[2111USMC]

Yes, I understand that.

Please correct me if I’m wrong (I’m still new to Linux), but isn’t KDE and Gnome simply the interface layer? In other words the desktop atmosphere, etc.?

As far as the kernel, it sounds like he only made driver upgrades and a few other tweaks.

[Myrddin]

KDE and Gnome are X Windows based GUI interfaces. This change impacts the operating system kernel. When new releases of Linux arrive, they are often packed with lots of new features. Some are in the kernel, some are visible to the end user.