Kernel release status [LWN.net]

The current stable kernel remains 2.6.18. The 2.6.19 merge window has opened and, as of this writing, just over 2000 patches have landed in the mainline git repository - see the separate article, below, for a summary.

The current -mm tree is 2.6.18-mm1. Recent changes to -mm include an xpad dance pad driver, a new version of the SLIM security module, and a number of fixes. The -mm tree is shrinking quickly as patches move into the mainline.

Adrian Bunk has released the first 2.6.16.30 prepatch. Along with the usual fixes, this prepatch adds a few new drivers, which has caused some observers to wonder about criteria for patches in the long-term 2.6.16 tree. It appears that 2.6.16, going into the future, will be a bit more open to new code than the regular -stable tree.