*BSD News Article 86411


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From: aem@nic.ott.hookup.net (Andrew E. Mileski)
Newsgroups: comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: kernel
Followup-To: comp.os.linux.development.system,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Date: 7 Jan 1997 20:49:59 GMT
Organization: HookUp Communication Corporation, Ottawa, Ontario, CANADA
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Message-ID: <5auctn$und$1@nic.ott.hookup.net>
References: <59ac1t$hq1@news6.noc.netcom.net> <59kckh$ctb@portal.gmu.edu> <N.122396.190522.99@scrantr> <32D22D1B.616B@elektron.et.tudelft.nl>
Reply-To: aem@ott.hookup.net (Andrew E. Mileski)
NNTP-Posting-Host: nic.ott.hookup.net
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Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.os.linux.development.system:38239 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:33772

In article <32D22D1B.616B@elektron.et.tudelft.nl> you wrote:
: I have a kernel 2.0.18, and I wanna put a new one on it. I saw that
: there is 2.027, and there are several 2.1.x versions.
: Which one is the most stable to use?

Short Answer:
   The latest PRODUCTION kernel, whatever it may be.
   finger @linux.cs.helsinki.fi

Long Answer:
  Kernel versions are in the format (major).(minor).(patchlevel)
  If minor is EVEN, then it is a PRODUCTION kernel. If minor is ODD,
  then it is an EXPERIMENTAL kernel.

  Production kernels are known to work reasonably well. On experimental
  kernels, there are no guarantees of any kind - it may work, it may not.
  New code goes into experimental kernels, but only bug fixes are allowed
  on production kernels...of course Linus is free to change this rule at
  any time (and has).

  This development cycle helps make every production kernel better than
  the last. For experimental kernels, it is "hit and miss" whether they
  work well or not.

  I've been using v2.1.17 (experimental) since it was released.
  Normally I keep up-to-date with the latest kernels, but I just haven't
  had the time lately.

--
Andrew E. Mileski   mailto:aem@ott.hookup.net
Linux Plug-and-Play Kernel Project http://www.redhat.com/linux-info/pnp/
XFree86 Matrox Team http://www.bf.rmit.edu.au/~ajv/xf86-matrox.html