Linux 4.18 Releases With Steam Controller Kernel Driver, Spectre Updates

fstack writes: Linus Torvalds has released Linux 4.18 as the newest kernel bringing a Steam Controller kernel driver, Spectre updates for ARM64, power management updates, a "Restartable Services" system call, AMD Radeon graphics driver improvements, V3D DRM as Broadcom's new graphics driver, DM writecache support, USB 3.2 support, and many other updates. Linus Torvalds wrote of the 4.18 final release: "It was a very calm week, and arguably I could just have released on schedule last week, but we did have some minor updates. Mostly networking, but some vfs race fixes (mentioned in the rc8 announcement as 'pending') and a couple of driver fixes (scsi, networking, i2c). Some other minor random things (arm crypto fix, parisc memory ordering fix)." In a separate article, Phoronix details all the changes and new features available in this release.

Linus the legend

[Anonymous Coward]

What a guy. Should win a Nobel prize. Best buy in tech ever.

Re: Linus the legend

[Anonymous Coward]

Best *guy in tech. I'm sure he's not for sale!

Re:

[TeknoHog]

In 2012 Linus received the Millennium prize, which is kind of like the Nobel prize for technology (the Nobels are more about fundamental science). https://www.bbc.com/news/techn... [bbc.com]

Re:

[Anonymous Coward]

It might make the updates before 18.10 is ready. The rate of uptake with new kernels seems to have increased with Ubuntu and derivative distros. Not sure why you would want Steam gaming inside the kernel, but then these are deep technical matters. As long as it works and doesn't break my day, whatever.

Re:

[wed128]

The dongle still works better then bluetooth, if you can deal with a thingy sticking out of your PC

Ukuu?

[Herve5]

Why not trying by yourself?

If the procedure to update kernel looks complex, you may just use the Ukuu very simple updater (actually just a wrapper, with nice explanations, and even available within U. app store itself IIRC).

I for one am using the latest 4.17 kernel (from two days ago), installed via Ukuu, on all my Ubuntu 16 LTS machines*.

(Ukuu even explains you how to proceed if you loaded a failed kernel, with a simple action to switch back to your previous one. Which happened to me once in the last 20 up

Spectre update

[manu0601]

Get used to it: we are going to get Spectre updates for years. That one will never be completely patched in software.

Also...

[thePsychologist]

They forgot to mention it now runs inside Emacs.

Re:

[93 Escort Wagon]

Great! Now we're just waiting on a decent text editor...

Re: Also...

[unrealmp3]

What's wrong with vim? ;) *grabs popcorn*

Emacs has been assimilated into systemd

[raymorris]

Emacs is now part of systemd. It can now be used to edit binary blobs. Ascii file support has been deprecated in the new systemd.emacs.

Can he reverse the Theory of Relativity ?

[rojash]

The brash braniac that he is, wonder whats his take on the ToRs...

Re:

[Tough Love]

Reverse Relativity, sounds catchy. [dreamstime.com]

Re:

[The Cynical Critic]

The annoying part about SystemD is that like PulseAudio, a previous Pottering project known to be a buggy mess (at least until some more competent management came in and fixed it), it's a genuinely needed replacement for something aging and badly outdated.

Unfortunately people are too aware of the pitfalls of NIH syndrome so you're not going to be able to get enough members of the open source community to create a competently done init replacement to replace an incompetently done one that still (somewhat)

Re:

[The Cynical Critic]

Sure, there are other init systems, but none of them are as well supported as init or SystemD. As for distros without SystemD, they're more of a developer demonstration rather than anything maintained as a proper distro meant for production use.

Re:

[thegarbz]

They retire that pile of shit yet or is Poettering still sucking everyone's dicks to keep it?

Given Linus's own comments on the matter why would you think anyone who matters cares?

let me be the first to ask ..

[thygate]

why we need a kernel driver for a gaming device ? surely there is some userland service or something that can talk usb hid ?

For anyone else wondering

[Trogre]

The Steam Controller, is a hand controller for playing Steam games.

It is not, disappointingly, a gadget for controlling steam engines.

Re:

[wed128]

I bought one during the summer sale, it seems like a neat piece of hardware, but man is it wierd.

I *want* to like it so much, but i'm having a lot of trouble getting used to it. So much configuration!!!

Re: For anyone else wondering

[unrealmp3]

It takes a whole to get used to, but once you do you will sorely miss its precision when you go back to regular controller. IMO, it shines when you combine the right trackpad (for large motions) with the gyro (for small motions).

Steam Controller?

[TuringTest]

Man, I knwe Linux was all about supporting old devices, but this is Steampunk-grade.