Linux kernel mailing list: Difference between revisions

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{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}

{{Infobox website

| name = Linux kernel mailing list

| favicon =

| logo =

| screenshot =

| caption =

| url = {{URL|httphttps://vgersubspace.kernel.org/vger-lists.kernel.org.html}}

| commercial =

| type = Information exchange for [[Linux kernel]] development

| registration =

| owner =

| author =

|launch_date launch date =

|current_status current status = Online

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}}

The '''Linux kernel mailing list''' ('''LKML''') is the main [[electronic mailing list]] for [[Linux kernel]] development,<ref name="kernelTraffic">{{cite web |url=http://www.kerneltraffic.org/ |title=Introduction |website=Kernel Traffic}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |last=Gallivan |first=Michael J. |date=2001-12-29 |title=Striking a balance between trust and control in a virtual organization: a content analysis of open source software case studies |journal=Information Systems Journal |volume=11 |issue=4 |pages=277–304 |doi=10.1046/j.1365-2575.2001.00108.x|s2cid=11868077 }}</ref> where the majority of the announcements, discussions, debates, and [[flame war]]s over the kernel take place.<ref name="robert_love_lkd">{{cite book |last=Love |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Love |title=Linux Kernel Development |edition=2nd |date=2005-01-12 |publisher=Novell Press |isbn=978-0-672-32720-9 |chapter=Patches, Hacking, and the Community |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/linuxkerneldevel00love_0}}</ref> Many other mailing lists exist to discuss the different subsystems and ports of the Linux kernel, but LKML is the principal communication channel among Linux kernel developers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Llamosi |first=Albert |title=Reliable Software Technologies - Ada-Europe 2004 |series=Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 3063 |date=2004-07-27 |publisher=Springer |isbn=978-3-540-22011-4}}</ref> It is a very high-volume list, usually receiving about 1,000 messages each day, most of which are kernel code [[Patch (computing)|patches]].

The '''Linux kernel mailing list''' ('''LKML''') is the main [[electronic mailing list]] for [[Linux kernel]] development,<ref name="kernelTraffic">Kernel Traffic</ref><ref>

{{cite journal

| last =Gallivan

| first =Michael J.

| date =2001-12-29

| title =Striking a balance between trust and control in a virtual organization: a content analysis of open source software case studies

| journal =Information Systems Journal

| volume =11

| issue =4

| pages =277–304

| doi =10.1046/j.1365-2575.2001.00108.x

}}

</ref>

where the majority of the announcements, discussions, debates, and [[flame war]]s over the kernel take place.<ref name="robert_love_lkd">

{{cite book

| last = Love

| first = Robert

| authorlink = Robert Love

| title = Linux Kernel Development

| edition = 2nd

| date = 2005-01-12

| publisher = Novell Press

| isbn = 978-0-672-32720-9

| chapter = Patches, Hacking, and the Community

}}

</ref> Many other mailing lists exist to discuss the different subsystems and ports of the Linux kernel, but LKML is the principal communication channel among Linux kernel developers.<ref>

{{cite book

| last = Llamosi

| first = Albert

| title = Reliable Software Technologies - Ada-Europe 2004

| series = Lecture Notes in Computer Science , Vol. 3063

| date = 2004-07-27

| publisher = Springer

| isbn = 978-3-540-22011-4

}}</ref> It is a very high-volume list, usually receiving about 1,000 messages each day, most of which are kernel code [[Patch (computing)|patches]].

