I have wasted quite a lot of time upgrading to newer Linux version. Many currently compilable modules just do not compile anymore mostly due to header file changes.

Ex: NVIDIA Nforce2 platform driver compiles with Fedora Core 2 (2.6.7.x-xxx) but fails to compile with 2.6.8-1.521

Ex: ITE Raid driver 8212 2.6.x will not compile with Fedora Core 2 and higher, I had to modify the sources to make it compile.

If Linux really wants to get it footstep into Home PC, it has to fix these annoying problems.

While it excels in many areas compared to Windows (performance, Web security, fully functional servers (NFS, Apache, FTP, ..) ... and most of all FREE !!!), it trails badly in elsewhere, particularly in the area of Multimedia (DVD software, Photo Editting, Web Camera, ...) and wireless.

Just a comment for improvements.

what method did you use to upgrade your kernel.

i don't think i've ever heard of anyone successfully upgrading to a newer kernel with FC/Redhat, because up2date has some serious problems - that's what made me move away from FC. anyways if you used up2date or whatever it's called now, chances are it's not a problem with linux but more of a problem with FC/Redhat.

you probably don't need to upgrade your kernel anyways, unless you need to use some really new hardware or something.

my experience has been that upgrading in linux is super-easy and efficient, even compared to windows. it all depends on your method of upgrading and what you choose to upgrade.

I used both method. 'up2date' or download new source and compile and install it. The kernel itself compiles just fine and boot up just fine, obviously, because it has been tested. But third party softwares whose sources are not part of the kernel (such as NVIDIA Nforce 2 drivers (ethernet and audio driver), ITE Raid driver that I ran into) fail to compile with this new kernel due to changes in header files.

'up2date' upgrade just fine but then it pick up the latest compiler, e.g. gcc3.3.4 and again same compilation problems.

This is what I meant, third party drivers or software, which are not part of the kernel source release often run into trouble with new Linux version.

and just how is that different from windows? do you not remember win2k release or for that matter winME?

any major upgrade to the kernal will/can cause havox with any 3rd party software/driver in any OS.

I'm not really sure anybody is really trying to get a footstep into anything actually.......

the improvement that have been hapening to the kernel and gcc and to the way glibc is trying to deal with
user space kernel interface headers is major major great revolutionary changes........
are there problems -- sure
but we have to regard the code that used to work as broken to a way better way of doing things
reverse compatabillity with stuff that sucks won't help anything
that's lke saying we want a new religion but it need to be reverse compatable with christianity
ignoring the reality that christianity is stupid and we need a total break from thinking that way or we will fail

Do not use up2date for upgrading. The best way to upgrade is to use yum or apt-get. yum is part of many distros like fedora core 2 and can also be downloaded from the net. It makes upgrades smooth and hassle free. Do man yum to learn more about using it.

Tho_x_tran, consider complaining to Nvidia about their lack of willingness to release open source drivers for their hardware. The kernel development people can't do a lot about driver problems if the companies refuse to release the source code of their drivers. You could use the open source Nvidia drivers (IIRC they have been reversed engineered and do not work anywhere nearly as well as Nvidia's own drivers), too.