Ubuntu MATE&Budgie will abandon its 32-bit system
Following the successful release of Ubuntu 18.04 LTS last week, the Ubuntu MATE team has entered the 18.10 development cycle. Ubuntu MATE project leader Martin Wimpress announced in the community on May 4th that Ubuntu MATE version 18.10 will no longer provide a 32-bit (i386) ISO system image. The existing Ubuntu MATE 18.04 LTS will be maintained until April 2021, during which 32-bit support will continue to be provided.
Martin Wimpress said that according to statistics, less than 10% of Ubuntu MATE users are running 32-bit systems, and this also includes some users installing 32-bit images on amd64 hardware. As application and driver vendors give up on 32-bit systems and applications, there will be fewer and fewer users in the future. Therefore, ARM devices such as the Raspberry Pi will be better supported by reducing the time to adapt to 32-bit systems.
At the same time announced that no longer provide 32-bit system image as well as Ubuntu Budgie, also will no longer provide 32-bit version 18.10 system image. The existing Ubuntu Budgie 18.04 LTS three-year maintenance cycle will continue to provide 32-bit support.
It is reported that Ubuntu no longer provides 32-bit system mirroring since 17.10, but systems including Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Lubuntu, Ubuntu Studio, Ubuntu Budgie, Ubuntu Kylin, and Ubuntu MATE previously provided 32-bit ISO. Now it seems that the situation is changing.