Linux utilizes a workflow governed by LKML,<ref>{{cite book |last=Defillippi |first=Robert |title=Knowledge at Work: Creative Collaboration in the Global Economy |edition=1st |date=2006-09-01 |publisher=Blackwell Publishing Limited |isbn=978-1-4051-0756-3 |page=168}}</ref> which is the "[[The Cathedral and the Bazaar|bazaar]]" where kernel development takes place. In his book ''Linux Kernel Development'', [[Robert Love]] notes:<ref name="robert_love_lkd"/>

Linux utilizes a workflow governed by LKML,<ref>

{{cite book

| last = Defillippi

| first = Robert

| title = Knowledge at Work: Creative Collaboration in the Global Economy

| edition = 1st

| date = 2006-09-01

| publisher = Blackwell Publishing Limited

| isbn = 978-1-4051-0756-3

| pages = 168

}}

</ref> which is the [[The Cathedral and the Bazaar|Bazaar]] where kernel development takes place. In his book ''Linux Kernel Development'', [[Robert Love]] notes:<ref name="robert_love_lkd"/>

{{quote|If the Linux kernel community had to exist somewhere physically, it would call the Linux Kernel Mailing List home.}}

The LKML functions as the central place where Linux developers around the world share patches, argue about implementation details, and discuss other issues.<ref name="kernelTraffic"/> The official releases of the Linux kernel are indicated by an email to LKML.<ref>{{cite journal |first=Justin R. |last=Erenkrantz |title=Release Management Within Open Source Projects |publisher=Institute for Software Research, [[University of California]] |url=http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf |access-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194517/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Linux-kernel-to-be-suitable-for-enterprise/0,139023166,120107594,00.htm |title=Linux kernel to be suitable for enterprise |first=Peter |last=Galli |date=13 December 2000 |website=ZDNet Australia |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090609133017/http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Linux-kernel-to-be-suitable-for-enterprise/0,139023166,120107594,00.htm |archive-date=2009-06-09}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-247983.html |title=Test version of new Linux kernel available |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=2 January 2002 |website=CNet}}</ref> New features are discussed and most code is posted to the list before any action is taken.<ref name="robert_love_lkd"/> It is also the official place for reporting bugs in the Linux kernel, in case one cannot find the maintainer to whom the bug should be reported.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://mirrors.edge.kernel.org/pub/linux/docs/lkml/reporting-bugs.html |title=Reporting bugs for the Linux kernel |first=Richard |last=Gooch |website=Linux Kernel Archives}}</ref> Author [[Michelle Delio]] suggests that it was on LKML that [[Tux (mascot)|Tux]], the official Linux mascot, was suggested and refined,<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9605/index.html#119 |title=Re: Linux logo |date=May 1996 |website=Linux-Kernel Archive}}</ref> although the accuracy of her reporting in other stories has been disputed.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2005/05/wired-news-releases-source-review/ |title=Wired News Releases Source Review |date=9 May 2005 |magazine=WIRED |access-date=2018-01-14 |language=en-US}}</ref> Many companies associated with Linux kernel make announcements and proposals on LKML; for example, [[Novell]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/novell-introduces-linux-kernel-debugger/ |title=Novell introduces Linux kernel debugger |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=July 1, 2005 |website=CNet}}</ref> [[Intel]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.cnet.com/news/intel-red-hat-cure-open-source-hiccup/ |title=Intel, Red Hat cure open-source hiccup |first=Stephen |last=Shankland |date=17 February 2003 |website=CNet}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0212.0/1387.html |title=Proposed ACPI Licensing change |first=Andrew |last=Grover |date=6 December 2002 |website=Linux-Kernel Archive}}</ref> [[VMware]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/20/vmware_linux_xen/page2.html |title=Linux team tells VMware and Xen to get their acts together |first=Ashlee |last=Vance |author-link=Ashlee Vance |date=20 April 2006 |website=The Register}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://lwn.net/Articles/175457/ |title=VMI i386 Linux virtualization interface proposal |first=Zachary |last=Amsden |date=13 March 2006 |website=[[LWN.net]]}}</ref> and [[IBM]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kernel-traffic.org/kernel-traffic/kt20010709_125.txt |title=IBM announces Journaled File System v 1.0.0 |last1=Adam |first1=Buchbinder |last2=Zack |first2=Brown |date=9 July 2001 |website=Kernel Traffic |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928191837/http://www.kernel-traffic.org/kernel-traffic/kt20010709_125.txt |archive-date=2007-09-28}}</ref>

