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Without Intel processors, Linux wouldn't have been possible in the first place.
But today we have good processors from many different manufacturers. The Linux community must, and can, stay alive even without the support of one major player.
this post was submitted on 10 Aug 2025
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Why did Linux need Intel processors specifically?
The PC was new. There were only Intels in PCs. Linux was made for the PC.
Backstory: Prof. Tanenbaum was teaching operating systems. His example was MINIX (his own academic example). This motivated one student to try to make a new operating system for PCs, doing some things like the professor, and other things quite differently. This student knew the specifics of the Intels and used them good for performance etc.
Sure, but if Intel hadn't made the 8086 and that entire family line was severed, Linux would have just been made for Motorola 68000 series or something. Or one of the Acorn ARM chips that did the rounds at the time.
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Stop buying Intel products, got it thanks!
Hey this is kind of interesting since I just met up with my friend who works for Intel today for his kids first birthday and he was telling me about this issue and how they're trying to get him to be part of a related team (not specifically related to Linux) on top of his other responsibilities...
He went on at some length describing how absolutely absurd the whole structure was of related systems and how it's a miracle any of it works lol
Since I had comp architecture in undergrad I find it a miracle that any of it works.
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Another reason to go for Amd
I've been a gushing fanboy since I had a discount $200 laptop that ran mass effect 3 with an integrated GPU.