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Linux Kernel 2.6.0-test8 Released 277

Posted by michael from the closer-to-fine dept.
djcapelis writes "It's that time again. Latest release is hot off the presses in this final bit of stabilization before 2.6.0 is finally released. Changelog: here. Use mirrors if you're nice, but kernel.org has a nice little bandwidth readout on the front page so you can see how hard their servers are being hit if you don't feel like tracking one down. A few XFS changes from SGI in there as well if anyone is still worried on that topic. Watch for the MM patches when they come out. The FTP server seems to be snappier for some."
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Linux Kernel 2.6.0-test8 Released More

Linux Kernel 2.6.0-test8 Released

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  • Framebuffers (Score:2, Interesting)

    by Durin_Deathless ( 668544 )
    They still haven't fixed the problems in the framebuffers. Anyone know why this is so low priority?

    • Re:Framebuffers (Score:1, Funny)

      by Anonymous Coward
      go to the gentoo forums and wait for the love-sources hack to be published it fixed the whole framebuffer dilly, and im high on dxm.

    • Re:Framebuffers (Score:5, Interesting)

      by GammaTau ( 636807 ) <jni@iki.fi> on Saturday October 18, 2003 @03:57PM (#7249704) Homepage Journal

      They still haven't fixed the problems in the framebuffers. Anyone know why this is so low priority?

      As far as I understand, there is still a significant body of new framebuffer code that hasn't been merged to Linus' tree. There is a message [gmane.org] from the framebuffer maintainer on the Linux framebuffer development list saying that the merge will happen, quoting him directly, "Very soon. I have new software cursor code that I'm debugging right now. This is the only thing holding back the syning."

  • nifty meter (Score:4, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 18, 2003 @03:30PM (#7249530)
    ... but kernel.org has a nice little bandwidth readout on the front page so you can see how hard their servers are being hit...

    how many people are going to go there not to download, but just to see the nifty meter and end up slashdotting them ;)

  • Do I (Score:3, Funny)

    by 110010001000 ( 697113 ) on Saturday October 18, 2003 @03:36PM (#7249579) Homepage Journal
    Do I need to pay SCO $699 for this release too? Or does the license I purchased from them cover this as well?

  • XFS (Score:4, Interesting)

    by rf0 ( 159958 ) <rghf@fsck.me.uk> on Saturday October 18, 2003 @03:39PM (#7249596) Homepage
    Well I've been using test5+mm4 under heavy load with no problems. Now the mm4 did include the XFS fix and its been totally stable under constant I/O. Looks like 2.6 is shaping up very nicely. Would like to put it into real production but won't quite yet as there might be still one or two nasty little surprises. Overall thought hats off to Linus et al

    Rus

    • Re:XFS (Score:3, Interesting)

      by dubious9 ( 580994 )
      not to sound ignorant or anything, but what are the mm patches? Memory management optimizations? Why aren't they included in the kernel?

      • Re:XFS (Score:4, Informative)

        by rf0 ( 159958 ) <rghf@fsck.me.uk> on Saturday October 18, 2003 @04:04PM (#7249752) Homepage
        They are a series of patches which aim to fix bugs and imporve interactive performace. Some people also feel that they can be more stable than the normal kernel

        Rgds

        Rus

      • Re:XFS (Score:4, Informative)

        by lightcycle ( 649999 ) on Saturday October 18, 2003 @04:06PM (#7249761)
        As far as I understand, it's a bunch of mostly performance-heightening patches by Andrew Morton and others. I think they are omitted because they are too bleeding edge to put in mainstream (Yes, apparently too bleeding edge even for a development/test kernel). I tried them with test6 however, and to me it didn't seem any less stable than vanilla, but YMMV.
    • cool I just installed XFS on my 'puter at work and I liked it so far under 2.4.19 so it should rock under 2.6, I installed primarily to spite SCO and secondarily because of recent complimentary benchmarks published, I may convert another partition to JFS for the same reason!

    • Re:XFS (Score:2)

      by treat ( 84622 )
      Why would you use XFS when there is no fsck for it?

      If that test kernel corrupts your filesystem, will you fix it by hand?

      • man xfs_repair (Score:3, Informative)

        by Booker ( 6173 )
        .... in the xfsprogs package.

        Oh, and there is xfs.fsck but it's a no-op. This
        -is- a journaling filesystem you know....

  • Microsoft Dismisses Linux Kernel 2.6.0-test8 (Score:5, Funny)

    by Anonymous Coward on Saturday October 18, 2003 @03:40PM (#7249602)
    On the eve of the Linux 2.6 introduction for personal computers, Microsoft's General Manager, Windows Division, Dave Fester posted his thoughts on Linux Kernel 2.6.0-test8. In his comments, Fester concludes that Linux Kernel 2.6.0-test8 is too limited for PC users.

