Articles about Linus Torvalds

Linux 6.15 brings new hardware support and bcachefs improvements

Linus Torvalds has officially released version 6.15 of the Linux kernel. While this update doesn’t include anything flashy or headline-grabbing, it continues the steady evolution of the most important open source kernel in the world.

As usual, driver updates make up the bulk of changes. Linux 6.15 brings better support for modern hardware, including fixes for newer Lenovo and HP laptops, updates to Allwinner and Rockchip boards, and expanded controller support in the xpad driver.

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Linux 6.12 officially released

Linux kernel

Linus Torvalds has officially released Linux 6.12, confirming that the last week of development went as planned, allowing the project to stick to its typical release schedule. Torvalds mentioned that the merge window for the next development phase is opening, and he acknowledged the developers who submitted their pull requests early. He asked users to test this release to ensure no unnoticed issues remain before integrating further changes.

Linux 6.12 is packed with fixes and refinements aimed at improving stability and performance. While there are no major overhauls in this version, it does bring a substantial number of changes spread across different areas of the kernel. Developers worked on CPU architectures, GPU drivers, network functionalities, and memory management to address various bugs and make minor improvements.

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What happens to Linux when Linus Torvalds dies?

The Linux kernel is at the heart of countless operating systems, powering everything from smartphones to servers. At the center of its development for decades has been Linus Torvalds, a name synonymous with the project itself. But what would happen to the Linux kernel if Linus Torvalds were to suddenly pass away?

First, it’s crucial to recognize that while Torvalds is the most prominent figure in Linux development, the kernel itself is the product of a vast, global community of developers and maintainers. Over the years, Torvalds has overseen the direction and quality of the kernel, ensuring the code adheres to stringent standards and that the development process runs smoothly. However, he is not the only contributor by any stretch. Thousands of developers worldwide contribute code, bug fixes, and improvements to the project.

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Linux 6.11 released

Linux 6.11 is now available. In his announcement, Linus Torvalds mentioned that the release was largely uneventful, with the majority of patches being relatively small and focused. Torvalds highlighted that the most prominent update in this release is the addition of Hyper-V Confidential Computing documentation.

Torvalds, who is currently on the road in Vienna, noted that while the merge window for the next release cycle opens tomorrow, progress might be slower than usual due to his participation in Open Source Summit Europe and the Kernel Maintainer Summit. He has over 40 pull requests pending but asks for patience as he works through them.

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Linux 6.10 released

Linus Torvalds has announced the release of Linux kernel 6.10, highlighting that the last week of development was somewhat more active than previous weeks, but not enough to necessitate an additional release candidate. The final week’s activities were largely centered around the bcachefs and netfs filesystems, which accounted for about a third of the patches. Another third of the updates involved various drivers, while the remaining patches were categorized as miscellaneous.

This release paves the way for the merge window of Linux 6.11, which is set to open tomorrow. This timing coincides with the start of summer vacations in much of Europe, which may influence the pace of subsequent contributions. Nonetheless, the new release incorporates a wide range of fixes and updates across different subsystems and architectures, underscoring the collaborative efforts of the global developer community.

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Linux Daddy Linus Torvalds releases kernel 6.9

Linus Torvalds, the pioneer behind the Linux kernel, has released version 6.9, opting not to delay despite a few unresolved regression fixes. According to Torvalds, the remaining issues are minor and will be addressed via backports in subsequent updates. This version is characterized by its stability, with Torvalds noting that the release process appeared “pretty normal.”

This iteration brings notable updates, particularly to GPU and networking drivers, which dominate the change log, although Torvalds mentioned that these are relatively small in scope. The release also includes several critical filesystem fixes, with enhancements to bcachefs and adjustments in ksmbd, alongside late-stage selftest fixes and core networking amendments.

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Linux 6.9-rc1 provides a glimpse into the future of the open source kernel

Linus Torvalds has officially announced the release of Linux 6.9-rc1, marking the end of the merge window for this version. As usual, the update brings a ton of changes, with a significant portion attributed to AMD GPU header files. But let's not get bogged down by the sheer volume of these updates; the real excitement lies in the core improvements that promise to enhance the kernel's performance.

Two major updates steal the spotlight in this release: the timer subsystem and the workqueue subsystem. The timer subsystem has undergone a substantial rewrite, introducing per-CPU timer wheels. This enhancement is poised to boost the performance of timers, which is especially crucial for networking operations. On the other hand, the workqueue subsystem now supports BH workqueue support, providing a much-needed alternative to the long-deprecated tasklet interface.

