Linux

In May 2025, the Linux community witnessed a significant milestone in the evolution of the kernel: version 6.15 officially removed support for Intel i486 CPUs (80486 family) and the early i586 processors, consolidating the definitive transition to more modern hardware. This decision, driven by discussions on the LKML (Linux Kernel Mailing List) and implemented by Ingo Molnár, resulted in the removal of approximately 15,000 lines of legacy code. In this in-depth analysis, we examine the historical context of the i486 in the Linux ecosystem, the technical aspects involved in its discontinuation, the impacts on developers and retrocomputing enthusiasts, the available alternatives, and the possible future implications of this change.

Linus Torvalds, creator of Linux, expressed discontent with the hdrtest component in the pre-release of Linux 6.15. The hdrtest, designed to check kernel code headers, automatically activates the allmodconfig setting, used for comprehensive testing. According to Torvalds, this makes the build time-consuming and produces unwanted files. He harshly criticized the intrusive execution of hdrtest and marked it as "BROKEN," disabling it until fixes are made. His decision may expedite the overhaul or removal of hdrtest, reflecting the ongoing pursuit of optimizations in Linux. Although incisive, Torvalds aims to keep Linux efficient, and it is up to those responsible for hdrtest to correct the issues and ensure the desired functionality without compromising the developers' build experience.