[dvlug] 64 vs. 32 bit

[Rick Moen]

I wrote:

> However, until devices with significantly more than 4 GB physical RAM 
> are more prominent than they are today, the most compelling advantage
> (the better access to large pools of memory) doesn't really apply.
 
A couple of (possibly meaningless?) data points:


1.  The rather ancient 2001-era VA Linux server that runs DVLUG's
mailing list.

[rick at linuxmafia]
~ $ cat /proc/cpuinfo 
processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 8
model name      : Pentium III (Coppermine)
stepping        : 3
cpu MHz         : 647.200
[...]

[rick at linuxmafia]
~ $ free -m
             total       used       free     shared    buffers    cached
Mem:          1519       1426         92          0        314       571
-/+ buffers/cache:        540        979
Swap:         1286          0       1285
[rick at linuxmafia]



2.  The 2005-ish Dell Optiplex GX620 workstation in front of me.

$ cat /proc/cpuinfo 
processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 15
model           : 4
model name      : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 3.20GHz
stepping        : 3
cpu MHz         : 3192.201
[...]

$ free -m
             total       used       free     shared    buffers    cached
Mem:          2026       1942         83          0         32      1231
-/+ buffers/cache:        678       1347
Swap:         1906          0       1906
$

The latter's doing a huge amount of stuff with just 2GB total RAM, and 
it's not even hitting swap at all, you'll notice.  (Just Window Maker,
no DE loaded.)

You could hand me 4 GB more of RAM and I'd happily accept it, but
wouldn't really benefit, even with all-x64 software.  (I still run IA32
Linux on both boxen).