Linux in The News 8-15-22
Last Updated on August 15, 2022 by KC7NYR
Linus Torvalds Announces First Linux Kernel 6.0 Release Candidate
Linus Torvalds kicked off the development cycle of the upcoming Linux 6.0 kernel series and announced today the availability of the first Release Candidate (RC) milestone for public testing.
Two weeks have passed since the release of Linux kernel 5.19, which is also the last kernel release in the Linux 5.x series, and the opening of the merge window for Linux kernel 6.0.
Now, the merge window for Linux 6.0 is now officially closed and the first Release Candidate (RC) milestone is ready for testers and bleeding-edge users who want an early taste of what’s about to be included in the final release, which is expected in early October 2022.
According to Linus Torvalds, all the big changes have been merged and Linux kernel 6.0 looks to be another fairly sizable release with another great set of improvements for AMD GPU users. About 60% of the release is new and updated drivers for better hardware support, but there are also architecture updates, filesystems and tooling improvements, as well as random changes all over for a performance boost.
As mentioned before, the final Linux 6.0 kernel release is expected in early October, either on the 2nd or the 9th, which depends entirely on how many Release Candidate (RC) milestones will be announced until then, something only Linus Torvalds knows.
Until then, if you want to take the upcoming Linux 6.0 kernel series for a test drive against your hardware, you can download the first Release Candidate (RC1) build right now from the kernel.org website. However, please keep in mind that this is a pre-release version so don’t install it on a production machine!
Peppermint OS Now Also Offers a Systemd-free Devuan Variant!
Peppermint OS, one of the most lightweight and flexible Linux distros, is now offering a Devuan-based ISO for advanced users to have more control over their system.
With their release of Peppermint OS 11, they dropped using Ubuntu as the base for Debian to make Peppermint OS more stable and reliable.
Peppermint OS Based on Devuan
So, what is Devuan in the first place?
Devuan is a fork of Debian without systemd, so users can have portability and freedom of choice.
Running a computer with systemd is often debated, which is why we have a list of Systemd-free Linux distros, but only a few of them can provide a polished experience out of the box.
Now, a Devuan-based edition of Peppermint OS should be an exciting addition to the list.
If you want a systemd-free distribution, giving you more freedom on your operating system, this should be a good one to try.
Fret not, the Debian edition of Peppermint OS is here to stay. So, you can expect both Devuan-based and Debian-based ISOs available for use.
Do You Need More Systemd-free Options?
Systemd is an init system (an initialization system). Init system is one of the first programs that start, when you boot your Linux machine, and will run until you’re working with your computer.
But systemd is more than just an init system and contains other software such as logind, networkd, etc., which is used to manage different aspects of the Linux system.
Overall, it evolved into a complex init module. While it made many things easy, it appeared as a bloated solution to some users.
Hence, users started to like options like Devuan. And, Peppermint OS devs are now trying to improvise the experience with Devuan by using it as a base for another edition for desktop users.
Download Devuan-based Peppermint OS
It is an excellent choice for users who are used to systemd-free system.
But, if you have never tried something without systemd, it may not be a wise idea to make a switch unless you know what you’re doing.
