Linux Kernel Support Faces Major Cutbacks as Maintenance Struggles Persist
The Linux kernel's long-term support (LTS) is being reduced from six to two years due to low usage, while code maintainers are facing burnout. Many maintainers are not paid for their work and are overwhelmed by increasing demands and the use of fuzzers to find bugs. Linux is also experimenting with Rust, which poses challenges for maintainers who have spent years working in C. Despite some resistance, Rust is expected to become a mainstream part of the kernel. Additionally, concerns have arisen over the choice of kernel for Linux distributions, with some opting for vendor-specific kernels, leading to conflicts between Red Hat and the Open Enterprise Linux Association. Android, on the other hand, has been using stable updates to improve security. Overall, it is recommended to include all patches when building a Linux distro to avoid security vulnerabilities.