If you live in the web browser, using a Linux-based operating system makes a lot of sense. By combining say, Ubuntu and Google Chrome, you can have a very secure and easy-to-use platform running the world's best web browser. A bloated and heavy Windows 10, for instance, could be unnecessary.
Sadly, if you are like me, and the first thing you install on any fresh Linux-based operating system is Google Chrome, you might be in for a world of trouble. You see, Google is killing Chrome for Linux; well, the 32-bit version at least. Is Google making a big mistake?
"To provide the best experience for the most-used Linux versions, we will end support for Google Chrome on 32-bit Linux, Ubuntu Precise (12.04), and Debian 7 (wheezy) in early March, 2016. Chrome will continue to function on these platforms but will no longer receive updates and security fixes. We intend to continue supporting the 32-bit build configurations on Linux to support building Chromium. If you are using Precise, we’d recommend that you to upgrade to Trusty", says Dirk Pranke, Software Engineer, Google.
Is Google making a mistake here? Absolutely not. Quite frankly, it is shocking that the company has supported 32-bit Linux this long. Look, yes, Linux-based operating systems can breathe new life into old hardware, but computers without 64-bit processors are way beyond their expiration date.
If you are clinging to such old hardware, it is time to move on -- you can get a more powerful machine for a few hundred bucks nowadays. With that said, if you insist on holding onto your existing obsolete hardware, you have an alternative; the Chromium browser -- on which Chrome is based -- will continue to support 32-bit for the time being.
Are you still running a 32-bit Linux-based OS? Why? Tell me in the comments.
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