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Date: Tue, 13 Sep 2005 10:00:16 -0700
From: Joe Bob Spamtest <joebob@spamtest.viacore.net>
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To: Lennart Sorensen <lsorense@csclub.uwaterloo.ca>,
       linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
Subject: Re: Pure 64 bootloaders
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Lennart Sorensen wrote:
> ia64 also wasn't an extension on an existing 32bit design the way sparc,
> ppc, mips and x86_64 have done.

yeah, the only differene here is that x86_64 performs a hell of a lot
better in 99% of cases where a 32 bit compile performs next to a 64 bit
compile. In the case of the other architectures the 64 bit modes are
extensions of sorts, used for scientific and/or large calculations which
benefit from 64-bit datatypes and transactions.

> Is the alpha also pure 64bit?

Alpha was designed 64-bit from the start. DEC did a lot of neat things
with the design of that processor -- it's a shame it went the way of the
dodo when ia64 was proposed.

> Of course mips is extra fun in having two 32bit formats and one 64bit
> format.

Fun stuff. Another good architecture that bit the ia64 bug and got
stung.
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