On Thu, Oct 15, 1998 at 02:09:23PM -0700, Kenneth Scharf wrote: > The intel version of debian packages are in some directory path > downstream from ../../i386/.. and the package names also carry i386. > While this is technically correct, it can be missleading to some that > the package only runs on an 80386 cpu. The current name for the cpu > family from intel (and clones) that are derived from the 386 is IA32. > (and intel's next family will be called IA64). Should the package and > directory names be changed from i386 to IA32?
It is a bit ridiculous to suggest that we change this now. Whether or not it is correct, it is well understood and deeply entrenched. We use i386 because that was the first intel processor capable of hosting a 'real' operating system. The 286 has a p-mode, but it didn't have the memory management. IIRC the IA32 designation wasn't coined until the pentium's were released.
