Before using KDE Neon I used Opensuse the regular releases and manually update the kernel rpm packages. I then switched to Tumbleweed and the kernel was typically updated 2 or 3 times a week.

I see that the Bionic based KDE Neon ISO uses the 4.15 series, should I be updating this manually to the 4.17 series or are critical updates automatically backported to the ealier series?

Neon is using whatever Ubuntu 16.04 LTS is releasing for kernels. As an LTS, it is not at all like a constantly changing Tumbleweed, but the current kernels do get security patches as they go. There is little reason for most people to constantly get kernel upgrades. You can manually install the so-called mainline kernels, but these are pure vanilla, and likely and often will not work with some things, such as proprietary video drivers, for example. Some hardware support may be lacking at times.

Also, as an LTS, 16.04 periodically gets new kernels from more current releases. At the moment, both 16.04 and 18.04 are on the same version. Eventually, 18.04 will get new kernels from future releases as well.

Again, the current kernels in Ubuntu get the critical security updates as they go. These do not require a whole new kernel version.

Thanks for confirming.

I have bookmarked:

http://kernel.ubuntu.com/~kernel-ppa/mainline/v4.17/

just in case needed for the future.

It is not entirely clear to me why this distribution uses a 4.15 kernel when on kernel.org is version EOL a and 4.16 is EOL. They live 4.14 as LTS and 4.17 as stable.

alideda wrote:It is not entirely clear to me why this distribution uses a 4.15 kernel when on kernel.org is version EOL a and 4.16 is EOL. They live 4.14 as LTS and 4.17 as stable.

@alideda

Simple:
1. From Mainline's perspective 4.15 was not an LTS kernel and reached EOL (End Of Life). It is no longer maintained by Mainline.
2. Ubuntu has picked it up, made it its own and it's currently maintained by Ubuntu as its very own LTS kernel.
3. As Clay has pointed it out, there's not much sense in installing a Mainline kernel, unless you think Ubuntu is not doing a good job. Ubuntu is patching it on a regular basis and takes care of it and provides it will all the goodies to ensure that it works well on your machine.
4. KDE Neon has no interest in maintaining any kernels because their are not in the kernel business. They are rolling on top of Ubuntu LTS-es, hence they are using Ubuntu's kernels.

Here's a graphical presentation provided to us by Rik https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/RollingL ... el_Support

Here's what Clay says and he's totally correct:

Again, the current kernels in Ubuntu get the critical security updates as they go. These do not require a whole new kernel version.

The image I set up with a kernel.org image. As far as i understand it is not Ubuntu kernels, Ubuntu has its own mainline kernel ppa. Kernel developers stop developing that version. Ubuntu gives the kernel initial version and works on it, they estimate that kernel to do the best with their distro like Bily pump windows.

alideda wrote:The image I set up with a kernel.org image. As far as i understand it is not Ubuntu kernels, Ubuntu has its own mainline kernel ppa. Kernel developers stop developing that version. Ubuntu gives the kernel initial version and works on it, they estimate that kernel to do the best with their distro like Bily pump windows.

Neither am I a huge fan of Ubuntu these days