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Panther Will Not be a 64-bit OS

Posted by pudge on from the call-your-senator dept.

rouge86 writes "The Register has an article on what Mac OS X 10.3 will be like. Mac OS X 10.3, aka Panther, will not be a 64-bit operating system, despite running on a 64-bit processor. Instead, the next major release of the Mac operating system will be a hybrid, much like version 10.2.7." You mean they didn't rewrite the entire operating system from the ground up? And that it will run on older, 32-bit, Macs? I am shocked!

7 of 229 comments (clear)

  1. It will be interesting by serialdj · · Score: 5, Interesting

    At this moment I am awaiting Apple to ship the G5's, and when it does I'll be interested to see how this new architecture works, as compared to my current G4. What I'm awaiting is who will be the first to release the first 64-bit system for it. Does this remind anyone when Apple first released the first PowerPC, and only like 10% of the code was optimized for it.

  2. What are you getting at, pudge? by mackstann · · Score: 5, Interesting
    You mean they didn't rewrite the entire operating system from the ground up? And that it will run on older, 32-bit, Macs? I am shocked!

    All of the BSDs and Linux support 64-bit, and as far as I know, they weren't rewritten "from the ground up." They are all also compatible with both 32- and 64-bit machines, so I don't see legacy hardware compatability being a huge problem.

  3. Re:Names... by andrewl6097 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    None of those can hold a candle to the mighty Ocelot. I'm sure Apple's saving that one for OS 11.

  4. Re:Names... by thatguywhoiam · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Tigger was already used; I believe it was the codename for Xserve.

    --
    If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
  5. Re:Names... by UberChuckie · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I'd say Cougar. :)

  6. Er, uh, wha...? by thatguywhoiam · · Score: 4, Interesting
    So, let me get this straight.

    According to El Reg, Panther is not a true 64-bit operating system. However, Panther can do 64-bit tricks. So many 64-bit tricks that it works and behaves as a 64-bit OS would, accessing more than 8 GB of RAM, and so forth, if asked... but its not 64-bit.

    I think I'll file under 'makes no difference to me'.

    --
    If Jesus wants me it knows where to find me.
  7. Uhm by Leimy · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Smeagol is a 32-bit operating system, though certain libraries and other elements have been recoded to allow applications - and the OS itself - to make use of the 64-bit addressing and datapaths, sources close to Apple said. For example, that's how the Power Mac G5 is able to support at least 8GB of memory, double the 32-bit limit of 4GB. Panther will adopt the same approach, said the source.

    Don't Pentiums with PAE have this ability. 64 bit doesn't mean "double" the addressability. A fully 64bit address is 2^32 * 2*32 or roughly 4 billion SQUARED. Somone needs to learn binary :).

    The Opteron doens't have full 64bit addressing either... I think its like 42 or 48bits.