[NBLUG/talk] 64-bit Linux on the desktop?

Troy Arnold troy at zenux.net
Thu Dec 24 02:00:49 PST 2009


On Wed, Dec 23, 2009 at 11:44:18PM -0800, Lincoln Peters wrote:
> 
> Has anyone used the 64-bit version of Kubuntu?  I'm guessing that it
> will work pretty much the same as the 32-bit version, although I know
> there's no 64-bit versions of some of the things they use regularly
> (*cough*Flash*cough*), and I've never tried running 32-bit code on a
> 64-bit Linux kernel (although I've heard it can be done).  No big deal
> if it won't work, though, since nothing they use the computer for is
> going to require a 64-bit OS for the foreseeable future.

This question is so 2006 ;-)

I've run the 64bit version of kubuntu for at least a couple of years now.
It's all so seamless that I never even think about it.  Flash works ok in
Firefox, but crashes fairly often.  It doesn't bring the browser down
though.  There is a 64 bit version available:
http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/64bit.html

But to drive home how little the 64 bit choice matters, I couldn't tell you
offhand if the 32 or 64 bit version is installed.  That's how smooth the
emulation/chroot stuff works.

If you have 3GB+ of RAM, install a 64bit arch, otherwise flip a coin.

'aptitude purge pulseaudio' and Kubuntu becomes remarkably solid and free
of facepalm-inducing moments.

-t




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