Firefox 141 Slashes RAM Use on Linux; 32-bit Support Purge Ignites Battle Over E-Waste
Firefox 141 delivered tangible performance boosts on Linux systems, specifically slashing reported RAM usage compared to prior builds. Technicians noted this speed increase stems from Firefox adopting a 'zygote process' pattern, pre-opening necessary files for faster process creation.
The conversation immediately split over the removal of 32-bit Linux support. 'procapra' fired back that the Linux kernel itself is not dropping this support, branding the removal a threat to older, working 32-bit hardware. Conversely, 'Core_of_Arden' and others cited that major distributions are actively abandoning 32-bit maintenance. Other users weighed in, with 'thingsiplay' praising the removal of a required restart after package updates, and 'Samuelwankenobi' suggesting 32-bit usage might already be low in 2025.
The consensus points to technical wins in Firefox's efficiency, but the core fight rages over hardware viability. The weight of the argument on obsolescence is balanced by the perceived policy changes from major distros, leaving the fate of older 32-bit machines unresolved in the current policy battlefield.
Key Points
Firefox 141 reduces Linux RAM usage through 'zygote process' adoption.
General agreement confirmed the performance gains were real, with 'heftig' explaining the technical mechanism.
Removing 32-bit support creates unnecessary e-waste.
'procapra' vehemently argued that this makes older, functional hardware obsolete, asserting, 'Linux is the kernel.'
Major Linux distributions are actively dropping 32-bit support.
'Core_of_Arden' presented external info suggesting distro policies mandate the cut, while 'procapra' questioned the scope of that policy.
Firefox updates streamline package management.
'thingsiplay' highlighted the removal of the forced restart requirement for Archlinux users.
32-bit usage might naturally decline, lessening the impact of the policy.
'Samuelwankenobi' argued that actual 32-bit usage in 2025 might be low regardless of distribution choices.
Source Discussions (3)
This report was synthesized from the following Lemmy discussions, ranked by community score.