It used to be that building the Linux kernel was not easy. Testing and debugging were even worse. Nowadays, it is reasonably easy to build a custom kernel and test or debug it using virtualization.

A built-in debugger for the kernel is one missing feature that some enterprise vendors have added. Will the mainstream kernel be able to agree on an approach to this surprisingly contentious issue?

A look into what causes kernel panics and some utilities to help gain more information. Working in a Linux environment, how often have you seen a kernel panic? When it happens, your system is left in ...

Stephen Shankland worked at CNET from 1998 to 2024 and wrote about processors, digital photography, AI, quantum computing, computer science, materials science, supercomputers, drones, browsers, 3D ...

As with many Linux-related topics, the issue of using debuggers to troubleshoot the Linux kernel is not only technical--it's political. Linux is being mostly developed on the x86 platform, which does ...