Microsoft Raises the Speed Limit With the Availability of 64-Bit Editions

MicroSoft Presspass ^ | 4/25/05 | MS

[cabojoe]

Microsoft Raises the Speed Limit With the Availability of 64-Bit Editions of Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP Professional

More than 400 industry partners pledge support for new platform during the Windows Hardware Engineering Conference.

SEATTLE -- April 25, 2005 -- Microsoft Corp. Chairman and Chief Software Architect Bill Gates today announced the general availability of Microsoft® Windows Server (TM) 2003 x64 Editions and Windows® XP Professional x64 Edition during his keynote address at the 14th annual Microsoft Windows Hardware Engineering Conference (WinHEC). The new editions mark a major advancement in computing by providing a single platform that can easily run new 64-bit applications and existing 32-bit applications at peak performance. With these new server and desktop operating systems, Microsoft and a broad array of partners are bringing cost-effective 64-bit computing from the fringes into the mainstream.

"This is a time of profound change in our industry. The move from 32-bit to 64-bit computing offers a dramatic improvement in performance and reliability, enabling people to use their PCs in exciting new ways at work and at home," Gates said. "The introduction of Windows x64 editions, combined with a wide range of 64-bit applications and hardware, will help launch 64-bit computing into the mainstream."

[softwarecreator]

I've finished my mission on this thread

And a fine job you did! =)

[NRA2BFree]

Oh, yea!!! This is the next problem for MSN users to endure.

[tortoise]

You might think that it is an appropriate "monicker (sic)", but you should also realize that it goes directly against Jim Robinson's "Terms of Use" for this forum.

I've been around here for a few years, and posted just over (checks stats) 3,700 times, often on highly contentious technical topics that attracted their share of blowhards, nutjobs, and curmudgeons. I have a fairly good idea of what the community standards are. Over all these years, I've gotten a post from a moderator maybe once or twice, including this time. Perhaps the problem is that my flame was not creative enough? Who knows. *shrugs*.

The response behavior of "softwarecreator" was far more inappropriate by the typical standards of discussion on this forum. My escalation was in response to that behavior. I know, not worth my time and all that.

[softwarecreator]

I've gone dumpster-diving and pulled dead aborted babies out of trash bins and held them in my very hands. They were given proper burials. How have you spent your nights and weekends?

Finally got around to reading this whole post.

Wow.  Some things defy words.  Don't know who you are but ... you are something.  If you are religious, you are assured a spot "up there".

[IYAAYAS]

You two should kiss (no tounge) and make up.

OK, now my work is done here.

[Liberal Classic]

"4GB ought to be enough for anybody." -- Bill Gates

[Liberal Classic]

I am NOT an expert nor do I claim to be.

In post #50 you claimed 20 years of experience in the field.

[softwarecreator]

OK, now my work is done here.

Keep saying that and they may make it your unofficial tag line!  =)

[tortoise]

The Power/PC chip is liable to put alot of folks out of business.

The PowerPC core is not all that outside of some very narrow domains, primarily DSP codes. As a general purpose processor, the current AMD64 core is more efficient than the PPC970 core. At a given clock speed, the AMD core generally beats the PPC core on integer, float, and memory performance using the best compilers for both platforms.

The primary strength of PPC core is DSP codes (floating-point mult-add matrix work) since it is built into the ISA, which is unusual for general-purpose processors. For everything else, the AMD core is generally superior. I use both daily, but for most types of heavy lifting, it is no contest. The POWER cores are a bit better in this regard and more comparable to the AMD core, but the PPC cores are hobbled by their design, which is architecturally similar to Intel's offering but with a different ISA.

[politicket]

The response behavior of "softwarecreator" was far more inappropriate by the typical standards of discussion on this forum. My escalation was in response to that behavior. I know, not worth my time and all that.

Sorry, you're wrong...

I went back and read all of the posts on this thread. The bantering that you and softwarecreator shared was not worth the name-calling, and that really reduces your effectiveness at debating. I don't take anyone seriously that has to resort to that sort of tact in order to make their point.

You are correct about hardware being extremely important in the context of some application development. It sounds like softwarecreator codes apps that are low-mid scale and does not have to worry very much about the types of conditions that you posted.

I would agree that large scale apps must take the hardware into account. In fact, it is actually more important to get the hardware architecture correct than to worry about the software. Multi-processor systems are definitely superior to single CPU's. The speed increase that can be realized is amazing (as your earlier post regarding 2 1GHz CPU's -vs- 1 2GHz CPU attests).

[tortoise]

You two should kiss (no tounge) and make up.

But tongue would really add to the sincerity of it.

[politicket]

Wow. Some things defy words. Don't know who you are but ... you are something. If you are religious, you are assured a spot "up there".

I am simply a Christian that tries to live his life as a vessel before Christ. I am also a fallen sinner.

My "spot up there" is only due to the gift of salvation that is through Jesus Christ. It is nothing that I have earned, but thanks for the very kind words.

[softwarecreator]

In post #50 you claimed 20 years of experience in the field.

{sigh}  In software, not hardware.  Don't know or care that deeply about what is inside a computer.  Never have, never will.  One of my examples was that an auto mechanic fixes the engine, he doesn't need to know auto body repair ... they are the same entity but totally different areas of expertise.  Some people can't or won't accept it.  

Their is no amount of ranting or belittling or name-calling that can change this fact, I know this because I do it EVERY day.

[Advil]

Exactly. I'm a computer hardware guy, and I know from experience you don't expect the average programmer to have clue one about his hardware needs. It is two totally separate fields and usually you won't be a pro in both unless you take up the other one as an off hours hobby.

[politicket]

In post #50 you claimed 20 years of experience in the field.

From softwarecreators posted list of languages that he has experience in I would say that he easily has 20+ years of experience that is extremely valuable. It is a VERY impressive list!

Don't take the fact that he is not a hardware engineer as a negative. In addition to my computer career I have 10 years of experience as a hardware engineer designing satellites, radar systems, and weapon attack systems. Don't put down others when you may have lots to learn yourself...

[softwarecreator]

Don't sell yourself short ... what you do, or did, or whatever is something that I think 99.99% of the people never even think about, myself included, yet it is so obvious that it SHOULD be done.

[softwarecreator]

It is a VERY impressive list!

Thanks.  After being put-down for the last few hours, I needed that.

Actually, that is only about half of the languages i've used ... some are too old to mention and I'm pretty sure the user's manuals were written in stone tables and delivered by a guy in a long white beard.

[politicket]

Don't sell yourself short ... what you do, or did, or whatever is something that I think 99.99% of the people never even think about, myself included, yet it is so obvious that it SHOULD be done.

Again, I appreciate the very kind words, but I honestly take 0% of the "credit" for it. It is just something that God has allowed me to do and has blessed my efforts. It is DEFINITELY not something that I would aspire to by myself. It is absolutely heartbreaking to hold tiny baby parts in your hands and see the perfectly formed pieces.

[djf]

Compilers?

We don't need no steenkin compilers...

I have heard the Power/PC will run the Intel instruction set, the S/390 instruction set, and is basically instruction set programmable.

Which is understandable, considering all the work IBM did on microcode. They know very well how to make a machine run at better than 100% clock speed, by duplexing and paralleling instructions.

[softwarecreator]

I'm a computer hardware guy, and I know from experience you don't expect the average programmer to have clue one about his hardware needs

Right.  And the reverse is that most "hardware guys" don't know VB from Cobol, nor should they have to.  I just never got that interested in that area.  Surprising, my other 2 brothers are both in hardware and work for Boeing in Texas.  We've never had this "right/wrong" fight before.