Is 64 bit ready or not?

col · Posted: Fri Oct 06, 2006 11:12 pm Post subject:

Basically you will have to run these 32 bit binaries :

firefox-bin (no 64bit flash & some other plugins like adobe pdf)
mplayer-bin & mplayerplug-in bin (no 64bit win32 codecs)

both these run fine in 32 bit compatible mode on amd64

everything else can be 64bit

Headrush · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 12:02 am Post subject:

brodi · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 12:21 am Post subject:

aryaniae · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 5:00 am Post subject:

I've been running my amd64 in native 64 and experienced only the usual firefox/flash problems, and my GIMPS (distrubuted mersenne prime-finding project) client runs half again as fast as the one on my friend's comparable 32-bit box.

I was wondering if there's a way to use a cross-compiler to build 32-bit code and run it the same way the *-bin packages do. In effect, I want to wrap my own 32-bit bin packages in a 64-bit environment.

BTW, shouldn't this be in Gentoo on AMD64?

Headrush · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 5:00 am Post subject:

brodi · Posted: Sat Oct 07, 2006 2:09 pm Post subject:

Genone · Posted: Sun Oct 08, 2006 1:51 am Post subject: Re: Done!

sdfg · Apprentice Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 200

trilexx · Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 10:22 am Post subject:

hey there,

ok, I see that already a lot of people are running 64 Bit Systems without further problems, despite some minor glitches. However, I'm still not sure, whether I should risk it or not. The thing is, that I would run the 64 Bit system on my main machine, a notebook (Turion X2). This thing needs to be stable, therefore I'd rather stay with 32 Bit. Anyway, do you think it is really worth it? I mean: what are the real killer arguments for running a 64 Bit system?

cheers,
trilexx
_________________
if it lives, compile it

sdfg · Apprentice Joined: 11 Feb 2005 Posts: 200

There aren't any real killer arguments that I see, there isn't really much that can be done faster apart from maybe compiling stuff, which we only really do when we're installing stuff. If you're doing really heavy intensive stuff it could be slightly better I guess.

We're lucky with gentoo in having a fairly mature 64 bit operating system - Windows 64 is a joke in terms of drivers. I'm not sure about the other linux distros.

The way I see it is we're already at the cutting edge using such a versatile and powerful system as Gentoo, increasing use of the 64 bit side of things will help in terms of debugging and things for any small glitches that do exist (although alot of x86 programs I've seen compile fine under amd64) so when 64 bit because the standard (which won't be too long I don't think) then we'll have the most stable and most mature OS out there.

Most of this is opinion, I haven't really done any tests because my laptop is rubbish and falling to bits (it dies repeatedly through overheating if I try and do anything intensive) although I have read a few things where tests have been done.

hoeeg · n00b Joined: 04 Jul 2002 Posts: 26 Location: Denmark

I have been running 64 bit for 2 years now, and it's quite stable.
Also note that its possible to have both 64 and 32 bit versions of the same program installed.
I have 64 bit Firefox for normal browsing and 32 bit Firefox-bin for the few sites that requires java and flash. The same with mplayer and mplayer-bin for win32 codecs.
Whats the point one could ask. Well nothing, but it can be done.

Mercen4ry · n00b Joined: 17 Apr 2006 Posts: 12

I have a couple AMD64 boxes with Gentoo. Of them, the only one I run in AMD64 mode is my main rig. The other I'm entirely too lazy to unmask ~amd64 on and...

For AMD64, I'd say it's very very very close, but not quite there yet. I run my other x86_64 in x86 bit mode because it didn't like the 2006.1 AMD64 minimal CD and I'm entirely too lazy to enable it on what's essentially a spare box.

If you're up to the challenge, go for it -- it's quite stable, albeit requiring some extra workarounds and steps for getting what you want done (chroot builds for unsupported packages like Ogre, etc). The extra math performance is handy if you do a lot of building or dev work, and the 32-bit emulation packages work very nicely.

Oh, and I also have 64 bit and 32 bit Firefox installs, plus a Wine version. I actually have a point for it though -- multiple proxies for routing my data. Paranoid? Why yes!

gkmac · Posted: Wed Dec 20, 2006 8:04 pm Post subject:

Aefron · n00b Joined: 27 Oct 2006 Posts: 41

mikb · Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:26 am Post subject:

mikb · Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 2:47 am Post subject:

Zmyrgel · Posted: Thu Dec 21, 2006 6:56 am Post subject:

Still need to wait around 4 months to get back to my desktop machine but once I get there I'm planning to go full 64-bit on it. I think atleast KDE has great benefit on the 64-bit as the prelink likes it better than 32-bit system (somebody posted some thread about this a while ago). Hopefully the KDE 4.0 will be out by then and all the glorious eye-candy will be mine

Hopefully the 64-bit version will get some maturation too... particulary the flash and mplayer.

... to upgrade... or not to 'grade... there's the problem

KAMIKAZE_ · Guru Joined: 09 Oct 2003 Posts: 309 Location: Riga, Latvia

just wait until gnash will support all of flash versions and goes stable enough. adobe s*cks
_________________
-=[powered by Gentoo]=-

TheChuckster · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 18 Aug 2003 Posts: 91

At this point, there's no EXCUSE not to have 64-bit Flash and Java plugins. The vendors just need to change some data types around and recompile...

brot · Guru Joined: 06 Apr 2004 Posts: 322

Well, i changed from i386 to amd64 3 days ago, and i have to say i am very happy with it. There are really nearly no differences for the average joe, only some mess with the flash plugin ( but just look at the wonderfull amd64 howto in the gentoo-wiki, the nspluginwrapper method really works great ).

I would go for the amd64 system... :wink:

el_Salmon · Posted: Mon May 21, 2007 7:10 pm Post subject:

Most of the problems come to non-opensource software. I think OpenOffice.org it's the only OSS that has problems in 64-bits mode (but not in 32-bits).

We have to intend to use OSS instead of privative software: swfdec/gnash instead of Adobe plugin, lastest ffmpeg libraries instead win32codecs, opensource SIP clients instead of skype, etc.

irondog · Posted: Sun May 27, 2007 4:00 pm Post subject:

I switched to amd64 for the first time since and I'm quite happy with it.
First I tried to get rid of win32codecs(*) on x86 and I have been using it for some time without problems. Most of the stuff I play does not require Windows codecs.
Second, I never use Adobe's PDF (*) stuff. I simply use kPDF as the default pdf viewer in firefox (without plugins). KPDF is much faster than Adobe Reader and I have never seen any glitches while using it (I have been for about 1.5 years).

Openoffice (*) is something I haven used yet on my amd64 system. I don't use it very often, so lets hope it works well enough.

Java (*) is not a problem anymore on amd64.

Adobe's Flash (*): lets hope it works well enough with nspluginwrapper. Else: multilib 32bit firefox.

Skype (*) will work with some multilib compatibility, I bet.

So, my summary of amd64 on my desktop PC so far is, that it's exactly good enough for me to go for it. I've been waiting with my 64bit system for quite a while reading about all these work-arounds.
Right now, almost all the things that kept me waiting (the *'s) have been solved. I still dislike to have an important this called "Adobe's flash" not 100% working. But it is actually the only thing really ugly on amd64.

_________________
Alle dingen moeten onzin zijn.

hvengel · Guru Joined: 19 Sep 2004 Posts: 515

irondog · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 7:25 am Post subject:

vipernicus · Posted: Sat Jun 16, 2007 10:21 am Post subject:

Nope, 64-bit is still too much of a hack to be worthwhile for the desktop user.
_________________
Viper-Sources Maintainer || nesl247 Projects || vipernicus.org blog