Linux x32 Is Made Easier With Ubuntu 13.04

[V10lator]

X32 userspace can/should sit on an AMD64 kernel, so the AMD64 NVidia driver and the 386 flash player would all work just as they do now in 64-bit systems.

Except that you need 64 bit xorg (and dependencies) and a x86 browser (with dependencies) which would void the RAM saving for your graphics and the speedup for your browser. While the browser thing is a minor issue (just use a x32 browser as long as you don't need flash) the xorg thing is not, so you're better off with open source drivers.

//EDIT: Also don't forget that x32 programs can't use amd64 libs, like libGL.so, so the nvidia driver will force many things to x86 or amd64.

[snadrus]

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Maybe ARMv8 will do the very same thing?

As for desktops it'd be a pain in the ass (no nvidia x32 driver, x32 flash player, and what about just downloading and running a static build of some software) so don't bother

X32 gains use of better instructions that came with the 64-bit standard. ARM's various instruction sets similarly add & remove what works there.

X32 userspace can/should sit on an AMD64 kernel, so the AMD64 NVidia driver and the 386 flash player would all work just as they do now in 64-bit systems.

[curaga]

If it's a continuous task, you're still using that 20%, but actually getting 23%

[Sonadow]

I'm assuming you refer to data centres (like Amazon) that configure virtual machines and rent out the capacity to users, and not using an in-house server with VMs configured.

That being the case, the fees that the provider usually charges is already based on a lot of factors such as expected processing load, duration of subscription, etc etc that have already been factored into the bill. Let's say, for example, you have subscribed to Company A's services and are guranteed up to say, 20% of the server's resources at all times. You going for an x32 guest and lowering some of the processing overheads to say, 17% will make the provider very happy for sure, but don't forget that you have already paid for that 20%.

If anything, you want to make full use of that 20% resources and get your money's worth out of that subscription you are paying.

[grok]

I remember reading that a significant niche could be in virtual machines. What If you're renting some Xen guest with 512MB ram, or anything < 3.5GB, with some "half a core" guarantee : then that linux server would just run pure x32 and you get a free performance gain - assuming you only had to choose to run a debian x32 installer, or an x32 variant of ubuntu 14.04 or something else. Even the provider would be happy from small electricity savings or cramming one more VM on the server.

Maybe ARMv8 will do the very same thing?

As for desktops it'd be a pain in the ass (no nvidia x32 driver, x32 flash player, and what about just downloading and running a static build of some software) so don't bother, unless maybe you can run full open source everything and install such a clean x32 system on an old computer.
I still run pure i686 on my desktop (I have a x86 CPU, but "only" 3GB RAM, up from 2GB. Also if my computer dramatically fails I can still put the IDE hard drive in some piece of crap Pentium 4; or if my PC doesn't fail I can make an installation on a new hard drive, and reuse the old OS in an old PC)

[locovaca]

Yes, but 32-bit-only x86 hardware is becoming obsolete, and most for-Linux software is following. A distro could support only the handful of 64-bit programs they must (drivers & those like what I listed), then have x32 for the rest.

Maybe new hardware, but there are millions upon millions of existing systems that are not 64 bit and no distribution is going to drop x86 and alienate those users.

[enfocomp]

This sounds perfect for some old console emulators that seem to work best on x86 systems.

[snadrus]

Support less

Every performance gain has a cost. The cost in this case is maintaining a whole third set of libraries on a system. That takes space, development hours, qa hours, and the performance gains have not been proven dramatic outside of a few synthetic benchmarks.

Yes, but 32-bit-only x86 hardware is becoming obsolete, and most for-Linux software is following. A distro could support only the handful of 64-bit programs they must (drivers & those like what I listed), then have x32 for the rest.

[locovaca]

Actually this is pretty cool. I dont know why so many people bitch around.

I for instance have a quite new laptop with a Intel core i3 a decent AMD grapics card and 2GB of RAM. So what do I exactly need 64bit for?

People argumented that "I should use 64bit for the small performance gain" (of course there are also some perf decreases as already pointed out, larger address space etc).

Now we have x32 which provides exactly the performance of 64bit and even more (smaller pointer size etc), and now the same people complain "that it is not worth the performance gain"!

C'mon that's lame.

Every performance gain has a cost. The cost in this case is maintaining a whole third set of libraries on a system. That takes space, development hours, qa hours, and the performance gains have not been proven dramatic outside of a few synthetic benchmarks.

[Nuc!eoN]

Actually this is pretty cool. I dont know why so many people bitch around.

I for instance have a quite new laptop with a Intel core i3 a decent AMD grapics card and 2GB of RAM. So what do I exactly need 64bit for?

People argumented that "I should use 64bit for the small performance gain" (of course there are also some perf decreases as already pointed out, larger address space etc).

Now we have x32 which provides exactly the performance of 64bit and even more (smaller pointer size etc), and now the same people complain "that it is not worth the performance gain"!

C'mon that's lame.