Bruce, Just off hand, I would think that if the Python system itself was not 64-bit clean by now (assuming a 64-bit distribution of your favorite distro) that a good portion of the distributions would simply stop working (or work a lot slower than they should). Linux has been a 64-bit system since 1995.
I found an announcement dated September of 2005 that said that Python "works well on 64-bit AIX and HP/UX." It is *possible* that Python runs in a 32-bit address field, but I doubt it. I have heard that even Vista has 64 bit address spaces now. And not be able to access files over 4 GB? How would most Microsoft users be able to handle their PowerPoint files? The fact that your "C" and C++ programs had to have the "64 bit" flag turned on was because the compilers were generating object code from the sources you provided, and you had to tell the compilers that you were generating 64 bit pointers, etc. instead of 32-bit pointers. This will "always" be necessary (unless 64-bit becomes a default, which is unlikely in my lifetime). Now whether you have to (or want to) change the way you code your Python programs to take advantage of that 64 bit address space and those larger file sizes, that is another issue. md -- Jon "maddog" Hall Executive Director Linux International(R) email: mad...@li.org 80 Amherst St. Voice: +1.603.672.4557 Amherst, N.H. 03031-3032 U.S.A. WWW: http://www.li.org Board Member: Uniforum Association Board Member Emeritus: USENIX Association (2000-2006) (R)Linux is a registered trademark of Linus Torvalds in several countries. (R)Linux International is a registered trademark in the USA used pursuant to a license from Linux Mark Institute, authorized licensor of Linus Torvalds, owner of the Linux trademark on a worldwide basis (R)UNIX is a registered trademark of The Open Group in the USA and other countries. _______________________________________________ gnhlug-discuss mailing list gnhlug-discuss@mail.gnhlug.org http://mail.gnhlug.org/mailman/listinfo/gnhlug-discuss/
