DesktopLinux
Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Forum  |  Polls  |  Blogs  |  Videos  |  Resource Library

Keywords: Match:
Linux 2.6.26 enhances desktop Linux
Jul. 16, 2008

A new stable kernel is out. Three months in the making, Linux 2.6.26 boasts read-only bind mounts, better USB webcam support, 802.11s mesh WiFi, virtualization and paravirtualization improvements, and a ton of new peripheral drivers.

(Click for larger graphical view of Linux 2.6.26)

The newest stable kernel release was announced by Linux originator Linus Torvalds last Sunday. It brings 330MB of source code, via a 48.3MB bzip2-compressed download. Salient for desktop Linux users are a host of "big ticket" feature additions, such as built-in support for 802.11s wireless mesh networking, better USB webcam support, a new x86 PAT (page attribute table) feature resembling MTRRs but more granular, and improved support for popular devices such as the OLPC and Asus EEE PC.

As usual, Kernel Newbies has published a detailed list of new features, here. Some of the more interesting items for desktop Linux users and developers include:
  • 802.11n improvements, and 802.11s mesh networking support via Open80211s
  • Read-only bind mounts (story)
  • Better documentation for real-time scheduling options
  • Improved virtualization capabilities (running guest OSes on Linux's built-in KVM kernel virtual machine)
  • Improved paravirtualization support (running Linux under KVM)
  • Improvements in EXT4 (still an "experimental" feature)
In addition, the new kernel boasts a bevy of architecture-specific enhancements, including:
  • Explicit board support for:
  • Tons of driver additions and improvements
  • Radeon r500 and Radeon Mobility 9000 support
  • Asus EEE PC power management features (base, backlight, hwmon fan control)
  • Support for ICE1724 audio chips, used in high-end sound cards from M-Audio and others
  • Support for eight-channel sound on Intel 8x0 onboard audio
  • Support for new Wacom tablets, various Hauppauge TV and video capture cards, various USB-based broadband "modems", various new network chips, and other assorted drivers
  • Via Isaiah patches for 64-bit compatibility mode
For a rundown of salient new features for device developers, check out similar coverage on our sister site, LinuxDevices, here.

As usual, the latest version of the kernel can be found by fingering linux at kernel.org, i.e. finger linux@kernel.org. The 2.6.26 kernel can be downloaded via ftp here (sig file here.) A complete changelog is here.


-- Henry Kingman


Do you have comments on this story?


Talkback here

NOTE: Please post your comments regarding our articles using the above link. Be sure to use this article's title as the "Subject" in your posts. Before you create a new thread, please check to see if a discussion thread is already running on the article you plan to comment on. Thanks!



Related Stories:


(Click here for further information)


Approaching the Linux Desktop
The purpose of this paper is to help organizations evaluate the Linux desktop against their own enterprise needs and discover what benefits the Linux desktop might bring to their organizations.

Migrating To Linux: Application Challenges and Solutions
Several solutions exist to help organizations migrate in an orderly fashion from Windows to Linux desktops. This paper establishes the characteristics of an ideal cross-platform solution and reviews these alternatives in light of this ideal standard. The paper takes a closer look at the pros and cons of various solutions and outlines the business benefits that can be achieved.

Linux Advantages: Publicly Available Information on Linux Software
This paper offers a brief summary of readily-available Linux information to help businesses sort out this widely misunderstood operating system.

Top 5 Strategies for Managing Linux
Despite continuous evolution in the manageability of Linux, a 2006 survey cited manageability concerns as a top reason why organizations are hesitating to adopt Linux. Levanta believes Linux can be as manageable, if not more so, than other operating systems by following key strategies. These strategic recommendations were developed from experiences in numerous customer environments, both large and small.

Why Choose Novell for Linux?
This paper outlines the benefits of switching to the Linux platform and choosing Novell as a high-performance, enterprise solution.

Enterprise Linux Selection Guide
Considering moving your enterprise to the Linux operating system? Since there are so many similar versions, choosing the right one can be tough. This paper offers a clear process to help you make an informed decision and get the features, support, and cost that are right for your business and technical needs.

Overcoming Challenges in Managing Linux
Levanta has created a new administration model with innovative technology that breaks down the barriers to making the most of Linux systems. This paper will provide an in-depth look at the workings of Levanta’s product, the first Linux appliance of its kind.

