Does the major version number (4.x vs 5.x) mean anything?

No. The major version number is incremented when the number after the dot starts looking "too big." There is literally no other reason.

https://www.kernel.org/category/releases.html

[–] kilgore_trout@feddit.it 30 points 1 day ago

And «too big» for Linus is around 20.

[–] grrgyle@slrpnk.net 18 points 1 day ago

See that's totally logical, but it makes more human sense than computer sense.

[–] Midnitte@beehaw.org 17 points 1 day ago (2 children)

It's logical if Linus has some numbers autism

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 1 day ago

Hmm, guy who wrote his own kernel because he didn't like the ones that existed. I'm sure he's totally neurotypical. /s

[–] sip@programming.dev 5 points 1 day ago

idk for me it's easier to rember ex xdna was merged on 6.14 than 2.253