Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[sgolds]

wbmw, your argument does not reflect an important fact on the ground: It is not a choice between 32-bit vs. 64-bit for Opteron customers. For instance, let's say they want to run IBM's 64-bit database which IBM ported to AMD64 this year. Everything else on that server is 32-bit. The one compelling database application is enough for the customer to buy the machine when he sees that he doesn't have to change any other applications. (Customers just hate having to change applications if it can be avoided.)

So, IPF customers have to have 64-bit applications, with the exception of minor stuff they are willing to run under emulation. AMD64 customers can efficiently run all the important 32-bit applications they want while running the 64-bit app that they must have.

Kind of makes that 990 IPF applications pale by comparison. Good thing AMD isn't aiming for the Itanium market yet!