Re: [SLUG] Kernel versioning

From: Derek Glidden (dglidden@illusionary.com)
Date: Wed Oct 31 2001 - 11:00:29 EST


Russell Hires wrote:
>
> This is something I've commented on before, but I thought I'd say it again:
> What's up with the numbering system of Linux? Didn't it used to be
> <major-kernel-version>.odd.xx to show experimental kernels? I don't
> understand how the versioning has changed from 2.0.xx/(2.1.xx) to
> 2.2.xx/(2.3.xx) to 2.4.prexx/(no 2.5.xx) On the surface at least, it seems
> that something has gone awry in kernel development when the "way we keep
> track of things" has changed in this way. It seems that the 2.4.xx kernels
> are still experimental, especially when it comes to this VM thing.
>
> Can anyone help me out on this?

Boy is *THAT* a can of worms.

Yes, traditionally the kernel has followed a major.minor.patch
versioning scheme where the minor version is even for "Stable" branches
and odd for "development" branches. Technically this still holds true,
however, primarily because of the VM issues, a lot of developers are
claiming that 2.4.9 was the last "true" 2.4 kernel and 2.4.10 should
more correctly be called 2.5.0 because of the major VM overhaul.

When Linus finally released 2.4.0 he actually said something to the
effect of "enough is enough, we're never going to get enough people
using this to finally squash all the bugs unless we just call it 2.4."
So I suppose you'd be just as correct considering it a 2.3 kernel.

It's a big disaster as far as I'm concerned - although I tend to
overreact about this sort of thing. The kernel really is *remarkably*
stable (like I said, give me a couple more days to finish up some
research) - it's just that technically the developers keep fiddling with
it way beyond any rational level of fiddling for a supposedly "stable"
kernel release.

-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
With Microsoft products, failure is not an option --
                                     it's a standard component.      
Choose your life.  Choose your future.            Derek Glidden 
         Choose Linux.              http://www.illusionary.com/



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