Linux 7.2 debuts, Linus Torvalds says ‘new normal’ means he had to do it now ... or never?
Say hello to smarter use of caches to speed things up, and a very odd gaming controller. Say goodbye to some PCMCIA support
Linus Torvalds has unveiled version 7.2 of the Linux kernel, describing it as part of a "new normal" that includes increased contributions from AI coding tools. The kernel developer noted that the release had to happen "now or never" due to the larger-than-anticipated size caused by these contributions. Among the new features, the kernel now supports a gaming controller called the "Zenaim Leverless," which has caught the attention of e-sports enthusiasts.
Another significant addition is "Cache Aware Scheduling," which enhances the kernel's performance when handling data in caches of manycore chips like AMD's EPYC 5 and Intel's Xeon 6. The release also enables Linux to run on Apple M3 devices and includes updates to graphics and support for next-gen chips from AMD, Intel, and Nvidia.
Noteworthy deprecations include the removal of AppleTalk support and old ISA and PCMCIA adapters used on ARCNet networks.
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