“We’ve come a long way, baby!” Over the past few years the Linux kernel has jumped thought many hoops, improving every time. But I feel that it was 2.6 that really broke the mold overall.

You could say that, after 17 releases, the Linux kernel is on the cusp of adulthood — like a teenager about to reach voting age.

But in actuality, the kernel, now at version 2.6.17, has been at the heart of a rapid growth for the Linux open source operating system, from its early days helping to run less-important edge servers to now supporting mission-critical applications.

In this special report on the Linux kernel, internetnews.com summarizes the activity, its origins and where its going, in order to help readers gain a deeper understanding of the kernel, as well as Linux.

What is the Linux kernel?

The kernel is perhaps the key defining aspect of the technological phenomenon we commonly refer to as “Linux.”

In IT terms, a kernel is both the heart and brains of an operating system as it controls the underlying hardware…. Source: InternetNews