3 kernel versions

Barsik · n00b Joined: 16 Jun 2002 Posts: 6

There are 3 kernels available on kernel.org:

2.4.20
2.2.23
2.0.39

Why old kernels are still available ? And in which sutuations should I use them (the old ones) ?

Thanks

drakonite · l33t Joined: 02 Nov 2002 Posts: 768 Location: Lincoln, NE

Older kernels are still available because in some situations they may be more stable.

A lot of systems are using the older kernels because that's what the installed when they set up the server, and I believe the old kernels are still updated with security fixes and the like (although the older the kernel the less likely it is to be updated... I think 2.2.x is still patched to fix security problems fairly actively) because it's much easier to simply add a small patch to your kernel then to try to start over with a new kernel, which might be incompatible with your system.

For the most part, just grab the 2.4.x kernel.

The real question to bother you is if you should get the vanilla, gentoo, or one of the dozen other types of 2.4.x kernels

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