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Microsoft to Require 64-bit Processors

Posted by samzenpus on from the upgrade dept.

Nom du Keyboard writes "According to News.com Microsoft has said they will require 64-bit instruction set processors (AMD64/EMT64) for all future processor releases. These include Exchange 12, Longhorn Server R2 and Small-Business Edition Longhorn Server among others. I guess we have to bite this bullet sometime."

17 of 377 comments (clear)

  1. Is this bad or good? by KiroDude · · Score: 5, Funny

    So is this bad news or good news, or?? come'on, give me something for my daily microsoft bashing spree!!

    1. Re:Is this bad or good? by Southpaw018 · · Score: 4, Interesting

      It's more a matter of prodding an industry where "standard" computers still come with 256mb ram. Dell's current high end machines come with 512, and some manufacturers can and will sell you a computer with 128mb of ram. (I'm not Dell bashing - they're the only company I'll use if I'm not building it myself. Just saying.)

      Anyhow. What I'm getting at is the industry has been somewhat sluggish to adopt new tech under pressure to keep costs down. The 64-bit processors have been around for a while, but many computers don't have them, and the only reason why is that it's not cost-effective for the industry giants to switch over. As for performance...well, you won't see much difference with a 64-bit processor, but that's not because they aren't better - that's because people haven't been writing new code for them due to slow adoption rates. Vicious circle and all that.

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    2. Re:Is this bad or good? by Linker3000 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hell yes this is good news because everyone knows that you can't make a decent word processor work properly with less than 64 bits - up until now all code writers have really struggled to make 8-, 16- and 32-bit processors handle such complex tasks - look at the kind of sucky code we had to put up with: WP 5.1, Wordstar, Lotus Manuscript, Word for DOS - heck maybe now we'll see some improvement on the shitty vi and emacs!!

      Typical improvements will be:

      1) Spell and grammar checking - with a 64-bit processor, the WP app will be able to offer up to (2^64)-2 suggestions for a mis-spelled word rather than just a handful.

      2) More underline styles

      3) Ability to type faster without the system locking up.

      4) Documents finish printing before you've typed them

      5) AI components know what you are thinking and will auto-finish sentences for you MICROSOFT SUCKS.

      6) Systems will be able to do more things at once - imagine being able to check email while typing at 2000 wpm AND be composing replies to messages you haven't even received yet while printing tomorrow's news.

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      AT&ROFLMAO
    3. Re:Is this bad or good? by iamhassi · · Score: 4, Informative
      "But when MS goes to pure 64-bit, there may well still be a lot of legacy Pentium IVs around running just fine. "

      well, in the original article that the article links to it says:
      "Separately, Microsoft also announced that the Compute Cluster Server and several other upcoming server software releases will work only with 64-bit processors."

      They're talking specifically about server software, not really desktop.

      In the article the post links to it says:
      "company executives detailed its plans to add support 64-bit microprocessors in its server applications and operating systems."

      so they're supporting 64 bit in their OS, but not requiring it... least none of the stories said they're requiring it.

      I agree, I think it's a mistake to require 64 bit support in desktop OS's in the near future, I mean there's 5 year old processors that run the latest XP just fine so to say 5 yrs from now that most processors made today wont run Windows 2010 (twenty-ten ;) seems to be a pretty serious statement.

      Are they trying to kill Intel sales?

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  2. not completely accurate. by CDPatten · · Score: 5, Informative

    They have also said a 32-bit version of the Longhorn server would be available.

    http://www.redmondmag.com/news/article.asp?Editori alsID=7046

  3. Let me know when 16-bit code is dead, let alone... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    ... 32-bit code. Heck, even XP still has some 16-bit programs by default. Sysedit and edit.com are just a couple examples. It's safe to say that 32-bit code will be with us for quite a while. Remember, 16-bit apps didn't die when Windows NT 3.1 (and later, Windows 95) came out.

  4. That Does IT !! by Artie_Effim · · Score: 5, Funny

    Finally a new use for my Commodore 64!! I cannot wait to hand input hex strings for Exchange 12 ;)

  5. Re:Good move? by silasthehobbit · · Score: 4, Funny

    "I think this is a really good move from Microsoft, this way they will be able to" ...finish sentences?

