The future of PCs

[Tim]

64 bit architecture, multiple cores, it's all wonderful stuff. But as
everyone probably knows, without a mainstream 64bit OS with solid drivers,
without 64bit apps optimized for multithreading, it's all a bit premature. I
know that this technology has its advantages now but when will it be fully
utilized? Does anyone care to predict how long until software/OS developers
make the complete transition? Will Longhorn be 64bit by default or will
there be a special 64bit version? (the way XP Pro is just getting now) All
thoughts appreciated.

 

[Wes Newell]

64 bit architecture, multiple cores, it's all wonderful stuff. But as
everyone probably knows, without a mainstream 64bit OS with solid drivers,
without 64bit apps optimized for multithreading, it's all a bit premature. I
know that this technology has its advantages now but when will it be fully
utilized? Does anyone care to predict how long until software/OS developers
make the complete transition? Will Longhorn be 64bit by default or will
there be a special 64bit version? (the way XP Pro is just getting now) All
thoughts appreciated.

My though is that everyone thought like you we'd still be using 8 bit
cpu's and dos. Why did we need a 386? Why did we need a 486? The same was
said about them back then.

 

[The Primate]

My though is that everyone thought like you we'd still be using 8 bit
cpu's and dos. Why did we need a 386? Why did we need a 486? The same was
said about them back then.

--

That kinda makes me think back. I'm 44 and a friend of my fathers started
me on computers probably in my 20's (coco). Last time I visited him he
could not understand why a modern computer was needed. I had a computer
resale business 10yrs ago and have served as Sys admin at the city hall
where I work. At the time I installed a NT 4.0 Workstation network which
was unheard of in the city at it's time. This was in addition to my job as
a civil engineering techologist. He had worked in the Civil Engineering
field with my dad, neither one of them could comprehend why modern programs
were used to do plans and profiles. He claimed it was faster by hand. Now
I am into Geographic Information Systems. I'd be scared to talk to him
again.

Can't get over it, this was a smart guy. I'm probably lucky to understand
tech at my age will continue to do so, people still come to me despite the
fact we now have a dedicated IT staff.

CYA

 

[Tim]

My though is that everyone thought like you we'd still be using 8 bit
cpu's and dos. Why did we need a 386? Why did we need a 486? The same was
said about them back then.

You've got it all wrong. I think it's great we're making the transition to
64 bit, I'm just trying picture the time frame for it.

 

[Ed Light]

Dunno the time frame, but it will fully take hold when programs begin to
come out for 64 bit only, like they came out for Windows 16 bit only, then
32-bit only, then XP only.

--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks, robots.

 

[Wes Newell]

You've got it all wrong. I think it's great we're making the transition to
64 bit, I'm just trying picture the time frame for it.

Well let me think. I first installed a 64bit OS about 18 months ago. Since
then there's been 3 new releases of the Linux distro I use. So in the
linux world the time frame has already come some time back. Couldn't say
with Windows, I don't use it.

 

[a]

so what is the best 64 bit Linux in your opinion? and what 64 bit Linux
programs are there that are just plain awesome or better than window's
equivalents. I've got redhat 9.0 but I haven't installed it on my new
athlon 64 machine thinking I'd eventually download a 64 bit Linux someday.
Up till now I've been of the opinion that Linux is nice but it just isn't
practical for my purposes. I love iTunes, and MS Flight Sim. I use MS
Office 2003 all the time. I'm planning on getting a Mac simply because
their iLife software suite is so awesome. I've heard about some kind of
flight sim for Linux but I can't help but think that it just can't be as
visually stunning as Microsoft's Flight Sim.
In other words, what is there to do on Linux (that can't be done better in
Windows XP or Mac OS X? Not that I'm a fanboy of either.)
Roy

 

[Tim]

On Sun, 03 Jul 2005 02:55:24 +0000, Tim wrote:


Well let me think. I first installed a 64bit OS about 18 months ago. Since
then there's been 3 new releases of the Linux distro I use. So in the
linux world the time frame has already come some time back.

So I assume then that all of your apps are 64 bit as well? Any optimized
for multi-core processing?

 

[Wes Newell]

so what is the best 64 bit Linux in your opinion? and what 64 bit Linux
programs are there that are just plain awesome or better than window's
equivalents. I've got redhat 9.0 but I haven't installed it on my new
athlon 64 machine thinking I'd eventually download a 64 bit Linux someday.
Up till now I've been of the opinion that Linux is nice but it just isn't
practical for my purposes. I love iTunes, and MS Flight Sim. I use MS
Office 2003 all the time. I'm planning on getting a Mac simply because
their iLife software suite is so awesome. I've heard about some kind of
flight sim for Linux but I can't help but think that it just can't be as
visually stunning as Microsoft's Flight Sim.
In other words, what is there to do on Linux (that can't be done better in
Windows XP or Mac OS X? Not that I'm a fanboy of either.)
Roy

I'm not a reviewer so find the one you like best. I personally started out
with Mandrake and stuck with it. I don't know anything about Win XP. Never
used it. Linux does everything better except collect viruses. Windows
can't be beat at that.

