Not yet, they will use a 64-bit kernel in Snow Leopard on 64-bit hardware. They also have a 32-bit kernel for the older Core Duo machines.
This means getting 64-bit drivers but one of Wacom's support notes said they tested their drivers in Snow Leopard's 32-bit emulation mode so I don't know if Apple will be able to run 32-bit kernel extensions with a 64-bit kernel using emulation similar to their Rosetta for PPC.
For a normal user, all this really means is that your computer can support more RAM and therefore be faster. There are some additional security benefits, too
Not yet, they will use a 64-bit kernel in Snow Leopard on 64-bit hardware. They also have a 32-bit kernel for the older Core Duo machines.
This means getting 64-bit drivers but one of Wacom's support notes said they tested their drivers in Snow Leopard's 32-bit emulation mode so I don't know if Apple will be able to run 32-bit kernel extensions with a 64-bit kernel using emulation similar to their Rosetta for PPC.
What is a 64 bit kenel? Well that depends on who you ask. Things got messy a long time ago about what paths in the the processors used how many bits.
But for todays purposes people usually talk about how many bits wide a pointer to a memory location is in user-space. This effectively decides the maximum amount of memory a process can address (a bit more complicated than that, but it works). This is vitally important to processes that need more memory, but actually slows down other processes slightly (the pointers are bigger, so it takes slightly more time to move them around).
However, in the case of the transition that we are talking about: x86 (32-bit Intel design) to x86-64 (the AMD invented 64bit version) there is another major advantage: AMD took the opportunity to add more registers (the fastest form of memory in a processor) and this partially corrects the biggest mistake that Intel made with the x86 processor, thus speeding up things considerably.
Additionally, Apple took the opportunity to change the Obj-C runtime in the transition to 64bits and managed to make some of the most common operations much faster (only sacrificing some really-low-level undocumented feature compatibility). So on MacOS X there are multiple levels of speedup happening when you run on a 64bit kernel.
The net result is that on a 64bit kernel things actually do get faster on Intel hardware. And if you have memory hungry processes, then things get much, much faster. But for most of us we are only ever going to see the slightly faster bit (ballpark 10-20%).
And Apple announced well over a year ago that they were going to make MacOS X run in 64bit mode. But we can be sure that 10.6 also has a 32bit mode, since some Intel-based macs shipped with 32bit-only processors.
Ultimately, what I believe 64 bit kernel means in that the kernel can handle instructions made from 64 1s and 0s natively, as opposed to a 32 bit kernel using instructions made with 32 1s and 0s.
Ultimately, what I believe 64 bit kernel means in that the kernel can handle instructions made from 64 1s and 0s natively, as opposed to a 32 bit kernel using instructions made with 32 1s and 0s.
Feel free to correct me, I'd like to know also.
bingo !!!i think >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
wiki below
Intel 64 Implementations
Intel's first processor to activate the Intel 64 technology was the multi-socket processor Xeon code-named Nocona later in 2004. In contrast, the initial Prescott chips (February 2004) did not enable this feature. Intel subsequently began selling Intel 64-enabled Pentium 4s using the E0 revision of the Prescott core, being sold on the OEM market as the Pentium 4, model F. The E0 revision also adds eXecute Disable (XD) (Intel's name for the NX bit) to Intel 64, and has been included in then current Xeon code-named Irwindale. Intel's official launch of Intel 64 (under the name EM64T at that time) in mainstream desktop processors was the N0 Stepping Prescott-2M. All 9xx, 8xx, 6xx, 5x9, 5x6, 5x1, 3x6, and 3x1 series CPUs have Intel 64 enabled, as do the Core 2 CPUs, as will future Intel CPUs for workstations or servers. Intel 64 is also present in the last members of the Celeron D line.
The first Intel mobile processor implementing Intel 64 is the Merom version of the Core 2 processor, which was released on 27 July 2006. None of Intel's earlier notebook CPUs (Core Duo, Pentium M, Celeron M, Mobile Pentium 4) implements Intel 64.
