Linux Kills Ancient x86 Fallbacks
unknownuniverse.uk
As Linux 7.2 makes the Time Stamp Counter mandatory, we look at why dropping legacy x86 fallback timing code is long overdue.

Linux 7.2 has landed, dragging x86 timing clean out of the nineties by making the Time Stamp Counter mandatory.

I wrote up a quick article on why ditching those ancient legacy fallbacks is good housekeeping, plus a few other bits like cache-aware scheduling and memory tweaks worth noting.

Is anyone still using legacy hardware? If so, what do you use it for?

  • Crozekiel@lemmy.zipEnglish
    0·
    1 month ago

    And this change basically just drops support for the i486. In 2026. 13 years after they dropped support for the i386. Those processors came out in 1985 and 1989 respectively. If this keeps up, we might lose support for the first Pentium CPUs (released in 1993) around 2040…

    I couldn’t imagine running a modern OS on those chips, or even how I would go about installing it. We are talking about computers pre-USB and CD-ROM drives. Average hard disks were under 100MB, average ram was under 10MB. The rare specialty distros that can fit on a floppy are likely heavily modifying their kernals to work / fit anyway. I don’t understand why people are outraged by this.

    • notgold@aussie.zoneEnglish
      0·
      1 month ago

      There’s just a few vocals not the majority. I know we still have a few i486 running and even 1 i386 running. There not connected to anything and just perform the same simple task they have for decades so updates are virtually meaningless. Not uncommon in power, water, rail, and other utilities.

    • Holytimes@sh.itjust.works
      0·
      1 month ago

      It’s easy to understand. They are objectively fucking stupid and like to be outraged for the sake of it. That or they are literally trolls

      These people are literally not worth any amount of effort to pay attention to if they are the former and if they are the latter then remember rule 1. Don’t feed the trolls.