Should we Update to a new Linux Kernel 2.5?

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Jodiendo
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Iscritto: 01/09/2013

The Linux Kernel

http://www.linux.org/article/view/security-issues

The mother of all parts of the Linux operating system is the Linux kernel. That is what Linux really is. That is what Linus Torvalds started working on in 1991 and that's what eventually has turned into the base of what the whole Linux world is about. At the time of this writing, kernel 2.4 is the most recent major stable version of the kernel and development on version 2.6 (called version 2.5 as it is still not ``stable'') is quite advanced. 2.6 is reportedly right around the corner, so that always brings up the question: Should I update to the new kernel?.

Could someone be more specific? Should we update to a new Kernel once is stable?

Maybe I could get lucky, If I played those numbers 2.4, 2.5, 2.6 on the lotto? This readings some times are confusing and maybe worst than fetching and milking Cow's at a Dairy at 4:00 am in the morning.

Darn Confusing, Keep it simple....Dammit...

andrew
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Iscritto: 04/19/2012

> The mother of all parts of the Linux operating system is the Linux kernel.

You mean GNU/Linux? :-)

> At the time of this writing, kernel 2.4 is the most recent major stable version of the kernel and development on version 2.6 (called version 2.5 as it is still not ``stable'') is quite advanced. 2.6 is reportedly right around the corner, so that always brings up the question: Should I update to the new kernel?.

Actually, 2.6 is old. Trisquel is at 3.0, and 3.8 should be coming out soon. There was no such thing as 2.5. ;-)

andrew
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Iscritto: 04/19/2012

> There was no such thing as 2.5. ;-)

Correction: there was a 2.5, but it was a development version years ago.

That page looks quite out of date.

You can use a backported kernel from one of these sources:
http://jxself.org/linux-libre/
https://launchpad.net/~linux-libre/+archive/ppa

Jodiendo
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Iscritto: 01/09/2013

Thanks Andrew

Go ahead and blame me for been a newbie in Linux.. I should kept reading and researching more before posting.. My Apologies to all..

Chris

I am a member!

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Iscritto: 04/23/2011

It isn't the end of the world!

Although definitely keep reading...

In 1983 the GNU project was started to create a Unix-like operating system, so that users would have the freedom to share and improve the software they use. There were many pieces that needed to be written and one of the last pieces was a kernel.

In 1991 Linus Torvalds started a terminal emulator, which he used to access the large UNIX servers of the university he attended. He later realized that what he had written was an operating system kernel.

Linus needed a license for his new creation and since the GNU GPL license suited him it was adopted as the license for the kernel he wrote. This license choice made it a perfect fit for use with the GNU projects utilities and thus the distribution was born.

Now the problem was that in the 1990s a 2nd camp formed which decided freedom was just not that important. They started using the word open source. One of the reasons this was done was to attract companies to contribute to and use free software. However this ignored the reasons for free software exists. Free software exists because of the ethical dilemma of not being able to share.

Now the name Linux caught on quite by accident. There was no objection initially. However there was no coinage of the term "open source" either. There was only free software. Because of this divide in the community it was important that people be made aware of the importance of freedom. This was not something the "open source" proponents were advocating so if a user went to the "Linux" site they would not be introduced to freedom (free software principles):

There are four freedoms you should know:

Freedom 0: The freedom to run the program for any purpose.
Freedom 1: The freedom to study how the program works, and change it to make it do what you wish.
Freedom 2: The freedom to redistribute copies so you can help your neighbor.
Freedom 3: The freedom to improve the program, and release your improvements (and modified versions in general) to the public, so that the whole community benefits.

I would suggest checking out the free software foundation's web site for more reading material:

http://www.fsf.org/

Jodiendo
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Iscritto: 01/09/2013

Andrew

Since you mention: http://jxself.org/linux-libre/

I actually did the update, and my wifi on my old laptop, stop working and apparently Trisquel 5.5 is not supporting older Wifi cards and drivers.

Example: Rail link Wireless drivers.

Yet, when I was using Puppy Slakko it was working fine and when I uploaded Trisquel 5,5 it work flawlessly, but once I did the update, it went kaput!!!

know I'm stuck with no wireless.

Any hints

Chris

I am a member!

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Iscritto: 04/23/2011

What wireless chipsets? How old are we talking? Linux has some pretty amazing support for older hardware. Much of it hasn't really been used in over 10 years. How many people here for instance have a 486 system? I think they only recently discontinued 286 or maybe 386.

That said there has been more cruft dropped in recent years.

icarolongo
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Iscritto: 03/26/2011

We now in 2013 and probably Linux works fine with hardware from 2002/2003. Now I'm using one from 2006 and Trisquel 6 32-bit (with GNOME Fallback and Metacity) works beautifully and fast. I can see 720p videos with Totem, VLC or Mplayer and the PC hardware does not have a 3D acceleration.

Intel® Celeron(R) CPU 2.53GHz 
Had a 256MB RAM. Now has 1GB RAM DDR.
HDD 80GB.

In my opinion is a good computer and can survive for many years. Many things I have are from 2006, was the year the upgrade from Windows 98 for Windows XP. Now only Trisquel, of course.

Chris

I am a member!

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Iscritto: 04/23/2011

It works well enough with hardware from 2005. I'm not sure about hardware earlier than that. However there probably is something around that will run on hardware from the early 1990s. I don't know if there is any desktop solution around though which is modern/still supported that goes that far back.

Jodiendo
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Iscritto: 01/09/2013

Lets converse on a different forum posting; the new real issue of my old laptop and trisquel 5.5. I will be posting it tonight. I consider this posting close as it is.

Respectfully and Thankfull to everyone.

Jodiendo