On Die, 2007-11-06 at 20:54 -0500, Douglas A. Tutty wrote: > On Wed, Nov 07, 2007 at 12:05:26AM +0100, Bernd Petrovitsch wrote: [...] > > that probably doesn't hurt much. > > Fact is that I run pure 64bit Linux since months on my home desktop > > (though I'm not the typical desktop user;-). > > > > > specific, just 64bit system specific), but other than that generally no > > > disadvantages. > > > > > I guess you could say that the fact the programs are slightly bigger > > > (since all pointers become 8 bytes rather than 4) is a disadvantage, but > > > on the other hand a lot of code runs slightly faster with 64bit, with a > > > > Yes, x86_64 has more registers than i386. > > > > > few types of programs running much faster. A few very very pointer > > > heavy programs might run slightly slower, although I don't know of any > > > where this is the case. > > > > In short: FUD?! > > Len Sorensen knows a lot about running amd64. Consider that before you > write off what he says as FUD.
Well, without any real examples or details? I would have formulated the above paragraph differently (it it's actually a correct interpretation): Very pointer-heavy apps may run slightly slower. But since we don't know any real example, it is not an issue until someone comes with an convincing case. [...] > > > The main missing programs seem to be things which are closed source, so > > > adobe flash, acrobat reader, etc. Some of these do have more or less > > > functional open source replacements. Video codecs can also be a > > > > Some browsers (konqueror, firefox as far as I've been told) allow to run > > 32bit plugins from the 64bit version. Since the flash-plugin and others > > is not really important for me, I don't really care. > > Well, you're wrong. In Lenny, there's a wrapper that does this but in > Etch it doesn't exist and can't be backported. So flash in Etch needs > the ia-32 chroot. I don't know if anything else does since I don't use > them. Thanks for first hand information and details. Well, sooner or later "Lenny" will be "stable" and the problem vanishes ... Bernd -- Firmix Software GmbH http://www.firmix.at/ mobil: +43 664 4416156 fax: +43 1 7890849-55 Embedded Linux Development and Services -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact [EMAIL PROTECTED]