Re: Choice of VMs under i386 Stretch?
> If it had been done 10 years ago it wouldn't need to be done now. :)
[ The initial install was in 2003, FWIW. ]
I do use 64bit Debian on another machine, but to tell you the truth,
I don't notice any difference at all (other than bigger hex numbers in
GDB which take up more screen real estate and are harder to
remember/decipher ;-), so there's a serious lack of motivation.
> VMs running on a core 2 definitely have unfixable security issues and aren't
> great performers. That certainly limits the use cases.
AFAIK all CPUs since also have unfixable security issues (spectre).
So I'm not sure it makes much difference.
In any case, my point is that often it's best to use what you have
rather than what is "best".
> Since faster and more efficient hardware can literally be found for free
Regarding faster: my laptop is a Thinkpad T61 with a hand-upgraded Core
2 CPU, and the reason I'm using that is that it's the best 4/3 laptop
I could find.
All the more recent models use short screens and hence don't qualify.
It does deserve to be upgraded, and I'm willing to spend a fair bit of
money for that, but so far noone has decided to re-enter the 4/3
marketplace AFAIK (the "thinkpad" T70 has been the only exception I know
of, but it was very short run).
As for efficiency, AFAIK the production of a laptop takes more
energy than all the electricity it uses in its lifetime, so using my old
laptop is arguably more efficient.
> these days, running on something that old has a strong component of personal
> choice.
Just like choosing something more recent is a personal choice, yes.
With global ecological implications.
> Which is fine, but not a strong argument. Put a different way, it's
> fine if that's what you want to do, but terrible advice for others.
I didn't advise it. I only pointed out that running a VM in a 32bit
system is not silly at all.
Stefan
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