Re: amd64 and dpkg and so

[harlan@artselect.com (Pete Harlan)]

> what I said. Every user of such a system will more than likely also need or
> want to run a 32bit binary on such a machine at some stage, and it is just too
> restrictive not to be able to do that. It is clear that you want to run 64bit
> whenever you can, but you won't always be able to.

Some people (myself) want one to run 64-bit only, and will never need
to run a 32-bit binary.  I imagine a lot of people are in the same
boat I am: I have a db server, and I'm buying an Opteron to take
advantage of a huge flat memory space.  I couldn't care less that it's
theoretically capable of 32-bit mode.

I'm not arguing against a 32-bit-capable hybrid, but if it's trivial
to port everything wholesale to dedicated-64-bit, that would *not*
merely be an academic exercise, it would be entirely useful to a whole
class of users during the year it will take to get the hybrid designed
and coded.

The alternative for many of us is either buy an Itanium or Sun (lots
more money) or buy Suse.

Don't get me wrong, nobody owes me a free OS on an Opteron and I
really appreciate everything everyone's doing.  I'm just chiming in
for the non-pointlessness of 64-bit-only.  I need 32-bit apps like I
need 16-bit apps...

--
Pete Harlan
harlan@artselect.com