LKML functions as the central place where Linux developers around the world share patches, argue about implementation details, and discuss other issues.<ref name="kernelTraffic"/> The official releases of the Linux kernel are indicated by an email to LKML.<ref>

{{cite journal

|author=Justin R. Erenkrantz

|title=Release Management Within Open Source Projects

|publisher=Institute for Software Research, [[University of California]]

|url=http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf

|accessdate=2007-03-13

|deadurl=yes

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194517/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3442/OSSE3-Erenkrantz.pdf

|archivedate=2007-09-27

|df=

}}

</ref><ref>

[http://www.zdnet.com.au/news/business/soa/Linux_kernel_to_be_suitable_for_enterprise/0,139023166,120107594,00.htm Linux kernel to be suitable for enterprise], [http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-247983.html Test version of new Linux kernel available]

</ref> New features are discussed and most code is posted to the list before any action is taken.<ref name="robert_love_lkd"/> It is also the official place for reporting bugs in the Linux kernel, in case one cannot find the maintainer to whom the bug should be reported.<ref>

[http://kernel.org/pub/linux/docs/lkml/reporting-bugs.html Reporting bugs for the Linux kernel]

</ref> Author [[Michelle Delio]] suggests that it was on LKML that [[Tux (mascot)|Tux]], the official Linux mascot, was suggested and refined<ref>[https://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,42209,00.html The Story Behind Tux the Penguin][http://www.ussg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/9605/index.html#119 Initial thread for "Linux logo"]

</ref>, although the accuracy of her reporting in other stories has been disputed.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wired.com/2005/05/wired-news-releases-source-review/|title=Wired News Releases Source Review|work=WIRED|access-date=2018-01-14|language=en-US}}</ref> Many companies associated with Linux kernel make announcements and proposals on LKML; for example, [[Novell]],<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/2061-10795_3-5772444.html Novell introduces Linux kernel debugger]</ref> [[Intel]],<ref>[http://news.cnet.com/2100-1001-984769.html Intel, Red Hat cure open-source hiccup], [http://uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0212.0/1387.html Proposed ACPI Licensing change] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.is/20120715223651/http://uwsg.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/0212.0/1387.html |date=2012-07-15 }}</ref> [[VMware]],<ref>

[https://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/04/20/vmware_linux_xen/page2.html Linux team tells VMware and Xen to get their acts together], [https://lwn.net/Articles/175457/ VMI i386 Linux virtualization interface proposal]

</ref> [[IBM]],<ref>[http://www.kernel-traffic.org/kernel-traffic/kt20010709_125.txt IBM announces Journaled File System v 1.0.0], Kernel Traffic #125 for 9 July 2001</ref> etc.

The list subscribers include all the [[Linux kernel#Maintenance_and_long-term_support|Linux kernel maintainers]] as well as other known figures in Linux circles, such as Jeff V. Merkey<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006010200126OSCYKN |title=Linus tells Merkey, "Cry me a river" |date=January 2, 2006 |website=Linux Today |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060104083001/http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006010200126OSCYKN |archive-date=January 4, 2006}}</ref> and [[Eric S. Raymond]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32722_2.htm |title=Linus tries to make himself scale |first=Joe |last=Barr |date=February 11, 2002 |website=Linux.sys-con.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930210757/http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32722_2.htm |archive-date=September 30, 2007}}</ref> A 2000 study found that 14,535 people, from at least 30 countries, sent at least one email to LKML between 1995 and 2000 to participate in the discussion of Linux development.<ref name="gwendolyn_model">{{cite journal |last1=Lee |first1=Gwendolyn K. |last2=Cole |first2=Robert E. |title=The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation |publisher=Haas School of Business, [[University of California]] |date=December 2000 |url=http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf |access-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194148/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf |archive-date=2007-09-27}}</ref>

The list subscribers include all the [[Linux kernel#Maintenance|Linux kernel maintainers]] as well as other known figures in Linux circles (such as Jeff V. Merkey,<ref>[http://www.linuxtoday.com/infrastructure/2006010200126OSCYKN Linus tells Merkey, "Cry me a river"]</ref> [[Eric S. Raymond]],<ref>

