Teknozip – The winds of change are blowing through the Linux landscape, potentially marking the end of an era. A proposal is on the table for Linux 7.1 that could see support dropped for Intel’s venerable 486 processor, a chip that first graced computers way back in 1989.
For years, Linux has been celebrated for its remarkable ability to breathe life into ageing hardware. Many have successfully installed modern Linux distributions on older PCs, enjoying a surprisingly smooth experience. However, it appears the line has been drawn, and the 486 may finally be deemed too ancient to warrant continued support.
The proposed change, spearheaded by Ingo Molnar and titled "x86/cpu: Remove M486/M486SX/ELAN support," aims to dismantle the existing infrastructure that allows Linux to function on these antique processors. The motivation behind this move is clear: maintaining compatibility with such outdated technology consumes valuable development resources that could be better allocated elsewhere.
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Even Linus Torvalds himself has voiced his support for the change. As noted in the changelog, Linus stated: "I really get the feeling that it’s time to leave i486 support behind. There’s zero real reason for anybody to waste one second of development effort on this kind of issue."
The technical details involve removing M486/M486SX/ELAN support by eliminating CONFIG_M486SX, CONFIG_M486, and CONFIG_MELAN. While these changes are not yet finalised in Linux 7.1, the backing of key figures like Linus Torvalds suggests they are likely to be implemented.
The reality is that very few, if any, users are still relying on i486 processors in this day and age. However, for those rare individuals who continue to keep these vintage machines running with Linux, the best course of action would be to switch to a Long Term Support (LTS) Linux distribution. These versions typically maintain older Linux kernels for an extended period, providing a temporary reprieve for 486 enthusiasts.