2.4 kernel vs. 2.2.17

[fuzzy]

I feel like Mr. Curiosity today...
What is different in the 2.4pre? kernel compared to the current "stable" one?
Is it mostly hardware support? Better security?
I thought about it the other day and thought, "Hmm... I'll ask the gang at lno!" http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif
TIA!

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I spy with my little eye something that begins with "W"... oops, it's gone now.

[TheLinuxDuck]

Originally posted by fuzzy:
What is different in the 2.4pre? kernel compared to the current "stable" one?
Is it mostly hardware support? Better security?

To my knowledge there are some vast speedups in the new kernel.. my 2.4.0-test9 boots twice as fast as the 2.2.16-3. Also, it has better usb support, from what I can tell. It has new memory management capability, to handle up to 64gig of RAM.

I don't know alot of the specifics, but I know that it's never crashed or locked up on me, it seems to run faster and load faster. I dunno if 2.2.17 has firewire support, but this version does.. it has support for video devices (many to accompany the firewire, I'm sure).

Uhh... I can't think off hand, as my machine at home runs the test kernel.

I like it. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

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TheLinuxDuck
Wait... that's a penguin?!?!?
:wq

[stiles]

It's almost an entire rewrite of the kernel. There are a lot of new drivers (usb and firewire among others). IP Tables is to replace IPChains. The kernel SMP 'big lock' has been taken out and replaced with fine grain locking. VFS has been rewritten (bye bye 2GB / file limmit).

In short everything but (if I remember correctly) the core SCSI code has been changed.

[fuzzy]

Well, ya see, I have never even considered messing with my kernel until recently. I can't even tell you why I would.
I have an ancient PI 133 computer with 33.6 modem, 10.4 G harddrive, and old d-link nic that works off the ne driver, and an SiS 6326 video card.
It all works just fine.
I think I just want to see what recompiling a kernel is all about.
But I only want to do it if it's worth my while. So, I suppose that, unless I have need of it (like hardware-wise), perhaps I should hold off, eh?


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I spy with my little eye something that begins with "W"... oops, it's gone now.

[TheLinuxDuck]

Originally posted by fuzzy:
But I only want to do it if it's worth my while. So, I suppose that, unless I have need of it (like hardware-wise), perhaps I should hold off, eh?


I say it's worth your while, just so you have the knowledge and understanding that comes from doing so.. even if you just compile your own kernel again, optimizing it. You will learn quite a bit from it.

So, I say go for it.. 2.4 is a hefty download, but wroth it's weight in chicken once you've got it. http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/smile.gif

Did I mention the 2.4 kernels boot faster? http://www.linuxnewbie.org/ubb/biggrin.gif

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TheLinuxDuck
Wait... that's a penguin?!?!?
:wq

[stiles]

Originally posted by fuzzy:
It all works just fine.
I think I just want to see what recompiling a kernel is all about.
But I only want to do it if it's worth my while. So, I suppose that, unless I have need of it (like hardware-wise), perhaps I should hold off, eh?

You should compile a kernel just to see what it's all about (use the latest stable if you want). You learn a lot about your system just by browsing around menuconfig (or xconfig if you like).

[plasmid]

how different is iptables from ipchains? Here I was just starting to understand the one, and now it looks like I will have to learn another...argh

-plasmid

[posterboy]

For me, the big attraction in 2.4 was LVM. I have implemented it, found it bug free over these last what, 4 months, maybe. Being able to resize drives on the fly, and mount them as you please is a wonderful thing. Also, just for sillies, with 2.4 kernels, gkrellm will watch your hard drives seperately, a window for HDA and another for HDB, etc.

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newbie@raymondjones.net
HTTP://www.raymondjones.net

[Shad]

2.4 has better 3d acceleration as well.

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Just a Tuna in the Sea of Life

[veloctTX]

I think I read somewhere that 2.4 will be out by years end. Linus wants it to be as perfect as possible. I think the latest one is 2.4-test10 or something like that.

[mandreko]

what is the LVM? Linux Virtual Modules?

[Strike]

Originally posted by mandreko:
what is the LVM? Linux Virtual Modules?
Logical Volume Management - dynamic partitioning, in a way