Linux-libre Super Long-Term Support (SLTS)?

7 risposte [Ultimo contenuto]
jxself
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Iscritto: 09/13/2010

Linux-libre 4.4.302 has come out today, which was the last scheduled version after 6 years of support (Version 4.4 was released in January 2016.) Would there be a desire to go beyond long-term support (LTS) for some kernels to super-long-term support (SLTS) of 10+ years? Or just let them die?

jxself
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Iscritto: 09/13/2010

To be sure, not all LTS kernels would get the SLTS treatment because that would be too many to take on. Just certain ones. But only if there's a demand for such a thing. It would seem pointless to maintain if nobody wanted it.

andyprough
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Iscritto: 02/12/2015

Are the upstream sources still going to be available to deblob? Or will you be having to backport security fixes from newer kernels back into the 4.4 kernels yourself?

It could be worthwhile, depending on the time commitment it would require from you. Some old 32-bit machines are going to run better with the 4.4 kernel. I haven't personally used anything older than the 4.9 kernel for a couple of years now, however, so I would not be the target audience.

Legimet
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Iscritto: 12/10/2013

Who would maintain it? Linux 4.4 is EOL upstream.

jxself
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Iscritto: 09/13/2010

By reusing the efforts from https://lwn.net/Articles/749530/ to keep kernels going for a much longer time period.

andyprough
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Iscritto: 02/12/2015

Oh wow, so you can just run the de-blob scripts against their kernels for up to 10 years? Have you heard which kernel they've chosen for the next SLTS?

jxself
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Iscritto: 09/13/2010

"so you can just run the de-blob scripts against their kernels"
That's the overall idea.

"Have you heard which kernel they've chosen for the next SLTS?"
Currently 4.4, 4.19, and 5.10.

andyprough
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Iscritto: 02/12/2015

Nice, 4.19 has been fantastic. I'd love to have access to that one for 10 years.