[http://linux.sys-con.com/read/32722_2.htm Linus tries to make himself scale]

</ref> etc.). A 2000 study found that 14,535 people, from at least 30 different countries, sent at least one email to LKML between 1995 and 2000 to participate in the discussion of Linux development.<ref name="gwendolyn_model">

{{cite journal

|author1=Gwendolyn K. Lee

|author2=Robert E. Cole

|title=The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation

|publisher=Haas School of Business, [[University of California]]

|date=December 2000

|url=http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf

|accessdate=2007-03-13

|deadurl=yes

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070927194148/http://pascal.case.unibz.it/retrieve/3302/lee00linux.pdf

|archivedate=2007-09-27

|df=

}}

</ref>

Authors of books such as ''The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation''<ref name="gwendolyn_model"/> and ''Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects'',<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Guido |last1=Hertel |first2=Sven |last2=Niedner |first3=Stefanie |last3=Herrmann |name-list-style=amp |title=Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects |publisher=[[University of Kiel]], Institut fuer Psychologie |url=http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf |access-date=2007-03-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109221342/http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf |archive-date=2006-11-09}}</ref> and ''Recovering Device Drivers''<ref>{{cite journal |first1=Michael M. |last1=Swift |first2=Muthukaruppan |last2=Annamalai |first3=Brian N. |last3=Bershad |first4=Henry M. |last4=Levy |name-list-style=amp |title=Recovering Device Drivers |journal=Proceedings of the 6th Symposium on Operating Systems Design and Implementation |publisher=[[University of Washington]] |url=http://www.usenix.org/events/osdi04/tech/swift/swift_html/ |access-date=2007-03-13}}</ref> have made use of LKML for their research studies and surveys.

Authors of books such as ''The Linux Kernel Development As A Model of Open Source Knowledge Creation''<ref name="gwendolyn_model"/> and ''Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects'',<ref>

{{cite journal

|author1=Guido Hertel, Sven Niedner

|author2=Stefanie Herrmann

|lastauthoramp=yes

|title=Motivation of Software Developers in Open Source Projects

|publisher=[[University of Kiel]], Institut fuer Psychologie

|url=http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf

|accessdate=2007-03-13

|deadurl=yes

|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109221342/http://opensource.mit.edu/papers/rp-hertelniednerherrmann.pdf

|archivedate=2006-11-09

|df=

}}

</ref>

and ''Recovering Device Drivers''<ref>

{{cite journal

|author1=Michael M. Swift |author2=Muthukaruppan Annamalai |author3=Brian N. Bershad |author4=and Henry M. Levy | title = Recovering Device Drivers

| publisher = [[University of Washington]]

| url = http://www.usenix.org/events/osdi04/tech/swift/swift_html/

| accessdate = 2007-03-13

}}

</ref> have made use of LKML for their research studies and surveys.

== Media Coveragecoverage ==

The [[LWN.net]] website frequently covercovers discussion on the lkmlLKML, and the newsletter ''Kernel Traffic'' covered the activities of the Linux-kernel mailing listLKML until November 2005.<ref name="kernelTraffic" /><ref>{{Cite web | url=http://www.kerneltraffic.org/kernel-traffic/archives.html | title=Archives |website=Kernel Traffic}}</ref><ref name="kernelTraffic" /> Many internet websites include [[mailing list archive|archives]] of the mailing list]], such as [https://lore.kernel.org/lkml lore.kernel.org/lkml],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lore.kernel.org/lkml |title=LKML Archive |website=lore.kernel.org}}</ref> [https://lkml.org lkml.org],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://lkml.org |title=Latest messages |website=lkml.org}}</ref> [https://mail-archive.com mail-archive.com]<ref>{{Cite web | url=https://www.mail-archive.com/[e-mail]/ |title =Messages by Thread |website=Linux-kernel Kernel}}</ref> and [[marc.info]].{{Dead link|date=March 2023}}<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-kernel |title=Majordomo Lists |website=vger.kernel.org}}</ref>.

