vendor".
Though I agree it looks very out of place-- that happens with most words when you substitude e --> o.
I guess with the 2.2.0 kernel so close to release, that RH is probably driving Raster and those Gnome boys like slave drivers. I am sure they are hoping for a Gnome 1.0 and an E 15 to release with it. Not to mention that they would like to be the first distro to be out the door. Picture it:
Red Hat Software Releases Red Hat Linux 6.0 and Application CD!
The release of Red Hat Linux 6.0 uses the latest 2.2.0 kernel which is the greatest thing since slice bread! Also included in this gift from the gods is the long anticipated Release 15 of Enlightenment, the most powerful, configurable, beautiful, Window Manager. And if that wasn't enough, we are proud to be the first distribution to include Gnome 1.0, the ultimate desktop environment.
Its spelt "L-I-N-U-X", but pronunced as "Free Beer"
I have forked the draft press release, in order to get rid of some of the unnecessary, redundant, or simply wrong information contained in the other one. I am not on the kernel mailing list, so if anyone finds this interesting, please forward it there for discussion.
/dev/null.
In the end of the day, I expect these will all be cannibalized when Linus produces his own official release. Everyone should remember that whatever press release becomes official, it has to have Linus' blessing or it has no credibility.
Please feel free to contact krose@theory.lcs.mit.edu for information or suggestions about this draft. It is meant for discussion purposes only and is not meant to masquerade as an "official" release, so a$$holes can redirect their flames to
Kyle Rose
MIT LCS
**** DRAFT **** PRESS RELEASE - LINUX KERNEL 2.2.0 **** DRAFT ****
**** FORK 1
Linux kernel version 2.2.0 released
Contact: Somebody
Office: Somewhere
Email: Something@Somedomain.SomeTopLevel
SANTA CLARA, C.A. -- The Linux kernel development team has officially
announced the release of a new version of the Linux kernel. This
update brings advanced scalability and broad support for newer
hardware, while maintaining the stability and reliability that have
been traditional hallmarks of the Linux kernel.
Among the new features of the 2.2.0 kernel are **BLAH** [Something
needs to be added here that doesn't sound like Microsoft doublespeak.]
Advanced technical users are already using this update, available from
the Linux Kernel Archive (http://www.kernel.org/). Linux system
vendors will begin shipping systems using the new kernel in
March. Business users will be able to obtain the update from their
Linux distribution vendor. As always, the Linux kernel is distributed
under the terms of the GNU General Public License, available for
perusal at the web site of the Free Software Foundation
(http://www.fsf.org/).
BACKGROUND -- "Linux" is the common name for a series of operating
system distributions based primarily on the Linux kernel and software
from the Free Software Foundation's GNU Project. Linux is available
for most popular computer architectures, including but not limited to
x86, Alpha, PowerPC, MIPS, and Sparc.
Since the Linux kernel was created in 1991 by then Finnish university
student Linus Torvalds, Linux has grown to an installed base estimated
at more than 20 million users worldwide. With its 212% growth rate in
1998, it is the fastest growing server operating system. Among its
advantages attracting new users are:
* Its open development model, which enables any user to modify the
operating system components and submit patches to the official
distribution. This both facilitates the development of new
features and enables users to repair problems within hours after
they have been located. [This is very awkward. It needs work in
delineating the concept I have brought out here.]
* Its usability. Linux has both advanced graphical user interfaces
in GNOME and KDE and a flexible command line, enabling power users
and novices alike to work in a comfortable environment. [I'm not
quite sure this is what I'm trying to say.]
* Its stability and reliability. Linux machines have been known to
run for years without rebooting, and in most cases, only kernel
replacements -- not application installations -- necessitate such
action.
* Its maturity. Linux is modelled after UNIX, an operating system
that has proven stability through nearly thirty years of research
and development.
Microsoft engineers Josh Cohen and Vinod Valloppillil, in a
competitive examination of Linux (Halloween Document,
http://www.opensource.org/halloween.html), write that "Linux
represents a best-of-breed UNIX, that is trusted on mission critical
applications, and - due to its open source code - has a long term
credibility which excedes many other competitive operating systems."