    "Unless Linux decides to make radical changes to their service model, a Linux-based operating system will still remain a closed system, where PC owners cannot access content from other operating systems," said Fester. "Additionally, users of Linux are limited to programs from Redhat's install CD... this is a drawback for PC users, who expect choice in music programs, choice in games, and choice in Word Processors from a wide-variety of Microsoft products to use for various purposes. Lastly, if you use Linux's desktop environment along with Linux, you don't have the ability of using the over 40 different Windows XP-compatible GUI skins. When I'm paying for a desktop environment, I want to know that I have choices today and in the future."

    When asked how the Linux Kernel 2.60-test8 differs from Windows-based services, Fester talks about Microsoft Office and the different types of options it will offer users. Fester concludes that it will be the best experience that ultimately wins over consumers.

    "All told, copmputer fans should look for services that offer the best experience and take advantage of the best digital rights platform available for PCs. With Windows XP 2003, you get faster starts, better quality internet, and support for the most websites," Fester said.
  • if 2.6 has better serial ata support than currently? I still can't get it to work.
    • SATA support is entirely down to driver manufacturers as far as I'm aware the kernel should treat it pretty much as though it were a normal scsi/ide device.

      Still waiting on VIA for SATA VT8237 drivers so i can install RH9 on my new box. Any news?

    • I run 2.6.0beta8 with a serial ata drive. The issue i have with it is when i mount a cdrom i get the kernel message "Disabling IRQ #18" which slows the system horribly down because irq 18 is the irq of the SATA controller.

      Same message appears when i add devfs support (gentoo likes it). I don't run devfs or mount cdroms, and the machine works w/o problems. I very seldom need access to CDROM or DVDs so its no problem for me, YMMV...

      ac patches have a different SATA code, but it exists only against 2.6.0beta1

    • Re:does anyone know (Score:4, Interesting)

      by Brandybuck ( 704397 ) on Saturday October 18, 2003 @04:03PM (#7249744) Homepage Journal
      Don't ask. Everytime I've asked this question on Slashdot, or any Linux support forum, I've been flamed. Apparently until the SATA gets hammered down and made a default part of the kernel, the typical Linux advocate regards it as unimportant. It's almost as if they expect people NOT to use SATA drives just because it isn't ready for Linux yet.

      Yet SATA-only systems are becoming increasingly common. I expect in six months that OEMs won't even ship IDE systems any more. If Linux distros don't put in SATA support by default in their install CDs, there's going to be a real problem.

      • Re:does anyone know (Score:5, Funny)

        by Drakon ( 414580 ) * on Saturday October 18, 2003 @05:05PM (#7250013) Journal
        you're asking the question wrong. To quote from bash.org:
        <dm> I discovered that you'd never get an answer to a problem from Linux Gurus by asking. You have to troll in order for someone to help you with a Linux problem.
        <dm> For example, I didn't know how to find files by contents and the man pages were way too confusing. What did I do? I knew from experience that if I just asked, I'd be told to read the man pages even though it was too hard for me.
        <dm> Instead, I did what works. Trolling. By stating that Linux sucked because it was so hard to find a file compared to Windows, I got every self-described Linux Guru around the world coming to my aid. They gave me examples after examples of different ways to do it. All this in order to prove to everyone that Linux was better.
        <dm> So if you're starting out Linux, I advise you to use the same method as I did to get help. Start the sentence with "Linux is gay because it can't do XXX like Windows can". You will have PhDs running to tell you how to solve your problems.
        • Funny that, I used to go into IRC rooms with the handle "beach`girl" and those nerds were dying to help me out. I dunno know the name of the chick whose picture I was handing out to them when they asked but hey... that got something new to wank to and pretend it was a Linux interested girl and I got information.

          Maybe this should make me feel dirty but... I'm pretty much a whore.
        • For example, I didn't know how to find files by contents and the man pages were way too confusing.

          standard way:

          find /some/path -type f -exec fgrep your-content-here {} /dev/null \; 2>/dev/null
      • I expect in six months that OEMs won't even ship IDE systems any more.
        Sure thing. Remember, same thing happened to COM and parallel ports, they just vanished when USB made it into the market... PS/2 ports too.

        IDE drives have been around for a long time, and will be around for a long time from now on, even when SATA becomes standard issue on motherboards. Hell, floppy drives are still around...

        -daniel

        • You can get simple and cheap Serillel adapters, allowing you to plug IDE drives into SATA controllers. Thus, there's no reason to include a PATA controller or bridge on motherboards. Also, note that ISA did die a fairly quick, and total, death once PCI equivalents of ISA devices became available.
        • IDE drives have been around for a long time, and will be around for a long time from now on, even when SATA becomes standard issue on motherboards. Hell, floppy drives are still around...

          Uh, I think you're answering the wrong question. Sure, new mobos still have IDE controllers as well as SATA. But the odds of new boxes shipping with IDE hard drives fitteed is rapidly falling. And if I read the parent post right, depite your protestations that IDE, Like COM port and floppy controller will still be there,
        • >floppy drives are still around...

          Haven't got one on either of my 2 laptops.

          On the other hand, one of these has a nice "SD" compact flash writer, with no linux support anticipated.
  • Does anyone know where i can find a good list of new features that are included in the 2.6 kernel?
  • Anybody know any good articles that explain exactly how things will differ for upgrading Linux users (non performance type things) i.e. what's happening with dev and proc? loadable modules? whatever?

