Gateway touts 64-bit PCs

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Inertia in getting 64 bit Windows available to the retail user

In the last few months MS finally came out with their 64 bit Windows OS. With the recent appearance of 64 bit Intel chips and much longer availability of 64 bit AMD chips, finally the stage was set for the box makers (Gateway, Dell, etc.) to start selling PC's running the new OS to the retail user. All the ingredients are there. However, to my surprise it was as if the new OS did not exist. The Gateway 64 bit PC with a 32 bit OS is not alone. What happened?

A reason given is that many of the peripheral manufacturers still write their device drivers in 16 bits to accommodate very old PC's. The 32 bit Windows OS will run 16 bit software but MS has made the 64 bit OS reject such antiquated software. Now the peripheral manufacturers are forced to rewrite their device drivers for thousands of products. Meanwhile the box makers are probably afraid that retail customers will scream when they buy a new printer or whatever that won't run on the new OS. MS, themselves, talk about taking a few years for full adoption of the new OS.

Whatever their motivation for leaving the 64 bit OS on the shelf, it presents the scary situation that adoption of it might get pushed further and further out.

In addition, the 64 bit OS is not an upgrade to the 32 bit one. You have to remove all your files from the hard drive to install the new OS. That means that it is not good enough to just buy a new 64 bit PC with a 32 bit OS with the expectation of upgrading when the momentum finally gets underway. It will be too painful to do so.

A push is really needed by the manufacturers, including MS and the box makers, to get this one resolved. Consumers and businesses would be much better served if they could buy inexpensive PC's that run the new OS. Our PC's will last much longer because once this hurdle is overcome, future software will be written in 64 bits. (Maybe that's a problem for the box makers. It opposes their planned obsolescence.) It will not be just for gamers and CAD/CAM. It will be for everybody.

Also, the top reason many people quote for going to the new OS is that you will be able to address more than 4 GB of DRAM. This is all well and good but the main reason that I see is that a 64 bit processor with a 32 bit OS is hamstrung.

If they cannot get over this problem we can always choose Linux or Apple both of which are getting better all the time.

This has been long but it needed to be said.

Jamie

Posted by: doctor_jamie   Posted on: 06/30/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use

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