Are you thinking about upgrading to Windows XP 64 bit? Go ahead and read the article over at ThinkComputers.org where they talk about the support issues that the new OS brings. Quite frankly this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone. Remember the move to NT 4.0 and Windows 2000? You needed pretty standard equipment to even have the hopes of running the OS. So it is with Win XP 64.. it’s going to take some time and it’s going to take demand from the public for hardware manufacturers to make new drivers for the OS. This is one area where Apple does well in because it controls the hardware specifications so tightly. Here’s a blurb from the article:

I haven’t even heard of anything in the industry yet that hints at companies making software for the 64bit computer, so why did so many of us adopt the 64bit CPU? Why are we buying them? I know the majority of people out there with 64bit CPU’s are not even using Windows XP 64, they are running a 32bit operating system on a 64 bit processor, umm what’s the point?

On a different note – I do have a basic problem with the article though. Although 64 bit CPUs are definitely all the rage AND is also all that is available now, it’s natural for all of us to eventually own one of these CPUs. Yet, all of the current CPUs are backwards compatible with 32 bit OS’s so you can definitely stick with your 32 bit OS. You’re not locked into future technology here and you’re not giving up anything at all. That was the whole point in going to a system which supported both worlds.

Going to an entirely new platform is a hard task and it’s hard to expect software companies to push things to a new platform if there are no revenue streams coming to it. The author is right in that most people use 32 bit OSs on their 64 bit processors. Why? Because there’s plenty of software and they know it works. Why risk moving to an entirely new platform when everything works now?

There in lies the problem. Not enough users – no software or driver support. Not enough software or driver support then no users. Hmm seems like a chicken and the egg problem here huh? Now look at Apple. No problem here because once the company moves to a new platform, the herd follows. Why? Because you’re locked into the platform.

With Windows – you’re not. Simple as that folks. So don’t blame all the 64 bit issues on the hardware and software manufacturers folks. They’re doing the best they can given the economic conditions. If you’re going to want 64 bit systems, then you better start shouting out loud because 32 bit systems have plenty of juice left in them.

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