On 29/06/13 07:00 PM, Doug wrote:
On 06/29/2013 06:38 PM, Frank McCormick wrote:
On 06/29/2013 02:05 AM, Stan Hoeppner wrote:
On 6/28/2013 2:49 PM, Frank McCormick wrote:
For now I will run regular 32-bit Sid..realizing I am wasting
the opportunity to utilize more memory and perhaps faster operations.
Your 32 bit PAE Sid kernel can address 64GB. Since your new machine
will have less than 64GB RAM you're wasting no opportunity. Your only
limitation is 2GB per process. How many of your apps consume more than
2GB of RAM?
None that I am aware of
WRT speed, the vast majority of 32 bit integer programs will execute
slightly faster than their 64 bit counterparts due to more efficient
cache use--32 bit instructions consume less memory space than 64 bit
instructions, thus more instructions fit in L1/2/3 caches. This,
combined with plenty of rename registers, offsets the advantage of the
extra 8 architectural registers available in long mode.
More good news for me for now anyway.
And now the kicker. None of the above means squat if you bought a
modern fast CPU with plenty of cache. There will be no perceptible
difference between 32/64 bit OS platforms running the standard fare of
desktop applications.
Can't ask for more. But undoubtedly I will eventually go to a full
64-bit installation.
Thanks Stan, a clear and easily understood explanation of the
differences.
Just about all the distros now have 64-bit versions. Is this all hype?
I have installed 64-bit Linux on two machines, and have 32-bit on this
one, and I confess that I don't see any performance difference. The only
thing I see is that some standard programs are not available for 64-bit
systems--I'm thinking Adobe Reader and Light-Scribe. So why have we been
bamboozled into running 64 bits if there is no advantage?
--doug
There are definite advantages that aren't always obvious. Just like the
switch from 8 to 16 and then 32 bits, 64 bit computing allows for bigger
and better.
64 bit registers allow larger numbers to be crunched, including 64 bit
integers, in single operations. This comes in very handy for encryption,
video and image processing, even sound applications.
You're not going to notice much difference in simple spreadsheets or
word processing applications, or even in disk I/O, but there are areas
where the difference is significant.
To put it simply, 64 bit applications will always be at least comparable
in speed to 32 bit ones but there are times when 64 bit runs circles
around 32 bit.
Debian's multiarch system allows you to run 32 bit when that's all that
is available so you don't give up anything by running 64 bit. However,
there will be applications that are only available in 64 bit so you
might as well be ready for them. After all, installing 32 bit takes just
as long as installing 64 bit. Why cripple your system?
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