Linux 7.1 Expected to Begin Removing I486 CPU Support

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Linux-7.1-Phasing-Out-i486

by rbanffy • 4 months ago

25 7 4 months ago

phoronix.com

msla2• 4 months ago

Well, that leaves the Pentium family, doesn't it?

I wonder how far we are from the removal of all 32-bit x86 support from the mainline Linux kernel.

sixthDot• 4 months ago

I think Pentium will still be supported. i486 refers to very old 32 bits CPU (80486). The article is not clear but by default I tend to think that i586 and i686 will still be supported.

msla2• 4 months ago

Support for the Pentium isn't going away now, certainly, and nobody's announced plans to drop it from the Linux kernel, but every architecture has a time horizon.

pseudohadamard• 4 months ago

"Pentium" also refers to a 30-year range of CPUs with very different capabilities. I suspect that removing (say) P5-specific kludges would also not cause too much grief given it's over thirty years old and dates from about the same time as the newer 486s. At some point you need to clean out the cruft a bit.

cozzyd• 4 months ago

There are still 32 bit x86 PCs sold today for embedded applications, I'm pretty sure.

john_alan• 4 months ago

yep aren't most fridges and ovens etc using 386DXs?

Maybe it's all ARM Cortex now? I thought the 386 was still in production.

MarsIronPI• 4 months ago

I'm sad because I have an OLPC XO-1, which is i586 and I suspect that it's next on the chopping block.

Linux 7.1 Expected to Begin Removing I486 CPU Support

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