“The last couple of weeks have been pretty quiet, so I think there’s no real reason to delay the [Kernel Linux] 6.8“. It’s a Linus Torvalds rather relaxed (not to say apathetic) the one who announces the release of version 6.8 of the Linux Kernel (do you know how to install Linux on Windows?).
So much so that, in what he defines as “a sea of normality“, he leaves himself to some considerations if we want frivolous, announcing how the version 6.9 will be the first to reach the goal of 10 million Git objects. Which gives you an idea of the amount of new features in the newly released version.
But let’s see what the kernel 6.8. Torvalds describes how the most significant change is the addition of a new one Xe drm drivers. This driver powers the Intel GPUsregardless of whether they are integrated into a CPU or discrete, but is considered experimental.
Another addition to the kernel involves support for AWS Nitrothe foundation platform for the latest generation of Amazon Web Services EC2 instances.
But, as Torvalds laconically describes, most of the new things are bug fixes and various updates.
These include filesystem fixes bcachefs, one of the great additions to Linux 6.7, such as the improvements that brought the kernel Rust to CPUs using the LoongArch architecture. Furthermore, greater support for the graphics component has arrived Raspberry Pi 5 and the one for Nintendo Switch Online controllers.
Nothing spectacular,”just as it should be“, writes Torvalds, and perhaps for this reason he let himself go to an analysis defined as “some random git numerology“. The creator of the Linux kernel explained how version 6.8 reached 9,996 million of Git objects, so 6.9 will be the first to surpass the 10 million of Git objects.
For those who don’t know, the Git objects represent the contents of files in a folder in a repository, such as commits, trees (the folders), and tag objects.
Nothing special, therefore, just a round number which, if you like, represents a “goal”. As Torvalds himself points out: “Git doesn’t care“. Obviously this number does not represent other linux trees, which have already largely surpassed the 10 million of objects.
Linus Torvalds
