Ubuntu is dropping support for 32-bit apps and games, so Steam is dropping support for Ubuntu

[steven36]

Canonical’s Ubuntu operating system is one of the biggest names in desktop GNU/Linux. But if you plan to play PC games on Linux, you might want to start looking around for a different Linux distro.

 

 

Ubuntu developer Steve Langasek announced last week that starting with Ubuntu 19:10, which comes out in October, Canonical would no longer provide 32-bit builds of applications and libraries. This being Linux, there will be workarounds — but many existing apps may not work out of the box anymore.

 

Case in point: a number of games from GOG cannot be installed on a pre-release version of Ubuntu 19:10. So it’s not all that surprising that a developer for Valve says that now that Canonical is dropping support for 32-bit software, Valve’s Steam game client is dropping support for Ubuntu.

 

That doesn’t necessarily mean Linux gamers need to switch right away: Valve will continue to support Ubuntu 18:04 LTS, for example, which is a year-old operating system that still has another four years of official “long term” support. And Valve plans to “evaluate ways to minimize breakage for exiting users” moving forward.

 

But the company also plans to shift its focus from Ubuntu to a different GNU/Linux distribution at some point.

 

Source

[steven36]

Following Valve saying they won't be officially supporting Ubuntu 19.10 and Wine developers questioning their Ubuntu 32-bit builds following the announcement this week of not providing new 32-bit packages for new Ubuntu releases, longtime Ubuntu developer and Canonical employee Steve Langasek is trying to provide some clarity into the situation.

 

Steve "vorlon" Langasek commented overnight on the Ubuntu Discourse:

I’m sorry that we’ve given anyone the impression that we are “dropping support for i386 applications”. That’s simply not the case. What we are dropping is updates to the i386 libraries, which will be frozen at the 18.04 LTS versions. But there is every intention to ensure that there is a clear story for how i386 applications (including games) can be run on versions of Ubuntu later than 19.10.

In a follow-up post, he says the 32-bit Mesa will be available and is what is found in the Ubuntu 18.04 archive -- similar to what they've been talking of the possibilities of using 32-bit libraries moving forward from the 18.04 LTS archive. While Ubuntu 18.04 LTS does get new hardware enablement stacks, this will generally be months behind what is normally found in the newest Ubuntu releases.

Steve also commented that 32-bit only packages like PCSX2 would be available just in the Ubuntu 18.04 repository and bound to their current versions. But is suggesting such 32-bit applications consider moving to the Snap packaging format.

There was also a question about 32-bit printer drivers to which Steve responded they are exploring options for how to support the most popular of these printers.

Those wanting to follow the latest Ubuntu 32-bit discussions can jump on this thread.

 

Source

[steven36]

This is still no good  
 

Quote

 

atomsymbol

The explanation "What we are dropping is updates to the i386 libraries, which will be frozen at the 18.04 LTS versions" by Steve Langasek means that users won't be able to upgrade to newer GPUs because the i386 libraries frozen to their year-2019 state will only support GPUs released in 2019 or before. Users won't be able to easily run 32-bit legacy OpenGL/Vulkan apps after buying a new GPU in 2020+.

 

Soon most of these niche Ubuntu forks  of Linux will most likely move  form Ubuntu to Debian forks it looks like Linux Mint's dooms day plain with LMDE may pay off because Ubuntu is shooting itself in the foot again they never learn.  

[Karlston]

Similar topics merged.