[OT] End-user uses for x86-64 (was: Why are still not at 64
bits)
Ben Scott
dragonhawk at gmail.com
Fri Feb 16 13:44:29 EST 2007
On 2/16/07, Jim Kuzdrall <gnhlug at intrel.com> wrote:
>> I've been asking the question, "How would an end-user significantly
>> benefit from x86-64?" ... Anyone got any other ideas?
>
> End users of portable processing may benefit from clock rate
> reduction. The 64-bit internal and main memory paths double the
> processor's instruction throughput.
Hmmm. Interesting idea.
Two issues I see:
One is my understanding: Even if you're working with a 64-bit
architecture, isn't most software still dealing with 32-bit values?
Does throughput double without re-writing all the code to take
advantage of that?
The second is semi-historical: As I recall, your argument is the
same argument Intel put forth in favor of Itanic -- I mean, Idiotanium
-- I mean, Itanium -- and we all know that is going nowhere at
velocities approaching C.
-- Ben
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