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 once again it’s not as significant as its name implies.

That’s not unusual. Linus Torvalds, the lead developer of the Linux kernel, acknowledged in announcing the new Linux 7.0-rc1 release candidate that it got it got this version because he is “easily confused and not good with big numbers.”

“So that new major number does *not* mean that we have some big new exciting feature, or that we’re somehow leaving old interfaces behind,” Torvalds wrote. “It’s the usual “solid progress” marker, nothing more.”

Torvalds added that the new kernel update includes the usual: “two-thirds drivers, with the final third being the usual random collection of architecture updates, filesystems, tooling and random core kernel code.” Phoronix, which has dived more deeply into what’s being added, said that the new kernel 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 USB-C physical interface, too. Torvald’s announcement also includes a list of some of the contributors and what they added.

Torvalds wrote that the 7.0 development was relatively smooth, without the “.0” bug concerns that can haunt other releases. He did catch a failure case, but solved it.

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

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