The Linux foundation is a consortium
who is responsible for the kernel Developments. Greg
Kroah-Hartman and chris wright is
the current Linux Kernel maintainer for the stable release
The initial Linux kernels numbers
released by Torvalds in September 1991 are simple numbering system
starts from 0.01,0.02.The numbering system Linux kernel have was
began in the late 1994 starts from 1.0.After that Linux kernel is
identified by a set of four numbers. First three number
related to the kernel release version and revisions where the last
number mention its bugs fixes version. A new type of numbering system
was announced by Linux Torvalds back in 2011.
Let me explain:
Latest Stable Kernel release is : 3.8.5
First
Number – Kernel version (3)
The
kernel version changes only when substantially major changes are made
in the kernel code. This happen thrice in Linux kernel history. First
in 1994 (1.0),then 1996 (2.0) the last happen in 2011(3.0)
Second
Number – Major Revision (8)
When
a new stable kernel was introduce say
(3.7) .it
opens a 2 weeks merge
window
for the next development cycle At this time merge
window
accepts codes,experimental trees, driver updates from the developers
fraternity. After 2 weeks, Linus Torvalds
will declare that the window is closed and release the first of the
"rc"
(release candidate)kernels
with an incremented number (3.8.rc1).This
is called pre-patch release .From
here onwards it only accepts bug fixes and around each week Linux
releases 3.8-rc2,-rc3, ... continuing until he is satisfied that
there are no new bugs. Then they release the new
Mainline
Linux kernel 3.8 where
all all new features are introduced.
Third
Number – Minor Revision (5)
Once a Mainline release 3.8 is made, its ongoing maintenance is passed off to the "stable team," currently consisting of Greg Kroah-Hartman.This teams who fixes bugs and other serious problem and the updates the kernel with a release 3.8.1,3.8.2......3.8.5 where there is no bugs at all,they release 3.8.5 as the stable Linux
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