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Re: Linux 2.6.0

From:  Andrew Morton <akpm-AT-osdl.org>
To:  linux-kernel-AT-vger.kernel.org
Subject:  Re: Linux 2.6.0
Date:  Wed, 17 Dec 2003 21:15:16 -0800

Linus Torvalds <torvalds@osdl.org> wrote:
>
> Andrew has written up some caveats and pointers to information about 2.4.x
>  vs 2.6.x changes, and I'll let him post that. Some known issues were not
>  considered to be release-critical and a number of them have pending fixes
>  in the -mm queue. Generally they just didn't have the kind of verification
>  yet where I was willing to take them in order to make sure a fair 2.6.0
>  release.

It's actually rather short because I started late.  See below.

There are also the "must-fix" and "should-fix" lists of items which we have
identified as still on the 2.6 todo list.  These are at

ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/akpm/must-fix/must-fix-7.txt and
ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/akpm/must-fix/should-fix-7.txt




- The 2.6.0 kernel has undergone several weeks of stabilization and we
  expect it to run well on server-class machines.

  Desktops and laptops may have more trouble at this time because of the
  much wider range of hardware and because of as-yet unimplemented fixes for
  the hardware and BIOS bugs from which these machines tend to suffer.

  During the 2.6.0 stabilization period a significant number of less
  serious fixes have accumulated in various auxiliary kernel trees and these
  shall be merged into the 2.6 stream after the 2.6.0 release.  Many of these
  fixes appear in Andrew Morton's "-mm" tree, at

	ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/akpm/patches/2.6/

- Please report any problems to the appropriate mailing list.  If you do
  not know which list to use, send the report to linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
  and it should reach the right person.  Some active subsystem mailing lists
  are:

	linux1394-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
	linux-xfs@oss.sgi.com
	linux-acpi@intel.com
	linux-scsi@vger.kernel.org
	ext2-devel@lists.sourceforge.net
	linux-usb-users@lists.sourceforge.net

  Alternatively, kernel bug reports may be entered into the kernel bug
  tracking system at http://bugme.osdl.org/

- There are significant changes in the module subsystem, the LVM (Device
  Mapper) and RAID subsystems.  Details about these and many other kernel
  changes are presented in David Jones's kernel upgrade document at

	http://www.linux.org.uk/~davej/docs/post-halloween-2.6.txt

  Users who are testing 2.6 kernels for the first time should consult this
  document.

- The ATA RAID drivers (eg the HighPoint RAID driver) have not been ported
  to the new BIO code and are not available under the 2.6 kernel at this
  time.

- cryptoloop doesn't work on highmem machines.  Fixes exist in -mm and are
  queued for 2.6.1.

- There are known performance problems with the default disk I/O scheduler
  which show up when the workload is performing small, random reads and
  writes (ie: database loads).  Largely fixed in -mm.

  In general, the "deadline" I/O scheduler is, and shall remain somewhat
  faster than the default "anticipatory" I/O scheduler with these sorts of
  workloads.  Database admins should consider adding the "elevator=deadline"
  kernel boot parameter.

- There are performance problems due to misbehaviour in the readahead code
  which also impact database-style workloads.  Fixed in -mm, queued for
  2.6.1.

- There are a larger number of as-yet unmerged frame buffer driver fixes.


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(Log in to post comments)

2.6 does as well as 2.4 on this OpenBook 1547 laptop...

Posted Dec 18, 2003 14:01 UTC (Thu) by leonbrooks (guest, #1494) [Link]

...except that the driver module for the (RT2400-based) wireless LAN card I plugged into it won't compile. Time to break out the LWN module-conversion HOWTO, I guess. The (i845-based) laptop is much more reliable than either of my nForce2-based desktop systems. I run Mandrake on them all 'coz I'm too lazy to run Debian.

PS, if anyone knows how to make the built-in memory-stick reader on this work (or even get it to show up in a list somewhere) under any kernel I would be most grateful for the pointer. The USB and USB-2 are flawless, the video just sings, FireWire seems happy (although I have no devices to use with it regularly) and the battery lasted for the entire flight from Adelaide to Perth (mostly typing into OOo but some idle TuxRacering too) without complaint. The only time I've ever panicked it is when messing around with ACPI. One day I'll even get around to mapping the extra keys to something useful, but the (Winbond-based?) memory-stick reader seems invisible, and of course AOpen don't respond to email, at least not to email in English.

Still, not bad for the second-cheapest lappie I could buy at the time. (-:

2.6 does as well as 2.4 on this OpenBook 1547 laptop...

Posted Dec 25, 2003 0:49 UTC (Thu) by hazelsct (subscriber, #3659) [Link]

I don't know about that model, but on a Vaio Z505S I bought 4.5 years ago, the MemoryStick port had to be enabled in the BIOS. Then it mounted trivially on /dev/hdc.

Ain't none on this beastie

Posted Feb 15, 2004 1:21 UTC (Sun) by leonbrooks (guest, #1494) [Link]

The only IO devices which appear are the invisible second serial port (can be configured to run IR) and the parallel port. Not a breath or a whisper about memory stick readers. It's some obscure WinBond device.

Re: Linux 2.6.0

Posted Dec 30, 2003 19:08 UTC (Tue) by tlewis (guest, #4195) [Link]

"I run Mandrake on them all 'coz I'm too lazy to run Debian."

That's funny; I run Debian because I'm too lazy to run Mandrake. 8^)

(crontab -l; echo "1 2 * * * root apt-get update; apt-get dist-upgrade") | crontab -

Booyah!

Same dog, different collar

Posted Feb 15, 2004 1:32 UTC (Sun) by leonbrooks (guest, #1494) [Link]

urpmi.update pm; urpmi --auto-select --force

You might like to note similar advances from most other Linux packagers. Mandrake has also recently changed policy, staggered its releases to produce a testing-like stratum, but unlike Debian their next Stable release will happen before my oldest daughter gets her drivers' licence. (-:

Debian's toolsets are a lot more scattered and less slick than Mandrake's. When I say "lazy" I mean my SIL can globally install her own fonts (with drakfont) with very simple point-and-click instructions and lots of other tuff like that. Saves a lot of support effort and Linux looks a lot more practical to outsiders as a result.

SIL is actually a highly capable technician, just doesn't know it yet. She's venturing into the photographic universe and is a frighteningly good artist as well. The shiny, simplified interfaes Mandrake provides are very helpful for convincing people like her that Linux is a practical alternative and of course because all of the pieces are available she can expect that stuff will get customised for her. What she hasn't yet noticed is that she's well down the path to getting sucked into customising those programs herself. (-:

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