[CentOS] OT: Newest kernels much smaller in size

Lanny Marcus wrote:
> I'm updating my Desktop and curious as to the reason for the huge
> difference in size, between the oldest kernel, which will be removed,
> and the newest one that will be installed. Question: Did they remove a
> lot of things from the kernel or rewrite it much more efficiently?
> TIA.
> 
> Installing:
>  kernel                 i686     2.6.18-128.4.1.el5         updates        15 M
> 

That's the download size - the size of the compressed RPM package.

> Removing:
>  kernel                 i686     2.6.18-128.1.6.el5         installed      40 M

and that's the installed size once the package has been decompressed.

So no change in size, really :)