The feature set for the Linux 3.0 kernel, the next major update to the open source operating system, is close to being finalized and contributors are being told to submit their patches to the list of candidates as soon as possible.
In a posting to the Linux kernel mailing list, which was also posted on the Linux and Main Web site, kernel developer Rob Landley told other developers that once Linus Torvalds, the founder of Linux, returned from the "Linux Lunacy Cruise" in the Caribbean on October 27, there would most likely only be one more set of last minute merges before "we switch over to the 3.0-pre or 2.6-pre series.
"So everybody, try these patches. If they work for you, say so. Its no guarantee, but Linus has said endorsements from testers can make him feel more comfortable about a patch. If your patch isnt on the list, speak out now. Again, some of the things on this list wont make it into 3.0. Its just candidates. But everything that is not on this list in about 7 days is probably going to become 3.1 material by default," he said.
Among the candidates ready for final merging, according to Landley, are the build option for the Linux Trace Toolkit; dynamic probes; the Zerocopy Network File System; high resolution timers; the Enterprise Volume Management System; Linux Kernel Crash Dumps; the rewrite of the console layer; PCMCIA Zoom video support; the device mapper for the Logical Volume Manager; Volume Manager large page support and page table sharing.
"Thats currently it, that Im aware of. If your patch isnt on that list, and getting testing by people on Linux-kernel, then you should speak up and get it on that list, or wait for the next development series. When Linus comes back, at best hes going to give a thumbs up or thumbs down to each patch currently sitting there in front of him, and then its on to the feature freeze.
"He may not take any of them, or he may just take one or two. But the best we can hope to do is present him with a nice (short) list of tested patches. (Remember, the less work Linus has to do, the higher the percentage of it that will actually get done,)" Landley told kernel developers.
The last major update, the Linux 2.4 kernel, was released in January 2001, and three months later Torvalds was joined by about 50 other Linux developers and vendors at the first formal Linux kernel summit in San Jose, Calif., to discuss the 2.5 development kernel.
At that time it became clear that the focus of the 2.5 kernel was undoubtedly the enterprise, with its improved scalability, storage support, inclusion of next-generation enhanced Internet protocols, additional security and improved laptop support.
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