Microsoft mulling 128-bit versions of Win8, Win9

So what is the point of 128-bit if we barely even stepped foot into 64-bit computing? There is no way we will need 16 exabytes of RAM in the next few years and most applications are not even written for 64-bit yet. We would need a brand new CPU, OS kernel, drivers, and applications again with 128-bit.

It's nice that MS is looking into the future, but I'd rather have them optimize and take advantage of what we already have.

DarkNovaGamer said:

I'd hope, that even with a 128-bit OS we'd still be able to use 32-bit apps, otherwise we'd be screwed. :|

Well 64-bit Windows operating systems do not allow execution of 16-bit applications natively (you have to use a virtual machine).

So I would assume you will not be able to run 32-bit applications on a 128-bit OS.

I don't know much about CPU architecture but I would assume having 128-bit registers would help performance with future CPU instructions like AVX and FMA.

This appears more to be concerned with Windows Server (i.e., Windows NT 7) which of course would be Windows 8. Cause how many consumer or non-server-class machines use an Intel Itanium processor? Mind you, these IA-64 processors are hella expensive. A Consumer OS I cannot see a need for going to 128 bits, but for a server OS defiantly.

Firestrider said:

Well 64-bit Windows operating systems do not allow execution of 16-bit applications natively (you have to use a virtual machine).

So I would assume you will not be able to run 32-bit applications on a 128-bit OS.

16-bit will run on a 64-bit processor. Microsoft only removed the 16-bit DOS compatibility layer refered to as: Virtual DOS machine. To run a 16-bit application on a 64-bit processor it only needs to be switched to x86 and activate the Virtual Mode. However, this switch requires a hard reset.

DarkNovaGamer said:

swarfega said:

Quite true antman, maybe silverlight will take over if adobe fail.

It is very likely silverlight will take over, although I beileve there is not a x64 silverlight as of yet, am I wrong?

I think Microsoft has already dropped the ball on this one. There is no x64 version of Silverlight and I they have publicly stated they will consider it for SL3. They should have had it ready for the Win7 launch.

Adobe has just made an x64 Linux Beta of Flash available but nothing for Windows.

I call this one a Niche play.

Why?

Itanium's instruction set has zero commonality with x86/x64. So to get existing (x) code to run, there must be come kind of container, wrapper, or virtualized environment to do it for you. Now, before anyone comes back with WOW64 - understand that operates on the OS level and that the 32 bit binaries are still run on the processor natively. This can not be done on an Itanium box.

So to make existing x** applications work in an Itanium box, they'll have to operate in some sort of a container. AKA Java.