[NBLUG/talk] 64-bit Linux on the desktop?

[Lincoln Peters]

On Thu, Dec 24, 2009 at 5:25 AM, Scott Doty <scott at ponzo.net> wrote:
> On 12/24/2009 02:00 AM, Troy Arnold wrote:
>>
>> This question is so 2006 ;-)
>>
>> I've run the 64bit version of kubuntu for at least a couple of years now.
>> It's all so seamless that I never even think about it.  Flash works ok in
>> Firefox, but crashes fairly often.  It doesn't bring the browser down
>> though.  There is a 64 bit version available:
>> http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/64bit.html
>>
>>
>
> Agreed that 64bit Linux is ready for prime time, and that's what I run
> on my desktops that have the processor for it.
>
> The 64bit Flash doesn't crash for me on Fedora 12, save on one site I've
> found:  http://powercranks.com (iirc.)

Cool.  The reason I wasn't sure is I haven't set up a new Linux system
in a few years, and all of the newer Linux machines I use at my job
are running 32-bit versions of Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3.x or 5.x.

>> If you have 3GB+ of RAM, install a 64bit arch, otherwise flip a coin.
>>
>>
>
> Actually, that's a windows-ism.  Linux will use all the memory,
> regardless of arch, if you use a PAE kernel.
>
> (So will windoze, but $MSFT has intentionally crippled their 32-bit PAE
> kernels w/a registry setting.)

I know from experience that PAE works just fine on Linux.  Some of the
RHEL 5.x machines I use at work have as much as 64GB of RAM apiece.

>
> One of my buddies says 32-bit apps are faster, even on x86_64 systems.
> I think it all depends on motherboard specifics, esp. if you're using EM64T.

I'll be installing this motherboard:
<http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813138152>

I'm not quite sure what EM64T is, but I'll look into it.

>
>> 'aptitude purge pulseaudio' and Kubuntu becomes remarkably solid and free
>> of facepalm-inducing moments.
>>
>
> Fedora has been real big on pulseaudio also, and I can report that it
> works well for almost all of my uses now.
>
> BUT, it won't do ac3 passthrough over my hdmi cable from my media pc --
> so I'm going to be moving that back to ALSA at some point.  Doh!
>
> Also, for Fedora users fighting with Pulseaudio:  I highly recommend
> "yum install pavucontrol" and using that to set up audio the way you
> want it.

I'll have to remember that as well.  Thanks.


-- 
Lincoln Peters
<anfrind at gmail.com>