With the release yesterday of the Linux 2.6.29 kernel, we have set out to explore how the desktop performance has evolved over the past six major kernel releases. On a few occasions in the past we have provided kernel benchmarks (at one point even benchmarking 12 kernels), but this time around we have included nearly two dozen benchmarks using the Phoronix Test Suite.

Some time ago Dell introduced the dynamic kernel module support (DKMS) to automatically recompile kernel modules during kernel updates. Now the first average-user apps supporting dkms emerged: VirtualBox and ATI graphics drivers.

With ATI Catalyst 9.8, ATI finally has support for newer kernels. The Linux 2.6.29 kernel was released in March, but it has taken until today for AMD to release any support for this kernel. However, at the same time, they have also released support for the Linux 2.6.30 kernel, which arrived back in June.

Much attention goes toward mainline kernel releases, but relatively few users are actually running those kernels. Instead, they run kernels provided by their distributors, and those kernels, in turn, are based off the stable kernel series. The practice of releasing stable kernels has been going for well over five years now, so perhaps it's time to look back at how it has been going.

The X.org and kernel developers are working on drivers to support the DirectX 11 graphics cards in AMD's Radeon HD 5000 series. The kernel developers have released numerous new stable kernels and are discussing the integration of utrace in great detail.

While new stable kernel releases seem to have become somewhat less frequent, they now include more changes. Although the most recent version of AMD's proprietary graphics drivers finally work with X Server 1.7, NVIDIA's drivers already work with version 1.8. Videos of the Linux Audio Conference and the Collaboration Summit provide insights into audio and kernel topics

Customizing and building your own Linux kernel means you can add new experimental drivers, get rid of drivers you don't need, fix mistakes created by your chosen distro, and make a lean, mean and fast kernel. Akkana Peck continues her series on kernel building.

Everytime there is an update for the kernel, the new kernel is installed while the old one is not automaticaly uninstalled, after several kernel updates, you will find a large list of old kernels in the start grub menu.

With the end of the next kernel version's main development phase, the most important new features of Linux 2.6.33 have been determined: DRBD, Nouveau, support of the Trim ATA command and a bandwidth controller for block devices. The developers have also improved the Radeon drivers and the support of Intel Wi-Fi chips.