The big new Linux release isn’t a big deal

The next major iteration of Linux, Linux 7.0, is now available for you to try…and again, it’s not as big as the name suggests.

This is not unusual. Linus Torvalds, the lead developer of the Linux kernel, admitted when announcing the new Linux 7.0-rc1 release candidate that he got the release because he was “easily confused and not good with big numbers.”

“This major new number does *not* mean that we have a cool new feature or that we are somehow abandoning old interfaces,” Torvalds wrote. “It’s the usual marker of ‘solid progress,’ nothing more.”

Torvalds added that the new kernel update includes the usual: “two-thirds of drivers, with the last third being the usual random collection of architecture updates, filesystems, tools, and random kernel code.” Phoronix, which delved deeper into what’s being added, said the new core has support for Intel’s upcoming Nova Lake and Diamond Lake processors, more support for AMD’s Zen 6 architecture, and hardware drivers for Qualcomm’s upcoming processors. You’ll also see better support for Apple’s physical USB-C interface. Torvald’s announcement also includes a list of some contributors and what they added.

Torvalds wrote that development of version 7.0 went relatively smoothly, without the “.0” bug issues that can haunt other versions. It detected a failure case, but resolved it.

“But your mileage may vary,” Torvalds added. “That’s why you should now drop everything, run on your computers, test, build and test a shiny new kernel. The fact that it all works for *me* is a good thing, but let’s make sure it works for others too, okay?”

The new kernel can be cloned from git.kernel.org.