Sixty Four Bit Linux

SixtyFourBitLinux is a Linux system running on 64 bit CPUs. A problem specific to IntelSixtyFourBitLinux has been moved to that page, recognizing the following comment.

This page was really unfair. Most SixtyFourBitLinux systems are not for x64 and cannot run 32 bit code.

For those hardware systems which are uniformly 64 bit the problem which I have encountered on UbuntuLinux will not occur. For the Intel 64 bit CPU's there is backward compatibility with 32 bit code and this has to be accommodated somehow. That is now discussed on IntelSixtyFourBitLinux. -- JohnFletcher

I must be misunderstanding something. I thought most SixtyFourBitLinux systems were for x64 and can run 32 bit code. I'm editing this page using one now.

Sparc, alpha, MIPS64, and certain BigIron systems that now run Linux.

Ah, of course. I interpreted "most" in light of the number of 64bit installations, not 64bit distributions.

Are we limiting this discussion to servers? To workstations? Both? What are the common 64 bit distros currently in use? Are there any plans for 64 bit Linux to accommodate the 2038 heat death of the timer? (This used to be a strictly theoretical issue, but with the longevity of today's systems 2038 is a lot closer than it used to be. Hmph.)

Apparently, 64 bit Linux systems do not exhibit the 2038 bug because they use a 64 bit long to represent the time_t data type.

The origin of this page was the problem which I was attempting to describe on UbuntuLinux, that some different Linux distributions on Intel X64 have different approachs to how to cope with two sets of libraries for 32 bit and 64 bit software. What was in my mind was that particular problem. I freely accept that there is a wider interpretation and the page can be moved in any direction that is wished. I have now made a new page IntelSixtyFourBitLinux for the original problem I had in mind. I have attempted to adapt this page to reflect the discussion which is happening on it. Others may wish to do more. -- JohnFletcher

CategoryLinux