Linux was created on the first 32-bit CPU in the x86 CPU family, the 80386. But the days of 32-bit computing are coming to an end. Luckily, the AMD64 provides compatibility features that ease the transition. Here’s a hands-on guide to building and benchmarking a 64-bit Linux desktop based on AMD64.
Linux was created on the first 32-bit CPU in the x86 CPU family, the 80386. Since then, computing has evolved substantially, and while 32-bit computing remains adequate for many purposes, its days are nearing an end. Increasing demand for RAM will soon dictate a shift to 64-bit architectures.
Fortunately, 64-bit CPUs are currently available and are beginning to move into the mainstream. One of these architectures, AMD’s AMD64, is gaining in popularity, and seems likely to dominate the market currently held by its Intel Architecture-32 (IA-32, or x86) predecessor.
Shifting to a new CPU architecture may seem intimidating, but AMD64 provides compatibility features that ease the transition. Linux’s open source code helps too: because source code is available and can be recompiled relatively easily, Linux distributions for AMD64 are already stable.
Why AMD64?
When comparing IA-32 to AMD64, 32-bit and 64-bit refer primarily to the size of the CPUs’ data registers, including both the general-purpose registers and the address registers. A 32-bit register is capable of storing a value up to 232, or about four billion, while a 64-bit register can store values of up to 264, or about 1.8×1019. Fundamentally, a 64-bit CPU is just one that can work on larger numbers.
While most common applications, such as word processors, web browsers, and mail servers, don’t often need to work with integers larger than four billion, a few specialized applications do. Encryption software frequently uses keys that are quite large, and Linux’s JFS…
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