 

[Wes Newell]

So I assume then that all of your apps are 64 bit as well? Any optimized
for multi-core processing?

AFAIK, all the apps that come with the 64bit distros are all 64 bit. Don't
have multicore but Linux certainly supports them. As for each apps
support, you've got to be kidding. I don't know which do and which don't,
with the exception of the server apps. I suspect all of them support
multi core/cpu's.

 

[Tim]

As for each apps support, you've got to be kidding.

No, I really wasn't.

 

[Yousuf Khan]

64 bit architecture, multiple cores, it's all wonderful stuff. But as
everyone probably knows, without a mainstream 64bit OS with solid drivers,
without 64bit apps optimized for multithreading, it's all a bit premature. I
know that this technology has its advantages now but when will it be fully
utilized? Does anyone care to predict how long until software/OS developers
make the complete transition? Will Longhorn be 64bit by default or will
there be a special 64bit version? (the way XP Pro is just getting now) All
thoughts appreciated.

I don't see what this obsession with making use of the "full 64-bits" is
all about. Do people complain they are not utilizing the full features
of a 100-storey building, if they are done below the 100th storey?

When the 32-bit x86 era started, a lot of its biggest advantages had
nothing to do with 32-bit software, they were features to improve the
life of older 16-bit apps. For example they introduced the Virtual-8086
mode, which basically allowed you to multitask 16-bit DOS apps using a
32-bit hypervisor layer sitting over top of it. Similarly that's the
most likely initial usage scenario that we'll see with 64-bit OSes -- as
a better 32-bit platform. For example, 32-bit programs which are limited
to 2GB to 3GB of memory right now (due to the memory footprint of the
configured OS), will now see the full 4GB to themselves. And multiple
32-bit programs will see a full 4GB to themselves.

Yousuf Khan

 

[Wes Newell]

No, I really wasn't.

With probably close to 50,000 linux programs you expect someone to list
the ones with multi core CPU support. Start dreaming, you'll get a better
answer. Same for Win.

 

[a]

so what Linux 64 bit programs do you use and why?

 

[Tim]

With probably close to 50,000 linux programs you expect someone to list
the ones with multi core CPU support. Start dreaming, you'll get a better
answer. Same for Win.

My question pertained to the programs YOU use, chief. I said "YOUR APPS".
With your reading comprehension I would be dreaming to expect you to
understand the question.

 

[Tim]

I don't see what this obsession with making use of the "full 64-bits" is
all about. Do people complain they are not utilizing the full features of
a 100-storey building, if they are done below the 100th storey?

Obsession? It's a simple question about transition time.

When the 32-bit x86 era started, a lot of its biggest advantages had
nothing to do with 32-bit software, they were features to improve the life
of older 16-bit apps. For example they introduced the Virtual-8086 mode,
which basically allowed you to multitask 16-bit DOS apps using a 32-bit
hypervisor layer sitting over top of it. Similarly that's the most likely
initial usage scenario that we'll see with 64-bit OSes -- as a better
32-bit platform. For example, 32-bit programs which are limited to 2GB to
3GB of memory right now (due to the memory footprint of the configured
OS), will now see the full 4GB to themselves. And multiple 32-bit programs
will see a full 4GB to themselves.

Again, I don't need convincing. I already acknowledged that this new
technology has advantages now.

 

[Ed Light]

Boy, ask a question, take a bunch of delayed stress.


--
Ed Light

Smiley :-/
MS Smiley :-\

Send spam to the FTC at
(e-mail address removed)
Thanks, robots.

 

[Tim]

Boy, ask a question, take a bunch of delayed stress.

You'd think I attacked a religion

 

[Tim]

Tim wrote:


There's more to life than windows. Fact is, 64bit Linux is here and now.

Point taken. What's the availability of commercial 3D games for Linux? How
does it compare to Windows game availability?

 

[Jerry McBride]

64 bit architecture, multiple cores, it's all wonderful stuff. But as
everyone probably knows, without a mainstream 64bit OS with solid drivers,
without 64bit apps optimized for multithreading, it's all a bit premature.

There's more to life than windows. Fact is, 64bit linux is here and now.

I know that this technology has its advantages now but when will it be
fully utilized?

Right now, just go grab a copy of 64bit linux. I prefer Gentoo, but then I
really like going deep into linux.

Does anyone care to predict how long until software/OS
developers make the complete transition?

Which developers? Windows ones? Never...

Will Longhorn be 64bit by default or will there be a special 64bit
version? (the way XP Pro is just getting now)

Longhorn? It's still in limbo. Microsoft has ripped out so much of the main
features to keep it "on schedule", that it won't be anything real different
than what's being used now.

All thoughts appreciated.

You got them...


--

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