I notice that Zorin OS 17.2 Pro uses the Linux 6.8 kernel. Moreover, it ships with an old version (not very old) of Midnight Commander (4.8.27). I think the latest version (as of Nov. 2024) is 4.8.31. How often does the developer of Zorin OS update their software that is in their repository? I'm not in the slightest bit dissatisfied with Zorin OS (in fact i think it's a real bargain!), I was just wondering how often the software is updated to the newest version.
The developers will update in stages and not before having completed rigorous testing. There may have been a reason why Midnight Commander present in your version is marginally older. If the repos include an update for it then that should come through in due course. I take it you have ensured your Software sources is set to 'Main Server'?
You will be aware that Ubuntu on which Zorin is based on has six monthly increments of its LTS release. Zorin takes a bit longer, being a fork. Incremental updates of Zorin Core and Light are identified via release numbers '.r1', '.r2 ...' at the end of the iso name.
The Kernel doesn't come from Zorin; it comes from Ubuntu - the Zorin Base.
And this is a LTS Distro. So, You will mostly not have the newest Software Versions. There are mostly coming Bigfixes and Security Updates.
I think the OP was wanting to know do the developers update the kernel in use with Zorin? The Linux kernel is ultimately controlled by Linus Torvalds, not Ubuntu. There are hundreds of Linux kernel engineers and contributors to the kernel, including (very sadly) Microsoft! Nothing gets into kernel updates without Linus' approval - but we are all only human and 10,000,000 lines of code are likely to have errors, deprecated drivers, and so on! Apparently all the current kernels in use are deemed to be out-of-date. Current is 6.12:
Glad to see ReiserFS is being binned! Will be interesting to see what Klaus Knopper is going to do with his Knoppix OS which only allowed you to choose ReiserFS - I used it on SuSE Linux 9.3 Professional and lost a lot of data. As an editor of LXF once wrote "If only I had listened to the Ext4 gods, and not use ReiserFS!"
I didn't mean that Ubuntu/Canonical makes the Kernel but they take it and bring it in the System and manage it there. And Canonical brings the Kernel-Updates in the System and support it by themself. Kernel 6.8 is regulary EOL. So, the Updates for this come from Canonical and are Security Fixes and Backports. 6.8 isn't a normal LTS Kernel from kernel.org, that would be 6.1, 6.6 and - if I'm informed right - the coming 6.12 Kernel.
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