Re: Which kernel is the best for a small linux system?

[Sam Ravnborg <sam@ravnborg.org>]

On Mon, Mar 13, 2006 at 09:17:47AM +0100, Arjan van de Ven wrote:
> On Sun, 2006-03-12 at 21:40 -0300, j4K3xBl4sT3r wrote:
> > Hello all,
> > 
> > I've been seeing many Linux versions, with many features, some of them
> > just for the newest branches (2.4.x and 2.6.x), I would like to know
> > for which kind of system each kernel is recommended. On the distros
> > that we see inside the Net there is the 2.4.x series, normally I
> > update to 2.6.x (in case of my Slackware 10.2, even getting problems
> > with some devices). Is that floppy disks uses only 2.0.x and 2.2.x
> > Kernels? If applicable, where can I get (detailed) information about
> > these issues? I'm new on Kernel managing, started doing my own distros
> > at less than one month and would like to know it.
> 
> regardless of the size issue; you should really not start any new
> projects based on 2.4 kernels; they are in deep deep maintenance mode
> for now, but it's unclear how long they will be (I suppose as long as
> people keep sending patches), especially complex security issues should
> worry people ;)
> 
> 2.6 is actively maintained and will be for quite some time :)

Any comments on this:
http://www.denx.de/wiki/Know/Linux24vs26

On another denx.de page I found this summary (so you do not have to
visit the page):
# slow to build: 2.6 takes 30...40% longer to compile
# Big memory footprint in flash: the 2.6 compressed kernel image is
# 30...40% bigger
# Big memory footprint in RAM: the 2.6 kernel needs 30...40% more RAM;
# the available RAM size for applications is 700kB smaller
# Slow to boot: 2.6 takes 5...15% longer to boot into multi-user mode
# Slow to run: context switches up to 96% slower, local communication
# latencies up to 80% slower, file system latencies up to 76% slower,
# local communication bandwidth less than 50% in some cases.

I'm merely asked because I have been pointed to this page several times
and I do nto have numbers for 2.4 versus 2.6.

Note: denx does support 2.6 now.

I do not concur and recommend 2.6 but wanted to know if anyone had more
insight to share.

	Sam