Ubuntu To Provide Select 32-Bit Packages For Ubuntu 19.10 & 20.04 LTS

It looks like my info from this weekend was accurate, "I'm hearing that Canonical may revert course and provide limited 32-bit support." Canonical issued a statement today that they indeed will provide "selected" 32-bit packages for the upcoming Ubuntu 19.10 as well as Ubuntu 20.04 LTS.

Canonical announced that as a result of feedback, they "changed our plan and build selected 32-bit i386 packages for Ubuntu 19.10 and 20.04 LTS...We will put in place a community process to determine which 32-bit packages are needed to support legacy software, and can add to that list post-release if we miss something that is needed."

Ultimately though they will be pushing for packages like Wine to make use of Snaps or other containers for running 32-bit software in the future. "We will also work with the WINE, Ubuntu Studio and gaming communities to use container technology to address the ultimate end of life of 32-bit libraries; it should stay possible to run old applications on newer versions of Ubuntu. Snaps and LXD enable us both to have complete 32-bit environments, and bundled libraries, to solve these issues in the long term."

Their statement in full can be read on the Ubuntu Blog.