Okay, whatsup all you pimps and pimpettes out there! Here's the deal pretty much. Why are people rushing to get 64-bit procs? First of all, to utilize 64-bit you have to run a 64-bit OS. Which if you run a 64-bit OS, there is no backwards compatibility for 16-bit and 32-bit games and other software. Then if you run a 32-bit OS you aren't using your 64 processer's potential. I really hope this hasn't been posted before.

Windows 64 is mostly backwards compatable with 32 bit games and software.

There is backwards compatability for 32-bit programs, also I was DUAL-BOOTING my laptop between WinXP32 and Kanottix64 for a little while, 64-bit is here, accept it. It's going to stick around. Resistance is Futile.

Quote: Originally Posted by Peng Lord There is backwards compatability for 32-bit programs, also I was DUAL-BOOTING my laptop between WinXP32 and Kanottix64 for a little while, 64-bit is here, accept it. It's going to stick around. Resistance is Futile.

I'm not trying to resist it, I myself and going to build a socket 939 here pretty soon, I was just wondering...

Uh, because it is faster. Nuff said.

As peng lord said, there is backwards compatibility. I dual boot, too, between XP 32-bit and Slamd64 (a 64-bit offspring of Slackware Linux). Sooo many 32-bit programs run in slamd64, it's basically like running slackware, although - and please don't laugh too much - macromedia doesn't seem too concerned with making a 64-bit compatible flash player, so you guessed it, I have no flash player in fire fox in Linux, which is a bumber.
And as BA stated, it's real - mind bendingly - fast

its the way of the future they will be making more and more programs/games to urilize all the power (well almost all : ] )

Even though most people are still running 32-bit platforms dispite having an AMD 64-bit proc, they are still faster and better for gaming than an Intel proc in 32-bit. 64-bit windows has a shell extension called WOW64, meaning windows on windows, which runs 32-bit applications and programs while operating on a 64-bit platform.

While there are 64-bit operating systems other than that which is made by microsoft, 64-bit windows is useless until a retail version is released. The downloadable beta is practically worthless in it's current state due to lack of driver support, and further still, games and apps MUST be coded for 64-bit or they won't take advantage of the speed in 64-bit OS.

Quote: Originally Posted by Jobistober ...64-bit windows is useless until a retail version is released. The downloadable beta is practically worthless in it's current state due to lack of driver support...

Woah wait a minute, 1. XP Pro 64bit ed , as said by MS, was supposed to be for developers only, 2. It is not BETA it is "Retail" 3. Downloadable?

I personally have a copy of Windows Vista Beta that I received from the college that I attend through the ELMS program. It's not just available for developers, but rather anyone that has a need or want to test it out and has the ability to track down a copy.

Well, if anyone knows about what was going on in the world of computers during the transition to the Pentium series of processors and Windows 95, they alreay have a good idea of how it works. Back before the Pentium, there were 16 bit CPU's and Windows 3.x, which was basically a revamped DOS shell. The 16 bit setup has a limited number of memory addresses available. Intel/Microsoft had to make a 32 bit CPU, an OS to run it, and backwards compatability for 16bit programs. That is when they came out with ideas such as virtual machines, to trick the 16 bit programs into thinking they were the only program running on the system. If anything happened to it, that virtual machine would hang and not disturb other processes .

I dont know the specifics of how it works, but it has been proved that a 64 bit processor can run 32 bit programs faster than a comparable speed 32bit processor. The performance gains are noticable enough that they are replacing all 32 bit processors, even though there arent many 64 bit programs that could better utilize the available bus width. This works out well for software companies; The neccessary hardware is already in place. Now all they need to do is get moving and produce some 64 bit programs.

Quote: Originally Posted by ncgchlct Okay, whatsup all you pimps and pimpettes out there! Here's the deal pretty much. Why are people rushing to get 64-bit procs? First of all, to utilize 64-bit you have to run a 64-bit OS. Which if you run a 64-bit OS, there is no backwards compatibility for 16-bit and 32-bit games and other software. Then if you run a 32-bit OS you aren't using your 64 processer's potential. I really hope this hasn't been posted before.

So, after all of this, do you have any more questions?

i just want to say it's faster.

and

why would you want to have old technology? (not saying you do it's a rhetorical question)

Quote: Originally Posted by the _klamper another thing i havent seen anyone list and/or mention .... Bragging rights ( i have an x64-based OS .... just for the heck of it ..... no progs, no games .... just the plain OS .... why you ask ??? see sentence above )

x64 Linux aint much to brag about. I havent run it, But are there drivers for all the hardware?

Quote: Originally Posted by Gzim Woah wait a minute, 1. XP Pro 64bit ed , as said by MS, was supposed to be for developers only, 2. It is not BETA it is "Retail" 3. Downloadable?

the 64bit edition was availble to the public from microsoft. I know of msi / asus mb that came bundled with the version...

the beta has an 1 year time bomb in it...


now vista on the other hand is diffrent... developers only

Quote: Originally Posted by Nerdz x64 Linux aint much to brag about. I havent run it, But are there drivers for all the hardware?

as expected .... linux has "some" x64 drivers for "certain" hardware only ....
even with that..... Linux is still worth bragging about ....

but even MS has some driver issues .... when i was installing mine, the Audio and the MoBo "bus" drivers were missing

As the_klamper said, the big problem with 64-bit anyhting is driver, I could make my laptop work with 64-bit linux by using NDISWrapper to install the broadcom drivers from Windows for my WLAN card, and I still have to if I want as there are no plans for Broadcom to release linux drivers. Tthere are still no drivers for my modem in linux64. Windows however has driver support for 100% of my hardware in WinXP64 but not all of my software, and that's why I've stuck with WindowsXP32.

Why arent they releasing Drivers for X64 Linux?

Quote: Originally Posted by Nerdz Why arent they releasing Drivers for X64 Linux?

Because most things dont need drivers in linux. Unless you want to play games or have some oddball wireless card. I havent had any problems with any of my hardware not working on linux.