Gates: 64-Bit Desktop Computing Will Be Mainstream In Two Years

CRN ^ | 11:38 AM EST Wed., May 05, 2004 | Paula Rooney

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates predicted that 64-bit computing will become mainstream in the PC industry over the next two years because of 32-bit extended technology that preserves customers' existing investments.

"64-bit will be common sense in the next couple of years," Gates said, noting that the high-performance processor engine will take off on workstations and desktops as 64-bit/32-bit capable chipsets supercede stand-alone 32-bit processors in the next couple of years. "It puts us at the very high end of computing, and it will be a smoother transition than those previously."

To that end, Microsoft announced at WinHec 2004 in Seattle that its Windows XP 64-Bit Edition for 64-Bit Extended Systems is scheduled to be released in the fourth quarter.

The Redmond, Wash., software giant also unveiled the release of an enhanced Driver Development Kit for the 64-bit Extended environment that will support Visual Studio.Net 2003 and Microsoft .Net Framework 1.1, which will enable more application development for the 64-bit Extended environment.

Gates said Microsoft will take advantage of processors with "multiple cores" that enable parallel processing on the PC desktop and server. The company will support typical eight-core server processors and two-core desktop processors, Gates said. He also urged ISVs to begin developing applications that exploit the new architectures.

Microsoft's Windows Server 2003 for 64-Bit Extended Systems, now in beta testing, also is scheduled for release during the second half.

Extended is the second 64-bit architecture supported by Microsoft. The Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Extended offerings are based on 64-bit extensions to the x86 instruction set and support both AMD 64 and Xeon processors with 64-bit extension technology.

[brbethke]

It should be possible to build a system...

It is. Just not at the prices consumers are willing to pay for desktop PCs.

[B Knotts]

I'd guess that Suns were probably the majority of Internet servers for a number of years.

Just because people don't play games on them (apart from MUDs) doesn't mean they're not "mainstream."

I'm just pointing out how Microsoft has a tendency to "innovate" by adopting things that already exist.

[tortoise]

The 64-bit systems are already here ...

Too bad that Apple doesn't offer a 64-bit OS to take advantage of them. Nor do they plan to for the foreseeable future. They use a crusty old 32-bit ABI, which kind of hoses them if they want to keep any semblance of binary backward compatibility between operating systems.

[NJ_gent]

"I think your talking about "Itanium" a processor built in partnership with HP to be introduced in their "Integrity" server line. I beleive that the processor has been recently released."

Itanium has been out for quite a while (about 2 or 3 years?) and has gone through several revisions. It's still pretty slow on 32-bit code, but not as bad as it used to be. It's still a decent chip, otherwise, but it's getting absolutely killed by the Opterons at the low and mid ranges. For the 'Big Tin' machines (think 100 CPUs+), Itanium has its niche and Opteron isn't really a threat to it.

[CyberCowboy777]

I am working with a software package that suggest a minimum of 2GB of memory, 256Mb Video memory and 3Ghz CPU (Intel Mhz! LOL!). 3D imaging and manipulation for milling dental applications.

This software dogs at 1GB RAM on a 2.8 and 128 Vid.

[bigcheese]

Hehehehe... bringing back memories. Ran a BBS on my Commodore 64, had to have an after-market disk drive fan blowing into the back of the 1541. The bbs software i was running (cant remember the name) could also access the flip side of a 1571 via the c64. Only problem was that the c64 could not get the 1571 to spin backwards... so, everything was read 'backwards' off the flip side of the 1571, programmatically 'righted'. And oh yes, the 300 to 1200 baud upgrade was a special day for me.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

Here's a bad memory upcoming in the future for many of us;

Microsoft is expected to recommend that the "average" Longhorn PC feature a dual-core CPU running at 4 to 6GHz; a minimum of 2 gigs of RAM; up to a terabyte of storage; a 1 Gbit, built-in, Ethernet-wired port and an 802.11g wireless link; and a graphics processor that runs three times faster than those on the market today.

Longhorn to Steal Limelight at WinHEC

[omega4412]

DEC Alpha. 1992.

I'm still running a 1993 DEC 3000-400, though it's too slow for production runs. And VMS. Some computer people look at me as if they expect the doc set to be on clay tablets in cuneiform. But no problems with Windows viruses. The system just tells them, I don't understand what you're telling me to do. In polite Hittite.

