The latest Linux 7.1 kernel skips drivers for nearly three decades of obsolete input hardware, including bus mice and early touchpads.

A new Charlieplex GPIO keypad driver, the aw86927 driver adding 86938 ASIC support, and a Chrome OS keyboard driver for the Fn‑key keymap join the release. These additions keep the kernel current for modern peripherals.

Several legacy drivers vanish: the InPort/Microsoft/ATI XL busmouse, Logitech Logibm, Palm Top PC 110 touchpad, IC S MicroClock MK712, and CT82C710 PS/2 mouse interface. Even OLPC HGPK PS/2 support, broken since 2015, is removed. The pull request tallies 3,374 deletions in the input subsystem.

Removing these relics streamlines the kernel, reduces maintenance overhead, and frees resources for newer features. The change signals a shift toward tighter hardware support, matching the surge in AI and LLM bug reports that demand leaner codebases.