The following processors implement the Intel 64 architecture:
Intel NetBurst microarchitecture
Intel Xeon (some models since "Nocona")
Intel Celeron D (some models since "Prescott")
Intel Pentium 4 (some models since "Prescott")
Intel Pentium D
Intel Pentium Extreme Edition
Intel Core microarchitecture
Intel Xeon (all models since "Woodcrest")
Intel Core 2 (Including Mobile processors since "Merom")
I don't know if many games will benefit from having a 64-bit version. Given how poor Mac gaming developments are, I especially doubt that Mac developers will use it. Most of your gaming will be done in Bootcamp and you can get 64-bit right now by installing a 64-bit Windows OS:
64-bit systems have a lot of compatibility issues though so I'd recommend sticking to 32-bit for gaming needs. 32-bit XP for a year or so more and then jump to Windows 7.
There is a test of Windows 7 beta 64-bit here for gaming:
Windows aficionados are going to state that Windows has been 64-bit from top to bottom for years now. They are correct, but their victory is at best pointless and at worst Pyrrhic when you consider how many years 64-bit Windows has had little to no driver support.
The method in which Apple has converted their OS is a much better working solution. Snow Leopard will allow all 64-bit capable machines to run a 32-bit or 64-bit kernel and extensions without the need for a reinstallation of the OS. That means, if you come across a driver for a printer, scanner, wireless card or whatever that hasn?t been updated to 64-bit yet you can simply restart your Mac whilst holding down the the numbers ?3? and ?2? to boot using the 32-bit kernel and extensions.
All the current 64-bit drivers are also backwards compatible for 32-bit and apps other processes above the kernel can also run in 64-bit or 32-bit regardless what the kernel is running. For the end user, this means very little to most users at this point but in the future it will required and this stepped integration is certainly smoother than MS? approach, though in their defense they do have a substantial server market to contend with.
Comments
The kernel is like the central core of an operating system. 64-bit means its 64-bit native (opposed to 32 or 16 or 8-bit)
DOES apple use a 64 bit kernal .
DOES apple use a 64 bit kernal.
Not yet, they will use a 64-bit kernel in Snow Leopard on 64-bit hardware. They also have a 32-bit kernel for the older Core Duo machines.
This means getting 64-bit drivers but one of Wacom's support notes said they tested their drivers in Snow Leopard's 32-bit emulation mode so I don't know if Apple will be able to run 32-bit kernel extensions with a 64-bit kernel using emulation similar to their Rosetta for PPC.
Not yet, they will use a 64-bit kernel in Snow Leopard on 64-bit hardware. They also have a 32-bit kernel for the older Core Duo machines.
This means getting 64-bit drivers but one of Wacom's support notes said they tested their drivers in Snow Leopard's 32-bit emulation mode so I don't know if Apple will be able to run 32-bit kernel extensions with a 64-bit kernel using emulation similar to their Rosetta for PPC.
So a mac bought today has a 64 bit kernal ?
So a mac bought today has a 64 bit kernal ?
Nope, Snow Leopard isn't shipping yet.
Nope, Snow Leopard isn't shipping yet.
I GET IT
I GET IT
i am slow sometimes sorry
its on the software !!!!
right
peace
9
But for todays purposes people usually talk about how many bits wide a pointer to a memory location is in user-space. This effectively decides the maximum amount of memory a process can address (a bit more complicated than that, but it works). This is vitally important to processes that need more memory, but actually slows down other processes slightly (the pointers are bigger, so it takes slightly more time to move them around).
However, in the case of the transition that we are talking about: x86 (32-bit Intel design) to x86-64 (the AMD invented 64bit version) there is another major advantage: AMD took the opportunity to add more registers (the fastest form of memory in a processor) and this partially corrects the biggest mistake that Intel made with the x86 processor, thus speeding up things considerably.
Additionally, Apple took the opportunity to change the Obj-C runtime in the transition to 64bits and managed to make some of the most common operations much faster (only sacrificing some really-low-level undocumented feature compatibility). So on MacOS X there are multiple levels of speedup happening when you run on a 64bit kernel.
The net result is that on a 64bit kernel things actually do get faster on Intel hardware. And if you have memory hungry processes, then things get much, much faster. But for most of us we are only ever going to see the slightly faster bit (ballpark 10-20%).
And Apple announced well over a year ago that they were going to make MacOS X run in 64bit mode. But we can be sure that 10.6 also has a 32bit mode, since some Intel-based macs shipped with 32bit-only processors.
WHAT DOES AN 64BIT KERNAL MEAN ?
Some one said that apple will use 64 bit kernal?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64
This might help.
I tried reading it but really got lost.
