x86_64

[jbk at mail2.gis.net (jbk)]

James Kramer wrote:
> Some questions I have and would appreciate some insight.  It seems to me 
> that Xen type systems may become more common in the future.  If so, 
> would 64 bit be a better option?  How much difference is there in 
> converting software to 64 bit.  I realize that memory allocation would 
> be different but is there much more work then recompiling the code?  
> These are all questions--I don't know the answers.  I have converted 
> some Fortran code from 64 bit mainframe to 16 bit PC and I really don't 
> remember worrying about the number of bits.  How much more conversion is 
> necessary.
> Thanks for the help
> jay
> 
> On 3/6/06, *jbk* <jbk at mail2.gis.net <mailto:jbk at mail2.gis.net>> wrote:
> 
>     Jerry Feldman wrote:
>      > On Sunday 05 March 2006 4:35 pm, Chris Ball wrote:
>      >
>      >>At least on Ubuntu, the version of OO installed on the 64-bit
>      >>distribution is the 32-bit binary using 32-bit compatibility
>      >>libraries, so it makes sense that it might be sluggish compared
>      >>to native 32-bit.
>      >
>      > One of the nice things about the x86-64 architecture is that it
>     does support
>      > the 32-bit architecture in hardware.
> 
>     So, a few years ago I was really impressed with how much
>     faster the dec alpas were. Now it seems that the 32bit wafer
>     technology has caught up and the difference is now only
>     maybe 10%. It would seem to me that this is not enough of a
>     difference to drive a switch to 64bit arch, other than the
>     previously stated fact that there will be no more 32bit
>     chips from the big two after this year. The software writers
>       have no motivation to convert to 64 bit rapidly, they will
>     eventually but not as a need but just as a function of the
>     experience of the programmers that succeed those coding now.
> 
>     Jim
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> 
> 
James,
You posted this to me and left out blu.org. So I'm 
forwarding  this so that those more knowledgeable in coding 
can respond.

Jim