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The switch from A to X is really just marketing. They call them X-series cores but they're just larger and more powerful application processors. It's 100% inten

The switch from A to X is really just marketing. They call them X-series cores but they're just larger and more powerful application processors. It's 100% intended to run full operating systems, it implements the ARMv9-A ISA :)

moffkalast 3y ago
> ARMv9 Ah yes already looking forward to everyone cutting support for armv7 package building on apt, just like they did for v6 when v8 was 'the thing'. This rolling cycle of incompatibility and obsolescence is so goddamn infuriating.
- saagarjha 3y ago
  Do note that ARMv6 and ARMv8 are entirely incompatible ISAs; one is 32-bit and another is 64-bit. Generally one doesn’t cut ARMv6 because ARMv8 exists, they drop all 32-bit support all at once.
  - moffkalast 3y ago
    It was dropping 32 bit builds this gen, the next one will be maybe some secure boot nonsense like Windows required for 11, or whatever-thing compatibility. There's always some random excuse.
    - digdugdirk 3y ago
      Agreed. If we'd just stuck with the Motorola 68000, we wouldn't have to worry about any of this nonsense.
      - moffkalast 3y ago
        You joke, but the MC68000 is actually still in wide use haha. At some point we'll have 32 bit microcontrollers that are fast enough and have enough memory to run what will then be modern linux distros and we'll be sorry that we deprecated everything related to it. Or maybe everything will just be 64 bit from now onward, idk.
        dboreham 3y ago
        Rooting the singing greeting cards sounds fun. Although presumably they'll be e-ink field programmable AI cards by then.
        p_l 3y ago
        A commonly used BMC chip still has 68k inside, though no longer as main CPU they are sometimes still used.
  - cesarb 3y ago
    > Do note that ARMv6 and ARMv8 are entirely incompatible ISAs; one is 32-bit and another is 64-bit. IIRC, ARMv8 has both 32-bit (AArch32) and 64-bit (AArch64); yes, ARM's naming is confusing. What's being dropped is 32-bit (AArch32), similar to what's happening in the x86 world (and AFAIK also the Linux on mainframe world), and for similar reasons.
    - sweetjuly 3y ago
      AArch32 mode has been optional in ARMv8-A the whole time too, I don't believe cores like Apple's M1 even support it at all.
- MrRolleyes 3y ago
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moffkalast 3y ago

> ARMv9 Ah yes already looking forward to everyone cutting support for armv7 package building on apt, just like they did for v6 when v8 was 'the thing'. This rolling cycle of incompatibility and obsolescence is so goddamn infuriating.

saagarjha 3y ago
Do note that ARMv6 and ARMv8 are entirely incompatible ISAs; one is 32-bit and another is 64-bit. Generally one doesn’t cut ARMv6 because ARMv8 exists, they drop all 32-bit support all at once.
- moffkalast 3y ago
  It was dropping 32 bit builds this gen, the next one will be maybe some secure boot nonsense like Windows required for 11, or whatever-thing compatibility. There's always some random excuse.
  - digdugdirk 3y ago
    Agreed. If we'd just stuck with the Motorola 68000, we wouldn't have to worry about any of this nonsense.
    - moffkalast 3y ago
      You joke, but the MC68000 is actually still in wide use haha. At some point we'll have 32 bit microcontrollers that are fast enough and have enough memory to run what will then be modern linux distros and we'll be sorry that we deprecated everything related to it. Or maybe everything will just be 64 bit from now onward, idk.
      - dboreham 3y ago
        Rooting the singing greeting cards sounds fun. Although presumably they'll be e-ink field programmable AI cards by then.
      - p_l 3y ago
        A commonly used BMC chip still has 68k inside, though no longer as main CPU they are sometimes still used.
- cesarb 3y ago
  > Do note that ARMv6 and ARMv8 are entirely incompatible ISAs; one is 32-bit and another is 64-bit. IIRC, ARMv8 has both 32-bit (AArch32) and 64-bit (AArch64); yes, ARM's naming is confusing. What's being dropped is 32-bit (AArch32), similar to what's happening in the x86 world (and AFAIK also the Linux on mainframe world), and for similar reasons.
  - sweetjuly 3y ago
    AArch32 mode has been optional in ARMv8-A the whole time too, I don't believe cores like Apple's M1 even support it at all.
MrRolleyes 3y ago
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