Linus Torvalds has announced the release of Linux 7.1 during his trip to Mumbai for the Open Source Summit India. This significant upgrade marks the end of support for the Intel 486 CPU, ushering in improvements, particularly better NTFS support, which is now a first-class file system in Linux.
The new kernel introduces a native NTFS driver, which replaces both the outdated NTFS-3G FUSE driver and the Paragon-contributed NTFS3 kernel driver, which had issues with data corruption. This latest driver, dubbed an "NTFS resurrection" by Torvalds, is built on modern Linux filesystem infrastructure, designed for robust read-write support, with improved error handling and predictable performance under heavy workloads. This change will especially benefit users frequently transferring data between Windows and Linux systems.
Another notable feature in Linux 7.1 is the default enabling of Intel’s Flexible Return and Event Delivery (FRED). This new mechanism simplifies control-flow transitions in the kernel, enhancing security by reducing reliance on outdated entry stacks.
The kernel update includes various security enhancements, starting with Intel’s Linear Address Space Separation (LASS), which improves memory protection and reduces exploitability of memory corruption issues.
The release also aggressively removes legacy support, particularly for older Intel CPUs, shedding over 140,000 lines of obsolete code and streamlining maintenance. While enthusiasts can still run older kernels, the distinction between supported hardware and outdated technology is becoming clearer.
Overall, Linux 7.1 offers vital upgrades, focusing on better performance, enhanced security features, and reliability for modern computing environments, preparing the platform for upcoming hardware advancements.
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