Ubuntu Developers Once Again Debate Dropping i386 Images, Then Discontinuing i386 Port

[Vistaus]

I don't think it's possible. Wine needs 32-bit libraries to run 32-bit code on 64-bit system.

I didn't say it's possible right now, I asked if the developers have any plans to move Wine to full 64-bit on 64-bit systems so that one doesn't need the 32-bit libraries anymore (unless you want to run 32-bit code, but then you could install wine-32-bit yourself from the repositories).

[shmerl]

I didn't say it's possible right now, I asked if the developers have any plans to move Wine to full 64-bit on 64-bit systems so that one doesn't need the 32-bit libraries anymore (unless you want to run 32-bit code, but then you could install wine-32-bit yourself from the repositories).

I'm not sure what you mean. Any version of Wine needs 32-bit libraries to run 32-bit code. If you remove 32-bit libraries you won't be able to run any 32-bit code. How exactly do you think Wine developers can address that issue? Emulate 32-bit through 64-bit? But Wine tries not to be an emulator by design.

[sverris]

As long as Ubuntu-based distros like Lubuntu provide 32bit, I will not complain about getting rid of 32bit in Ubuntu itself. Running mostly older 32bit-machines myself, I cannot recommend DE's like Gnome and KDE for such usually slower machines anyway...

[andre30correia]

There is a point. A lot of older games and applications are 32-bit. You won't be able to run any of them if you'll lose i386 multiarch.

I doubt they will cut off multiarch. Most likely senario, they want to remove non 64bits from default install and put multiarch in a different repo and make "hard" to use, steam flatpak/snap will continue to be a steam client 32 bit but the installer and runtime will be separate from system as snap/flatpaks are.

[shmerl]

steam flatpak/snap will continue to be a steam client 32 bit but the installer and runtime will be separate from system as snap/flatpaks are.

Snap or not, you need low level 32-bit libraries. If they'll keep multiarch - good. That's my expectation as well, that the plan of most distros is to drop 32-bit distribution, but not cross compiled 32-bit libs.

Another concern is bit rot though. With 32-bit distros gone, there will be less attention to multiarch i386 too, so things will likely be more buggy and broken in the future.

[geearf]

they want to move to x64 only binary, at least as default and since wine it will put 64 bits as default I can't see the point of using 32 bits in future, my default wine install is 64 bits for long time and I can't notice any difference

Try running an old 32b app and you'll notice the difference.

[starshipeleven]

Emulate 32-bit through 64-bit? But Wine tries not to be an emulator by design.

And for a good reason. Emulation is a whole different ballpark, it needs far more resources than they can throw at it.

[monraaf]

Steam should have its 32bit libraries replaced for 64 bit for good. I don't want a snap app stitched to my system. As opposed to many I hate snap.

The large majority of commercial games is 32-bit. You can't just kill 32-bit support.

The same applies to WINE. If you kill of 32-bit WINE, 90% of Windows applications will stop working.

[leipero]

monraaf That's probably TOTAL number of instalaltion they tracked. Furthermore, it seems that list is updated back in 2016, and it is based on "user report", so I really do not know where to start about it's acuracy. That said, I think it is bad idea to remove all 32 bit libraries, and only reason is compatibility (mainly Steam and WINE, but also it could be useful for some applications that are potentially still v ery functional and in 32 bit only).

[dungeon]

"nobody uses x86 anymore" "every x86 has amd64 mode"
Well, it's been 2 years since I've made a live boot for new COTS x86 only platforms (Vortex based).
It's been 5 years since my CE5315 based "NAS" came out (intel x86 32 bits only).
I won't use a desktop on any of those systems, but 99% of my linux use is non-desktop. And my desktop runs on 32 bits arm v7.

Well, you are not so safe too as they seem would discuss dropping 32bit ARM too

And maybe dropping armhf completely should be a third thread since
that hopefully will be easier than i386.

https://lists.ubuntu.com/archives/ub...ay/040316.html

General idea is about dropping all 32bit OS support, now it is only matter of what is easier and what is harder to be dropped

Furthermore, 32-bit ARM is not the same thing as 32-bit x86, so that can't be compared.

Believe it or not when something called "support" comes, it is actually the same Nowdays and in future, only 64bit have first rate support, regardless of being x86, arm, mips, power or whatever