Date: Tue, 20 Jun 2006 17:24:58 -0700 From: Michael Collette <Metrol@Metrol.net> To: Mark Kane <mark@mkproductions.org> Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: AMD64 Desktop Support Message-ID: <449891DA.70507@Metrol.net> In-Reply-To: <20060620015644.629b47a2@localhost> References: <44978913.3070401@Metrol.net> <20060620015644.629b47a2@localhost>
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Mark Kane wrote: > Hi. I'm using an Athlon64 3000+ (and the amd64 version of FreeBSD) as my > main workstation. I also have another workstation with the same CPU > running the i386 version. Here's my opinions: > > Flash - The 32 bit Linux binary of Flash 7 works in linux-firefox or > linux-opera fine in i386 or amd64. The 32 bit Linux version of Flash > 6 works somewhat with linuxpluginwrapper and the native Firefox on > the i386 version of FreeBSD, although I've found it to be somewhat > unstable and crashed quite a bit. There's also a project Gnash that is > an open source Flash player, but I have not tried that one yet. > > Acrobat - The Linux binary of Acrobat 7 works for sure in the i386 > version of FreeBSD. I have not tested it on my amd64 one (I just use > xpdf), but the port's Makefile says it works and I don't see why it > would have a problem. > > nVidia Drivers - Work great in the i386 version of FreeBSD. Does not > work on the amd64 version yet > ( http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=41545 ). > > Java - Got it to work on i386 version of FreeBSD (interfacing with > browser not attempted, just for OpenOffice), but have not needed to or > attempted on my amd64 box. I'm not sure if it's even possible for amd64 > or not (as the Makefile I looked at shows only for i386), but someone > else will know. > > For my purposes, there really isn't much that the amd64 version cannot > do that the i386 version can. I would like the nVidia driver to work > since I have a decent video card, but the Flash and Java I don't really > care about much anymore. I use the native Firefox compiled from ports > for my browsing and just fire up linux-opera whenever I need to see a > Flash site. Unfortunately, those items are pretty important to me. Kind of the point of the mail. I appreciate the feedback, and I am aware of some of the work arounds you mentioned. I use JEdit daily, as well as a couple of other Java apps. The nVidia driver thing stinks too. I had that running on my PC before the crash, and really liked it. > Me personally, I prefer AMD hardware over Intel and would get the > Athlon64 regardless of if I run in i386 or amd64 mode FreeBSD. I don't have any bias towards either company. My focus is spending my money on what will actually work. Starting to feel like I'll be looking at the Pentium-D processors. I've got a laptop with a dual core Pentium and it works pretty sweet. > However, > be sure to check your AMD64 hardware against the compatibility list > before buying. I had to buy a replacement motherboard real quickly one > day after one failed and I didn't fully check out the list before > buying. When I got it, it turns out the onboard NIC and sound didn't > work with FreeBSD in i386 or amd64 mode. I already had a NIC and sound > card ready to go from the previous machine, but now both PCI slots on > the Micro-ATX motherboard are taken and unfortunately I can't put in a > SCSI card. I've been looking over spec pages like crazy for various motherboards, with particular attention on network and audio. > The amd64 motherboard list is here. Note that "amd64" in this case > means the hardware itself and not the OS version, so if it's not > listed here then the i386 version probably will not work either with > that hardware (I found that out the hard way): > > http://www.freebsd.org/platforms/amd64/motherboards.html > > For sound cards, I have found the Sound Blaster stuff to work well with > FreeBSD so far. I'm running an Augidy 2 Platinum in my main machine and > it works better than on Windows (had tons of skipping problems that > never could be solved -- thought it was a bad card but moving to > FreeBSD eliminated them). The cheaper SB LIVE cards work too, and some > of my machines have onboard which work great also. > > Hope that helps. :) Any and all feedback is appreciated. For as nice as the AMD64 processor may be, sounds like things are a ways off before the software has fully caught up. Thanks, -- "In theory, there is no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is." - Yogi Berra
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