Linux 7.1 to Phase Out i486 CPU Support, Impacting Legacy Systems
The Linux kernel is set to phase out support for Intel 486 CPUs with the upcoming Linux 7.1 release. A patch has been introduced in the development branches, marking the beginning of the end for i486 support. This decision follows Linus Torvalds' comments on the lack of necessity for maintaining support for these outdated processors. The patch, authored by Ingo Molnar, removes specific Kconfig build options related to 486-class CPUs, which will no longer allow users to build an i486 kernel image. This move aims to reduce the maintenance burden on kernel developers by eliminating the need for compatibility code for these old processors. 
