https://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Changes/Stop_Building_i686_Kernels
== Summary ==
Stop building i686 kernels, reduce the i686 package to a
kernel-headers package that can be used to build 32bit versions of
everything else.
OK I think this has a followup change which is sort of buried below:
No more i686 kernels mean that the i686 compose (aka .iso/etc) do not happen. The only way would be for someone to engineer making anaconda install an x86_64 kernel and i686 user space work. That is a lot of work and probably a little late to start on. Howver as the below mentioned absentee sponsor of i686.. I have no problems with this.
== Owner ==
* Name: [[User:jforbes| Justin Forbes]]
* Email: jforbes@fedoraproject.org
== Detailed Description ==
The i686 kernel is of limited use as most x86 hardware supports 64bit
these days. It has been in a status of "community supported" for
several Fedora releases now. As such, it gets very little testing,
and issues frequently appear upstream. These tend to go unnoticed for
long periods of time. When issues are found, it is often a long time
before they are fixed because they are considered low priority by most
developers upstream. This can leave other architectures waiting for
important updates, and provides a less than desirable experience for
people choosing to run a 32bit kernel.
With this proposal, the i686 kernel will no longer be built. A kernel
headers package will still exist, and all 32bit packages should
continue to build as normal. The main difference is there would no
longer be bootable 32bit images.
This was last proposed with Fedora 27, but it was deferred as an i686
SIG was to be created to handle issues going forward. That SIG has
been largely unresponsive. The only thread so far this year has been
a thread starting with "Hello, I noticed that the x86 group hasn't had
any reports in a while. As the absentee sponsor of the group, I would
like to remind people on the list and interested in keeping x86_32 in
Fedora releases that there is general work which needs to be done by
people interested. " And the only response was one person saying they
would no longer have access to legacy i686 hardware as of August.
== Benefit to Fedora ==
More testable kernel updates, faster fixes for security bugs, and
lowered exposure.
== Scope ==
* Proposal owners:
Changes to the kernel spec to stop the actual i686 builds, but keep
the kernel-headers package.
* Other developers: NA
* Release engineering: [https://pagure.io/releng/issue/8461]
** [[Fedora_Program_Management/ReleaseBlocking/Fedora{{FedoraVersionNumber|next}}|List
of deliverables]]: Drop i686 based images
* Policies and guidelines: N/A (not needed for this change)
* Trademark approval: N/A (not needed for this Change)
== Upgrade/compatibility impact ==
32bit i686 users will need to reinstall as x86_64 with the next release.
== How To Test ==
N/A Nothing to test, we simply stop producing a flavor of the kernel
package. As there is no direct upgrade path from i686 -> x86_64, users
with capable hardware will have to reinstall.
== User Experience ==
The few 32bit users will have the full lifecycle of Fedora 30 to
choose a time to upgrade to a 64bit installation. Some old hardware
will no longer be supported by fedora.
== Dependencies ==
32 bit x86 images can no longer be built.
== Contingency Plan ==
* Contingency mechanism: (What to do? Who will do it?) Start building
an i686 kernel again
* Contingency deadline: As QA requires for image candidates
* Blocks release? Yes
* Blocks product? product Fedora 31
== Documentation ==
The lack of an i686 image will need to be documented.