[Vectorlinux-devel] 64-bit Linux and Kernel 2.6.16

[Tony B. <tb...@gm...>]

Kernel 2.6.16 is out.  Lets all try it out and see if we can do the uevent
udev thing instead of hotplug and udev together.

Do a make odlconfig and it should offer you the new uevent options to
configure.  Any issues, let me know.


64-bit Linux.  I just upgraded my main box to a 2800+ sempron socket 754 on
an asus k8n mobo.  VL SOHO 5.1.1 runs beautifully on it.  I also attempted
to do SuSE 10.0 Eval DVD and while it boots up fast, 3d gaming is worse tha=
n
on a 32-bit like SOHO.

If anyone asks about 64-bit on the forum, send them my way.  Right now ther=
e
is a library issue between 32 and 64 bit and it isn't easily fixed as the
big distro guys are each doing their own thing to take care of it.  Most ar=
e
putting 64 bit libs in /lib64 and 32 bit libs in /lib. Fedora only has /lib
and they symlink /lib64 to it so they have a worse fiasco with cross lib
stuff.  I did notice a very slight speed difference between SuSE 10 and VL
SOHO 5.1.1 with SuSE being just a tad faster since it was all 64-bit but th=
e
difference is not enough for me to think about running SuSE as a serious
contender to SOHO.  I will be staying with SOHO 5.1.1 in 32-bit mode on my
system for some time to come and that seems to be the consensus on most
discussions about this.  64-bit, although it has been supported by Linux fo=
r
a long time now, is still in its early infancy on the desktop and I don't
feel the need to bother with a 64-bit port of VL for some time to come.

Anyone who tries to say 64-bit is much better than 32-bit probably doesn't
know what they are talking about and are just going along with AMD and Inte=
l
hype about 64-bit.  This is not to say that it won't change but every app
has to be ported to take advantage of 64-bit registers and then it will be =
a
viable alternative to 32-bit linux.  My Sempron 2800+(1.6 Gig but
overclocked to 2.0 gig 200fsbX10) socket 754 cpu on the k8n mobo with 1 gig
single channel ddr400 runs about the same as my old AthlonXP 2400+(2.0 Gig
overclocked to 200fsbx10) socket A on an Abit NF7S-2.0 mobo with 1 gig dual
channel ddr400.   The old 32-bit cpu's can't take advantage of dual channel
anyway as the cpu has a single memory pipeline so the motherboard and
chipset does all the dual to single translation for it.

Anyway, if you are thinking of upgrading right now I would wait until you
can get at least an Athlon64  4000+ or higher socket 939 cpu which uses tru=
e
dual channel memory bandwidth especially if you already have at least an
AthlonXP or P4.  If you have a P3 or regular athlon, then it isn't a bad
upgrade right now as the prices of the socket 754 and 939(lower end 64-bit
cpus) are very good.  I am happy with my purchase for the money I spent but
it isn't necessary at this time unless you are coming from a P3 or regular
Athlon.

Regards,
Tony