Ultimately, what I believe 64 bit kernel means in that the kernel can handle instructions made from 64 1s and 0s natively, as opposed to a 32 bit kernel using instructions made with 32 1s and 0s.
Feel free to correct me, I'd like to know also.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64
This might help.
I tried reading it but really got lost.
Ultimately, what I believe 64 bit kernel means in that the kernel can handle instructions made from 64 1s and 0s natively, as opposed to a 32 bit kernel using instructions made with 32 1s and 0s.
Feel free to correct me, I'd like to know also.
bingo !!!i think >>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
wiki below
Intel 64 Implementations
Intel's first processor to activate the Intel 64 technology was the multi-socket processor Xeon code-named Nocona later in 2004. In contrast, the initial Prescott chips (February 2004) did not enable this feature. Intel subsequently began selling Intel 64-enabled Pentium 4s using the E0 revision of the Prescott core, being sold on the OEM market as the Pentium 4, model F. The E0 revision also adds eXecute Disable (XD) (Intel's name for the NX bit) to Intel 64, and has been included in then current Xeon code-named Irwindale. Intel's official launch of Intel 64 (under the name EM64T at that time) in mainstream desktop processors was the N0 Stepping Prescott-2M. All 9xx, 8xx, 6xx, 5x9, 5x6, 5x1, 3x6, and 3x1 series CPUs have Intel 64 enabled, as do the Core 2 CPUs, as will future Intel CPUs for workstations or servers. Intel 64 is also present in the last members of the Celeron D line.
The first Intel mobile processor implementing Intel 64 is the Merom version of the Core 2 processor, which was released on 27 July 2006. None of Intel's earlier notebook CPUs (Core Duo, Pentium M, Celeron M, Mobile Pentium 4) implements Intel 64.
The following processors implement the Intel 64 architecture:
Intel NetBurst microarchitecture
Intel Xeon (some models since "Nocona")
Intel Celeron D (some models since "Prescott")
Intel Pentium 4 (some models since "Prescott")
Intel Pentium D
Intel Pentium Extreme Edition
Intel Core microarchitecture
Intel Xeon (all models since "Woodcrest")
Intel Core 2 (Including Mobile processors since "Merom")
Intel Pentium Dual Core (E2140, E2160, E2180, E2200, E2220, E5200, T2310, T2330, T2370, and T2390)
Intel Celeron (Celeron 4x0; Celeron M 5xx)
Intel Atom microarchitecture
Intel Atom 200 series (not to be confused with the N200 series, widely used in netbooks)
Intel Atom 300 series
Intel Nehalem microarchitecture
Intel Core i7
>>>>>>>>
look 7 uo from bottom
so this means if you buy a MBP today
and when snow lep comes around
you will have 64 bit kernal
to play fast games
i think
9
so this means if you buy a MBP today
and when snow lep comes around
you will have 64 bit kernal
to play fast games
i think
I don't know if many games will benefit from having a 64-bit version. Given how poor Mac gaming developments are, I especially doubt that Mac developers will use it. Most of your gaming will be done in Bootcamp and you can get 64-bit right now by installing a 64-bit Windows OS:
http://blog.andersonshatch.com/2009/...ook-pro-guide/
64-bit systems have a lot of compatibility issues though so I'd recommend sticking to 32-bit for gaming needs. 32-bit XP for a year or so more and then jump to Windows 7.
There is a test of Windows 7 beta 64-bit here for gaming:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxmegoK7efM
He says the game doesn't really run any faster than XP and it's at maximum settings, also noting he finds it gets a bit hotter.
You can try XP 64-bit but 32-bit is just easier for now and you know you won't run into compatibility problems.
The method in which Apple has converted their OS is a much better working solution. Snow Leopard will allow all 64-bit capable machines to run a 32-bit or 64-bit kernel and extensions without the need for a reinstallation of the OS. That means, if you come across a driver for a printer, scanner, wireless card or whatever that hasn?t been updated to 64-bit yet you can simply restart your Mac whilst holding down the the numbers ?3? and ?2? to boot using the 32-bit kernel and extensions.
All the current 64-bit drivers are also backwards compatible for 32-bit and apps other processes above the kernel can also run in 64-bit or 32-bit regardless what the kernel is running. For the end user, this means very little to most users at this point but in the future it will required and this stepped integration is certainly smoother than MS? approach, though in their defense they do have a substantial server market to contend with.