SUSE Linux Enterprise 10 for Retail Businesses
Discover why major retailers have switched to SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop in the back office. SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop 10 is a low-cost desktop that offers a complete set of productivity applications and interoperates seamlessly with the other Windows, Macintosh and UNIX desktops in your store.

Moving to a Linux Desktop
Migrating from Windows to Linux on the desktop can be a substantial undertaking because it has the potential for touching -- and perhaps disrupting -- every user in your organization. Unlike a data center (server and infrastructure) migration that is largely transparent to users, the cultural and administrative transitions and environment readiness required to support a Linux desktop migration are extensive.

Seven Good Reasons to Exchange Exchange
This paper describes seven compelling reasons why you should switch from Exchange to Scalix.

 



Got a HOT tip?   please tell us!

ADVERTISEMENT
(Advertise here)

Resource Library


Popular recent stories:
• Linux an equal Flash player
• Linux, netbooks threaten Microsoft's fat profits
• gOS 3.0 goes gold
• Browser swallows OS
• Lenovo denies ditching Linux
• Lightweight, Linux-compatible browser evolves
• GNOME 2.24 gains "Empathy" IM
• Review: Pardus Linux
• Ubuntu to fund Linux development
• Ubuntu "Intrepid Ibex" available

All-time Classics:
• Choosing a desktop Linux distro
• Banshee -- the next best thing to Linux iTunes
• Running World of Warcraft on Ubuntu
• A simple Linux backup method
• The Best Free Desktop Linux . . . and how to make it better
• Linux-powered Asus Eee PC mini-laptop arrives
• The well-tempered Debian desktop
• Lenovo launches a netbook
• What's the best Linux for beginners?
• Getting to know Puppy Linux
• Xandros 4: The best desktop Linux for Windows users
• VirtualBox: The best virtualization program you've never heard of

Linux-Watch headlines:
• GPLv2 copyright suit targets 14 firms
• Amid controversy, Microsoft launches open source foundation
• As open source surges, Microsoft admits Linux threat
• Open source lobbying group emerges
• Open source Linux device drivers submitted by -- Microsoft?
• Google names Chrome OS partners
• Google's new OS marries Linux and Chrome
• Debian plans draw sharp warning from GNU guru
• OpenSource World announces keynote speakers
• Linux 2.6.30 gets new filesystems


Join our Desktop Linux discussion forums:
•  Moving to Linux
•  Linux/Windows debate!
•  Linux Q&A
. . . and more
Visit the...


BREAKING NEWS

• Linux Mint 9 offers new software manager, backup tool
• Dangerous security flaw patched in Linux
• Ubuntu gets multitouch support, Unity netbook UI
• LinuxCon grapples with challenges, from mobile to multicore
• Debian Developer Conference under way in New York City
•  Linux 2.6.35 arrives bearing network, multicore gifts
• Cloud-oriented distro gets site-specific
• OpenSUSE 11.3 ships with Btrfs, LXDE
• Minimalist Linux distro rev'd to version 3.0
• Music sharing app sounds out Linux
• Mandriva fights through money woes, releases 2010 Spring
• Open source media player embraces HD
•  Fedora 13 praised for security and permissions enhancements
• GPL'd Linux driver released for MPEG-4 compression
• Netbooks still hot, but tablets starting to cut in, says study



Linux Netbooks


Linux smartphones!


news feed

Or, follow us on Twitter...


Home  |  News  |  Articles  |  Forum  |  Polls  |  About  |  Contact
 

Ziff Davis Enterprise Home | Contact Us | Advertise | Link to Us | Reprints | Magazine Subscriptions | Newsletters
Tech RSS Feeds | White Papers | ROI Calculators | Tech Podcasts | Tech Video | VARs | Channel News

Baseline | Careers | Channel Insider | CIO Insight | DesktopLinux | DeviceForge | DevSource | eSeminars |
eWEEK | Enterprise Network Security | LinuxDevices | Linux Watch | Microsoft Watch | Mid-market | Networking | PDF Zone |
Publish | Security IT Hub | Strategic Partner | Web Buyer's Guide | Windows for Devices

Developer Shed | Dev Shed | ASP Free | Dev Articles | Dev Hardware | SEO Chat | Tutorialized | Scripts |
Code Walkers | Web Hosters | Dev Mechanic | Dev Archives | igrep

Use of this site is governed by our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Except where otherwise specified, the contents of this site are copyright © 1999-2010 Ziff Davis Enterprise Holdings Inc. All Rights Reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of Ziff Davis Enterprise is prohibited. Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds. All other marks are the property of their respective owners.