== Linus Torvalds on LKML ==

[[Linus Torvalds]] is known for angrily disagreeing with other developers on the LKML.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-16/the-creator-of-linux-on-the-future-without-him | work=Bloomberg | first=Ashlee | last=Vance | title=The Creator of Linux on the Future Without Him | date=June 16, 2015}}</ref> Calling himself a "really unpleasant person", he later explained "I'd like to be a nice person and curse less and encourage people to grow rather than telling them they are idiots. I'm sorry{{snd}}I tried, it's just not in me."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/01/19/got_bugs_got_anger_just_get_them_out_says_linus_torvalds/ |title=Buggy? Angry? LET IT ALL OUT says Linus Torvalds |first=Simon |last=Sharwood |publisherwebsite=The Register |date=2015-01-19 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2012/11/07/passion_of_torvalds/ |title=Torvalds: I want to be nice, and curse less, but it's just not in me |first=Gavin |last=Clarke |publisherwebsite=The Register |date=2012-11-07 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-11-08}}</ref>

His attitude, which Torvalds considers necessary for making his point clear, has drawn opposition from [[Intel]] programmer [[Sage Sharp]] and [[systemd]] developer [[Lennart Poettering]], among others.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://news.slashdot.org/story/14/10/06/1837237/lennart-poettering-open-source-community-quite-a-sick-place-to-be-in |title=Lennart Poettering: Open Source Community "Quite A Sick Place To Be In" |publisherwebsite=Slashdot |date=2014-10-06 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-11-08}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=httphttps://www.networkworld.com/article/2988850/opensource-subnet943950/linux-kernel-dev-sarah-sharp-quits-citing-brutal-communications-style.html |title=Linux kernel dev Sarah Sharp quits, citing 'brutal' communications style |first=Jon |last=Gold |publisherwebsite=Network World |date=2015-10-05 |accessdateaccess-date=2015-11-08}}</ref> In 2018 Torvalds took a break from kernel development to work on improving his behavior and instituted a [[code of conduct]].<ref>{{citationcite web |title=Torvalds Apologizes for His 'Bad Behavior', Takes a Break from Linux |url=https://itsfoss.com/torvalds-takes-a-break-from-linux/ |first=Abhishek |last=Prakash needed|date=JuneSeptember 201917, 2018 |website=It's FOSS}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Linus Torvalds Is Taking A Break From Linux, Here's Why? |url=https://fossbytes.com/linus-torvalds-taking-break-from-linux/ |first=Manisha |last=Priyadarshini |date=September 17, 2018 |website=Fossbytes}}</ref>

== See also ==

* [[kernel.org]]{{snd}} home site for kernel source code distribution

* [[LWN.net]]{{snd}} among other things, provides a weekly LKML news digest

* [[KernelTrap]]{{snd}} former newnews website

* [[ZMailer]]{{snd}} a mail transfer agent used by kernel.org

== References ==

{{reflist|30em}}

== External links ==

* [httphttps://vgersubspace.kernel.org/vger-lists.html#linux-kernel.org.html Subscribe to the Linux Kernel Mailing List]

* [https://archivelore.is/20121211155937/http://www.uwsg.iukernel.eduorg/hypermaillkml/linux/kernel/index.html LKML archive] at Indiana Universitylore.kernel.org

* [http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/index.html LKML archive] at Indiana University

* [http://marc.info/?l=linux-kernel LKML archive] at [[MARC (archive)]]

* [http://vger.kernel.org/vger-lists.html Majordomo lists at vger.kernel.org] – Other Linux kernel related lists

* [http://www.kernelpodcast.org/ A semi-daily LKML Summary Podcast]

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20160701221623/http://www.tux.org/lkml/ Official FAQ of the Linux Kernel Mailing List] (outdated)

* [https://web.archive.org/web/20190401191835/http://www.kernelhub.org/ The Linux Kernel Hub]

* [http://www.kerneltraffic.org Kernel Traffic website]