Kernel release status

[Posted October 20, 2010 by corbet]

The 2.6.36 kernel is out, released on October 20 with only a small number of changes since the 2.6.36-rc8 prepatch. Headline features in this release include the AppArmor security module, the LIRC infrared controller driver subsystem, and the new Tile architecture. The fanotify notification mechanism for anti-malware applications was disabled at the last minute due to ABI concerns. See the KernelNewbies 2.6.36 page for lots of information.

Linus also noted that a two-week merge window, starting on October 21, would run into the Kernel Summit.

So I'm going to hope that we could perhaps even do the 2.6.37 -rc1 release and close the merge window the Sunday before KS opens. Since 2.6.36 was longer than usual (at least it felt that way), I wouldn't mind having a 2.6.37 that is shorter than usual. But holler if this really screws up any plans. Ten days instead of two weeks? Let's see if it's even reasonably realistic.

(The 2.6.36 development cycle was 80 days, incidentally; almost exactly average for the last few years).

Previously, 2.6.36-rc8 was released on October 15. "I really hate doing this, and I'd much rather just release 2.6.36, but I'm doing one last final -rc instead. There's too much noise here (and pending in emails) for me to be happy, and while I first thought to just delay a day or two, I'm now looking at next week instead, and thus the additional -rc."

Stable updates: there have been no stable updates released in the last week.