Does LINUX provide a 64-bit environment
 

Do all distros provide a 64-bit operating environment? Considering all new hardware is 64-bit, it seems insane to always be loading 32-bit Operating Systems (welcome to the world of Microcrud).

I made the mistake of putting XP64 on my newest computer, only to discover that I could not do things like print or scan because no one wrote 64-bit drivers! Insanity! Most of the hardware web sites I went to either ignored the 64-bit question, or openly declared they had no plans to provide 64-bit support. This is surely one of the craziest concepts computer kind has ever come up with!

Will LINUX provide the solution to this insanity?

:confused:

Sure Linux provides a 64bit environment, not ALL distros do but most do. Try these

SUSE
http://en.opensuse.org/Welcome_to_openSUSE.org

Fedora
http://fedora.redhat.com/

Gentoo
http://www.gentoo.org/

Kanotix
http://kanotix.com/

Kubuntu * All the *Buntu distros do, Ubuntu, Kubuntu, Xubuntu, Nubuntu
www.Kubuntu.org

Knoppix64
http://www.applia.fr/contents/knoppix64.html

Gnoppix
http://www.nongnu.org/gnoppix/

Don't forget Debian.

I use the 64 bit versions of Debian Etch and Sid and have no problems. The only issue is Flash as well as some Firefox extensions, since they don't have 64bit versions. Everything else works flawlessly.

--Ian

Gnash works pretty good for me, as a Flash replacement. There is no replacement for w32codecs, though.

Don't know about 64 bit, but 32 bit mplayer does not need w32codecs any more to play common formats. Even wmv/wma play nicely using FF+mplayerplug-in.

Some distro's are also biarch, and will install the 32bit versions of some programs by default for avoid the flash problem in firefox for example.

Flash, wine, and codecs are keeping me on 32-bit Linux. :-/

Just wondering, what codec does Linux not have for you?

Probably all of them, considering I prefer xine over mplayer for a standaline video player.

I use Xine with all the "bad" and "very-bad" gstreamer packages, along with Gnash, and I can probably view 90% of the video I encounter. Granted, I don't hang out at YouTube, etc. Sometimes it has artifacts and shadows, but it is improving. I keep a 32-bit partition handy in case I really need to see something, but I very rarely use it.

Can't xine use ffmpeg? I removed w32codecs from my computer some time ago and I do not miss them. Ffmpeg + libquicktime covers everything for me, except for RealMedia - but we have Helix player. Mplayer uses ffmpeg to decode WM, BTW.

The x86_64 version of SuSE is biarch. You could uninstall the 64 bit version an install the 32 bit version:
./x86_64/xine-lib-32bit-1.1.2-39.x86_64.rpm
./x86_64/xine-ui-32bit-0.99.4-72.x86_64.rpm

The packman versions of these rpms would be needed to play DVDs and MP3s however.

Actually, the 32 bit version is /usr/bin/xine32, so you wouldn't need to uninstall the 64 bit version.

The Mozilla-Firefox package is 32 bit, so you would use the 32 bit plugins anyway.

Ok, guys, thanks a lot but you all stopped speaking English or even my concept of Computerese somewhere around the third post. I understand the basic concepts of LINUX but don't yet speak the language. Here are my druthers, in order of importance:

1) Not associated with Microsoft in any way.

2) Not Red Hat (screw me once, shame on you, screw me twice . . .)

3) 64-bit capable

4) Can use Firefox and Thunderbird (at least until I learn a newer, better browser and client)

5) Can use a Windows emulator (still have a couple of games to conquer)

6) Relatively easy to install and update.

7) No anuual fees

8) Good looking interface.

Any suggestions?

BTW - I plan to erase Microscrew from my existance. No dual booting for this boy! - If that affects any recommendations.

slam64
 

Slam64 is a slackware like distro and you can load 32 bit compatability with it to get flash and the codexes running.