[PLUG] [OT??] {32 vs 64 bit} &/or {single vs multi core} ???

[Fred James]

Richard Owlett wrote:
> In the "real world", is there a difference for an 
> average/typical user.
> I'm contemplating the move from Windows to Linux.
> Coward that I am, I'm considering separate hardware as testbed.
> I spend most of my time in text editing and web surfing - 
> doubt any advantage there.
> My other interest include Scilab, Scioslab, and gnuplot. I 
> would run and display display results of *LARGE* fft's of 
> _stored_ data. "Real time" minor importance.
>
> Are there subtle advantages to wider data path and/or 
> multiple cores?
> Are there advantages to 64 bit implementations of Linux?
>
> Thanks in advance.
>   
Richard Owlett
Someone else (multiple someones, probably) will, and will be better able 
to, answer you question(s) in more depth, but I can advance an opinion 
on 32 vs 64 for the "average" user ... so far, none, and in some case 
the impact is negative.

The deciding factor is (still) software ... what do you want to run and 
is it available on 64 bit?  If what you want to run is not available on 
64 bit, then any advantage that the 64 might offer will be of no use to you.

As to "real world" differences for the "average/typical" user, as a 
"real world" user, I can say the list of advantages is long, but the 
learning curve can be, too.  Be not dismayed there is much help on list 
of this sort and at the meetings, too.

Good luck, and I hope you do make the switch ... when I did (finally and 
complete, back about Red Hat 9 after messing since Red Hat 5) I found my 
computing life much brighter.  There are still problems/issues around 
interfacing with people who use MS ... for example, I receive the 
occasional *.docx file ... sigh ... no matter how much I may express a 
preference.  But then my word processor (OpenOffice 2.2.1) is a bit out 
of date ... still I get by.  I like Linux a lot ... hope you do too.
Regards
Fred James