Linux Kernel 2.5.19 Released

The Pi-Guy writes "It's that time again, yep, another kernel update - 2.5.19 is out there, including lots of drivers ported to the new API, and lots of ia64 and PPC32 fixes! Grab it from your local Kernel.org mirror, or if you're feeling mean, you can grab it directly from kernel.org here. The changelog is also at kernel.org."

Bluetooth in 2.6 will be something to wait for

[jukal]

As it now seems that bluetooth kernel support will make it to 2.6, we will see Linux crawling through new paths to embedded devices. The floodgates are now really open, since this has been a true barrier for many companies forcing them to select something else which is otherwise inferior.

Re:Worryingly low number of "beta" testers?

[adamwright]

Conversely, it could be that more and more "normal" people are using Linux, thus pushing the development users down. This is a ratio we want to see decrease (as long as its associated with a large influx of genuine users).

Re:When will Mandrake upgrade their kernel?

[Clue4All]

Are you expecting them to package a DEVELOPMENT kernel? I certainly hope not. Kernel upgrades are supported with urpmi in Cooker, but I'd be curious what is wrong with the 2.4.18 kernel supplied with 8.2. It's been thorughly QA tested, and if you have the upgrade sickness, surely you can learn to compile your own kernel.

This is great news for Linux

[PhysicsGenius]

You might at first think that needing to have bugfixes put out every few days would be a black eye for Linux, but I'd like to suggest that the opposite is the case. Here are a list of benefits that the "kernel treadmill" provides:

1) Keeps user skills fresh on how to tar zxf; cd; make; make install
2) Frequent full source downloads lets developers, hosts and users all make sure their net connections are optimized
3) Announcement on non-kernel-related sites keeps Linux, OS of the Gods, in the forefront of everyone's minds
4) Announcement on non-kernel-related sites also ensures that stock analysts, mechanical engineers and daycare workers all get the latest source code to make "all bugs shallow"
5) Let's slashbots who wouldn't know gcc from herpes simplex talk about "the kernel" as if they knew thing one about programming or Linux

Not for normal users

[Ti_Uhl]

The latest stable release of the kernel is 2.4.19 the 2.5.x is still in beta release and shouldn't be used by normal users.

Re:Shouldn't this be prefaced by "Developer..."?

[Dunkalis]

Probably. I thought it was a stable kernel release, until I began to read the comments. Most of us DO NOT care about the unstable kernel. I would only run an unstable if it had features I wanted. 2.4.18 is fine for me, thanks. Slashdot should have made it Developers, since thats all it really concerns. When, for example, Linux releases 2.4.19, make a news post. Until then, try and post it under Developers.

If it was the 3.x.x series, it would be a bit more important. But this is the standard 2.x.x series. This isn't news for most of us.

2.5.20

[bonch]

I just checked kernel.org, 2.5.20 is already up. This is one of the problems with posting endless updates about minor version upgrades. Should we expect another kernel article on Tuesday?