  • "Tracking down" mirrors? (Score:5, Informative)

    by Kourino ( 206616 ) on Saturday October 18, 2003 @03:56PM (#7249698) Homepage
    Oi, it's not that hard. www.XX.kernel.org or ftp.XX.kernel.org, where XX is your two-letter country code, like fr for France.

  • Good stuff (Score:3, Informative)

    by contrasutra ( 640313 ) on Saturday October 18, 2003 @04:37PM (#7249906) Journal
    I've been running the 2.6 Test kernel (-mm patches usually) since -test5 and everything has been great.

    Multitasking really is a dream. I'm able to compile, listen to music, and surf the web without any slowdown. Im no developer though, so I think that the 2.6 will really help Home/Desktop users.

    Of course, home users will like improved multi media performance, but the coolest thing I saw was web page rendering. Web pages render twice as fast (for me) with the 2.6 kernel!! This is very noticable, and very enjoyable.
    • I say, whatever makes you happy... but I still don't see how a kernel upgrade can affect the way a browser renders pages. Must be some particular set of circumstances involved, so it's not really fair to attribute this to the kernel. "Upgrade your kernel, you'll get faster and more compatible websites" -- it sounds like an exec BS report.
      • Upgrade your kernel, you'll get faster and more compatible websites" -- it sounds like an exec BS report.
        maybe not, if the 2.6 has a lot better context switching as in the low-latency and preemptive patches applied in that stock kernal than its highly possible that programs with a lot of treads going like a web-browser downloading 10 images + text, doing 5 DNS look-ups, and a lot of heavy-duty graphics rendering is going to run better; especialy if your running openOffice, The Gimp at the same time.
    • I'm running test7 now, and I share that experience. I did use the low-latency and preemptive patches on 2.4 a few times, but I didn't notice any real difference then. With 2.6 I do.
      I do multitask a lot, on not a too fast machine (dual celeren 466 with 256 Mb ram) and it feels more responsive when switching tasks, and simply when using desktop software. And yes, that includes the browser!
  • I compiled this and got it running on my dell laptop, but the nvidia drivers (for the GeForce2 Go 5200) won't compile for 2.6.0-test8. This is probably due to driver API changes. I haven't poked around to see if Nvidia is working on it though.

    /pointer

  • It keeps getting better... (Score:3, Interesting)

    by IpSo_ ( 21711 ) on Saturday October 18, 2003 @05:41PM (#7250150) Homepage Journal
    2.6.0-test7 was a good 2% faster across the board on file system benchmarks [netnation.com] then 2.6.0-test5, lets hope test8 continues that trend.

    Benchmarks for both test7, and test8 will be posted on that site within the next week for all those interested in getting the maximum performance out of your Linux box.

  • Oh please fix this bug [kernel.org] before 2.6.0 is released.
    I'll send a check for $20 to the developer who does it :-). There's a business model! hehe
  • I am already using 2.4.22.mm2 with Ingo's O(1) scheduler and mm patches from Andrew Morton. So what other benifits can I expect by upgrading to 2.6?
  • Remove all blank lines. Simple.
  • So far all the 2.6 kernels have had fully broken support for the radeonfb console. It seems to work fine otherwise, but I am not interested if it means I must have 80x25 consoles.

    I didn't notice anything about this in the changelog.
    • Broken how? Framebuffer implementation has changed in 2.6; when loading modular framebuffer support you need to use fbset [home.tvd.be] .

      If this post leaves out critical info or something, it's 3AM FFS...
      • >Broken how?

        Build Radeon support into the kernel.

        Boot with an ATI Radeon 8500LE installed.

        lspci reports it as

        01:05.0 VGA compatible controller ATI Technologies Inc Radeon R200 QL [Radeon 8500 LE]

        run fbset 1280x1024-75 (or other modes with similar result.)

        The screen is 3/4 filled with garbage. The upper left of the screen contains a working 80x25 console with the correct size font -- it appears to be doing the right thing for the upper left quadrant.

        It seems strange to me that it's been in this
        • Yeah, sorry, I was talking crap earlier [due to being half asleep]

          Have you tried this solution [google.com]? I don't know if that's the same problem, and yeah, it should be in the main kernel.

          Have you tried MM kernels as well? They may contain fixes for it...
          • I tried the patch, and it does not help at all.

            It looks as if it's trying to do the right thing
            judging by the font size, but only the upper left corner of the screen has a console, and the rest has garbage.

            I'm willing to accept that I am the only person in the world with a Radeon 8500LE who prefers high-res text consoles to any xterm, but, I'm not able to appreciate that an even-numbered kernel might be released with a bug of this nature.

  • While I see the need to adapt to kernel changes in the modutils, I found the lack of functionality in the new module-init-tools annoying.

    For example, I had set up a line in modules.conf that would automagically load my sound drivers, restore the mixer settings and do some other things - all without the slow alsa init scripts.

    Doesn't work anymore. post-install is gone, probeall is gone. Can somebody explain why the modutils were changed so much?

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