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this post was submitted on 23 Nov 2023
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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).
Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.
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On the other hand, they were probably unchanged for decades. Did anything really change, or is this just a case of we need to remove 500k lines of code, what is most useless ? Let's cut that.
In other words, removed because it's a KPI to remove lines, and this makes number go up.
Keeping code around isn't free. Interfaces change, regressions pop up. You have to occasionally put in work just to keep it in a working state. Usually in cases like this there are discussions on the mailing list about who is going to maintain them and nobody volunteers. You can do that if you're so passionate about keeping these drivers around.
They were fine all this time, what changed suddenly ? I bet it's the security nerds stirring shit, making it all a liability and easier deleted than fixed.
So if it's been unchanged for decades then you can just add it yourself and recompile the kernel. Elsewhere you argue that you can't just add old drivers to a newer kernel, which implies these drivers require some nontrivial amount of maintaince. Which is it.