Solved Why Use 64-bit Internet Explorer 8?

[Harrismith]

On my new laptop I notice that I have the option of using a 64-bit version of Internet Explorer 8.
Why would I chose to use the 64-bit version, are there any real advantages?

 

[richc46]

Welcome

Possibly this information from MS, will help

Differences between the 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Internet Explorer that are included in the x64-based versions of Windows Server 2003 and in Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

Applies to Vista and Windows 7

 

[Harrismith]

Cheers for your help.
My problem was running Norton 360 toolbar in IE64-bit.
Norton confirms the following;

"I am sorry to inform to you that Norton tool bar is not compatible with Internet Explorer 64 bit edition.

Norton tool bar is compatible only with Internet Explorer 32 bit.We are currently we are working on this issue."

Thanks once again.

 

[jimbo45]

On my new laptop I notice that I have the option of using a 64-bit version of Internet Explorer 8.
Why would I chose to use the 64-bit version, are there any real advantages?

Maybe not now - but later in the not so foreseeable future it will be necessary.

Imagine you are using Internet explorer to access / create queries for large databases -- some of these will soon need 64 bit capability to access / retrieve data (64 Bit objects I believe they are called) -- even MS Office Access 2010 ( a very simple DB system) is being "equipped" with 64 bit technology.

Now it might be possible to "front end" your DB query so the server software can generate the query to retrive your data from the DB but you can't always assume that the web site will do this - and in any case do you want remote sites to "hack around" in your browser altering your code so its compatable with their website.

In the future more and more websites will contain 64 bit objects so it will be a necessity sooner or later.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[JeremyJukes]

Adobe flash player does not come as a 64 bit add-on and so this flash player will only work with your 32 bit ie8. I believe this is the biggest problem with ie8 64 bit - i.e. lack of 64 bit add-ons.

 

[Dwarf]

I tend to use the 64-bit version of IE in both my 64-bit installations of W7 and Vista. For those sites which use Flash, I use the 32-bit versions, so that isn't a problem.

However, 64-bit computing has been around for a few years now and made its first major foray into the consumer market with the shaky introduction with XP 64-bit edition. This was later followed up by both Vista and now W7 having 64-bit versions as well as the 32-bit ones. Rumour has it that the forthcoming W8 platform could possibly only have 64-bit support, but we shall have to wait and see. Regardless of that, I think that companies like Adobe (who produce Flash) and others like them will need to get their acts together and start producing add-ons that are 64-bit compatible.

 

[mlevy]

I tend to use the 64-bit version of IE in both my 64-bit installations of W7 and Vista. For those sites which use Flash, I use the 32-bit versions, so that isn't a problem.

However, 64-bit computing has been around for a few years now and made its first major foray into the consumer market with the shaky introduction with XP 64-bit edition. This was later followed up by both Vista and now W7 having 64-bit versions as well as the 32-bit ones. Rumour has it that the forthcoming W8 platform could possibly only have 64-bit support, but we shall have to wait and see. Regardless of that, I think that companies like Adobe (who produce Flash) and others like them will need to get their acts together and start producing add-ons that are 64-bit compatible.

Didn't we hear the same about Windows 7? We see how that panned out...

 

[crimson]

I tend to use the 64-bit version of IE in both my 64-bit installations of W7 and Vista.

What for? Can you give some examples? Trying to figure out what is the purpose of using IE 64-bit. Does it allow you to open more pages?

 

[stve]

The 64 bit version is slower in the benchmarks , the vast majority of users of Windows 7 64 bit operating system use the 32 bit version which has a newer & faster JavaScript engine.
IE9 vs Chrome 10 vs Firefox 4 RC vs Opera 11.01 vs Safari 5 - The BIG browser benchmark! | ZDNet

 

[cluberti]

What for? Can you give some examples? Trying to figure out what is the purpose of using IE 64-bit. Does it allow you to open more pages?

The 64bit version does have some increased security due to things like more effective DEP protection and a larger address space to make ASLR attacks harder, but the browser itself is basically the same. However, (while not directly related to IE8), it is worth noting that javascript in the 64bit IE9 is slower than 32bit, because while the engine is the same between the two, the 64bit version does not have the JIT compiler optimizations that the 32bit version has, and thus can be up to 4 times slower in javascript than the 32bit version of IE9. Unless you're a developer writing/testing a 64bit add-on to IE at this point, there's not much reason to use it (similar to the reasons for not using 64bit Office 2010 - it's mostly for developers at this point to build/test 64bit code for the future).