Is it any trouble to upgrade the kernel to 2.6.x? If so, then is it worth it?

IMHO, the least troublesome (at least from what I heard) 2.4.x > 2.6.x upgrade path is to install 2.6.7 packages from the Slackware 10, CD2, /testing folder.

Benefits (from what i experienced)
- New USB mice magically start working in X by themselves.
- The system is more responsive in desktop environment. (It's not faster in itself, but the reaction to you clicks and button presses is more instantaneous)
- More/better drivers for new hardware. (In my case: Flash card reader and Bluetooth usb adaptor)

Problems
- Some devices don't "just work" as they should because there is no entry in /dev for them because UDev and HotPlug in 2.6.x don't know what to do with them. UDev and Hotplug still does not support well parport, some usb devices.

Most people switch to 2.6.x either:
- because they are bored out of their mind with a Slackware that "just works" out of the box, and their hands twitch to tweak, or
- because they need support for some new hardware.

hi there,

just to attach some more information, if you upgrade to 2.6.x ALSA can be a bit tricky..
there is good docu in slack cd2..


regards

slackie1000

Would I be correct in assuming that 2.4 is more stable than 2.6?

I'd say the kernels themselves are generally equally stable. What is not as stable is the stuff that grows around kernels - like UDev, Hotplug, USBfs, other fs drivers, scripts, configs. Things are much more settled down around 2.4, pretty much everything that should work - works. I had to create my own parport-device-creating HotPlug/Udev scripts to make parport printer work on 2.6., for example. That level of problems (or lack of complication) is just not there on 2.4.x.

On the other hand... www.kernel.org is now on 2.6.x... So, it all depends on your "needs/tasks" when deciding if 2.6.x is solid enough.

As for ALSA, I think switching to 2.6.x actually made it easier for me to make it work. It is a part of kernel now. All i did is select appropriate modules, did my kernel and alsaconf, alsamixer. Worked like a charm. (I have very generic sound card though, (SB AWE64 ISA) so mileage may differ.)

that is it..
can be tricky..
in slack you see that they left also the ALSA libraries together in CD2. For onboard sound, intel8x0 SIS ,etc can bring some headache
also the information at www.alsa-project.org is a bit outdated(if you consider the kernel 2.6.x) for this hardware.

regards

slackie1000

Would you elaborate on that. I cannot get HotPlug/Udev to work with my parport printer, and I would be grateful to see how you have done it. Especially if it is done elegantly

Thanks in advance

kris_kiil