Key points
- The cleanup could be included in Linux 7.5, whose expected release is in 2027.
- More than 800 lines of MMX-specific software RAID code could be replaced by about a dozen lines.
- Older Pentium MMX and Pentium II systems will retain software RAID functionality, but without MMX acceleration.
Context
Intel introduced Pentium processors with MMX support in 1997, and other x86 chipmakers later adopted the instruction set. Most related kernel optimizations were removed about five years ago; the proposed change represents another stage of retiring code from the first Pentium era.
What this means for you
Not yet happened
Kernel maintainers and organizations maintaining Linux-based legacy platforms can assess whether MMX-specific dependencies should be replaced before the proposed Linux 7.5 cleanup.
Who benefits: Developers and technical decision-makers managing long-lived Linux systems can benefit from clearer guidance on obsolete MMX dependencies and future kernel compatibility.
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