Posted on 05/31/2005 8:50:26 AM PDT by bedolido
SAN JOSE, Calif. — Sometimes true leaders must boldly proclaim a new direction to their followers, then walk off a cliff to prove their determination.
For me, that explains Microsoft's introduction of the awkwardly named Windows XP Professional x64 Edition.
This new version of Windows will almost certainly never attract more than the tiniest sliver of existing Windows users. And it will evaporate as soon as Microsoft delivers the next full Windows revamp, a long-overdue project code-named Longhorn, in the second half of 2006.
But I still think Microsoft is doing the right thing. Here's why.
Personal computing is undergoing a huge transformation from 32-bit to 64-bit processors. Most of today's processors, the brains of a PC, work with data in 32-bit chunks. Each chunk is made up of binary digits, either a one or a zero, in strings that are 32 bits long. The new generation of 64-bit processors gobble up strings that are 64 bits long.
(Excerpt) Read more at seattletimes.nwsource.com ...
Wow! Microsoft is catching up with DEC.
If we say it never existed, it must have never existed.
How very Orwellian.
http://www.entmag.com/news/article.asp?EditorialsID=1467
64-bit Alpha on NT Dead, Too
by Scott Bekker
August 26, 1999
Compaq Computer Corp. officially notified Microsoft Corp. late yesterday that it was killing support for 64-bit Windows 2000 on Alpha, and Microsoft Corp. won’t keep development for its last remaining non-Intel Windows NT platform on life support in Redmond.
Earlier in the week, Compaq officials said they would end support and development for 32-bit Windows NT/2000 on Alpha after the release of Windows NT 4.0 Service Pack 6 (SP6). At the time, Compaq spokesman Steve Milmore was vague about how last week's decision to close the former DECwest facility in Bellevue, Wash., and how the layoffs and reassignments of about 100 engineers who worked on Windows NT-Alpha would affect 64-bit Windows 2000. Milmore said development of 64-bit Windows 2000 would continue on Alpha.
Alpha systems use a 64-bit processor.
Microsoft has said previously that it won’t deliver a 64-bit version of Windows 2000 until Intel Corp.’s first 64-bit processor, code-named Merced, ships in mid-2000.
The Unibus yet lives!
Nemonix certainly thinks it does.
: ^ )
Riiiight. With memory still built largely around 16 and 32 bit architectures and peripherals still built largely around (ahem!) 8 bit architectures, 64 bit CPUs and 64 bit OSs will still fit the general description of "can't do much."
But isn't IT marketing great?
Wow, what an endorsement. It didn't function better? Faster? More efficiently?
Exactly the same?
Well, gee, seems interesting that MS is being called the leader here when IBM has been using 64 bit technology for at least 10 years now on the AS/400 (and others...)
Sega Dreamcast's OS and X are 128 bit operating systems.
OpenVMS and Tru64 UNIX on Alpha, and now on IA64.
<< Finally, a nod to the Macintosh. The current "Tiger" version of Apple's Mac OS X is a 64-bit operating system when running on Macs with the new 64-bit G5 processor, but drops to a 32-bit operating system when running on older 32-bit G4 and G3 processors. The combination of Tiger and the G5 is delivering today as much or more as Longhorn is promising in 18 months. >>
As usual Apple leads the way and WinDOS, with its poor emulation, follows.
And who knows where Apple will be when Microsoft eventually gets to where it has aleady left!
The last OpenVMS development I did (over five years ago) was on an Alpha 6000 series system. Dual CPUs, butt-loads of memory, acres of disk space. It was a screamin' machine. There were almost 100 developers using it and it hardly even flinched if a quarter of them submitted a big compile job at the same time.
I've been meaning to see if I can find one of those puppies lying about somewhere. I want to try installing the Alpha version of Linux on it. I expect that would make a pretty dandy computer.
He should be made to use Paper Tape Bootstrap Loaders. Yikes, those are some bad memories.
I remember those. NOVA computers by Data General, circa 1973. You had to enter the boot program via mechanical switches. I think I had all 32 words memorized. Then you load the absolute loader tape, etc., etc, etc...
I love my AMD64 Laptop and plan to upgrade to the 64 version of Windows soon.
You don't need a box THAT big unless you just want to augment you heating in the wintertime.
See freepmail for details on OpenVMS hobbyist program.
Oooooh! Ooooooh! I know, I know! Pick me, pick me!!!!!
2% market share.
<< 2% market share. >>
Hmmmm.
Not too shabby.
Especially for those of us who know the price of nothing and the value of everything.
Better even than Rolls Royce's!
Yup. IIRC, Linux ran natively on 64-bit Athelons the day they were introduced.
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