you can upgrade your kernel without changing your binaries
however *do not* install new includes.  If you do so you will no
longer be able to compile things until you update everything.

Aside from that the new kenrel is fully backward compatible including
X.  However becuase of changes *long* ago old X libs won't allow you to
compile anything for X.  You have to be one of those lucky people
that have room on their HD's to compile a new X environment.  Unfortunately
I am not one of those people otherwise I would have uploaded new libs and
clients long ago.

Chris.

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