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?
Lots of retro enthusiasts still use legacy hardware for all sorts of reasons… I fear that a fork of the kernel will be necessary in the near future to keep these machines running.
The notion of using Linux to revive old hardware and keep it out of the landfill may not last forever…
There are ultra long term support Linux kernels though.
Linux 6.12 will be supported until at least 2036 for instance.
Or just don’t connect to the public internet and continue using a kernel that works? Even with internet, the attack vectors for such a machine are nearly non existent.
And why do they need to use the latest Linux kernel for that hardware, again?
Security updates if you use it online or copy new binaries to run on it. Even if you’re not worried about hackers, there can still be viruses and malware that destroy your data.
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Who said anything about critical?
I just don’t want my hard disk wiped when I decide to try a piece of software.
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Industrial machine controllers frequently run on ancient hardware
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Do they run the latest Linux kernel?
I do agree. Maybe I’m little paranoid, but I feel like in some years, recycle old chips will be the only IT available
Just use NetBSD and never look back :)
Linux supports much less old hardware than its competitors.
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You can (compile and) run almost all Linux software on the BSDs.
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FreeBSD’s jails are pretty interesting though, so is NetBSD’s rump kernel. But my point was (especially older) hardware support, not software support. If all you care about is the sheer number of available applications, Windows is there for you. 😉
Your post that it was “not even close” is misleading at best and utterly wrong in total.
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So is Linux, compared to macOS and Windows. You still use it, as it seems to be just enough for your own needs.
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But NetBSD and FreeBSD can run Linux software as well?
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It’s much deeper than emulation like you would a PlayStation. Last time I checked you could run steam and proton on FreeBSD
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I don’t know why you’re getting downvoted?
NetBSD
OpenBSD
Linuxers gonna linux.
I actually learned how to actually use a shell interface when I setup FreeBSD the first time. But other than tinkering with BSD’s on occasion, I really don’t have much experience with them.
To dismiss them outright is baffling to me.
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