No more security updates for MGA9 i686?

2024-04-12 15:15:40 UTC

Your subject line is nothing but FUD. Mageia 9 receives
updates for 32-bit packages at the same time that the vast majority of
the 64-bit updates are pushed. THAT INCLUDES SECURITY UPDATES.

Post by Markus Robert Kessler
some days ago someone stated here that chromium webbrowser will not be
updated anymore. So, your devices are at high risk in case of any security
issues, as long as you use them for serious work like online banking.

You are only at "high risk" if you insist on using chromium on a 32-bit
Mageia system. There are alternatives.

Mageia still supports Firefox ESR for 32-bit machines, with regular
updates whenever Mozilla releases them. And if the ESR version doesn't
fill your needs you can download the latest Firefox release directly
from Mozilla and install it on your machine.

Post by Markus Robert Kessler
So, I looked out for other OS flavours supporting 32 bit machines.
I found Debian 12.5 and made a test install yesterday evening.
After that, I installed chromium webbrowser, and, guess?! --
Yes, chromium version 123, the most recent one, has been installed!
So, this is not a matter of availability of the sources. It's just the
decision to not support this OS.

Of course, if Mageia is no longer able to fill your needs, then you
should look for another distro that does. But, it is probably only a
matter of time before you won't be able to find one.

I will find that disappointing, as well. I have an i686 machine that I
use with Mageia, and I would like to keep it useful for as long as I
can. I use it primarily for testing those i686 security updates I wrote
about earlier before they are pushed out to the public.

But, I no longer use it for "serious work like online banking." Even
after upgrading the hardware with an SSD, and using Xfce for my DE, I
find the system far too painfully slow for "serious work." Even my
oldest, slowest 64-bit machine is faster and easier to use.

YMMV, of course.

TJ