Present Kernel Config

# CONFIG_EXT2_FS is not set
# CONFIG_EXT3_FS is not set
CONFIG_EXT4_FS=m
...etc.

Desired Kernel Config

CONFIG_EXT2_FS=m
# CONFIG_EXT3_FS is not set
CONFIG_EXT4_FS=m
...etc.


Legacy ext2 support is important for interop with other distros, devices, and OSes. I just learned Arch's flaw. I never dreamed it wouldn't read ext2. Arch looked foolish here.

There may be "journal-less" tricks for ext4, and political or marketing reasons to push ext4, but kernel config isn't the place for marketing, politics, or vendor lockin tricks. Arch is about choice. Arch offers a dozen media players, N web browsers, etc.

Survey Linux kernels from ten major distros to see how many disable ext2. I would guess: none. If I'm wrong, someone tell me, I'll need a drink.

USB flash sticks prefer no journal, and are extremely widespread now. On the Windows/DOS/Mac/BSD side of things, tools exist to read ext2, but not ext4.

Writing data to flash is slow. The issue isn't lifespan as opinionated web articles say with their metrics about years of life. The real argument is system performance.

On any PC, filesystems are THE bottleneck, and flash write is the slowest type. So ext2 makes sense. Yes, ext4 might manage, but there's no reason to drop ext2, with its vast Linux legacy and crossplatform visibility. Advise or recommend ext4 on wikis, but don't force it in kernel configs. Thanks.