intel e1000 driver, why is the latest version 6.2.15 not in the latest kernel?

In Linux 2.6.14 the following version of Intel pro e1000 (gigabit)
ethernet driver is included.

#define DRV_VERSION "6.0.60-k2"DRIVERNAPI

yet, i note that at

http://sourceforge.net/project/showf...ckage_id=54835

it is shown that driver VERSION 6.2.15 is out as of Oct 13, 2005. The
6.0.60 version is from June 2005 whcih si much older.

Can anyone comment on what is the process by which newer version of
drivers (such as this e1000) make it to new kernel releases?

I owuld like to try newer version of the drivers since I am having
trouble with the options:

options e1000 InterruptThrottleRate=0,0,0,0,0,0 TxIntDelay=0,0,0,0,0,0
TxAbsIntDelay=0,0,0,0,0,0 RxAbsIntDelay=0,0,0,0,0,0

with the driver that is in 2.6.14 standard release. I tried to use the
latest version of the driver by merely substituting files under
drivers/net/e1000, but I get lots of the following messages on the
console:

network driver disabled interrupts: e1000_xmit_frame+0x0/0xbd0 [e1000]
network driver disabled interrupts: e1000_xmit_frame+0x0/0xbd0 [e1000]
network driver disabled interrupts: e1000_xmit_frame+0x0/0xbd0 [e1000]
network driver disabled interrupts: e1000_xmit_frame+0x0/0xbd0 [e1000]
printk: 10 messages suppressed.

Thanks.

Gautam
(E-Mail Removed)