Linux Kernel Version 3.3 includes code from Google’s Android Project.
On Sunday, March 18th, 2012, Linus Torvalds released version 3.3 of the Linux kernel. This update results in the merging of Google’s Android Linux with Torvalds main Linux kernel version.
While most programmers generally use a Java-like interface, this Google version of Linux handles underlying details such as keyboard input, multi-tasking, and keeping needed data in memory. Current thought is that programming should be easier, and faster for all parties, and that Google will be able to benefit more directly from never features added to the core Kernel, and to make keeping the code in-sync with main kernel.
Android features also included in Linux 3.3 are:
- Binder – Identifies the method to invoke and pass arguments between Android processes when one Android process calls a routine in another.
- Logger – Which is used to log records to various destinations, such as log files or the console.
- Low Memory Killer – This is put on top of existing Linux drivers for memory management. It scans the list of running processes and kills one every time its lowmem_shrink function is called.
Some additional features of Linux 3.3 include:
- Improved balancing for Btrfs (B-tree file system – GPL – copy on write system), this includes improved debugging tools and restriping between different RAID levels
- Open vSwitch (a production quality, multilayer virtual switch)
- Better bonding of network interfaces: teaming
- Bufferbloat fighting: Byte queue limits
- Per-cgroup TCP buffer limits
- Network priority control group
- Better Ext4 online resizing
- Support for the TI C6X architecture
- Support for EFI boot.
What does this change mean for businesses?
Developers can more easily create cross-platform apps… so this additional feature is most likely to lead to faster development of business applications and interfaces that will interact directly with any electronic appliance that utilizes Android Apps.