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A few useful linux links (linx) for developers

Welcome to the Linux Kernel Archives. This is the primary site for the Linux kernel source, but it has much more than just kernels.

The Linux Kernel Archives

Welcome to the Linux Kernel Archives. This is the primary site for the Linux kernel source, but it has much more than just kernels.

Protocol Location
HTTP http://www.kernel.org/pub/
FTP ftp://ftp.kernel.org/pub/
RSYNC rsync://rsync.kernel.org/pub/

 

The latest stable version of the Linux kernel is:  2.6.7 2004-06-16 06:02 UTC F V VI C Changelog
The latest snapshot for the stable Linux kernel tree is:  2.6.7-bk17 2004-07-04 11:46 UTC   V VI   Changelog
The latest 2.4 version of the Linux kernel is:  2.4.26 2004-04-14 13:14 UTC F V VI C Changelog
The latest prepatch for the 2.4 Linux kernel tree is:  2.4.27-rc3 2004-07-03 23:48 UTC   V VI C Changelog
The latest snapshot for the 2.4 Linux kernel tree is:  2.4.26-bk1 2004-04-16 16:41 UTC   V     Changelog
The latest 2.2 version of the Linux kernel is:  2.2.26 2004-02-25 00:28 UTC F V     Changelog
The latest prepatch for the 2.2 Linux kernel tree is:  2.2.27-pre2 2004-04-20 19:26 UTC   V VI   Changelog
The latest 2.0 version of the Linux kernel is:  2.0.40 2004-02-08 07:13 UTC F V VI   Changelog
The latest -mm patch to the stable Linux kernels is:  2.6.7-mm5 2004-07-01 00:10 UTC   V     Changelog

 

F = full source, V = view patch, VI = view incremental, C = current changesets
Changelogs are provided by the kernel authors directly. Please don't write the webmaster about them.

What is Linux?

Linux is a clone of the operating system Unix, written from scratch by Linus Torvalds with assistance from a loosely-knit team of hackers across the Net. It aims towards POSIX and Single UNIX Specification compliance.

It has all the features you would expect in a modern fully-fledged Unix, including true multitasking, virtual memory, shared libraries, demand loading, shared copy-on-write executables, proper memory management, and TCP/IP networking.

Linux was first developed for 32-bit x86-based PCs (386 or higher). These days it also runs on (at least) the Compaq Alpha AXP, Sun SPARC and UltraSPARC, Motorola 68000, PowerPC, PowerPC64, ARM, Hitachi SuperH, IBM S/390, MIPS, HP PA-RISC, Intel IA-64, DEC VAX, AMD x86-64 and CRIS architectures.

Linux is easily portable to most general-purpose 32- or 64-bit architectures as long as they have a paged memory management unit (PMMU) and a port of the GNU C compiler (gcc). Linux has also been ported to a number of architectures without a PMMU, although functionality is then obviously somewhat limited. See the uClinux project for more info.

New to Linux?

If you're new to Linux, you don't want to download the kernel, which is just a component in a working Linux system. Instead, you want what is called a distribution of Linux, which is a complete Linux system. There are numerous distributions available for download on the Internet as well as for purchase from various vendors; some are general-purpose, and some are optimized for specific uses. We currently have mirrors of the Debian and Red Hat general-purpose distributions available at mirrors.kernel.org, as well as a small collection of special-purpose distributions at http://www.kernel.org/pub/dist/.

Note, however, that most distributions are very large, so unless you have a very fast Internet link you may want to save yourself some hassle and purchase a CD-ROM with a distribution; such CD-ROMs are available from a number of vendors.

The Linux Installation HOWTO has more information how to set up your first Linux system.

More Information

There is much information about Linux on the web.

Soon to come: a chat session

"Hokey Smoke, Bullwinkle, they are actually working on this site again."

"Well, Rocky, it is a gnu ear."

"But I'm a vegetarian, Bullwinkle."