Following Many Other Linux Employees, Ubuntu Stopped Providing 32-bit ISO Images

This article examines Following Many Other Linux Employees, Ubuntu Stopped Providing 32-bit ISO Images. It presents the main facts, practical implications, and key points in a clearer, easier-to-follow format.

Engineer Dimitri John Ladkov of Canonical, the company behind Ubuntu, announced that he will stop providing the ISO installer for the OS, a version starting with Ubuntu 17.0 (Artful Aardvark) will be released on October 19.

This decision came about after a long discussion about how the market uses fewer 32-bit structures.

Most Linux Distros Are Running 64-bit

"Ubuntu's download page stopped i386 ads for both desktop, server and cloud, without notice," Ledkov said in May, pointing out that Ubuntu 32-bit is currently mostly used for one purpose. Specifically, usually on IoT devices.

As the market for computers and servers has decreased, Canonical decided to stop providing disk images for 32-bit architecture (i386). Ledkov also made it clear that Canonical does not have to stop 32-bit support. The group continues to update security, fix errors but not release new ISO Images. Lubuntu and Xubuntu, Ubuntu versions for old computers, will continue to have ISO Images 32-bit.

Ubuntu will no longer have a new 32-bit ISO Image.

All Linux Kernels Stop 32-bit Support

The Manjaro team, another Linux kernel, also plans to stop 32-bit support by the end of November 2017. 'V.17.0.3 ISO will be the final version for installing 32-bit Manjaro,' said Philip Muller, Manjaro team leader. 'In September and October, the i686 will still be upgraded. Since November, there will be no need for maintenance, completely stop supporting i686 '.

Tails OS and Arch Linux both stopped supporting 32-bit ISO from Tails 3.0 and 2017.02.01. Even Google has stopped supporting Chrome on 32-bit Linux since 2015.