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Arch Linux Preparing To Deprecate i686 Support

posted by FatPhil on Thursday January 26 2017, @11:46AM   
from the all-the-world's-a-Cray dept.

"exec" writes in with this story from Phoronix

Arch Linux is moving ahead with preparing to deprecate i686 (x86 32-bit) support in their distribution.

Due to declining usage of Arch Linux i686, they will be phasing out official support for the architecture. Next month's ISO spin will be the last for offering a 32-bit Arch Linux install. Following that will be a nine month deprecation period where i686 packages will still see updates.

Any Soylentils still making major use of 32-bit x86? And any of you using Arch Linux? Distrowatch still lists Arch Linux as a top 10 distribution.

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Original Submission

• Re:I still use 32-bit, single-core x86 Re:I still use 32-bit, single-core x86 (Score: 1, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:13PM

  by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @01:13PM (#458894)

  Me too, on an EeePC. Haven't found a replacement for it, there are basically no 10" laptops anymore, and the 11" ones are horribly expensive, ultra-thin with hardly any connectors, and most of them have mirrors where the screen should be (which also disqualifies all the tablets/convertibles which are at least cheaper - though all more expensive than the EeePC was).
  Basically unless you NEED more CPU power, all modern laptops offer is less for a much higher price. And I really could use something a little more modern...

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• Re:I still use 32-bit, single-core x86 Re:I still use 32-bit, single-core x86 (Score: 2) by Pino P on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:11PM

  by Pino P (4721) on Thursday January 26 2017, @04:11PM (#458971) Journal

  Me too, on an EeePC. Haven't found a replacement for it, there are basically no 10" laptops anymore

  I've expressed similar sentiments over on the green site. A couple anonymous contributors replied, pointing out a few inexpensive 10.1" or smaller computers running Windows 10 for sale on Walmart's web shop: the RCA Cambrio [walmart.com] and Nextbook Flexx [walmart.com] detachables and Epik ELL [walmart.com] laptop. I haven't investigated these particular models for screen finish or compatibility with GNU/Linux on bare metal, though you could run Windows on bare metal and use Vagrant and Xming to run GNU/Linux applications.

  Others appear to be settling for either an 11" or a Crouton'd Chromebook [soylentnews.org].

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  • Re:I still use 32-bit, single-core x86 (Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:22PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Thursday January 26 2017, @08:22PM (#459106)

    Those first ones are all convertibles, i.e. tablets with a keyboard.
    The problem with tablets is
    - touchscreen, thus glaring
    - tiny SSD, SOLDERED IN (though admittedly a bit larger than what my netbook has, but then that netbook has a SD slot), RAM soldered in (and 1/4 of what I have in my netbook, that is NOT an upgrade)
    - few to no connectors (usually, you are lucky to get 2 USB ports, 0 ethernet etc. etc.)

    So exactly what I said: a SOLID downgrade compared to the 10 year old netbook.
    The Acer Aspire One C/D that gets thrown around are only sold used, and for fairly high prices (for used, 6 year old computers at least).
    Anything I've looked at below $600 was "I don't think I'd have a use for it for free", and even most of the > $1000 get at best a "well, at least the CPU got faster" grade.

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