Linux 7.1.8 Is Stable While 7.2 Is Still a Release Candidate
Kernel.org now lists Linux 7.1.8 as stable and 7.2-rc7 as mainline; here is what those labels mean for upgrades and bug reports.
7 min read
Topic
Sysadmins
8 articles
Operational practices for administering reliable Linux systems.
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS: Read the Upgrade Path, Not Just the Feature List
Ubuntu 26.04 LTS is out; its new release-note structure separates the two-year LTS jump from the smaller 25.10 upgrade.
8 min read
Fedora Linux 44 Is Here: Four Changes to Check Before Upgrading
Fedora 44 shipped on 28 April 2026; inspect DNF5 integration, installer networking, toolchain changes, and the supported upgrade path.
8 min read
Diagnose a Failed systemd Service Without Guessing
Use status, show, journalctl, unit dependencies, and a disposable user service to turn a failed unit into an exact exit reason.
10 min read
Trace Linux Name Resolution from getent to the DNS Answer
Separate application lookup policy, the local resolver, and direct DNS queries with getent, resolvectl, and dig.
10 min read
curl 8.21 vs GNU Wget 1.25: Safer Defaults for Automation
A local HTTP fixture exposes decisive differences in 404 exit codes, redirect following, output, retry policy, and protocol scope.
10 min read
SIGTERM Before SIGKILL: How Linux Process Shutdown Actually Works
Signals request process actions; a safe lab shows SIGTERM running cleanup with exit 0 while SIGKILL bypasses handlers and yields status 137.
9 min read
The Linux Sysadmin Command Map: 39 Safe Starting Points
A practical command map for inspecting Linux first, then changing files, processes, storage, networking, logs, users, and packages with portability boundaries visible.
16 min read