Re: The Apple II is crap

[russotto@grace.speakeasy.net (Matthew Russotto)]

In article <apple22-CAD6D8.09483215082003@apollo-ge0.rdc-kc.rr.com>,
Greg Buchner  <apple22@mn.rr.com> wrote:
>In article <20030815032734.29543.00000027@mb-m24.aol.com>,
> mjmahon@aol.com (Michael J. Mahon) wrote:
>
>> The move to 64-bit computing platforms, now starting, is
>> similarly hampered by the entrenched base of 32-bit
>> software.  The ubiquitous "punning" by developers between
>> "integer" and "pointer" is a major obstacle to simple porting
>> of code to a new addressing model, as it was in the past.
>
>It doesn't seem to be as much of a problem with the PowerMac G5.  It 
>mostly seems to just involve a recompile of the code with a compiler 
>that understand the PPC970.  (Mac OS X need not apply, that'd take a bit 
>more serious work.)  But we'll hopefully start finding out more 
>information at the end of the month.

Panther will be able to run applications in a 32-bit address space.
Which makes sense anyway; the vast majority of applications have no
need for that much memory, so wasting 32 bits per pointer seems
pointless.
-- 
Matthew T. Russotto                            mrussotto@speakeasy.net
"Extremism in defense of liberty is no vice, and moderation in pursuit
of justice is no virtue."  But extreme restriction of liberty in pursuit of 
a modicum of security is a very expensive vice.