Linux 2.6.28 to be released

                                           The lastest, and maybe the last for 2008, kernel of Linux will soon be released by the open source software creator Linus Torvalds. What a way to end the year for all Linux users around the world. Linux 2.6.28 will be the fifth kernel to be released for 2008 following the release of Linux 2.6.27 last October.

The new kernel is loaded with a number of improvements from that of the previous release. This includes better graphics performance, improved power utilization, which tops all features, and a wireless USB support which is totally new to Linux.

One of the big items in the Linux 2.6.28 release is the ext4 filesystem. The ext4 filesystem had been undergoing development and implementation all throughout 2008 but this is the first time in a kernel release wherein the filesystem was declared stable. The new system evolved from ext3 which is currently the default filesystem on many Linux distributions.

Linux 2.6.28 might be a significant milestone for video on Linux.  With this kernel release, a proper memory manager, GEM or Graphics Execution Manager, for video memory is included. GEM is making Linux perform better in terms of graphics performance. The video improvements also improves power utilization for graphics. What the new kernel does is reduce power consumption across the video driver subsystem. Aside from these, Linux 2.6.28 is also loaded with the new Wireless USB support which was not included in Linux before. Virtualization is also improved in this new kernel with improvements to its Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM).

Source: Internet News