April 22, 2026
Robots vs. retro radio
Kernel code removals driven by LLM-created security reports
Linux chops retro network bits as AI bug reports pile in — devs say sanity first
TLDR: Linux is cutting old, niche networking code like ham radio, ISDN, and ATM after a surge of AI-written bug reports overwhelmed maintainers. Commenters are split between praising the cleanup for security, worrying about niche users, and debating if AI is now better at finding bugs than most humans — a big mood shift for open-source
The Linux kernel crew just swung the axe at a pile of retro networking code — think ham radio protocols (AX.25, NET/ROM, ROSE), old dial‑up ISDN, ATM, and dusty Ethernet drivers — and the comment section went full reality show. The spark? A flood of AI-generated security reports turning rarely used code into a “bug magnet” and burning out maintainers who begged to move it out of the core tree “to protect our sanity.”
Top reaction: blunt pragmatism. One user deadpanned, “They can’t maintain it, so they won’t.” Another called it a net win because unmaintained code is itself a security hole. But the drama peaked with a fear-of-the-future twist: Are LLMs (chatty AI tools) now better at sniffing bugs than most human devs? Cue nervous jokes and existential emojis.
Meanwhile, the “don’t kill it, quarantine it” crowd suggested a maintenance-level rating so distros can choose: hardcore users compile it, everyday folks never see it. That birthed the meme of the day: “Arch users will build the world.” Ham-radio fans poured one out (“press F”), others argued this is just responsible housekeeping. Verdict from the peanut gallery: less nostalgia, more security — and maybe, just maybe, the bots are calling the shots now.
Key Points
- •Linux kernel maintainers propose removing legacy networking-related code to manage a rise in LLM-generated security bug reports.
- •Targets include ISA and PCMCIA Ethernet drivers, two PCI drivers, the AX.25/amateur radio subsystem, ATM protocols/drivers, and the ISDN subsystem.
- •A specific proposal would remove AX.25, NET/ROM, and ROSE implementations and all related hamradio drivers from the mainline tree.
- •The affected protocols are described as persistent bug magnets, with many reports from syzbot and AI-generated submissions.
- •The plan is to move these components out of the kernel tree due to lack of maintainers to handle the bug influx.