Linux Kills Ancient x86 Fallbacks
unknownuniverse.uk
As Linux 7.2 makes the Time Stamp Counter mandatory, we look at why dropping legacy x86 fallback timing code is long overdue.

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?

  • refalo@programming.dev
    11·
    3 days ago

    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
      11·
      3 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.