Author: Tom Kerrigan
Date: 12:23:14 10/24/01
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On October 24, 2001 at 13:35:48, Tony Werten wrote: >>Although 128 bit microprocessors are probably 20 years away or longer... > >Why 20 ? The amount of bits seem to have doubled every 10 years until now. Computer hardware has dramatically outpaced most computer software, hence the slowdown in sales. People are happy with their current processor speed and memory. Now that you can get 512MB of RAM for $40, or something silly like that, most people have way more memory than they know what to do with, and they aren't even approaching the limits of 32-bit addressing, much less the 36-bit addressing afforded by the P6/P4. Switch to 64 bit addressing and you get 4 _billion_ times more memory than people know what to do with. Not very compelling. Making a 128-bit chip would be pretty easy, kind of like how 64-bit chips are pretty easy to make (heck, there's one in the Nintendo 64 and Compaq iPAC). But even though 64-bit chips are easy to get, PC users aren't trying to switch because there's no need... -Tom
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