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Linus Torvalds decides world doesn't need a new Linux today

'I could have released the final 4.10' but preferred not to over-complicate things

Those waiting for the milestone that would have been version 4.10 of the Linux kernel have another week to wait, after Linus Torvalds decided not to release the final version this week.

“Hey, it's another week, and I could have released the final 4.10,” Torvalds posted to the Linux Kernel Mailing List, adding that “... I wouldn't have felt bad about just doing the final release today.”

But despite a week that's “not been all that busy” Torvalds has decided to wait because “there's also no huge overriding reason to do so (other than getting back to the usual "rc7 is the last rc" schedule, which would have been nice)).

And then there's the matter of the merge window for version 4.11, which opens upon completion of the previous version. Torvalds says he has “travel coming up” and prefers not to run merge windows while he's on the road.

This week's release candidate, the eighth for Linux 4.10, includes what Torvalds describes as “a number of small last-minute regression fixes” in addition to many new drivers and architectural changes.

Onwards we go then: Linux 4.10 will be with us next week and if development proceeds at Torvalds' preferred pace we'll have another release by about early May.

Linux-watchers may also be keen to note that last week saw the release of kernel version 3.18.48, the last in that series which is now considered to be end-of-life. Greg Kroah-Hartman, maintainer of the stable branch of Linux, recommends an immediate upgrade to 3.18.48 or, better yet, a jump to “4.4.y or 4.9.y, those are both much better, and far more secure.” ®

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