linux kernel 2.6.17.14 with OpenCV

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The Linux kernel API is very stable, mostly adding new functionality while removing very little. The dynamically loaded GNU C runtime library (glibc), which provides system calls into the kernel, is designed to operate on a wide variety of kernel versions from 2.6 to whatever was current at the time it was written and compiled. These two things make most Linux application and library binaries able to run across a wide range of Linux versions.

If the old kernel provides adequate function and performance for the devices you are intending to use (like camera drivers, SIMD/vector coprocessors, GPUs), then an old Linux kernel will probably work fine. One typically uses newer Linux versions to fix bugs, support more hardware, exploit higher performance, or be able to better engage community support.