What to expect in 2004

[baldyeti]

Read today on the KNOPPIX newsgroup:

On Sun, Jan 04, 2004 at 09:26:10AM -0600, Bill Eastman wrote:

>> Is the new version coming soon (for the kernel vulernabily) or since the
>> 2.6 kernel is out are you waiting for it to make it to sid?


Preliminary release plan:

- Update to Kernel 2.4.23 for the download edition of Knoppix 3.3,
should be finished next week. Note that the stated kernel brk
vulnerability is a local exploit, and does not breech too many new
security holes into Knoppix since you can alway switch to the root
account without password anyways there, if you are already logged in.

- Parallel working on version 3.4 with some major changes:
- switching to IsoLinux plus a 2 floppy boot option in order to
allow inclusion of more drivers in the kernel and initrd (USB and
Firewire, possibly), since the space on the 1.44 MB floppy is
exhausted for Kernel 2.6 alone already.
- Inclusion of ACPI. I know this will break many things, and you may
have to boot with "noacpi" on many machines.
- Kernel 2.4.23+ and/or 2.6.0+, depending on the first stability checks.
Maybe a dual boot option for different kernels.
- More utilities in the Knoppix service menus.
- Some more interactive options for selecting language/services on
bootup via dialog menus.
- NTFS write support by using a linux kernel loader for native
windows ntfs.sys (if present on the corresponding ntfs partition).
- Experiments with an overlay file system to allow easier on-the-fly
installations of new software and possibly eliminating the need of a
separate /ramdisk virtual partition.
- Project fork of a beginner and blind-friendly "talking" version with
different voices and languages, with most of the "complicated
expert-only stuff" removed. This version may rely on Kernel
2.6.0 because of the newer soundcard drivers for
cheap/badly-designed/windows-only soundchips.
- first release scheduled for the end of the first quarter of 2004,
maybe a download location for adventurous people who don't mind
destroying their hardware with the first Kernel 2.6 releases, will
be provided. I hope to be able to have a release ready for CeBit
2004 (end of march).

Regards
-Klaus Knopper