Linux 7.0 Prepares Extensive Cleanup for Decade-Old Wi-Fi Driver

While other platforms routinely deprecate support for older hardware, Linux continues extending the lifespan of aging devices through ongoing driver maintenance. The upcoming Linux 7.0 kernel release highlights this philosophy with extensive code cleanups targeting the RTL8723BS Wi-Fi driver – a module originally introduced nearly a decade ago.

The RTL8723BS wireless chipset first appeared in devices like Intel's Compute Stick around 2014. Despite its age, this hardware remains functional in many systems. The newly staged updates for Linux 7.0 focus exclusively on modernizing the driver's code structure rather than removing support. As noted in the commit message, this involves "so many cleanups" addressing coding style inconsistencies accumulated over years of minor updates.

This maintenance effort exemplifies Linux's fundamental difference from proprietary ecosystems. Where other platforms enforce planned obsolescence through driver deprecation, Linux community contributors actively refurbish legacy drivers. The RTL8723BS work follows similar efforts like Valve's ongoing support for 13-year-old Radeon HD 7000 series GPUs through Mesa driver updates.

The technical impact extends beyond preserving functionality. Modernized driver code:

• Reduces potential security vulnerabilities in older code paths
• Improves interoperability with newer kernel features
• Simplifies future maintenance for volunteer developers
• Maintains functionality for budget hardware still in daily use

Unlike drivers provided by hardware manufacturers (which typically stop receiving updates after 2-3 years), community-maintained Linux drivers often see updates for a decade or longer. This commitment transforms functional hardware that would otherwise become e-waste into viable machines for basic computing tasks.

The Linux 7.0 staging updates also include smaller cleanups for VME, sm750fb, and Greybus drivers, but the RTL8723BS work represents the most significant legacy preservation effort in this release cycle. These changes demonstrate how Linux's collaborative development model creates tangible sustainability benefits – keeping hardware operational through software stewardship long after vendors abandon support.

For users maintaining older systems, Linux continues proving itself as the most durable operating system choice. The upcoming kernel release's attention to decade-old drivers reinforces that functional hardware deserves extended lifespans through software maintenance, not premature disposal.