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Kernel Plans for Ubuntu 10.04
On Thursday, the first alpha version of Ubuntu 10.04 LTS is to be made available. The official release will be out in April 2010. Ubuntu 10.04 LTS should feature significantly more stability, being based on the just released Kernel 2.6.32 as a precedent to the Long Term version.
Those users who particularly value the worth of a stable Ubuntu should use the LTS version. In this case, they would not need to worry about upgrading their desktops for at least two years.The server output will get support for five years. The last LTS version was Ubuntu 8.04 Hardy Heron, which appeared in April 2008.
The Kernel developers from Ubuntu have come to an agreement at the Ubuntu Developer Summit regarding the plan for 10.04. On Friday an official announcement came out detailing their decision. According to the statement, Ubuntu 10.04 will be based on Kernel 2.6.32. Kernel 2.6.32 has just been made available in a quite stable form. The reason for this is that developers will have more time to work out any bugs. One exception is the ARM Kernel, which will continue to use Version 2.6.31.
This will allow for some opportunities for experimentation. For example, new Kernels for Lucid Lynx via back ports will be usable. This makes sense in that it will be possible to profit from more current and stable device drivers that make use of the new Kernels. Support for these Kernel versions, however, are only for certified platforms.
Kernel updates apply as always to security updates and critical bugs. In addition, simple, obvious, quick or hardware relevant patches should be delivered so long as the next release is not yet in Beta form. Also, more updates will be moved upstream.
Grub 2 is to stay in Lucid Lynx as well as the boot loader. Ext4 comes as standard data system. The drivers supplied by the Kernel are all available except for drbd and is to be subject to the newest updates. Dealing with bugs should also get easier and more efficient, and the bug detection software apport will have more options than before.
Last but not least, the Kernel will take less time to boot and to mount the root system. (It will now take a mere 2 seconds to be exact). Developers wish to achieve that via AppArmor and by checking the decompression algorithms from Initramfs and at the same time getting insight on the Moblin Kernel. Those who wish to follow the current developments of the process can do so via the daily bootcharts. New in Ubuntu 10.04 will be the Kernel Mode Setting for ATI Radeon, as well as the deployment of the Nouveau driver for Nvidia users. Also, developers plan to further improve suspend
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