[vox] x86-64: AMD, intel and compatibility

[vox@lists.lugod.org]

hi all,

tom's hardware hints that the new 3200+ is the last 32bit athlon (and
it got _trounced_ in the reviews.).  since i won't be ready to build a
new computer anytime soon, my next computer is probably going to be an
AMD x86-64 machine.  that's kind of a scary thought.

so i've been wondering about these questions...

if the itanium-1 isn't x86-32 compatible, and the itanium-2 is very slow
at x86-32 compatibility, how does intel propose to stay in business?
are they really banking that we'll all throw away our 32 bit software?

are the AMD x86-64 systems really supposed to achieve 100% 32bit
software compatible?

and what about hardware?  can i just stuff all my PCI and ISA cards into
a motherboard designed for an AMD x86-64?  IDE stuff?  SCSI cards?  the
works?

pete

-- 
GPG Instructions: http://www.dirac.org/linux/gpg
GPG Fingerprint: B9F1 6CF3 47C4 7CD8 D33E 70A9 A3B9 1945 67EA 951D