[Python-Dev] Drop support for old unsupported FreeBSD and Linux kernels?

[Antoine Pitrou]

On Thu, 18 Jan 2018 22:04:34 -0800
Nathaniel Smith <njs at pobox.com> wrote:

> On Thu, Jan 18, 2018 at 12:27 PM, Victor Stinner
> <victor.stinner at gmail.com> wrote:
> > CPython still has compatibility code for Linux 2.6, whereas the
> > support of Linux 2.6.x ended in August 2011, longer than 6 years ago.
> > Should we also drop support for old Linux kernels? If yes, which ones?
> > The Linux kernel has LTS version, the oldest is Linux 3.2 (support
> > will end in May, 2018).
> >
> > Linux kernel support:
> >
> >   https://www.kernel.org/category/releases.html  
> 
> RHEL 5 uses 2.6.28, and still has "extended life cycle support" until
> 2020, but I guess no-one should be running Python 3.7 on that. CentOS
> 6 and RHEL 6 use 2.6.32, and their EOL is also 2020 (or 2024 for RHEL
> 6 with extended life cycle support).

As another data point, 2.6 is often run on cheap OpenVZ-based virtual
servers.  For example, I have this OVH entry-level VPS (2014 range)
with an up-to-date Debian stable:

$ cat /etc/debian_version 
9.3
$ uname -rv
2.6.32-042stab127.2 #1 SMP Thu Jan 4 16:41:44 MSK 2018

Regards

Antoine.