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Linus Torvalds announces Linux 6.8

In a recent announcement, Linus Torvalds revealed the release of Linux 6.8. The latest version of the kernel took a bit longer to finalize due to a higher-than-preferred commit count, primarily attributed to updates in various self-tests, particularly in networking. However, the past two weeks have seen a calming of activities, allowing for the release to proceed without further delay.

Linux 6.8 does not boast the same level of groundbreaking changes as its predecessor but maintains a consistent pace with an average release size, reminiscent of the past few years. The most notable addition in this version is the new Xe DRM driver, although the bulk of the changes are scattered updates and fixes across the board.

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Linux Foundation Public Health prepares global COVID-19 passport as Linus Torvalds encourages vaccine uptake

COVID-19 vaccine

As the world battles the coronavirus pandemic, governments around the globe are taking different approaches to tackling the problem. While COVID-19 remains a somewhat divisive topic, there's one thing that most people can agree on: vaccinations are going to play a major role in getting things under control.

This is why the father of Linux, Linus Torvalds, has spoken out telling people to "get vaccinated" and "stop believing the anti-vax lies". For anyone who believes "the crazy conspiracy theories" he has a simple message: "SHUT THE HELL UP". Meanwhile, Linux Foundation Public Health has launched the Global COVID Certificate Network (GCCN), described as "an initiative to enable interoperable and trustworthy verification of COVID certificates between jurisdictions for safe border reopening".

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Linux 5.10 is a bigger kernel release than expected and sees the removal of setf_fs()

Linux

With first release candidate of version 5.10 of the Linux kernel now available, Linus Torvalds says that it "looks to be a bigger release" than he expected.

Linux kernel 5.10-rc1 includes 14-15,000 merge commits -- depending on how you count them -- Torvalds notes in his weekly update to the Linux community. He shares the news that, for him, the most interesting change in this release is the removal of the setf_fs() addressing tool.

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Fedora 30 Linux distro is here

Fedora may not be the prettiest Linux distribution (that honor belongs to deepin), but it is still the overall greatest such operating system. Why? Well, not only is it the best representation of what a Linux distro should be (thanks to its focus on truly free and open source packages), but it is fast, modern, and very stable. Not to mention, it showcases the best desktop environment, GNOME. It should come as no surprise that the controversial father of Linux, Linus Torvalds, chooses Fedora as his daily operating system.

Today, following a fairly short beta period, Fedora 30 is officially here! The most exciting aspect, for workstation/desktop users at least, is the update to GNOME 3.32. Of course, that is hardly the only notable update -- the DNF package manager is getting a performance boost, for instance. In other words, this is a significant operating system upgrade that should delight both existing Fedora users and beginners alike.

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Linux 4.20 released in time for Christmas

Linux matrix

Giving Linux fans a little Christmas present, Linus Torvalds has announced that version 4.20 of the Linux kernel is now available.

In a post to the Linux Kernel Mailing List, Torvalds said that there was no point in delaying the release of the latest stable version of the kernel just because so many people are taking a break for the holiday season. He says that while there are no known issues with the release, the shortlog is a little longer than he would have liked. However "nothing screams 'oh, that's scary'", he insists.

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Linus Torvalds is back in charge as Linux kernel 4.19 is released

Linux penguin

After taking some time out from the Linux community to "change some of [his] behavior", Linux Torvalds is back. In a post to the Linux Kernel Mailing List announcing the release of Linux kernel 4.19, Greg Kroah-Hartman -- his temporary replacement -- handed back the reins.

After writing about the changes to be found in the latest release, Kroah-Hartman signed off by saying: "Linus, I'm handing the kernel tree back to you. You can have the joy of dealing with the merge window :)".

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Linus Torvalds apologizes to Linux community for unprofessional 'flippant attacks'

Linux creator Linus Torvalds has used his regular Sunday email to the Linux Kernel Mailing List to apologize for unprofessional behavior, and to announce that he is taking a break from his Linux kernel work.

Acknowledging that he has previously launched "flippant attacks" on people -- something he labels as "unprofessional and uncalled for" -- Torvalds says he wants to "apologize to the people that my personal behavior hurt and possibly drove away from kernel development entirely".

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