Re: hardware for Mathematica 6.0
- To: mathgroup at smc.vnet.net
- Subject: [mg80093] Re: hardware for Mathematica 6.0
- From: David Bailey <dave at Remove_Thisdbailey.co.uk>
- Date: Sun, 12 Aug 2007 07:20:08 -0400 (EDT)
- References: <f9gv7e$b73$1@smc.vnet.net> <f9jjji$2g8$1@smc.vnet.net>
David Park wrote: > I recently bought a new computer and one problem I ran into was the 32-bit > vs. 64-bit operating system question. It is very difficult to buy a PC (from > Dell or HP say) that will come with a 64-bit operating system - even though > you specify a 64-bit CPU. One might, or might not be able to install a > 64-bit operating system yourself but then you may lose all software > warranty. (I got the 32-bit Vista Home Premium OS.) > >>From what little information I was able to glean, 64-bit Mathematica is not > necessarily faster than 32-bit. It mainly buys you the ability to directly > address larger memory spaces. Most Mathematica applications will work fine > with the 32-bit version. In any case, most users may want to clear up this > question both with respect to their need for a 64-bit OS and what a PC > supplier is actually going to supply before they plunk down their money. > I have read that Dell is particularly bad for selling you what they decide you want - rather than what you actually want! I think the answer is not to use Dell! Getting a new 32-bit machine would seem a mistake by now, since applications (including Mathematica!) always seem to grow in size, and you can always obtain more memory. David Bailey http://www.dbaileyconsultancy.co.uk