If we were all using DEC/Compaq/HP Alpha Processors invented
by Digital Equipment Corp and runs Windows NT 64, Linux, Tru64 Unix,
VMS, etc this discussion would be moot. The Alpha world was done
clean as 64bits from the ground up, 64 bit cpu registers, cache, and
memory, file system, etc etc. Intel stole proprietary info about
the Alpha from DEC, got caught, and guess what the punishment was?
They had to make Alpha chips for DEC at LOW cost for several years
in a brand new foundry. The Alpha processor (now hanging on only by
the virtue of the endless popularity and reliability of VMS which
everything from Blockbuster Video to Wall Street to hospital systems
to …
is pretty much the only exciting thing to happen in hardware
IT since the VAX which was the most exciting thing since the PDP-11.
Oh well, we always take a step forward and then take 2 back and we
have Intel to blame. You’d think they would have learned something
from what they stole about Alpha’s internals but no, we get the
Itanium and Itanium 2 abominations. All because everyone wants to
run ancient software FOREVER.