Zack's Kernel News
Zack's Kernel News
Improving the Android low memory killer; randomizing the Kernel stack; and best practices.
Improving the Android Low Memory Killer
Sultan Alsawaf submitted patches to implement a low memory killer for Android (i.e., something that detects which process to kill if the system starts to run out of available RAM). Low memory killers are very useful in emergencies, since the alternative is to crash and burn.
In this case, however, Greg Kroah-Hartman pointed out that an existing in-kernel low memory killer had recently been removed from the kernel source tree in favor of a userspace low memory killer that he felt worked just fine.
But Sultan replied that in his opinion, the userspace version sucked lemons. Among other things, he said, it was slow, killed too many processes, and was overly complex. As he put it, "The original reasoning behind why the old kernel low memory killer was removed is also a bit vague to me. It just seemed to be abandonware, and all of a sudden a userspace daemon was touted as the solution."
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
OpenMandriva Lx 6.0 Available for Installation
The latest release of OpenMandriva has arrived with a new kernel, an updated Plasma desktop, and a server edition.
-
TrueNAS 25.04 Arrives with Thousands of Changes
One of the most popular Linux-based NAS solutions has rolled out the latest edition, based on Ubuntu 25.04.
-
Fedora 42 Available with Two New Spins
The latest release from the Fedora Project includes the usual updates, a new kernel, an official KDE Plasma spin, and a new System76 spin.
-
So Long, ArcoLinux
The ArcoLinux distribution is the latest Linux distribution to shut down.
-
What Open Source Pros Look for in a Job Role
Learn what professionals in technical and non-technical roles say is most important when seeking a new position.
-
Asahi Linux Runs into Issues with M4 Support
Due to Apple Silicon changes, the Asahi Linux project is at odds with adding support for the M4 chips.
-
Plasma 6.3.4 Now Available
Although not a major release, Plasma 6.3.4 does fix some bugs and offer a subtle change for the Plasma sidebar.
-
Linux Kernel 6.15 First Release Candidate Now Available
Linux Torvalds has announced that the release candidate for the final release of the Linux 6.15 series is now available.
-
Akamai Will Host kernel.org
The organization dedicated to cloud-based solutions has agreed to host kernel.org to deliver long-term stability for the development team.
-
Linux Kernel 6.14 Released
The latest Linux kernel has arrived with extra Rust support and more.