Any actual significant gains from 64-bit processing?

[Caydr]

From what I've read, even native 64-bit programs don't run much faster than their 32-bit relatives... I thought the jump to 64-bit was meant to have a significant performance increase. Is this something we have yet to see, or is it something that's probably just marketing?

[jcnossen]

Its mostly useful for servers that have lots of gb of ram that they need to address. It will take years before data sizes become large enough that desktop PCs have a real advantage with 64-bit processing.

[SwiftSpear]

It's also context specific. 64 bit isn't a magic performance improver, it just gives more address space to work with and a larger number of variable states.

For example, a 64 bit system can run an obscene amount of RAM... But you need a system that can actually use an obscene amount of ram to make use of that. Common use doesn't ever even exceed the 2 GB point at this point in time.

It does allow for more accurate simulation figures... so procedural gaming systems might see some signifigant jump when making use of 64 bit technology.

[Caydr]

Aha, I see... so the best use of it for a more regular person might be things like Max rendering, or Terragen... It's a shame you currently can't buy a motherboard that can hold more than 8 gb of ram (easily).

[Felix the Cat]

Aha, I see... so the best use of it for a more regular person might be things like Max rendering, or Terragen... It's a shame you currently can't buy a motherboard that can hold more than 8 gb of ram (easily).

The best use of it right now, that is. What's used for high-end applications today is used for everyday stuff tomorrow...

[Acidd_UK]

Doesn't 64-bit also apply to the integer and float sizes. So the FPU will work with 64 bit floats rather than 32 bit? Presumably this makes working with double precision numbers more efficient? Been a while since I did an architechture course tho...

So I did some research:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64_bit

[SwiftSpear]

Doesn't 64-bit also apply to the integer and float sizes. So the FPU will work with 64 bit floats rather than 32 bit? Presumably this makes working with double precision numbers more efficient? Been a while since I did an architechture course tho...

So I did some research:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/64_bit

Ya, it makes working with any precise numbers more accurate. Like I say, it's useful for simulation.

[SinbadEV]

Finding New Primes would probably be easier with more bits.

[Felix the Cat]

2048 bit encryption, anyone?

[Zpock]

I guess it's more of a long term thing, it's good to slowly move on to 64 now then all at once when it will be needed since it's so fundamental.

[Pxtl]

I guess it's more of a long term thing, it's good to slowly move on to 64 now then all at once when it will be needed since it's so fundamental.

Wow, the computer world pro-actively moving to a new standard early instead of dragging out hacks on the old standard as long as possible, even though the hacks have caused utterly terrifying mayhem and bugs?

Shocking.

*cough* IPV6 *cough*.

[Felix the Cat]

I sorta like IPV4 for my own personal reasons - dynamic IP allocation ISP-side means that nobody can uniquely identify you or your exact location via IP lookup, and hence anonymity is preserved.

That said, IPV6 is clearly superior, we'll have enough room for a unique IP address for every computer that will exist on Earth in the forseeable future, as well as a few nearby friendly planets.

[yuritch]

Don't be so sure about that. Once (some 30 years ago) someone thought 640 kB of RAM on a PC would be more than anyone will ever need, and what do we have now?
Once electronics manufacturers start to find new creative uses for IPs in their products, we may find 2^48 unique adresses aren't that much...

[reivanen]

To my knowledge even though every manmade electronic apparatus would get a own ip address, there would be enough addresses for the whole future of the planet.

[Teutooni]

5├âÔÇö10^28 addresses for each of the roughly 6.5 billion (6.5├âÔÇö10^9) people alive today. Or, 2^52 addresses for every star in the known universe.

Iirc, it was about six unique IPv6 adresseses for every particle in solar system. The magnitude is really astronomical. Computers cannot possibly exceed the number of particles in solar system by 6 times in the near future.

[EDIT] Btw, IPv6 is 2^128 unique adresses.

[Pxtl]

To my knowledge even though every manmade electronic apparatus would get a own ip address, there would be enough addresses for the whole future of the planet.

No. There would be _enough_ IP addresses for the whole future of the planet. Not that every device would _get_ an address. Why? Because humans aren't exactly optimal. How much you want to bet that some ISPs would like to make you pay-per-IP? Doesn't matter that they're supposed to give you 2^16 addresses. How many would they give you?

[Caydr]

Holy hell, if IPv6 becomes standard... I could be banned from something... and... actually stay banned?

Ah, right, proxies. Phew, I was scared there for a minute.

[Gota]

Dont we need 64 bit to get more than 4gigs of ram?

[SwiftSpear]

Dont we need 64 bit to get more than 4gigs of ram?

There are ways of getting more than 4 gigs of RAM functioning in a PC without 64 bit processing, but 64 bit processing is the most efficient way of doing it.

[Peet]

Dont we need 64 bit to get more than 4gigs of ram?

Yes, unless you're running certain linux distros or server versions of windows, which have PAE capabilities.