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Subject: Re: 64 Bit Programs

Author: Robert Hyatt

Date: 19:19:48 06/29/03

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On June 29, 2003 at 00:30:41, Keith Evans wrote:

>On June 28, 2003 at 23:39:57, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>
>>On June 28, 2003 at 14:36:32, Jeremiah Penery wrote:
>>
>>>On June 28, 2003 at 14:23:50, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>
>>>>On June 28, 2003 at 12:12:15, Jay Urbanski wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>On June 28, 2003 at 10:33:45, Robert Hyatt wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>>Those are not true 64 bit processors.  Supposedly 32 bit stuff runs just
>>>>>>fine on them, but they have 64 bit extensions.
>>>>>
>>>>>How is Opteron not a true 64-bit processor?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Because it executes 32 bit instructions _also_.
>>>>
>>>>IE it is X86 compatible.
>>>
>>>So does the Itanium.  That doesn't make it any less of a 64-bit processor.
>>
>>
>>The Itanium is not X86 compatible.  In any shape or form.  There is an
>>emulator, of course.  But then the Alpha has a vax emulator.
>
>The interesting question is what are the implications of the Opteron not being a
>"true" 64-bit processor? Did you mean to imply that it is inferior to "true"
>64-bit processors, or just that it was that much more of a challenge to design?
>In other words, is there any reason why anybody buying one should care?
>
>(I'll consider buying an Opteron if the EDA companies ever support it with
>64-bit apps.)


My point was not that it will be bad.  But that it _could_ be better.  Going
to 64 bits while supporting legacy X86 architecture stuff is not the way to
fastest performance.




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