From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Mar 5 18:01:27 2008 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A62E3106566B for ; Wed, 5 Mar 2008 18:01:27 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from itz@mushinsky.net) Received: from nf-out-0910.google.com (nf-out-0910.google.com [64.233.182.188]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A264F8FC15 for ; Wed, 5 Mar 2008 18:01:26 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from itz@mushinsky.net) Received: by nf-out-0910.google.com with SMTP id b2so1212600nfb.33 for ; Wed, 05 Mar 2008 10:01:25 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.78.139.14 with SMTP id m14mr7262144hud.76.1204738531687; Wed, 05 Mar 2008 09:35:31 -0800 (PST) Received: by 10.78.139.1 with HTTP; Wed, 5 Mar 2008 09:35:31 -0800 (PST) Message-ID: Date: Wed, 5 Mar 2008 12:35:31 -0500 From: "Isaac Mushinsky" To: "Isaac Mushinsky" , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org In-Reply-To: <20080305171303.GA35180@slackbox.xs4all.nl> MIME-Version: 1.0 References: <200803050036.33579.itz@mushinsky.net> <20080305171303.GA35180@slackbox.xs4all.nl> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Content-Disposition: inline X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Cc: Subject: Re: amd64 or i386 for desktop use? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 05 Mar 2008 18:01:27 -0000 On 3/5/08, Roland Smith wrote: > > On Wed, Mar 05, 2008 at 12:36:33AM -0500, Isaac Mushinsky wrote: > > I have new hardware (Abit ip35-pro, Intel Q6600), and was contemplating > > installing FreeBSD/arch, but now realise that I am going to have some > > problems. > > > > My nvidia card will not be of much use (GeForce 8500GT), since > nvidia-drivers > > are not there for amd64, and the open source nv driver does not even > support > > XVideo extension for these cards. I can downgrade to a nv 7xxx series > card, > > which works better with the open driver. I do not mind loss of 3D > support, > > but would need basic things like mplayer. > > > Any ATI card up to and including the 9250 (rv280) is fully supported on > amd64, 3D and all. (I know because I've got one :-) > > > > 2. Any problems with flash plugin (flash7 for now, I do not mean the > > confounded flash9 headache)? > > > I've never been able to get a native flash player to work, but I don't > mind doing without. The downloadhelper plugin for firefox can help you > download a lot of movies (e.g. youtube) which you then can play with > mplayer. All the flash ads I'll gladly do without. > > > > 3. Other casual desktop user problems I should be aware of? > > > Wine is i386 only. > > > > 4. Is it worth it? Perhaps I should stay with i386, but it is a pity > > not to be able to use the new machine to its full potential. > > > Practically you don't _need_ amd64 unless you're running out of address > space on i386. Me, I'm running amd64 because I can. :-) My desktop has a > gig > of RAM, and I seldom use more than half of that. Mind you, I'm using a > simple window manager not a desktop environment with lots of bells & > whistles. > > I suspect binaries on i386 will be somewhat smaller. But amd64 has more > registers which might give some speed advantages. I haven't tested it, but > it > might be nice to do a speed comparison between i386 and amd64 on > identical hardware. I don't think the difference will matter for > a common desktop though; the CPU of a desktop is mostly idling anyway. > > Roland > > -- > R.F.Smith http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsmith/ > [plain text _non-HTML_ PGP/GnuPG encrypted/signed email much appreciated] > pgp: 1A2B 477F 9970 BA3C 2914 B7CE 1277 EFB0 C321 A725 (KeyID: C321A725) Thanks a lot. Trouble is, new hardware does not even have an AGP slot for those cards. I don't mind to go without 3D, though, and it appears some newer cards (R5xx/R6xx) have decent drivers otherwise. Yes, I also want to go amd64 because I can. Besides, it will be a fresh install, and if ever, this is the right time to switch.