“Linus Torvalds and other central Linux programmers are debating
whether the next version of the operating system should be numbered
2.6, or if its new features merit the grander designation 3.0.“The debate began last week with a post to the Linux kernel
mailing list by programmer Jeff Garzik. Amid a discussion of some
storage-system features in the kernel, or core software, of Linux,
Garzik asked, ‘Is it definitely to be named 2.6?’“Torvalds, the founder of the Linux kernel effort and still its
leader, replied that he saw “no real reason to call it 3.0,” saying
there aren’t enough significant changes to warrant such a major new
designation. Later, though, Torvalds opened the door for the
loftier label…”
Related Story:
KernelTrap: 2.6 vs. 3.0; What’s In A Name?(Sep 30, 2002)