14 DAY TRIAL // The Ubuntu 15.10 (Wily Werewolf) development cycle is coming to an end and it looks like developers are finally settling down. The last big piece of software in the distro, the Linux kernel, will also enter freeze in just a few days.
The Linux kernel is the piece frozen in the development cycle and it usually happens after the feature freeze is set in place. The Ubuntu kernel maintainers keep getting patches and fixes until the last moment, but it looks like things won't be so tightly controlled in the future.
We wrote about this new policy from Canonical that aims to leave a lot more upstream components land in Ubuntu systems after launch. We usually don't get major upgrades once Ubuntu reaches a stable stage, but we might now even get Linux kernel upgrades and not just backports for some of the more sensible stuff. It's not a guarantee that it will happen, but the upstream updates will be taken into consideration much more often.
Ubuntu 15.10 might get the Linux kernel 4.2.2
A new Linux kernel was just released by its maintainers in the 4.2 branch and that means we might get a final update in Ubuntu 15.10, before the project enters the kernel freeze stage.
"Our Wily kernel remains based on stable v4.2.1 and we will continue to track 4.2 for the remainder of the 15.10 cycle. As a reminder, we are approaching Wily Kernel Freeze on Oct 8, ~1 week away. If there are any patches which need to land for 15.10, please get them submitted soon. Following the Kernel Freeze deadline, all patches are subject to our SRU policy," wrote Canonical's Joseph Salisbury.
The Linux kernel freeze is expected to land on October 8, and the release of Ubuntu 15.10 (Wily Werewolf) will happen on October 22.