Kernel 5.5 is out, and brief details of changes since -rc7 are here:  http://lkml.iu.edu/hypermail/linux/kernel/2001.3/02724.html

This now works OK with Intel e1000e-supported Ethernet cards, and the patched version of VMware 15.5.1.   There is an interim patch for NVIDIA driver 440.44, and this gives a tombstone on # startx, on my systems, but seems to work OK, after that.    Hopefully there will be an ‘official’ release, now that 5.5 final is available.

The VMware patch can be found here: https://github.com/mkubecek/vmware-host-modules/tree/workstation-15.5.1 and a link the interim NVIDIA patch can be found in this thread: https://devtalk.nvidia.com/default/topic/1068332/linux/nvidia-driver-does-not-build-on-linux-v5-5-release-candidate-kernel/

Robert Gadsdon.   January 26th 2020.