Re: Ability to further support 32bit architectures

[YunQiang Su <wzssyqa@gmail.com>]

<rhys@neoquasar.org> 于2024年1月12日周五 23:59写道：
>
> Keeping in mind that I am new to this arena...
>
> I have some Intel systems - both 64-bit and 32-bit - that I might be able to use as build platforms.
>

I guess all of your hardwares are 64bit. You setup different OS on them.

> What does the Debian team need from me to be able to use these systems?
>

It's not about performance of hardware. It is about some limitation of 32bit.
2 examples for it:
   1. if we use 32bit value for time, it will overflow in 2038, then
your time will be shown as 1900.
       https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Year_2038_problem
   2. A single process (or maybe APP, not precisely), can only use UP
to 4GiB RAM.
       In fact on most system the value is less than 4GiB:
          on intel32, it is 3GiB
          on mips32, it is 2GiB
       But currently, it is not enough, for example, when we build a
big APP, it will need much more RAM.
       The RAM does install in your Rack, but you can NOT use it.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3_GB_barrier

> I can't guarantee they'll be FAST, but I'll do what I can to make them EFFECTIVE.
>

If you are really need 32bit system. Maybe you can say out why you
*REALLY* need it.
For most users, the suggestion is: upgrade to 64bit.

> --J
>