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Hello im going to install lubuntu but im confused about a question will lubuntu remove support for 32 bit devices? https://www.reddit.com/r/linux/comments/a84qdw/lubuntu_announces_it_is_dropping_32bit_support/

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  • Ubuntu (and its flavours) have dropped support for 32 bit hardwares. However Debian still supports 32 bit. Nov 20, 2020 at 12:57
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    There's a lovely LMDE (Linux Mint Debian Edition) that has a 32 bit option here.
    – KGIII
    Nov 20, 2020 at 13:01
  • This link may shed some light on the issue of keeping old hardware alive.
    – sudodus
    Nov 20, 2020 at 13:27
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    Lubuntu 18.04.5 was released in 2020-August (lubuntu.me/bionic-5-released) and is still supported, however it's remaining support has only months remaining (3 years from initial support). The base (Ubuntu 18.04) has full support for 5 years, but the Lubuntu team no longer support it from April 2021. Lubuntu also had 18.10 & had iso's into the disco cycle (as did Xubuntu) however they ended (lubuntu.me/sunsetting-i386), and whilst packages were upgraded the entire life of 19.04, it's now EOL/end-of-life (builds stopped in the beta cycle of eoan for i386).
    – guiverc
    Nov 20, 2020 at 20:53

2 Answers 2

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Lubuntu 18.04.5 was released in 2020-August (https://lubuntu.me/bionic-5-released/) and is still supported, however it's remaining support has only months remaining (3 years from initial release being 2018-April). The base (Ubuntu 18.04) has full support for 5 years, but the Lubuntu team no longer support it from April 2021.

Lubuntu also had a 18.10 release & created ISOs into the disco cycle (as did Xubuntu) however they ended (https://lubuntu.me/sunsetting-i386/) which I see quoted on this page. Whilst packages were upgraded the entire life of 19.04, it's now EOL/end-of-life (builds stopped in the beta cycle of eoan for i386).

Lubuntu 18.04 LTS is currently fully supported, but most users of Lubuntu are on amd64 and use it because it's fast it turns out.

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  • I'm always confused by the graph on the Lubuntu downloads page lubuntu.me/downloads, why does it show 18.04 supported until 2023? (Annotated as "Ubuntu Community Support") Is that what you meant by your remark that "the base...has full support for 5 years"? Nov 20, 2020 at 22:27
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    Yeah I remembered that graph when I wrote ^, but I didn't find it. I personally don't like the wording of that graph, but there is/was no consensus on what it should be so it remains... Yes that is why I mentioned the 5 years (that and ubuntu-support-status on 18.04, or ubuntu-security-status on more recent releases) reports 5 years for base packages (ie. those found in 'main' repository). I mostly wrote this answer as I wanted to use the official links (comments often disappear)
    – guiverc
    Nov 20, 2020 at 22:50
  • So is anything actually going to happen after 3 years from a user standpoint? Nov 20, 2020 at 22:53
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    Some. I use Lubuntu 18.04 LTS on my IBM thinkpad t43, and I very much doubt it'll change come April-2021. Support questions: as it's beyond support, and whilst I don't close vote partially supported flavors, I usually ignore them beyond a FYI:EOL reminder, but they'll get less attention as some people do ignore them. Support will cease on IRC in #lubuntu, you'll get limited (to no) support on Lubuntu's discourse, but I know UF & here, some support will continue. The 'universe' packages will not get security patches, but that's uncommon anyway so minor added security risk.
    – guiverc
    Nov 20, 2020 at 23:05
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    Users (past 2021-April) should still get support in #ubuntu on IRC... I'm really saying support options will reduce during the final two years (of partial support). If users know what they're doing, are aware of the additional risks (which is small anyway), they can continue to use it (just as I believe I will on my t43)
    – guiverc
    Nov 20, 2020 at 23:09
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will lubuntu remove support for 32 bit devices?

Yes. Lubuntu was created 10 years ago to support old hardware of the age of 10-15 years and 10-15 year old hardware now is 99% 64bit. 32bit is a dying architecture.

Please consider upgrading your hardware.

From the link you used:

Sunsetting i386

Lubuntu has been and continues to be the go-to Ubuntu flavor for people who want the most from their computers, especially older hardware that cannot handle today’s workloads. However, the project and computing as a whole has drastically changed in many ways since its origin ten years ago. Computers have become faster, more secure, and most notably, have moved off of the traditional 32-bit i686 (generalized as i386 in Debian and Ubuntu) architecture.

As an increasing number of Linux distributions have focused their attention on the 64-bit x86 architecture (amd64) and not on i386, we have found that it is harder to support than it once was. With i386-only machines becoming an artifact of the past, it has become increasingly clear to the Lubuntu Team that we need to evaluate its removal from the architectures we support. After careful consideration, we regret to inform our users that Lubuntu 19.04 and future versions will not see a release for the i386 architecture. Please do note that we will continue to support Lubuntu 18.04 LTS i386 users as a first-class citizen until its End of Life date in April of 2021.

We would like to sincerely thank the contributors to and the users of Lubuntu on i386. Without you, Lubuntu would not be what it is today. The Lubuntu Team would like encourage you to read our post regarding taking a new direction if you would like to understand more about our future aspirations as a project. Lubuntu is far from slowing down; if you would like to join our growing team of contributors, check out our Telegram/Matrix/IRC channels.

This is about the installer. 32-bit software is still supported from within a 64-bit Ubuntu (not just a flavour) operating system (the support for that is likely also to get dropped at some point).

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  • Some programs/apps have already dropped 32bit version(chrome) and a few are thinking about it. Quite a few programs already will used up most of the memory allowed for 32bit, causing slow downs on system unless for very light use.
    – crip659
    Nov 20, 2020 at 13:09

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