We all know that Debian is built to work even on the oldest systems and computers. However, recently X Strike Force (the Debian development team) decided to remove several of the old drivers that are still in the Debian repository.
For example, one of these drivers is r128, which has been around for 20 years to support graphics cards . Some other drivers that will soon be removed from the operating system include those for Mach 64, Savage, Silicon Motion, SiS, Trident, as well as some drivers for Elo touchsystems. According to the notes for the next Debian release, the reason for removing the above drivers is that they are no longer being developed and there is no reason for them to remain on the system, as users do not use them.
Most Linux (such as Ubuntu and Manjaro) have now stopped supporting 32-bit systems. However, the removal of drivers from Debian is important, as Debian is one of the few operating systems that still supports many of the older architectures and legacy systems.
Unfortunately, although not many, there are still users who, either for personal or nostalgic reasons, continue to use old hardware. However, without the necessary drivers, these users will not be able to use the new versions of Debian. However, these same users will have the option to download one of the old versions of Debian to continue using it on their systems. Another option for these users is to obtain another operating system that still supports the hardware they use.
Although many of us do not agree with the removal of drivers, this step will greatly help in improving the operating system later. In fact, the more optimal support a software has, the more difficult it is to develop and maintain. Another, very important disadvantage of old code is the lack of security. Today, security is one of the most important parts of our systems, if not the most important. For this reason, removing old and insecure code is one of the most important steps in building the next Debian releases.
