Linux Kernel Developers Discuss Dropping x32 Support

[Valtam]

Big moves at the core - https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=n...-Drops-x32

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[newtusmaximus]

So, perfectly usable machines that will do every day tasks - , text email browsing etc  will need to be trashed. A large percentage of those old machines have been sent to the third world where they have a successful second life with families/children who can not afford , and do not need, newer far more expensive machines.  Currently use debian on an old 32 bit as the family work horse.

[DeepThought]

I admit to not fully understanding the technical side of things, but am I misunderstanding this article. To me it seems they are discussing the deprecation of 32 bit support within the 64 bit kernel and not deprecating the 32 bit kernel.

The Linux x32 ABI as a reminder requires x86_64 processors and is engineered to support the modern x86_64 features but with using 32-bit pointers rather than 64-bit pointers.

I have no idea what that quote actually means lol, but to me, while 32 bit pc's will lose support at some time in the near future, this is not what I understand is been discussed in the article.

Then again this is way above my technical knowledge

[Sprintrdriver]

Ok that article has a misconception between heading and contents.

The heading says that something big sh*t is about to happens - and put all your x86 based computers on fire. So I beleive is not the case.

While the contents seems to be about the x32 ABI - which in my understanding so far is it allows some 32 bit apps to make advantages of an x64 bit CPU. That's not a very big thing - at least not for me because having a 64 bit CPU means installing a 64 bit distro, normally.

[newtusmaximus]

In which case I stand corrected and will step off my soap box

[ohjrson]

Personally IMHO I think dropping anything related to the 32 bit system is very flawed. If you do then there is this huge amount of perfectly good computers that just need a good OS to be useful, going to the landfill etc... Schools would not be able to use them nor would many other entities that have small or non existent budgets, as well as the many smaller countries that need them for those that can't afford one. I really think it would be a bad move at this point.