Linux Kernel's Floppy Disk Code Is Seeing Improvements In 2020

While many would argue it's past due for the Linux kernel's floppy disk code to be gutted from the mainline code-base, instead it's seeing improvements in 2020 ahead of the Linux 5.7 kernel... The same kernel where Intel stabilized Tiger Lake graphics, AMD preparing Zen 3 support, a new exFAT driver, and a multitude of other modern improvements is also now seeing floppy work.

This isn't just a couple one-liner patches either for Linux's floppy code but is 586 lines of new code and 613 deletions. So if you are engaging in self-isolation and happy to run across some floppy disks, fear not as the Linux kernel is still ready to read them.

The floppy patches sent out today for Linux 5.7 include a number of clean-ups and several ARM architecture improvements. The ARM floppy work includes elimination of dead code and removing incomplete support for a second floppy disk controller (FDC) from that ARM architecture code.

So should anyone still care about floppy support, there are patches on the way for the next Linux kernel cycle.