Re: [Nolug] 64-bit athlon?

On Saturday 23 October 2004 1:11 am, -ray spake:
> On Fri, 22 Oct 2004, Joey Kelly wrote:
> > Um, what? 32-bit-computing means that you are processing things in
> > parallel, 32 at a time, unless I'm terribly wrong about this. Yes, 32-bit
> > leaves you with only 4GB of addressable RAM, but you've got 32 registers
> > working in parallel. Moving to 64-bit is vastly faster than staying with
> > 32-bit.
>
> Possibly, but unless your apps can keep all the registers running at 100%
> all the time, then any performance increase is neglible. "Most" apps
> can't. Bottom line is it depends -- on the app, the processor, and who
> you talk to. Very large integer number crunching will see a performance
> boost, most other apps won't. Some even say 64-bit apps are slower than
> their 32-bit counterparts.

Yes, but if you compile your entire OS and apps for 64-bit, you make use of
all 64 registers, no? I know that windows can't make much use of it now,
because little if any is compiled for the platform.
>
> I think the big push for 64-bit, as Brett said, is to get past the 4-gig
> limit, and get rid of the hacks Intel currently uses to get past 4-gigs.
> 64-bit for desktops doesn't make sense, today. It's probably worth the
> extra money for bragging rights, though.

I plan on getting a mobo that'll take scads of RAM, and add more as I can
afford it. I really see the new box lasting me 5 years.

-- 
Joey Kelly
< Minister of the Gospel | Linux Consultant >
http://joeykelly.net
"I may have invented it, but Bill made it famous."
 --- David Bradley, the IBM employee that invented CTRL-ALT-DEL
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