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Microsoft to offer 32-bit support in next Windows version

Jul. 24, 2007

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There is 'noise on the street' that Microsoft's so-called leak of a few details about its next version of Windows will continue to come in both 32- and 64-bit editions.

This will most likely cause some Windows users, primarily businesses, to sigh with relief.

Overall, personal computer vendors and large software makers, who see more-powerful 64-bit PCs as a key to driving demand for both hardware and software sales, are likely to have a different reaction.

The number of bits determines how large the chunks of data a component of the PC can process, which determines how much data it can handle and ultimately how fast it can perform.

For instance, computers in the mid-80's with hybrid 8/16-bit architectures were limited to a maximum of 64KB of RAM.

Today, a modern PC running a 32-bit version of Windows XP can utilize up to 4 GB of RAM. Meanwhile, 64-bit versions of Windows XP and Vista can support up to 128 GB of physical RAM, and up to 16 TB of almost-as-fast virtual memory.

The two combined techniques can offer important performance boosts for software ported from 32-bit to 64-bit. Additionally, they enable software such as database-driven or multimedia applications that were formerly infeasible on 32-bit PCs.

To be fair, some 64-bit processors for desktop PCs have been available from Advanced Micro Devices Inc. and Intel Corp. for the past three years now.

Microsoft followed afterwards, releasing its 64-bit versions of XP and Windows Server 2003 in the middle of 2005.

However, while 64-bit server adoption picks up some steam, the process has been much slower on the desktop side. Overall, 32-bit software and drivers can be buggy or demonstrate scant performance improvement in 64-bit environments.

Those problems can arise even if users are simply moving from 32- to 64-bit editions of the same version of Windows, such as XP.

When changes to the O.S. don't result in better performance, customers will be happy tweaking what they already have.

For example, during Microsoft's quarterly financial forecast on July 18, the company lowered its year-ahead forecast for Vista shipments vs. XP, from 85 percent/15 percent to 78 percent/22 percent.

The last time around, Microsoft was gentle in moving users from 16-bit to 32-bit, taking a decade to complete the transition. Starting with 1990's Windows 3.0 and finishing with 2000's Windows ME, Microsoft released five versions of Windows supporting both 16-bit and 32-bit.

In comparison, Microsoft's so-called "Windows 7 version" will be only the third Windows version, after 64-bit XP's arrival in 2005, to sport dual 32/64-bit compatibility.

Apple Inc. has a similar hybrid strategy. Its upcoming Mac OS X 10.5, a.k.a. "Leopard," is a true 64-bit environment that will ostensibly offer full compatibility with 32-bit applications on, for instance, older PowerPC-based Mac hardware.

Organizations, especially those running esoteric or in-house-written applications, will be the happiest to hear that "Windows 7" will still support 32-bit software, since it will allow them to avoid expensive rewrites if they decide to upgrade.

It will also be welcomed by Microsoft salespeople, systems integrators and many VARs (value-added resellers), who will have more options to offer cost-conscious customers.

As can be expected, personal computer makers and big independent software vendors who may have hoped that Microsoft would push customers harder to 64-bit will be the least happy.

Computing based on a 64-bit platform enables developers to add features and let desktop applications run much faster.

Those are much-needed differentiators, now that users are taking a serious look at SaaS (Software-as-a-Service) applications such as Google Office.

Likewise, because SaaS applications' performance is more dependent upon the Web site's architecture, the Web server's overall performance and speed, and the user's high-speed broadband link, they don't require ultra-powerful PCs.

This could remove the need for users to upgrade, hurting the PC market. At least this is what some vendors think might happen over time.

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Source: IT World Canada