Ubuntu to drop 32 bit support - what does this mean?

[fox]

According to this article, Ubuntu will be dropping 32-bit support starting with the next version (19.10). I wouldn't worry about this if it just meant that they were no longer making 32-bit versions, but apparently they are dropping support for all 32-bit libraries, including multilib. This has me quite worried, as I use Wine apps in CrossOver, including MS Office 2010, and I'm pretty sure this needs 32-bit libraries. Also, I have at least one old statistical app (JMP) that definitely needs the 32-bit libraries. The decision apparently affects Steam as well, as this article indicates that Valve will no longer support future versions of Ubuntu. I suspect that all variants of Ubuntu would be affected by this decision, as well as any Ubuntu-based distros (like Mint), as they would have to take over support of these libraries if Ubuntu no longer does.

I'm hoping that this isn't as big a deal as it sounds, as for me it would mean not only switching distros, but possibly switching distro families. Your thoughts?

[fox]

Now it appears, based on a posting by Canonical's Steve Langasek that 32-bit libraries will not be dropped from future versions of Ubuntu. Instead, it appears that Ubuntu won't provide updates to the 32-bit libraries. If that is the case, I would think that the impact on apps needing those libraries is minimal, since most apps that need them are legacy apps, and don't need updated versions of these libraries to run. Have a look at that posting and see what you think. In my case, my legacy JMP statistical app can't use the updated libraries; I have to install the old ones to get it to work. I would imagine that a 2010 version of MS Office being run on Wine, PlayOnLinux or CrossOver would also not have problems with the 32-bit library versions available in future Ubuntu respositories; I certainly hope that is the case.

[Jason]

Interesting. When I saw your first post, I was like, um, they can't drop support for 32-bit libraries, many applications use them, and not just legacy apps or games. Android Studio uses 32-bit libraries, for example.

So now I see that they're not doing that. It's probably not a big deal that they're not going to continue to be updated. I'm not sure they were updated that much before.

Regarding Valve's decision, I'm not sure it's because of the 32-bit libraries. Griffais made a previous post on his Twitter the same day mentioning that recent kernel updates broke the Steam client's ability to connect to their servers. Not sure if it's related.

[fox]

It seems that an outcry from the Linux community got Canonical to partly reverse their decision. According to this article, the 32-bit libraries that they will continue to maintain will allow games, and legacy Windows apps running in Wine to continue to function.

[ssfc72]

Here is a good article, on Distrowatch, about the Ubuntu 32 bit issue.
https://distrowatch.com/weekly.php?issue=20190701#qa

[fox]

I’m still not totally clear about how this will affect Wine apps. This is critical to me because I have to run MS Office on Wine. I can use LibreOffice, WPS or Softmaker Office to read or even create files, and I like LibreOffice in particular. But when you work with collaborators, you have to have 100% compatibility and none of those programs give you that. MS Office 2010 is latest version that works reliably on Linux, and the version Wine (or Crossover in my case) installs is 32 bit. If that stops working, I have to either change distros, work in a VM or dual boot. None of those solutions appear to me; I would sooner change distros (or possibly go back to Ubuntu LTS).

[ssfc72]

What does CrossOver say on their web site about the 32 bit issue.  I would think they would want to ensure the 32 bit libraries are up to date by maintaining the libraries, themselves.

[fox]

Nothing that I can find.

[Jason]

I've read a few articles since and it wasn't so much that Canonical reversed their decision as that they clarified it. They weren't planning on ditching 32-bit libraries, just that they were no longer going to support and work on the 32-bit edition of Ubuntu. The 32-bit libraries themselves haven't changed all that much over the years and those same 32-bit libraries will continue on in Ubuntu at least the main ones.

The other point is that Ubuntu 18.04 (and LTS version) is supported until 2023. So if 19.10 and other versions don't provide you the support you need, you can always switch back to 18.04. At the very least, that will give those making software that relies on 32-bit code to remove the dependencies, if possible. Not sure if that's possible with WINE since they're likely depending on Windows support libraries that were from the 32-bit era, but WINE and other software makers can always create Flatpaks or Snaps with the libraries built-in that are needed.

[fox]

I hope you’re right, but I really wouldn’t want to switch back to 18.04 LTS. The improvements in 18.10 and 19.04 are notable,especially the newer versions of software. I would probably switch to Mint Cinnamon before going back to 18.04.

[Jason]

Their updated announcement specifically mentions WINE:

Thanks to the huge amount of feedback this weekend from gamers, Ubuntu Studio, and the WINE community, we will change our plan and build selected 32-bit i386 packages for Ubuntu 19.10 and 20.04 LTS.
We will put in place a community process to determine which 32-bit packages are needed to support legacy software, and can add to that list post-release if we miss something that is needed.

And later:

We will also work with the WINE, Ubuntu Studio and gaming communities to use container technology to address the ultimate end of life of 32-bit libraries; it should stay possible to run old applications on newer versions of Ubuntu. Snaps and LXD enable us both to have complete 32-bit environments, and bundled libraries, to solve these issues in the long term.

And near the end:

This led us to stop creating Ubuntu install media for i386 last year and to consider dropping the port altogether at a future date.  It has always been our intention to maintain users’ ability to run 32-bit applications on 64-bit Ubuntu â€" our kernels specifically support that.

I think that likely means there's no need to worry, at least not for the next year. And 20.04 will be an LTS release. So you can carry it forward if you're still worried and get 5 years.

[fox]

I agree. The other possibility is that Wine/Crossover will get newer versions of MS Office (post 2010) working reliably, in which case the 32-bit libraries probably won’t be needed. Crossover is improving all the time. They do support Office 2016, but I’ve tried both it and 2013 and haven’t found them to work reliably ... so far.