32-bit software should be functionally obsolete, but it turns out to live on in a 64-bit computing world. So, Canonical is putting 32-bit libraries back in to its next Ubuntu Linux releases.

They've suggested that feedback from gamers, Ubuntu Studio, and the WINE community led them to change their plan and will "build selected 32-bit i386 packages for Ubuntu 19.10 and 20.04 LTS.

We will be working to polish the 32-bit support story over the course of the 19.10 development cycle. To follow the evolution of this support, you can participate in the discourse thread at [5].

By Ubuntu 18.10 in October 2018, Ubuntu would completely end support for 32-bit software and encourage running it in a virtual machine or container instead. Fedora has made similar choices.

But gamers should still be able to run old applications on newer versions of Ubuntu. In a blog post, Canonical said it's been discussing whether or not to support 32-bit x86 internally since 2014.

Ubuntu 17.10 Artful Aardvark will not ship with a 32-bit edition leaving many older devices high and dry. Luckily other flavors of Ubuntu haven't announced anything similar so you can use those.

I also wouldn’t be surprised to see third-party developers compile disk images that allow you to install Ubuntu 32-bit the same way you’ve always been able to… but a key reason Canonical is ...

“Thanks to the huge amount of feedback this weekend from gamers, Ubuntu Studio, and the WINE community, we will change our plan and build selected 32-bit i386 packages for Ubuntu 19.10 and 20.04 ...

That said, if you're still running an older 32-bit i686 machine, you won't be able to run Fedora 31, which is due out Oct. 29. You will, however, get support for Fedora 30 through May 2020.

Canonical engineer Dimitri John Ledkov announced on Wednesday that Ubuntu does not plan to offer 32-bit ISO installation images for its new OS version starting with the next release — Ubuntu 17. ...