Linux 5.8-rc5 Released As A Big Kernel For This Late In The Cycle

Linus Torvalds just released Linux 5.8-rc5 and he is not particularly enthusiastic about its size with this being the largest RC5 release candidate of any of the Linux 5.x series.

Linux 5.8-rc4 was ticking downward after earlier in the cycle was quite heavy on changes, but now with 5.8-rc5 it's ticked back up to being much larger for this stage.

While Torvalds isn't happy about it coming in so large, he doesn't feel particularly worried about the Linux 5.8 prospects and right now thinking it could be a routine, on-time release. We'll see how the next few weeks play out but if all goes well Linux 5.8 stable will be out in early August.

Torvalds' RC5 commentary can be found on the kernel mailing list.

On top of many bug/regression fixes in Linux 5.8-rc5, this is also the first release introducing the new inclusive terminology guidelines.