So I guess it would be fair to say that the best OS is the one that support both at the same time, and leaves the option to the developer for each individual application.
My understanding is that Solaris is more like 4G per process/kernel, rather than 4GB total. Multiple 32 bit processes could use more than 4GB total; just not individually. Mike On Fri, 2011-06-24 at 15:58 +0000, Steve Gonczi wrote: > For Intel CPUs, 32 bit code is certainly more compact , and in some cases > arguably faster than 64 bit code. (say, comparing the same code on the same > machine > compiled 32 and 64 bit) > > But, newer cpu silicon tends to make performance improvements > in many ways (e.g locating more supporting circuity on the cpu's silicon, > increasing L1 /L2 > cache sizes, etc) > > Newer CPUs also tend to be more energy efficient. > Intel made great strides towards energy efficiency. > E.g.: idling the cpu when not in use ( deep C states etc. > of gating off any circuitry that is not in use, modulating the cpu clock rate > ( SpeedStep). > > So performance and energy efficiency is more dependent on > which generation of cpu core design we have, rather than on > just the the bitness . > > > The primary advantage of "64 bit" per se ( ie running a given cpu in 64 bit > mode) > is the increased addressable memory space. > The current hardware limit set by the manufacturers is at 48 address bits > (256 terabytes theoretical limit) Actual OS support cuts this in half, or > less. > Motherboard limitations further curtail this, but 48G motherboards are now > commonplace. > > On 32 bit Intel (Amd) you are typically limited to 4G, which is split between > kernel and userland > depending on the OS and configuration. (E.g.: 1G kernel and 3G userland) > > Steve > > ----- "Michael Stapleton" <michael.staple...@techsologic.com> wrote: > > > While we are talking about 32 | 64 bit processes; > Which one is better? > Faster? > More efficient? > > Mike > > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > OpenIndiana-discuss mailing list > OpenIndiana-discuss@openindiana.org > http://openindiana.org/mailman/listinfo/openindiana-discuss > > > _______________________________________________ > OpenIndiana-discuss mailing list > OpenIndiana-discuss@openindiana.org > http://openindiana.org/mailman/listinfo/openindiana-discuss _______________________________________________ OpenIndiana-discuss mailing list OpenIndiana-discuss@openindiana.org http://openindiana.org/mailman/listinfo/openindiana-discuss
