Thursday 10 May 2018

Re: Proposal: Let's drop i386

Hi Nrbtx et al,

On 9 May 2018 at 21:59, Nrbrtx <nrbrtx@gmail.com> wrote:
Dear Bryan and all!

Please do not forget about some special hardware configurations such as Thin Clients.
For example we use about 50 machines as Fat LTSP clients with Intel Celeron and Intel Atom. Their RAM is limited to 2Gb by hardware. They use Ubuntu 16.04 LTS with MATE desktop environment.

Even if CPU is 64-bit compatible, it will be impermissible luxury (or high RAM usage in other words) of 64-bit OS. I prefer 32-bits here as it reduces RAM usage.

Please take into account my logic about 32-bit LTSP clients. And do not drop 32-bits completely.

As a hobby, I run a computer refurbishment project where people give me old computers/laptops and, once they are refurbished, are given to people with mental health problems, their families or students or other needy people. As a result, I'm the go-to-guy for a number of old computers out in the community. The number of 32-bit systems out there actually in active use is pretty small.

For personal use, I have a Samsung NC10 32-bit netbook whose task these days is to act as an easily carried computer. I have been keeping an eye out for a similar system with the exception of having a 64-bit CPU, without much success.

According to my information, lubuntu 18.04 will be supported for 5 years. I should be able to find a suitable replacement system in that time.

It isn't convenient but perhaps it is time to start planning the replacement of existing 32 bit systems? Making computer shops / businesses aware that you'd like to have "old" (!) 64-bit  systems donated to your particular charities?

HTH,


Ian

--
-- ACCU - Professionalism in programming - http://www.accu.org
-- My writing - https://sites.google.com/site/ianbruntlett/

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