14 DAY TRIAL // Linus Torvalds announced that a new version has landed in the Linux kernel 3.19 branch. This is the second Release Candidate in the series and it's a small one, as opposed to the first iteration. In any case, it's now available for download and testing.
As it was to be expected, this is a very small update, but that's understandable given the fact that the development cycle is superimposed on the holidays and numerous kernel devs are away. In fact, it's a surprise that there were enough changes to warrant a new RC.
Users might not think that an RC is important, but that is not true. Every new release brings us a little bit closer to the next stable version, even if it's just a small one with just a bunch of drivers and various other smaller changes and improvements.
Still no mention of the "mega" stable Linux kernel 4.0
As usual, Linus explained the deal with this latest iteration of the kernel and why we should care about it. He also published more technical details about this version, in case you really want to see the "guts" of the kernel.
"This -rc is tiny, for all the obvious reasons. I don't expect that to last, but we'll probably have another week of relative calm until things really start normalizing. About 80% drivers (drm being the bulk of it by far), with a few small fixes around arm64, auditing and some random small oneliners elsewhere," wrote Linus Torvalds in the official announcement.
A while ago, Linus mentioned the fact that he was considering releasing Linux kernel 4.0 right after he was done with the 3.19 branch. This would be a version that should include only fixes and other stability improvements, making it ideal for incorporating in distros. Unfortunately, there hasn't been any public mention of the 4.0 version since then, but users can still hope.
In the meantime, you can download Linux Kernel 3.19 RC2 from Softpedia and give it a try. You will have to compile it, so make sure you really know what you're doing before you start testing it.