Replies to post #57663 on Advanced Micro Devices Inc (AMD)

[chipdesigner]

How can it be a "bigger deal" and not matter at the same time?

Read to the end of the sentence:

It's a bigger deal but it doesn't matter as much ... RIGHT NOW... BUT EVENTUALLY...

[rlweitz]

Market Migration to x64.

How can it be a "bigger deal" and not matter at the same time? In the late 50's all the car makers put fins on their cars too :)

Apparently you didn't you get the memo? Within the next year you won't be able to buy a PC that's not x86-64 compatible. By then most PCs will ship with Windows XP x64. Vendors will have no choice but to provide x64 driver support if they want to stay in business. PC vendors will fully embrace the migration as x86-64 will drive another upgrade cycle.

The 16 to 32 bit migration took around 10 years as Microsoft drug their feet delivering a true 32 bit OS. However, Microsoft is pushing x86-64 hard. Longhorn is essentially a 64 bit product. All the MS BackOffice products are x64 or will be shortly. BTW, microsoft.com is running IIS off HP DL585s on Windows 2003 Server x64 with HP DL585s running SQL Server 2005 (x64) on the back end. Microsoft no longer allows the purchase of x86-32 only Servers or Desktops. Most corporate IT departments will follow suit.

Yes, Intel made the statement that desktop users wouldn't need x86-64 for another 5 years, but that was back when they didn't support x86-64. You don't hear them "pooh-poohing" x86-64 much these days. In fact, you may actually start hearing them sing the praises of x86-64 as soon as they deliver performance competitive processors.

It looks like "Fins" are here to stay.