this post was submitted on 19 Aug 2026
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Linux 7.2 finally cuts off ancient x86 fallback code (unknownuniverse.uk)
submitted 4 days ago by cm0002@literature.cafe to c/linux@programming.dev
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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?

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[–] smaximov@lemmy.world 8 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

And why do they need to use the latest Linux kernel for that hardware, again?

[–] refalo@programming.dev 1 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago) (1 children)

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.

[–] mabeledo@lemmy.world 5 points 3 days ago (2 children)

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.

[–] refalo@programming.dev 0 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Who said anything about critical?

I just don't want my hard disk wiped when I decide to try a piece of software.

[–] mabeledo@lemmy.world 0 points 2 days ago

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.

[–] jumping_redditor@sh.itjust.works 0 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Industrial machine controllers frequently run on ancient hardware

[–] mabeledo@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

And they are very notoriously outdated in terms of software.

[–] smaximov@lemmy.world 1 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

Do they run the latest Linux kernel?