Linux Kernel LTS release is now for 6 years instead of 2

Re:Linux Kernel LTS release is now for 6 years instead of 2 by kasabali on Sunday October 08, 2017 @08:33PM (#15430814)

This is good news, but I'm slightly surprised with the attention this got here and other circles because this actually is nothing new and just a PR move by Google.

From https://www.kernel.org/category/releases.html:

  3.16 	Ben Hutchings 	2014-08-03 	Apr, 2020
  3.2 	Ben Hutchings 	2012-01-04 	May, 2018

These are just currently supported ones, there have been several other releases in the past with 5+ year support (like 2.6.32 and 3.4 from top of my mind). These were also (not coincidentally) selected kernels of older Android releases.

Edit: Digged here a bit more: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux_kernel#Maintenance

  2.6.32 December 2009 to March 2016 (6 years)
  3.4 May 2012 to October 2016 (4.5 years)
  3.10 June 2013 to October 2017 (4 years)

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Re:Linux Kernel LTS release is now for 6 years instead of 2 by fulafel on Monday October 09, 2017 @02:02AM (#15431836)

The future dates you are quoting were recently updated to those dates, see eg. http://web.archive.org/web/20170501160354/https://www.kernel... (also they're just from an unexplained column called "projected EOL")

Last year the announced commitment was just 2 years: https://www.linux.com/news/44-linux-kernel-long-term-support...

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Re:Linux Kernel LTS release is now for 6 years instead of 2 by kasabali on Monday October 09, 2017 @06:31AM (#15432709)

I'm not sure I get your point.

> The future dates you are quoting were recently updated to those dates

Nope, I see same dates there (except 4.4 which I didn't quote in my above comment contrary to what you seem to be claiming)

> also they're just from an unexplained column called "projected EOL

Just like the current page: https://www.kernel.org/category/releases.html

> Last year the announced commitment was just 2 years

My post quoted other kernels, not 4.4, which this news article is about. My point is that a kernel version doesn't get 6 year treatment for the first time thing as this PR/news piece paints it out.

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Re:Linux Kernel LTS release is now for 6 years instead of 2 by fulafel on Tuesday October 10, 2017 @12:35AM (#15439388)

Ok, my mistake about the quoting.

About the substance, I think the public commitment for 6 years for 4.4 has more relevance than just PR.

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