Linus Torvalds Announces Linux Kernel 3.10
Fewer ticks and bigger ARM support highlight the latest kernel.
Linux Torvalds has announced the release of Linux Kernel 3.10.
According to Linus, "In the bigger picture, this release has been pretty typical and not particularly prone to problems...As usual, the bulk patch-wise is all drivers (pretty much exactly two thirds), while the rest is evenly split between arch updates and 'misc.' No major new systems this time around, although there are individual new features."
Despite the modesty of this assessment, the new release does include some significant changes.
The new kernel has made some strides in reducing superfluous timer ticks on multicore systems. The scheduler interrupts only once per second instead of the sequence up to 1000 times. This change helps real-time systems a lot, but it also helps desktops and mobile systems as well. In addition to the performance benefit of eliminating unnecessary cycles, reducing the timer ticks conserves power and improves the time between battery charges for a laptop or mobile device.
The block layer cache (bcache) feature lets a disk (such as an SSD drive) act as a cache for another disk. Improvements to the Btrfs filesystem support more compact structures, which, according to the developers, can save up to 35 percent of the disk space.
The new release also rolls out some advances for ARM processors, including support for the ARM big.LITTLE architecture. Gamers will notice updates to the Nouveau driver for NVIDIA GPUs, as well as code from Intel to support GPU overclocking.
Issue 259/2022
Buy this issue as a PDF
News
-
Titan Linux is a New KDE Linux Based on Debian Stable
Titan Linux is a new Debian-based Linux distribution that features the KDE Plasma desktop with a focus on usability and performance.
-
Danielle Foré Has an Update for elementary OS 7
Now that Ubuntu 22.04 has been released, the team behind elementary OS is preparing for the upcoming 7.0 release.
-
Linux New Media Launches Open Source JobHub
New job website focuses on connecting technical and non-technical professionals with organizations in open source.
-
Ubuntu Cinnamon 22.04 Now Available
Ubuntu Cinnamon 22.04 has been released with all the additions from upstream as well as other features and improvements.
-
Pop!_OS 22.04 Has Officially Been Released
From the makers of some of the finest Linux-powered desktop and laptop computers on the market comes the latest version of their Ubuntu-based distribution, Pop!_OS 22.04.
-
Star Labs Unveils a New Small Format Linux PC
The Byte Mk I is an AMD-powered mini Linux PC with Coreboot support and plenty of power.
-
MX Linux Verison 21.1 “Wildflower” Now Available
The latest release of the systemd-less MX Linux is now ready for public consumption.
-
Microsoft Expands Their Windows Subsystem for Linux Offerings With AlmaLinux
Anyone who works with Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) will now find a new addition to the available distributions, one that’s become the front-runner replacement for CentOS.
-
Debian 11.3 Released wIth Numerous Bug and Security Fixes
The latest point release for Debian Bullseye is now available with some very important updates.
-
The First Alpha of Asahi Linux is Available
Asahi Linux is the first distribution to fully support Apple Silicon and is now available for testing.