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Who cares about 64-bit Office 2010?

March 9, 2010 in Info Tech, Opinions, Technology | No comments

[East Africa]AMD Opteron 64-bit processor
I’VE SAID IT BEFORE and I’ll say it again, “who cares about 64-bit desktop app when the average system RAM is around 1 to 2Gb?” Heck, I’m more interested in server apps that are compiled to take advantage of 64-bit processors. Mind you, 64-bit  apps in gaming and virtual reality are 2 areas that can immediately benefit  desktop users. But no one’s writing them, or they’re too few of em.

So I was peeking this ZDNet blog post on the prospect of a 64-bit version of Microsoft Office 2010. I’m like, “who cares?” Everyone’s running to install 64-bit versions of Vista or Windows 7 simply because they have Intel Core 2 Duo or AMD x86-64 chips. But, are they really getting any benefits if they’re still running 32-bit applications like Office 2007, Mozilla Firefox, Adobe Photoshop, Windows Media Player, iTunes et al? Hell no!

Actually, it’s hardware vendors that are “pushing” these 64-bit chips to home users — just like your medical doctor and Big Pharma pushing Chemotheraphy “treatment”  on poor hapless souls with cancer (especially now that we all know that pure Hemp Oil is a cure) because it’s a multi-billion dollar cash cow. Why? Profits, of course…and I understand that.

Show me the server goods…
Now, when it comes to server-based computing (mail/database/file servers, etc.), gimme 64-bits any day of the week. Anyhow, here’s my reply to the above blog post:

I’m more interested in 64-bit versions of MySQL, PostgreSQL, FirebirdSQL, SQLlite, etc. because this is the main area where you’ll see immediate benefits. Why? Because databases rule the world so if you are a company that has large data sets, then 64-bit RDBMS apps are the keys to your speedy success. I can also see 64-bits being advantageous in video/audio processing apps as well as large, complex information systems such as an Enterprise ERP app running on a server.
But Office 2010, Flash, and other desktop apps being 64-bits?? Not really important right now. {source}

Can you imagine running free 64-bit versions of Ubuntu Server Edition, FreeBSD, NetBSD, CentOS, OpenSolaris with free, powerful 64-bit apps like PostgreSQL, MySQL, Exim, Postfix, qmail, OpenERP, etc — and taking advantage of virtualization? Now, imagine if your system was decked out with an AMD Opteron 64-bit chip, 6 Gb RAM, and a RAID setup. Now here’s where some 64-bit “magic” will appear — right in front of your very eyes.

Happy 64-bit computing!

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Where is the 64bit Flash Player?

August 4, 2008 in Info Tech, Opinions | 1 comment

[Nairobi, Kenya]
WELL, IT looks like 64-bit computing is starting to catch on over in the Windows camp with 64-bit version of Windows Vista picking up steam. The problem that’s annoying the sh!t out of everyone is the super slooow release of a 64-bit Flash player from Macromedia (er Adobe). Looks like peeps have to use 32-bit Internet Explorer on 64-bit Vista whenever they’re surfing pages with Flash content. That sucks!! I urge you folks to peek this very interesting Tech forum over at ZDNet.


So, have any of you gravitated to 64-bit computing yet? You do know you can get 64-bit versions of Linux and FreeBSD for free, right? :-)

Apple bytes into 64-bit computing…
Thank goodness the current version of Mac OS/X (aka Leopard) is fully 64-bit. And why shouldn’t it be? After all, it’s based on the rock solid BSD Unix and Mach architecture that’s legendary in research circles. Anyhow, I’m more interested in 64-bit open source server products like MySQL, PostgreSQL, FirebirdSQL, TrixBox, Exim, Postfix et al. Since you have more addressing memory in a 64-bit operating system, programmers have the ability to create some truly POWERFUL software applications that will usher in a new era of computing. Apps dealing with encryption, sound, graphics, video, or querying large data sets will fly through the roof. This is the exciting part. Here’s the kind of power Mac OS/X programmers are gonna have when developing native 64-bit apps using xcode 3.0:

  • 64-bit addressing of up to 16 exabytes of virtual memory and 4 terabytes of physical memory
  • Full 64-bit arithmetic
  • 64-bit development tools
  • 64-bit performance monitoring tools
  • Seamless deployment
  • LP64 data model
  • Common source base support

Ah yes, I’m so glad to say goodbye to Windows. Looks like some sweet computing times are ahead in the Apple Mac realm. Heck, just look at all of these smashing hits: iPod, iTunes, iMac, OS/X, iBook, MacBook, and now iPhone 3G. Apple is indeed on a roll, and now she’s got more cash to do more and better things since the big kahuna (CEO Steve Jobs) returned to save the company from disaster a few years ago. Besides, Jobs’ credentials are waaay more impressive than Bill Gates.

Cheers!

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