Ric Otte wrote:
I need to make another computer this summer, and am seriously considering getting an AMD64 machine. I've been using Debian on my desktop for a few years, but I am not an expert by any measure; thus my worry is that I'm not an experienced enough user to handle Debianon AMD64.
Once you complete the install, pure64 is neither harder nor easier to administer. I could argue that it's easier because none of the proprietary stuff is available in pure64 so you don't spend hours trying to figure out why a given piece of binary-only code is not running properly. 8-)
My needs are fairly simple. I need to be able to run programs like: vim, latex, mutt, x, mozilla, cdrecord, acrobat reader, gnumeric, gimp, etc. I have seldom compiled my own programs, and tend to just use what can easily be gotten through Debian.
As mentioned elsewhere, acroread is proprietary and not available ... I use gv or xpdf. People also notice the lack of openoffice, although the OOo development team hope to make version 2.0 be 64 bit clean.
Since I use this machine for work, I need to have it working by sometime in August. I realize that progress is being made rapidly on the AMD64 port, and was wondering if folks on this list thought it would be suitable for an ordinary user like me now, or if I should wait until August, or if I should wait even longer. I'm concerned that I could get myself into a situation in which I simply can't get the machine to work with Debian.
Since you can use the machine in 32 bit mode anyway, I'd just go with trying to get the AMD64 port installed. If you run out of time and have failed to get pure64, you can simply install ordinary pure32 until you have time to try again (say at christmas?). Either way, if you keep your "/home" as a separate partition then none of your user files need to be disturbed when you migrate - which eliminates the remaining risk.
If you're comfortable working with a dual boot machine, and don't mind learning how to use chroot, I suggest you bring up both pure32 and pure64 so you can compare and contrast the performance.
(I was thinking about getting an ASUS K8V SE motherboard, along with a Athalon 64 3000; If there is any known problem with this and Debian, please let me know.)
I've been using an e-machines M6805 laptop (Via chipset) which works fine. Can't help on desktop motherboards, sorry.