Re: [PATCH 00/18] Make common x86 arch area for i386 and x86_64 - Take 2

Linus Torvalds
2007-03-14T16:53:07Z

On Wed, 14 Mar 2007, Jan Engelhardt wrote:
> >
> >Seems appropriate, but I really don't care what it's called. One thing about
> >this name, is that typing arch/x86<Tab> doesn't tab complete x86_64 anymore.
> >But if you can think of something better, I'd be happy to apply it.
>
> 80x86
> 8086
> ia32 <- I'd go with this for lack of more entries on this list.

But the whole point is that this is *not* a 32-bit file.

It's a file *shared* between 32-bit and 64-bit kernels.

Which is why plain "x86" is the right name. Yeah, Intel calls it "IA"
these days, but that's just crazy speak (and probably a combination of a
reaction against "amd64" and a way to hide the embarrassment that is
"ia64" by confusing the naming so much that one day people won't remember
that there was _another_ IA that was a total failure).

Linus