The Linux kernel is removing AppleTalk protocol support in Linux 7.2, eliminating nearly 4,000 lines of code. AppleTalk has been obsolete since Apple dropped it in macOS X 10.6 (Snow Leopard) in 2009. The removal was triggered by a recent flood of AI-generated patches for the protocol on the kernel mailing lists, which nobody was reviewing — making it a maintenance burden. The code will be preserved at a GitHub repository for anyone interested. This follows a broader cleanup trend in Linux 7.1, which also removed ARCnet, ISDN, ham radio, and other legacy networking drivers, all similarly prompted by AI-generated patch spam.
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