Linux distro, Tails, leaves 32-bit architecture

Tails, the Linux-based distribution popular for its privacy features, is leaving the world of 32-bit architecture. Tails 3.0 will be the first version to support only 64-bit x86-64 compatible processors.

The developer team has announced that it decided to drop 32-bit support after analysing the statistical data of its users. “It is no surprise that over the last few years, the number of people who use Tails on a 32-bit computer has dropped,” the team said in a statement, adding that at the beginning of 2016, only 4 per cent of Tail users were still using a 32-bit system.

There are many compatibility issues on Tails’ Linux 32-bit version, which its developers have apparently spent a massive amount of time trying to fix. However, the team now wants to focus on more important priorities for 64-bit users.

The Tails team has highlighted two main reasons for opting for 64-bit architecture. First, the new hardware makes it harder for attackers to exploit security vulnerabilities. And, second, the

Tails release using a 64-bit Linux kernel is supposed to be more sustainable in the long run.

Tails 3.0 with 64-bit support is scheduled to debut in June 2017.

You can check if your computer is compatible with Tails 3.0 by typing ‘uname-m’ in the terminal window. The system generates ‘x86_64’ on the screen to confirm compatibility.

The live version of the Tails

Linux distro can be run from an external read-only drive. The Debianpowered platform had gained massive popularity after it was found that whistleblower Edward Snowden used it to protect his identity from investigators in the US government.