Kernel Log – Coming in 3.8 (Part 1)

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Linux now supports F2fs, a filesystem that is specially designed for storage media with flash chips. The developers say that Btrfs is now faster to complete certain tasks and that Ext4 is more efficient when handling small files.

On Friday, Linus Torvalds made available the fourth release candidate of Linux 3.8. Torvalds called on developers to test the RC and was happy to report that development appears to have calmed down. As usual, Torvalds and his fellow developers incorporated all the major new features at the beginning of the Linux 3.8 development cycle. As further major changes are rarely integrated during this current stage of the stabilisation phase, the Kernel Log can already provide a comprehensive overview of the most important new features of the Linux version that is expected to arrive in mid-February.

The overview of 3.8 will be presented in a series of articles that will successively cover the various kernel areas. Part 1, this part, will discuss the most important new features in terms of filesystems, network storage technologies and storage and network hardware drivers; subsequent articles will cover the Linux system’s graphics drivers, kernel infrastructure, network support, processor/platform support and other hardware drivers.

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