Linux kernel mailing list explained

Linux kernel mailing list
Type:Information exchange for Linux kernel development
Current Status:Online

The Linux kernel mailing list (LKML) is the main electronic mailing list for Linux kernel development,[1] [2] where the majority of the announcements, discussions, debates, and flame wars over the kernel take place.[3] Many other mailing lists exist to discuss the different subsystems and ports of the Linux kernel, but LKML is the principal communication channel among Linux kernel developers.[4] It is a very high-volume list, usually receiving about 1,000 messages each day, most of which are kernel code patches.

Linux utilizes a workflow governed by LKML,[5] which is the "bazaar" where kernel development takes place. In his book Linux Kernel Development, Robert Love notes:[3]

The LKML functions as the central place where Linux developers around the world share patches, argue about implementation details, and discuss other issues.[1] The official releases of the Linux kernel are indicated by an email to LKML.[6] [7] [8] New features are discussed and most code is posted to the list before any action is taken.[3] It is also the official place for reporting bugs in the Linux kernel, in case one cannot find the maintainer to whom the bug should be reported.[9] Author Michelle Delio suggests that it was on LKML that Tux, the official Linux mascot, was suggested and refined,[10] although the accuracy of her reporting in other stories has been disputed.[11] Many companies associated with Linux kernel make announcements and proposals on LKML; for example, Novell,[12] Intel,[13] [14] VMware,[15] [16] and IBM.[17]

The list subscribers include all the Linux kernel maintainers as well as other known figures in Linux circles, such as Jeff V. Merkey[18] and Eric S. Raymond.[19] A 2000 study found that 14,535 people, from at least 30 countries, sent at least one email to LKML between 1995 and 2000 to participate in the discussion of Linux development.[20]

Authors of books such as The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation[20] and Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects,[21] and Recovering Device Drivers[22] have made use of LKML for their research studies and surveys.

Media coverage

The LWN.net website frequently covers discussion on the LKML, and the newsletter Kernel Traffic covered the activities of the LKML until November 2005.[23] Many internet websites include archives of the mailing list, such as lore.kernel.org/lkml,[24] lkml.org,[25] mail-archive.com[26] and marc.info.[27]

Linus Torvalds on LKML

Linus Torvalds is known for angrily disagreeing with other developers on the LKML.[28] Calling himself a "really unpleasant person", he later explained "I'd like to be a nice person and curse less and encourage people to grow rather than telling them they are idiots. I'm sorryI tried, it's just not in me."[29] [30]

