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?

      • Anti_IridiumEnglish
        2·
        19 days ago

        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.

    • mabeledo
      1·
      19 days ago

      OpenBSD hasn’t been able to run on 386 and 486 for some years now.