On Sun, 2011-11-20 at 19:43 +0000, David Goodenough wrote: > On Sunday 20 Nov 2011, Ben Hutchings wrote: > > On Sun, 2011-11-20 at 10:10 +0000, David Goodenough wrote: > > > On Saturday 19 Nov 2011, Ben Hutchings wrote: > > > > The i386 architecture was the first in Linux and in Debian, but we have > > > > long since dropped support for the original i386-compatible processors > > > > and now require a minimum of a 486-class processor. > > > > > > > > I think it is time to increase the minimum requirement to 586-class, if > > > > not for wheezy then immediately after. (Later it should be increased > > > > further, and eventually i386 should be reduced to a partial > > > > architecture that may be installed on amd64 systems.) This would > > > > allow the use of optimisations and new instructions throughout > > > > userland that improve performance for the vast majority of users. > > > > > > > > The 486-class processors that would no longer be supported are: > > > > 1. All x86 processors with names including '486' > > > > 2. AMD Am5x86 > > > > 3. Cyrix/IBM/ST 5x86, 6x86 and MediaGX > > > > 4. UMC U5D and U5S > > > > 5. AMD/NSC Geode GX1, Geode SC1100, Elan SC4xx and SC5xx > > > > > > I am still running a bunch of systems with SC1100 processors on them. > > > They are (and always have been) running off the shelf Debian kernels > > > and I would much rather keep it that way. > > > > [...] > > > > Then keep them running. 'squeeze' should continue to receive security > > updates until late 2013. > > > > Ben. > Actually I am currently in the process of upgrading them because the > wireless cards they had are no longer available and I am having to replace > them with new ath5k compatible ones. I also need to work them in frequencies > where I need DFS support, and that is only just being added to the driver. > > So I have to upgrade them. > > And this could/will happen again in the future.
Whatever is decided, you should have some years' warning that you either need to upgrade the hardware or hire someone to continue support (though I doubt it'll be worth it). Ben. -- Ben Hutchings Usenet is essentially a HUGE group of people passing notes in class. - Rachel Kadel, `A Quick Guide to Newsgroup Etiquette'
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