Source: Fast Technology
Recently, the floppy disk driver in the Linux kernel has received a maintenance update after three years, which was submitted by Intel engineer Andy Shevchenko, primarily focusing on code cleanup and optimization.
The update includes: removing the unused CROSS_64KB() macro from arch/code, replacing the custom SZ_64K constant, and sorting the headers alphabetically.
These changes can reduce redundant code in the kernel, avoid duplicate definitions of constants, and enhance code readability for future maintenance.
Although floppy disk technology seems outdated today, some older machinery and specific industrial environments still use floppy disks for data storage, making it necessary for Linux to retain and maintain its driver.
For example, the Boeing 747-400 passenger aircraft, produced in 1988, has some planes that have not undergone modernization and still rely on floppy disks to update airport and route data. Due to the limited capacity of floppy disks, engineers must use eight floppy disks each time to complete data updates.
END