Windows 7 Beta

Windows 7 Beta

Re: Windows 7 Beta Posted by G4MER on Mon Jan 26th 2009 at 1:02am
G4MER
2460 posts
Posted 2009-01-26 1:02am
G4MER
floaty snark rage
member
2460 posts 360 snarkmarks Registered: Sep 6th 2003 Location: USA
http://www.microsoft.com/windows/windows-7/beta-download.aspx

I want to see what it does.. but I am not sure I want to DL it and install it.. Hell normall released version of Windows are unstable.. just imagine the beta version.
Re: Windows 7 Beta Posted by larchy on Mon Jan 26th 2009 at 7:45am
larchy
496 posts
Posted 2009-01-26 7:45am
larchy
fluffy teim
super admin
496 posts 87 snarkmarks Registered: Jan 14th 2008 Occupation: kitten fluffer Location: UK
Been on x86-64 for about a fortnight now and it is thoroughly awesome!
Re: Windows 7 Beta Posted by Riven on Mon Jan 26th 2009 at 3:11pm
Riven
1640 posts
Posted 2009-01-26 3:11pm
Riven
Wuch ya look'n at?
super admin
1640 posts 1266 snarkmarks Registered: May 2nd 2005 Occupation: Architect Location: Austin, Texas, USA
Well, I don't think I will download it just out of the sheer fear that I might lose data. I'm already running a raid 5 array and don't feel like backing up anything anymore. Vista Ultimate 64 has been pretty awesome thus far, and I can't complain. If you do download it however, please be sure to let us know how it is.

Larchy can you explain x86-64 for me? On my 64 bit version under the C:/ drive, I have two 'Program Files' folders, and the second one has (x86) in the folder name (it reads: Program Files (x86) ) I understand it's for 32 bit programs, but wouldn't they name it (x32)? Where does this x86 come from?

I probably should look this up myself, but I'm looking for something to type while in class :P
Blog: www.playingarchitecture.net
LinkedIn: Eric Lancon
Twitter:@Riven202
Re: Windows 7 Beta Posted by larchy on Mon Jan 26th 2009 at 7:06pm
larchy
496 posts
Posted 2009-01-26 7:06pm
larchy
fluffy teim
super admin
496 posts 87 snarkmarks Registered: Jan 14th 2008 Occupation: kitten fluffer Location: UK
x86 is the type of architecture your computer is based on. The x86 ISA is owned by Intel and licensed to AMD, and at time to nvidia/via/sis etc to make chipsets.

x86 is 32bit, hence Program Files (x86) is for 32bit apps.

x86-64 is x86 with 64bit extensions.

x86-64 was created by AMD when they created the K8 Athlon 64. Intel would rather do anything at all than accept changes to their ISA by a third party, but AMD actually pulled off the impossible.

Intel tried to prevent 64bit adoption since they didn't have a solution at the time. Later they countered with their own 'EMT64' (Extended Memory Technology) in later P4 revisions, but it was functionally identical to x86-64, indeed had to be because AMD had gained such a vast amount of traction in the intervening time.

Even on new Intel CPUs you will see them labelled as supporting 'EMT64' rather than 'x86-64', because they use their own copy rather than license x86-64 from AMD, but since all 64bit x86 software uses x86-64 they're forced to work in exactly the same way. Score AMD!

Intel's name is interesting, reflecting the fact that the technology is inherently tied to increased memory support and nothing else... which most people fail to realise as they think it magically doubles CPU speed or some such rubbish.

I rather suspect that Microsoft's decision to label the 32bit folder x86 instead of leaving it as program files and calling the 64 bit folder 'program files x86-64' was to avoid annoying Intel :)