So, when I tried to run a 3.18 kernel, I ran into two issues. One was the missing capemgr, and I couldn't figure out how to make DTBs do what I wanted. The other was difficulty playing back audio via libao and alsa. Dropping back to 3.8 addressed both those issues.
I'm going to be designing a proper cape next month that includes an I2S audio codec, as well as PRU real-time GPIO use, and ADC use (not speed-critical). I'd love to know that I won't be dying if I try to build the support for that cape around 3.19. Any ideas about why audio had issues in 3.18 and not 3.8?
The symptom was clicky/poppy playback. I think it sounded like what a buffer underrun would sound like.
Thanks for the links! Much preferred over Robert’s sarcasm. I know I’m not part of the BBB’s “in” crowd. I don’t have time for it, however interesting it is. I want to buy BBBs and use them and if I can’t use them, I will buy something else, as simple as that…
Well I'm not sure if it's RCN camped out too close to the eggnog or me
sitting too close to the mulled wine, but happy holidays regardless! 
Seriously, the issues with the BeagleBone and kernels goes back to
before the Linus device-tree rant:
http://article.gmane.org/gmane.linux.ports.arm.omap/55060
...and the 'Bone community (and the rest of the ARM ecosystem) has been
trying to deal with the fall-out ever since.
I think with the conversion to using device-tree, and the acceptance of
device-tree changesets into mainline, things are _finally_ going to
stabilize (fingers crossed!), but there's still probably a bit of churn
we'll have to live through for the near term.
As the Chinese curse goes: "May you live in interesting times"!
It's really been a long road. 
The original board file and "cape-bus" was posted for v3.2.x and
rejected along with linus' rant.. (think about that, we are in
v3.19-rc merge right now!)
Then the "capemgr" was posted for v3.8.x, also denied...
It's a miracle the basis "overlay" is actually mainline now!
Regards,
Thanks for the links! Much preferred over Robert’s sarcasm. I know I’m not part of the BBB’s “in” crowd. I don’t have time for it, however interesting it is. I want to buy BBBs and use them and if I can’t use them, I will buy something else, as simple as that…
So how does one read / take this post ? Something like - you’re too lazy to do some reading on your own, and prefer to have everyone else get everything working for you ? If this is in fact the case I say have fun with other platform . . .
Thanks for the links! Much preferred over Robert’s sarcasm. I know I’m not part of the BBB’s “in” crowd. I don’t have time for it, however interesting it is. I want to buy BBBs and use them and if I can’t use them, I will buy something else, as simple as that…
You really shouldn’t be so sensitive if you work on Linux, because we have all been criticized from time to time. Learn from what Robert said and it will make you smarter. If you had to answer the same questions from newbies all day long for the last several years, you too would says something like this. Robert is one of the most helpful people you will find and he works very hard to make the rest of us look good. BTW, there is no “in crowd”; we are all individuals who give of our free time to help others. My hope is that as you learn, you too will assist those who are just starting out.
Regards,
John