Gentoo Drops Support For IA-64 And Deprecates SPARC, s390 Profiles

Gentoo Linux, a highly customizable, source-based Linux distribution, has officially ended support for the IA-64 (Itanium) architecture. This decision, ratified by the Gentoo Council, is a direct result of the discontinuation of upstream support within the Linux kernel and glibc, rendering maintenance by the Gentoo IA-64 team impossible.

Furthermore, the council has deprecated 32-bit profiles for SPARC and s390, citing low usage and significant maintenance challenges.

Key Developments:

• IA-64 Retirement: Gentoo's support for IA-64 is terminated due to upstream deprecation and insufficient resources for maintenance.
• Architecture Review: A comprehensive review of all supported architectures is underway to optimize resource allocation and potentially streamline supported profiles.
• 32-bit Challenges: 32-bit architectures face growing difficulties regarding upstream support and maintenance complexity.
• Future of Architectures: Several architectures are under consideration for destabilization or deprecation, with varying timelines and community impact.

Reasons for IA-64 Support Cessation:

The decision to discontinue IA-64 support stems from several factors:

• Upstream Deprecation: The core components, the Linux kernel and glibc, have dropped their support for IA-64.
• Resource Constraints: The Gentoo IA-64 team lacked the necessary resources, including a functional development environment and a reliable emulator.
• Low User Base: Minimal user interest in IA-64 hardware rendered continued support impractical.

The Gentoo Council formally approved the IA-64 deprecation on July 21, 2024, initiating a one-month deprecation period after the announcement.

Deprecation of 32-bit SPARC and s390 Profiles:

This action reflects Gentoo's broader strategy of focusing resources on actively developed and widely used architectures. Gentoo developer, Arthur Zamarin, highlighted the varying support levels of different architectures within Gentoo: Stable, Development (dev), and Experimental (exp). He advocated for a reassessment of support, particularly for 32-bit architectures, due to increasing maintenance burdens. The Council's decision to deprecate 32-bit profiles for SPARC and s390 includes a six-month grace period.

Key Proposals and Council Decisions:

Zamarin's proposals and the subsequent Council decisions included:

• 32-bit Architectures (x86, arm, ppc, sparc32): Potential for mass-destabilization, mass-dekeywording, and removal of stable status.
• IA-64: Deprecation approved (one-month grace period).
• SPARC 32-bit: Deprecation approved (six-month grace period).
• s390 32-bit: Deprecation approved (six-month grace period).

The IA-64 deprecation process involves removing all IA-64 profiles, eliminating IA-64 keywords from packages, and closing related bug reports, commencing in early September 2024.

Conclusion:

The termination of IA-64 support in Gentoo is attributed to the removal of support in essential components, resource limitations, and low user demand. This decision, along with the deprecation of 32-bit SPARC and s390 profiles, reflects Gentoo's ongoing efforts to optimize resource allocation and maintain a sustainable project.

Resources:

• Gentoo Linux drops IA-64 (Itanium) support
• Funtoo Linux is Being Discontinued! Time to Look for Alternatives

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