Kernel Linux updating

[Mylene Josserand]

Hi everyone,


I would like to know how the Linux Kernel are updated.
I know that there is the long term kernels, the last stables and the 
mainline.
First, what is the real difference between stable and longterm ?

I see in the Linux Kernel website that the date of the long term (and 
the revision number) is changing so I was thinking that there are some 
updates on it, right ?

For example, when an important bug has been fixed, is it fixed in the 
new release kernel only ? Or is it applied on old kernels ? Only the 
long term ? All ?

So if I am using the long term 3.4.49 for example (and the current is 
3.4.51), I can just update the 3.4.49 to get the important bugs fix that 
have been fixed in the new release (so 3.9.8 right now ?).


And if you have some documentation about it, it would be nice !


Thank you in advance !


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Mylène JOSSERAND