For additional information about Linux, the Free Software Foundation,
the GNU Project, or related software, please refer to the URLs listed
below.
[Trademark information goes here. I'm not sure what needs to be
listed.]
[URLs can go here. Keep it brief.]
[ home ]
Hi,
/., see it as a wider proofreading audience. As long as people give sensible comments on it (and I don't mean stuff like 'this doesn't belong here', 'this should not have come out yet'), it can only help on improving the press release.
read the following:
Already legendary Linux performance is significantly enhanced. High end SMP
support scales well, supporting up to 64-bit processor systems.
What has SMP-scalability to do with 64-bit processors?
and:
Projects such as GNOME (GNU Network Orientated Model Environment), KDE (K
Desktop Environment), and Enlightenment all take advantage of the Linux
kernel, and allow users to completely customize their Graphical User Interface
(GUI). This makes for quick and easy interaction with hardware and software
through desktop icons, menus, and keyboard shortcuts.
These have nothing to do with the Linux kernel. In fact, both GNOME and KDE run on a myriad of platforms.
About publishing stuff like this on
Maarten
Maarten Boekhold
It should be up to GNU to announce when it upgrades its binutils, &ct. The fact that some (ok, all) distributions use GNU utilities with their releases doesn't mean Linux has to say that they are the one-and-only way of runnning a Linux kernel.
As well, for most people OS==kernel, and since this is a public announcement...
Twas interesting to note the likely March release date for distributions (which I assume includes RedHat etc)...
The LinuxPPC folks are as close if not a smidge ahead from what I can tell on getting things 2.2.0 ready for both online release and CD release....
wake up, this is about the KERNEL. the GNU project do a lot of things that Linux (or GNU/Linux if you want) uses, but not the kernel. In fact, they make their own, called the Hurd. And Debian is going to support it one of these days.
I'd dearly love to see FireWire working on Linux.
:-)
Is video capture really supported?
I'd use it if it was.
D
This document is much too detailed for your average press release. Although it's factually accurate, press releases should simply be announcements, not sales pitches.
:)
This is all IMHO, of course
Wow, crazy anonymous coward declares it should be removed. While I agree this isn't anywhere close to news, as it's just a link to the work in progress of the press release and that it's no way official at all. But maybe if you ASK, instead of commanding? maybe?
-matt
From what I understand it's the complete opposite for most people. I run it on a 486dx2/66 w/ 20megs of ram and it's really fast, of cource there are 3 computers on my network and the 486 is one of them. NT, however, wouldn't come close to running on that box.
-matt
If the PR is completely bogus, as you say, that just makes it more interesting to talk about.
Don't go telling people what they can't talk about.
I guess this means I have to start work on the Linux/m68k 2.2 announcement then...
My Blog. Sela Ward can sell me long distanc
From what I've read and been told on the Beowulf mailing list, the distribution doesn't operate in the way the PR implies. A Beowulf system runs as one big machine *only* insofar as processors go and *only* for explicitly multithreaded applications. E.g. 20x80MB HD != 1600MB--you have to deal w/each drive individually. (One might try setting up a RAID first, but I haven't heard anything about this being attempted.)
Finally, I agree that the document needs to be pared *way* down before it's sent out. A PR needs to be short and succint; they can provide info for where people can go for more details.
This sound like a true press moron. He makes linux sound like a Sony Playstation. I hope linus reads this press release. He probably wont say anything to the writer but somebody should.
Let linus write the real press release.
Its supposed to be directed at us not the wanta-be's who hang out at CompUSA or Best-Buy
I have a few questions:
Since when did Linux become a 'network operating system'? I know it has supported networking from early on, but saying it is a 'network' os may be too misleading for a press release.
Also, I thought Linus started Linux as a project to learn more about his 386 and to create a minix clone, not 'after becoming disillusioned with the poor quality of commercial alternatives'.
L8R!
David
If not embarassing, it sounds at least too bullying. At least I am embarrassed when I read it.