Linux Kernel 7.1 Released With NTFS Overhaul, Steam Deck Audio Fix

With the release of Linux Kernel 7.1, one of the foundational layers of modern computing quietly reshapes itself — shedding the weight of early-1990s processor support while extending its reach toward hardware not yet in most people's hands. A rewritten NTFS driver smooths the long-standing friction between Linux and Windows file systems, Intel's forthcoming Panther Lake processors find their first official home in the kernel, and Steam Deck owners receive relief from a persistent audio frustration. It is the nature of open-source infrastructure to evolve in ways that are largely invisible to