high praise for a scrappy project —
More people using Arm hardware will (eventually) lead to better Arm software.
We don't normally cover individual releases of the Linux kernel, partly because most updates are pretty routine. Any given Linux kernel update resolves some bugs, improves support for existing hardware, and makes some forward-looking changes in anticipation of new hardware, and kernel version 5.19 is no exception. Phoronix and OMG! Ubuntu!both have good overviews of the changes.
But there's one interesting note about this release that Linux kernel creator Linus Torvalds mentions in his release notes: The kernel update is being released using an Arm-powered laptop, specifically the M2-powered version of Apple's MacBook Air.
"It's something I've been waiting for for aloong [sic] time, and it's finally reality, thanks to the Asahi team," Torvalds writes. "We've had arm64 hardware around running Linux for a long time, but none of it has really been usable as a development platform until now."
Torvalds is running Linux on his M2 MacBook with the help of Asahi Linux, a distribution that has been working to reverse-engineer Apple's hardware. The Asahi team's goal is to send all of this work upstream into the main Linux kernel so that all distros can benefit, and Asahi has been relatively quick to add support for new Apple chips like the M2 or the M1 Ultra as they've been released.
In November 2020, Torvalds wrote that the then-new M1 version of the Air "would be almost perfect" as an Arm Linux laptop but said, "I don't have the time to tinker with it, or the inclination to fight companies that don't want to help."
Further Reading
At a certain level, this news is just mildly interesting trivia—it doesn't matter to most Linux users what computer Torvalds is currently using, and Asahi Linux is still in a rough, early state where lots of things are half-functional or non-functional. But as Asahi contributor Hector Martin notes, having "real people... using Linux on a real, modern ARM64 platform" with a modern version of the Arm instruction set and a "near-upstream kernel" has knock-on effects that benefit the rest of the ecosystem.
More people using the Arm versions of Linux means more people fixing Arm-related bugs that will benefit all distros, and more people spotting and fixing Arm-specific problems in their own software ("dogfooding," as Torvalds puts it in his notes). Eventually, the experience of using Linux on Arm hardware should improve for everyone, although these benefits could take years to shake out. But together with hardware efforts like Qualcomm's upcoming high-performance Arm chips and Microsoft's commitment to Arm hardware and software, they could make Arm-powered PCs more appealing and competitive alternatives to traditional Intel- and AMD-powered x86 PCs.
Also worth noting is that Torvalds believes that the 5.20 release of the Linux kernel will end up becoming version 6.0, not because of any specific feature updates but because he's "starting to worry about getting confused by big numbers again." Kernel versions 3.x and 4.x were also rolled over to the next major version number at or around their 20th release.
As someone deeply entrenched in the world of Linux kernel development and the broader open-source ecosystem, I find the recent developments regarding the use of Arm-powered hardware, particularly the M2 version of Apple's MacBook Air, to be a fascinating milestone. The Linux kernel, a critical component of the open-source operating system, is at the forefront of this transformation, and the details shared by Linus Torvalds in his release notes for kernel version 5.19 only serve to underscore the significance of this moment.
For those unfamiliar, the announcement reveals that Torvalds is now using an Arm-powered laptop, specifically the M2-powered MacBook Air, to release the latest Linux kernel update. This is a noteworthy event not just for the personal choices of the kernel creator but more importantly because it signifies a breakthrough in making Arm hardware a viable development platform for Linux.
Torvalds acknowledges the efforts of the Asahi Linux team, a group dedicated to reverse-engineering Apple's hardware, in making this achievement possible. The Asahi team's commitment extends beyond personal preferences, aiming to integrate their work into the main Linux kernel. This move is strategic, intending to benefit all Linux distributions, not just those specifically tailored for Arm architecture.
The article emphasizes that the use of Linux on real, modern ARM64 platforms, such as the M2 MacBook Air, has far-reaching implications for the entire Linux ecosystem. The concept of "dogfooding," as mentioned by Torvalds, where developers use their own software in real-world scenarios, becomes crucial. More users engaging with Arm versions of Linux means a larger community addressing Arm-related bugs, contributing to a more robust and stable experience across all distributions.
While the current state of Asahi Linux is described as "rough" with several functionalities yet to be perfected, the prospect of more people adopting Arm hardware for their Linux environments is expected to yield long-term benefits. The article anticipates improvements in the Linux-on-Arm experience for everyone, albeit acknowledging that these advancements may take years to materialize fully.
The broader context provided in the article highlights the growing importance of Arm-powered PCs, with references to upcoming high-performance Arm chips from Qualcomm and Microsoft's commitment to both Arm hardware and software. This, combined with the collaborative efforts within the open-source community, could position Arm-powered systems as competitive alternatives to traditional x86 PCs.
Lastly, it's intriguing to note Torvalds' consideration of version 6.0 for the upcoming Linux kernel release (5.20) not due to specific feature updates but as a practical measure to avoid potential confusion with large version numbers. This decision reflects the organic and pragmatic nature of the Linux development process, further underlining the wisdom gained from extensive experience in managing such complex software projects.
In summary, the convergence of Arm hardware and Linux development, as highlighted in the article, represents a pivotal moment with implications extending far beyond individual preferences. It signifies a step towards making Arm platforms more accessible and functional for developers, ultimately contributing to the overall improvement of the Linux ecosystem.
