[OpenIndiana-discuss] 32-bit support in OpenIndiana Hipster

[Aurélien Larcher]

Hello,


> Today I've shipped PostgreSQL 9.5. AMD64 version still doesn't have
> PL/Perl support, because we ship 32-bit Perl. The next Perl version which
> we ship will be 64-bit only. I don't think there's much benefit in
> supporting 32bit systems. So, consider this an official statement.
>
> The next OI Hipster snapshot will no pretend to support 32bit CPUS.


I do not see the point in investing time for 32-bit x86 systems.
Only keep 32bit for some tools that require it or if backward compatibility
is needed.

I booted with the 32-bit kernel for recovery after a screw-up, it was
sluggish and pkg was slow to the point of being unusable.
Better invest time in setting up a firefly image as recovery.

In your previous message you were talking about putting 64bit binaries in
the default path, what do you have in mind ?

Currently we have a policy of:
- ship 32 only if it makes sense,
- ship 32 and 64 almost everywhere (except on a set of measure zero :D),
- almost never ship 64 bit only.

We can still use isaexec to support both archs for some components but now
enforce:
- ship 32 if its make sense (then use isaexec),
- always ship 64.

This breaks the least common denominator principle but let us be pragmatic,
64 bit has become the common thing.

Four long-term questions:

- How do you intend to modify the macros in oi-userland affected by such
change ?
- Are we going to coordinate such change with OmniOS, DilOS ?
- How does that affect the SFE crew ?
- Also what do you do with x11 ? Still ship 32bit and use isaexec ?

Best regards

Aurélien