Linux 7.1

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Release nature and significance

  • Many see 7.1 as an incremental release: the major version bump is just a roll-over of the second digit, not a semantic change.
  • Linus mentions nothing “interesting or scary” in the final week, which people interpret as “on schedule, no last‑minute drama”.
  • Links to external summaries (Phoronix, LWN) are shared for those wanting detailed feature lists.
  • Some are excited about specific hardware support, e.g., cheap Rockchip-based boards, and a particular WiFi performance fix.

Kernels, distros, and Debian timelines

  • Ongoing joke that Debian Stable will see 7.1 “around 2036”, but multiple comments clarify:
    • Debian Stable users can easily build their own vanilla kernels.
    • Backports and Unstable already carry very recent 7.0.x kernels; 7.1 is expected in future releases.
  • Detailed apt pinning examples show how to mix Stable, Backports, and Unstable to track newer kernels, with cautions about creating “FrankenDebian”.
  • Several users say they rarely care about exact kernel versions on servers; Debian’s stability plus backports is enough.
  • Comparisons with Arch, Fedora, OpenSUSE; Debian is favored for “install once, upgrade in-place” and low maintenance.

Kernel building and performance

  • Reports of build times range from 30–45 minutes on modest hardware to ~90 seconds on high‑core machines with stripped configs.
  • Debate over whether such fast builds rely heavily on ccache; some argue a minimal config alone dramatically reduces time.
  • Nostalgia for very long compile times on old hardware and discussion of power/carbon considerations.

Code removal and AI‑driven bug reports

  • 7.1 removes very old ISDN and network drivers partly to cut down on AI‑generated bug reports against obsolete code.
  • Some celebrate this as a healthy “trimming the fat” and emphasize “code is liability”.
  • Others warn about dismissing rare hardware users and invoke concerns similar to forced obsolescence (e.g., Windows 11 hardware drops).
  • Counter‑arguments note the removed hardware is decades old and alternatives (e.g., BSDs or maintaining forks) exist.

Anubis bot protection and anime mascot

  • People notice an anime avatar flashing before content on the kernel mailing list archives; it’s identified as Anubis bot protection.
  • One linked critique claims it “cannot work in theory”; defenders point to before/after logs showing reduced bot traffic and argue it’s empirically useful.
  • Some share uBlock rules to hide the mascot, calling it unprofessional; others push back, seeing it as harmless or even a “filter” for certain audiences.
  • A deeper subthread debates discomfort with young‑looking anime characters, accusations of overreaction, and cultural clashes around “kawaii”.

NTFS driver changes

  • Anticipation for the new NTFS driver; a few report good experiences testing it.
  • Paragon’s ntfs3 is described as having had periods of poor maintenance, scary data‑loss warnings, and, in at least one distro/kernel version, serious instability and panics.
  • The new driver is said to build on the older read‑only NTFS code and be easier to modernize, which some view as a positive reset.

Distro experiences and preferences

  • Multiple comments praise Debian (Stable + backports) as “just works” and less encumbered than Ubuntu.
  • Criticisms of Ubuntu include:
    • Forced or default snaps and related sandboxing quirks (e.g., printing issues, app bugs).
    • Install-time friction (location services prompts, reserved usernames) and repository/packaging policies.
  • Others defend Ubuntu for historical ease of use, better early desktop/installer experience, and popularity leading to better support.
  • Desktop environment preferences (KDE vs GNOME) are discussed but not strongly tied to the kernel release itself.

Miscellaneous

  • Users joke about how many lines of 7.1 are AI‑written (“3–5” as a joke).
  • Some note that distributions like Arch and Fedora are already on 7.0.x and expect 7.1 soon.
  • There’s a broader theme of valuing stability but appreciating that the kernel keeps modern hardware and filesystems moving forward.