His attitude, which Torvalds considers necessary for making his point clear, has drawn opposition from Intel programmer Sage Sharp and systemd developer Lennart Poettering, among others.[31] [32] In 2018 Torvalds took a break from kernel development to work on improving his behavior and instituted a code of conduct.[33] [34]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Introduction . Kernel Traffic.
  2. Gallivan . Michael J. . 2001-12-29 . Striking a balance between trust and control in a virtual organization: a content analysis of open source software case studies . Information Systems Journal . 11 . 4 . 277–304 . 10.1046/j.1365-2575.2001.00108.x. 11868077 .
  3. Book: Love, Robert . Robert Love . Linux Kernel Development . 2nd . 2005-01-12 . Novell Press . 978-0-672-32720-9 . Patches, Hacking, and the Community . registration .
  4. Book: Llamosi, Albert . Reliable Software Technologies - Ada-Europe 2004 . Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 3063 . 2004-07-27 . Springer . 978-3-540-22011-4.
  5. Book: Defillippi, Robert . Knowledge at Work: Creative Collaboration in the Global Economy . 1st . 2006-09-01 . Blackwell Publishing Limited . 978-1-4051-0756-3 . 168.
  6. Justin R. . Erenkrantz . Release Management Within Open Source Projects . . 2007-03-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194517/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf . 2007-09-27.
  7. Web site: Linux kernel to be suitable for enterprise . Peter . Galli . 13 December 2000 . ZDNet Australia . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090609133017/http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Linux-kernel-to-be-suitable-for-enterprise/0,139023166,120107594,00.htm . 2009-06-09.
  8. Web site: Test version of new Linux kernel available . Stephen . Shankland . 2 January 2002 . CNet.
  9. Web site: Reporting bugs for the Linux kernel . Richard . Gooch . Linux Kernel Archives.
  10. Web site: Re: Linux logo . May 1996 . Linux-Kernel Archive.
  11. Wired News Releases Source Review . 9 May 2005 . WIRED . 2018-01-14 . en-US.
  12. Web site: Novell introduces Linux kernel debugger . Stephen . Shankland . July 1, 2005 . CNet.
  13. Web site: Intel, Red Hat cure open-source hiccup . Stephen . Shankland . 17 February 2003 . CNet.
  14. Web site: Proposed ACPI Licensing change . Andrew . Grover . 6 December 2002 . Linux-Kernel Archive.
  15. Web site: Linux team tells VMware and Xen to get their acts together . Ashlee . Vance . Ashlee Vance . 20 April 2006 . The Register.
  16. Web site: VMI i386 Linux virtualization interface proposal . Zachary . Amsden . 13 March 2006 . LWN.net.
  17. Web site: IBM announces Journaled File System v 1.0.0 . Adam . Buchbinder . Zack . Brown . 9 July 2001 . Kernel Traffic . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070928191837/http://www.kernel-traffic.org/kernel-traffic/kt20010709_125.txt . 2007-09-28.
  18. Web site: Linus tells Merkey, "Cry me a river" . January 2, 2006 . Linux Today . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060104083001/http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006010200126OSCYKN . January 4, 2006.
  19. Web site: Linus tries to make himself scale . Joe . Barr . February 11, 2002 . Linux.sys-con.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210757/http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32722_2.htm . September 30, 2007.
  20. Lee . Gwendolyn K. . Cole . Robert E. . The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation . . December 2000 . 2007-03-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194148/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf . 2007-09-27.
  21. Guido . Hertel . Sven . Niedner . Stefanie . Herrmann . amp . Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects . University of Kiel, Institut fuer Psychologie . 2007-03-13 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20061109221342/http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf . 2006-11-09.
  22. Michael M. . Swift . Muthukaruppan . Annamalai . Brian N. . Bershad . Henry M. . Levy . amp . Recovering Device Drivers . Proceedings of the 6th Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation . . 2007-03-13.
  23. Web site: Archives . Kernel Traffic.
  24. Web site: LKML Archive . lore.kernel.org.
  25. Web site: Latest messages . lkml.org.
  26. Web site: Messages by Thread . Linux Kernel.
  27. Web site: Majordomo Lists . vger.kernel.org.
  28. News: The Creator of Linux on the Future Without Him . Bloomberg . Ashlee . Vance . June 16, 2015.
  29. Web site: Buggy? Angry? LET IT ALL OUT says Linus Torvalds . Simon . Sharwood . The Register . 2015-01-19 . 2015-11-08.
  30. Web site: Torvalds: I want to be nice, and curse less, but it's just not in me . Gavin . Clarke . The Register . 2012-11-07 . 2015-11-08.
  31. Web site: Lennart Poettering: Open Source Community "Quite A Sick Place To Be In" . Slashdot . 2014-10-06 . 2015-11-08.
  32. Web site: Linux kernel dev Sarah Sharp quits, citing 'brutal' communications style . Jon . Gold . Network World . 2015-10-05 . 2015-11-08.
  33. Web site: Torvalds Apologizes for His 'Bad Behavior', Takes a Break from Linux . Abhishek . Prakash . September 17, 2018 . It's FOSS.
  34. Web site: Linus Torvalds Is Taking A Break From Linux, Here's Why? . Manisha . Priyadarshini . September 17, 2018 . Fossbytes.

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