Why are still not at 64 bits [was Can't figure out Firefox

[Ken D'Ambrosio]

On Wed, February 14, 2007 10:22 pm, Paul Lussier wrote:

> I find it mind-boggling that the Alpha came out what, 16-18 years ago
> with 64 bit technology and it *still* hasn't caught on in the mainstream.
> Why is that?  Is there really that little market demand
> for 64 bits?  Sure, you only need 32 bits (or less) to run Word, but
> imagine how many more bugs MS could sell if they had double the amount of
> address-space!

1) 32-bit is "good enough," since the single largest impact it'll have on
most applications at this particular time is simply address space... and
most people are content with <4 GB at this particular juncture.

1a) Though, of course, there will be one other 64-bit application to
become of considerable importance to the *nix community by, oh, 2038. 
Hopefully 32-bit will be mooter than moot by then.

2) <nit pick> Eh-hem.  It may be double the number of address bits, but it
is woo more than double the address space. </nit pick>

-K


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