Linux 6.12 Finishing The Transition For Moving Intel CPUs Past The "Family 6" Era

[phoronix]

Phoronix: Linux 6.12 Finishing The Transition For Moving Intel CPUs Past The "Family 6" Era

As written about early in the year, future Intel CPUs will be moving past the "Family 6" identification used since the mid-1990s with the P6 micro-architecture. Since then Intel has continued releasing new CPUs under "Family 6" with different model IDs while AMD has been more open to changing its Family ID every Zen generation or two. With Intel using Family 6 for so long it led to a lot of Linux kernel code just relying on Model ID comparisons for determining between Intel CPU generations and the like. Thus a lot of Intel CPU model handling reworks are needed for preparing future Intel CPU generations that will no longer be in Family 6. With Linux 6.12 it looks like that work will be wrapping up...

https://www.phoronix.com/news/Intel-VFM-Family-6-Done-Linux

[Espionage724]

With Intel using Family 6 for so long it led to a lot of Linux kernel code just relying on Model ID comparisons for determining between Intel CPU generations and the like.

This feels like something that should have been seen day-one as not the best way to keep doing for years. What in the word "Family 6" implies that it would stay that way forever or be consistent?

[caligula]

This feels like something that should have been seen day-one as not the best way to keep doing for years. What in the word "Family 6" implies that it would stay that way forever or be consistent?

The intel branding sucks big time. For years the processors were called pentiums, that is the family '5'. Family 6 was Pentium Pro. Since then they got stuck pretty long with the *lake names and i3/i5/i7/i9 model names.

[Espionage724]

The intel branding sucks big time. For years the processors were called pentiums, that is the family '5'. Family 6 was Pentium Pro. Since then they got stuck pretty long with the *lake names and i3/i5/i7/i9 model names.

Is there another identifier?

I'm trying to understand if it was used like a convenience, or if there was a different way that would involve a larger or more hard-coded list?

[chuckula]

Bring on APX and FRED!

[zamroni111]

Linux foundation should just set x86-64-v2 as minimum to reduce complexity.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64#Microarchitecture_levels

nothing that have been end of sale more than 10 years will be still on for daily use today.
and if it does, the owner won't bother to use kernel 6.12

the minimum hardware for ubuntu desktop is 2ghz dual core.
for Intel u series, the minimum is i7 3rd gen

[edwaleni]

A comedian could make hay out of Intel's goofy naming schemes. They put more effort into its code name than they did into the products.

A few non-existent but relevant names:

- Dry Lake
- Crater Lake (could have been called Mazama, but it blew its top)
- Death Valley
- Tunguska
- Chicxulub
- Aral Sea
- Armageddon

[johnp]

I am using an intel core i7-4790 cpu.

Does it mean my cpu will not work with kernel 6.12?

[peterdk]

I am using an intel core i7-4790 cpu.

Does it mean my cpu will not work with kernel 6.12?

No, this is purely code for handling newer identifiers of Intel CPUs.

[uxmkt]

What in the word "Family 6" implies that it would stay that way forever or be consistent?

Hyrum's Law.