Re: [PR PATCH] [Merged]: linux4.19, linux5.1, linux5.2: use 4kB pages in ppc64/ppc64le kernels

[voidlinux-github@inbox.vuxu.org]

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There's a merged pull request on the void-packages repository

linux4.19, linux5.1, linux5.2: use 4kB pages in ppc64/ppc64le kernels
https://github.com/void-linux/void-packages/pull/13088
Description: Previously the kernels were using 64kB pages. This is only supported in hardware from POWER8 onwards (so older platforms needed to emulate it) and was done mostly because of compatibility with other ppc64le distros, which typically default to 64k (because of targeting servers). However, turns out most of these compatibility issues were a non-concern (64kB VM guests work fine on 4kB hosts, qt5-webengine still works despite hardcoding 64kB (probably just uses a bit of extra memory),  my ext4 filesystems still mount, and I haven't noticed any other troubles.

Using 4kB pages is much better suited for desktops (the only workloads benefiting from 64kB are exclusively server ones, there isn't a lot of them, and the difference is minimal; these servers also usually have lots of RAM) and is generally the saner and more compatible with the rest of the world option. Drivers also like them better (like Nouveau on newer graphics cards), it makes using guard pages possible, wastes less system memory, etc.

People who wish to use 64kB pages can compile their own kernel, no point in shipping a variant.