AMD's x86-64 Moves Forward

MBCook writes "AMD Hammer line is definatly moving forward. The Inquirer has a supposidly leaked memo from MS saying that they have working x86-64 silicon that runs both 32 and 64-bit Win XP. Van's Hardware is reporting that MS is backing x86-64 over Intel's IA-64, and that MS has apparently convinced Intel to move to x86-64! There is an article over at Ace's Hardware from CeBIT that includes some coverage of AMD's Hammer line (including its NUMA). Last but not least is News.com's report that MS is preparing Windows to support NUMA." And it looks like the line will be named Opteron.

Comments

Re:Nice. M$ once again stifles innovation ...

[mark_space2001]

Well, that may be true, but the article at Van's Hardware says AMD's architecture is actually better:

Our sources also allege that top Microsoft decision makers view x86-64 as the clearly superior solution over IA64, an underperforming VLIW architecture widely judged as Byzantine.

It goes on to point out that AMD has filed more patents in the last 3 years than Intel, and that AMD is widely seen as the true inovator between the two companies.

I can't say what's correct myself, but I think you may be jumping to conclusions.

Noooooooo!

[Burgundy Advocate]

Dear God! How fucking lame!

Another hacked on extention to the same old architecture that we've been using since the 4004 and 8080 (no, seriously). The basic 8-bit core, the bizarrely segmented registers, the warped-ass extentions, and the CISC instruction set... it all makes me sick. Not to mention that we're still using a fucking BIOS.

Have you ever used something with OpenBoot? It's incredibly nice.

But no, we're still using a system that's basically an overglorified 386DX.

Despite the speed hit, the IA64 architecture was a step in the right direction. A big step. In this case, AMD is going to be setting the industry back.