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?

      • tux0r@snac.rosaelefanten.org
        1·
        22 days ago

        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.

          • tux0r@snac.rosaelefanten.org
            1·
            22 days ago

            NetBSD is a novelty OS at best

            So is Linux, compared to macOS and Windows. You still use it, as it seems to be just enough for your own needs.

              • tux0r@snac.rosaelefanten.org
                1·
                21 days ago

                Virtually every SaaS platform runs on Linux.

                Mine don’t.

                70% of cellphones run on Linux.

                Source?

                Even compared to FreeBSD, NetBSD is more of a niche OS for hobbyists.

                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.

                  • tux0r@snac.rosaelefanten.org
                    11·
                    20 days ago

                    Sorry, me and most people haven’t ever heard of your SaaS platform.

                    Ok. Enjoy being where most people are (Microsoft 365?).

                    Then by any means, use Windows.

                    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.

                    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.

                    Name one Linux software that actually is “Linux software” in opposite to “Unix-like software” and/or “cross-platform software”.

                    Did I hit a nerve here?

                    My laughing nerve is, indeed, somewhat sore now.

                    You and the other five people running it on a desktop computer must be having a lot of fun I suppose.

                    So your point is that you prefer mainstream software over good software? Are you sure that you don’t use Windows?