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    silas
    hobbit

  6. Mailbox size?!? by Dekortage · · Score: 5, Funny

    From the article: "IT professionals will be able to consolidate the total number of servers running 64-bit (processors) and users will be able to have bigger mailbox size."

    How big are these mailboxes that you need 64-bit processing space??? *boggle*

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  7. Re:Something's not right by meringuoid · · Score: 4, Informative
    Microsoft is breaking backward compatability?

    That's not how I read it. Microsoft is going to require 64 bit processors for its new software. That's about equivalent to them requiring a 32-bit processor for Windows 95, and thereby excluding everyone on a 286. No reason why these systems shouldn't run legacy 32-bit apps - and maybe even 16-bit apps - but they're going to need a 64-bit processor.

    --
    Real Daleks don't climb stairs - they level the building.
  8. Re:Something's not right by CDPatten · · Score: 4, Informative

    "Microsoft is breaking backward compatability? "

    I'm assuming you are talking about 32bit? If you are then... Longhorn Server R2 doesn't come out until 2009, the 2007 version will come out with a 32bit counterpart Their 64 bit platform run 32 bit code without degrading performance.

    The only thing that has to be re-written is 32-bit drivers. They are only breaking "driver" compatibility for legacy hardware. However hardware makers have started (last summer) to write the 64 bit drivers for their hardware, so I wouldn't worry to much about that.

    Is that enough info to debunk?

  9. Wrong article summary? by Jugalator · · Score: 5, Informative

    According to News.com Microsoft has said they will require 64-bit instruction set processors (AMD64/EMT64) for all future processor releases.

    I think "all" should be "some" and "processor releases" should be "software releases"... Here's CNET's take on it:

    Microsoft said some upcoming products, including its Exchange 12 e-mail server, will run only on 64-bit processors.

    It seems to be mostly a focus on 64-bit server products from now on to me, and far from a total switch to 64-bit.

    --
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  10. Updates for this quote by cciRRus · · Score: 5, Funny

    In view of the future 64-bit requirement, can anyone update this neat quote?

    Windows 9x: noun. A collection of 32-bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16-bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4-bit microprocessor. Written by a 2-bit company that can't stand 1 bit of competition.

    --- Anonymous

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    w00t
    1. Re:Updates for this quote by sucker_muts · · Score: 5, Funny

      Longhorn: noun. A 64-bit recompile of a collection of 32-bit extensions and a graphical shell for a 16-bit patch to an 8 bit operating system originally coded for a 4-bit microprocessor. Written by a 2-bit company that can't stand 1 bit of competition.

      Easy enough, or could it be better?

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      Dependency hell? => /bin/there/done/that
    2. Re:Updates for this quote by wed128 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Not to advocate the devil, but the NT line was never dos based, so that quote no longer applies and that update makes no sense.

  11. ReactOS an alternative for Companies? by lightweave · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you don't know what ReactOS is, it is a replacement for Windows which aims to get 100% binary compatible. http://www.reactos.org/
    Just like Wine does on Linux, but with the advantage that there is no Linux underneath it. It is a fully working OS on it's own.

    One of the initial motivations for this project was to brake this MS enforced cycle, and so far they made good progress. They are already capable of running some serious stuff like Unreal Tournament (Serious in terms of implementation not neccessarily for companies :) ). Of course there is a long way to go still, but since the aim is to stay binary compatible, if they progress as good as in teh last two years, then this could become a serious thread if it would be adopted by companies to avoid hardware changes when they don't even need them. And of course, since it is an Open Source OS you still have room for improvement and fixing of exploits that may be discovered. Which is more than you can expect from a Microsoft Windows.

  12. Subject totally misrepresented in comments by sonofagunn · · Score: 4, Informative

    Most of you guys have no clue what Microsoft is actually doing. They are going to require some of their *server* products in the future to run on 64 bit processors - not home PCs. A lot of their server products today run on 32-bit and 64-bit processors already. I bet most of their new installs of these server products are already being done on 64 bit processors so they're just going to make things simpler. I doubt anyone will complain.