Dear Scientific Linux developers,

the x32 ABI [1] has been around for quite a while, with support as of
kernel 3.4, gcc 4.8 and llvm 3.7.  The x32 ABI provides all the features
of x86_64 but with shorter 32bit pointers, thereby saving memory.  This
makes it interesting for high-energy physics software stacks [2-4].

While the x32 renders a new platform and requires entire software stacks
to be recompiled, it is already be very useful if only the kernel
supports the ABI.  In this case, an x32 container can perfectly run
side-by-side to normal x86_64 processes and containers.

As far as I know, all it takes is to set CONFIG_X86_X32=y in the kernel
config and a gcc >= 4.8.  This option is set, for instance, in Ubuntu
and openSuSE kernels (and CernVM).

Would it be possible to build SL7 kernels with this option?  Do you have
a channel to Red Hat and/or CentOS to ask for such a change?

Thanks and best regards,
Jakob


[1] https://sites.google.com/site/x32abi/
[2]
https://indico.cern.ch/event/468210/contribution/3/attachments/1218724/1780705/slides.pdf
[3]
https://indico.cern.ch/event/217511/contribution/26/attachments/349291/486933/slides.pdf
[4]
https://indico.cern.ch/event/214319/contribution/2/attachments/339806/474205/x32ABI.pdf