Linux kernel release process

2.6.28-rc1 stable prepatch is released exactly at 2008/10/24!!

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• 每次2.6.x stable release後，2.6.(x+1) 開始為期兩個星期 merge window
• merge window 結束後release 2.6.(x+1)-rc1 stable prepatch
• 在 merge window 內加入新功能；merge window 結束後只作 bug fix

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merge_window

The merge window is a period of time that occurs directly after the release of a new version of the software. During this time, lots of patches are merged and hence have a long time to get scrutinized and tested before the next release.
The Linux kernel have used the merge window process since July 2005 with the release of version 2.6.14, since then every 2.6.x release has been followed by a two week merge window.

http://ldn.linuxfoundation.org/blog-entry/the-2627-merge-window-closes

On July 28, Linus Torvalds released the 2.6.27-rc1 prepatch and closed the merge window for 2.6.27. That means we now know what will be in this kernel, which will probably be released sometime in October. Recent cycles have featured a lot of internal cleanup and relatively few new features, but 2.6.27 will reverse that trend somewhat. Linux users will see a lot of new things here.

http://kerneltrap.org/merge_window

From 2.6.14 on, the release of each official 2.6.y kernel has been followed by a two week period during which major changes are merged into the kernel, followed by a 2.6.y-rc1 release.

http://kerneltrap.org/node/14152

Following a recent merge request, Linus Torvalds stressed that he was serious about not wanting to merge any big changes after the merge window closes, "get the changes in before -rc1, or just *wait*. If they aren't ready before the merge window opens, they simply shouldn't be merged at all." Jeff Garzik reiterated, "once -rc1 is out there, that means the focus should be on stabilizing the existing codebase. Pushing a big driver update means that effort must restart from scratch. We just don't want to go down that road, which a big reason for the merge window in general."

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Linux提供的餘興節目....


http://lwn.net/Articles/290498/

(..................)
Linus

PS. And to get wider distribution for this message: Digg users - you're
all a bunch of Wanking Walruses. And you can quote me on that.

Wanking Walrus
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=ybK_qbo9h70




http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.kernel/706950

(...................)
Security people are often the black-and-white kind of people that I can't
stand. I think the OpenBSD crowd is a bunch of masturbating monkeys, in
that they make such a big deal about concentrating on security to the
point where they pretty much admit that nothing else matters to them.
(...................)
Linus

masturbating monkey
http://tw.youtube.com/watch?v=ciLllSAcF-8