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Linux 7.2 finally cuts off ancient x86 fallback code
(unknownuniverse.uk)
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this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2026
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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.
There are LTS versions outside of current.
But more importantly, who runs anything remotely critical on a 486 these days? These machines choke to death on TLS handshakes.
Industrial machine controllers frequently run on ancient hardware
And they are very notoriously outdated in terms of software.
Do they run the latest Linux kernel?
Who said anything about critical?
I just don't want my hard disk wiped when I decide to try a piece of software.
You aren't running any relatively recent software on a 486, period. Even if you did and it turned out to be a virus, the chances of it hitting a bug in the kernel are extremely low.
This is just grasping at straws.
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.
On the other hand, Linux runs more software than its competitors, and it’s not even close.
But NetBSD and FreeBSD can run Linux software as well?
Emulation support doesn’t imply full ABI or driver support.
Otherwise, since Proton is supported for Linux but not BSD, Linux would still be ahead.
It's much deeper than emulation like you would a PlayStation. Last time I checked you could run steam and proton on FreeBSD
I know how it works. My point is that, if emulated software, be under a hypervisor or an ABI compatibility layer, is considered “supported”, then we could say that Windows applications are supported in Linux, but that’s not entirely true.
More importantly, if I want to run Linux software, I would rather run it on Linux, e.g. Docker and Kubernetes.
You can (compile and) run almost all Linux software on the BSDs.
Cool. Is there any *BSD-only software I would want to run on Linux? No? Then, what's the point?
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.
I’m sorry, I thought we were comparing BSD to Linux. And why would I use BSD if there isn’t a single piece of software I need that isn’t available on Linux as well, but others, like Kubernetes, aren’t natively supported on BSD.
Regardless, nobody cares about dropping 486 support. NetBSD is a novelty OS at best, and FreeBSD, the most popular BSD out there, doesn’t run on 486 since 2024. Nice attempt at trolling tho.
So is Linux, compared to macOS and Windows. You still use it, as it seems to be just enough for your own needs.
Don’t be ridiculous.
Virtually every SaaS platform runs on Linux. Half of the embedded devices out there run on Linux. 70% of cellphones run on Linux. Essentially, there is no way you would be online without interacting with a Linux-based OS in one way or another.
Even compared to FreeBSD, NetBSD is more of a niche OS for hobbyists.
Mine don't.
Source?
Compared to Windows, Linux is more of a niche OS for hobbyists. (My everyday device is a desktop, not a router.) Your point is what exactly? Operating systems need a certain market share to be good? Lol. Seriously, just lol.
Enjoy your ~3% niche OS.
Sorry, me and most people haven’t ever heard of your SaaS platform.
https://counterpointresearch.com/en/insights/global-smartphone-os-market-share
Then by any means, use Windows.
Never made that point. What I said is that NetBSD is a niche OS for hobbyists, and that if I wanted to run Linux software, instead of relying on emulation, I would rather just use Linux.
Did I hit a nerve here?
Anyway, funny that you would want to make that point when you yourself use NetBSD. You and the other five people running it on a desktop computer must be having a lot of fun I suppose.
Ok. Enjoy being where most people are (Microsoft 365?).
I will not do that. Because I don't care about what other people use. I want my software to make my life easier. If there are only three people alive who use a good software, I still wouldn't want to use worse software.
Name one Linux software that actually is "Linux software" in opposite to "Unix-like software" and/or "cross-platform software".
My laughing nerve is, indeed, somewhat sore now.
So your point is that you prefer mainstream software over good software? Are you sure that you don't use Windows?
I don't know why you're getting downvoted?
NetBSD
OpenBSD
OpenBSD hasn’t been able to run on 386 and 486 for some years now.
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.