[tortoise]

Bigger, faster, stronger is always better, but other than on a server, what advantage is 64-bit for the foreseeable future?

Just about anything that works on a lot of data e.g. workstations of all sorts. Also, media processing can make good use of it as well, and it greatly simplifies filesystem and memory models. I've needed 64-bit for my software development work for a few years now.

[pageonetoo]

I'll happily embrace 64-bit technology when it becomes readily available. I'm just a home office computer user, but every year I see the need for more and more power and memory in my own work.

Digital photography and multi-tasking are just two reasons why I'd welcome signifcant improvements in power and speed.

...see post #18!!!!!!!! You are behind the times! (I have a G4 and am getting ready to get a G5!) iMovie, iPhoto, .Mac, are just a few of the reasones... and of course there is a variety of games!( Just no Microsoft Flight Simulator, without an emulator, which runs quite nicely and faster than most p4's)

[CyberCowboy777]

okay okay okay

mainstream in certain markets.

The Windows platform is still the mainstream (adverage, majority) of home and business systems.

I did find this, but it is old.

Industry-leading Platform for the Web (May 2001).

New figures taken from the Netcraft Web Server Survey indicate that the majority of the Top 50 websites, as ranked by Media Metrix http://www.jmm.com/press/mediaMetrixTop50.html are running Solaris, making it the industry-leading platform for Internet Solutions. 40 percent of these sites are now running Solaris OE vs. 26 percent for the closest competitor.

[NJ_gent]

"I should say that the eventual move will be due to a combination of factors not just pure 64-bit in nature but the entire shakeup in new systems, including the core 64-bit advancements, bus performance (including SCSI and SATA), video performance, memory size increases and performance."

The x86 world has almost always enjoyed a steady evolution, as opposed to jumps here and there. The problem with jumping is that you jump out of something else, meaning that something else becomes worthless. AMD's hypertransport bus is showing itself to be an excellent boost to the x86 world, as are PCI express and other improvements. On the memory front, Intel has what looks to be a great idea in fully-buffered RAM modules. Those allow for higher densities and reduced complexity while maintaining performance and signal integrity. It looks outstanding on paper, and we'll have to see how that develops. SCSI and SATA will continue to see gradual improvements. SCSI 320 will likely remain entirely server-oriented, as will subsequent versions. SATA is, however, bringing excellent improvements in a major PC/workstation bottleneck, especially noticable in the Western Digital 'Raptor' series hard drives. Video performance is definitely getting a bump this year, with nVidia's 6800 series cards, and the new line from Ati. I don't really see much more action on that front over the next year, however. Another very interesting development will be the dual-core CPUs that will debut next year. Those will be socket-compatible on the AMD front, meaning that a socket 939 board purchased in a couple of months (when they first become available) will be upgradable to what is essentially a dual processor capable machine in a year or so. Things haven't been this exciting since the launch of the AMD64 line.

[CyberCowboy777]

p4's suck!


*grin*

[js1138]

You are behind the times!

I don't believe there are 64 bit apps for the Mac. There is a 64 bit beta for PC Photoshop.

[HAL9000]

Microsoft Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates predicted that 64-bit computing will become mainstream in the PC industry over the next two years because of 32-bit extended technology that preserves customers' existing investments.

DOS Forever.

[BriarBey]

What makes the difference what your running if these #$%^&
virus's and worms keep hitting you!!! Sasser is a booger!!

[tortoise]

For the 'Big Tin' machines (think 100 CPUs+), Itanium has its niche and Opteron isn't really a threat to it.

You kind of got that backward. Itanium is currently only excellent for dedicated floating point crunch, and doesn't scale well beyond two or so processors in a single system image.

Opteron, on the other hand, has one of the fastest ccNUMA interconnects that money can buy designed into the system, and will scale almost linearly out to around 8-procs and scale well to much higher numbers. And the v2.0 of the interconnect is going to be out soon, which will increase the linear scalability significantly further.

Opteron was intentionally designed and highly optimized for massive Single System Image type computers. In this regard, it scales FAR better than Itanium, which is designed more like a workstation processor.

[bigcheese]

Hmmm... sounds like some of the programs I have written. Of course, they weren't meant to consume that much :-)

[An.American.Expatriate]

I hate to burst M$'s bubble, but this article from 1996 shows just how lame they really are....

64-Bit Computing Made Simple

[CyberCowboy777]

I don't know the efficiency of the software, but the system (software and milling) is state of the art (and just plain cool).