Zubaz, it's a year and a half since that article, I'm wondering if things might have changed some.
Some, but not much. At that point Vista (both 32 and 64) was jsut around the corner. Even less reason to spend time developing a stop-gap solution.
From :
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/facts/top10.mspxTop 10 benefits of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition gives you faster performance, more
reliability, and greater flexibility than 32-bit systems. You can run
memory-intensive and calculation-intensive applications and processes
more efficiently. Whether you’re a technical workstation user or a
cutting-edge home PC enthusiast, it provides a secure platform that can
run new 64-bit applications, as well as most existing 32-bit
applications, on a single PC—while still having all of the benefits of
Windows XP Professional Edition.
While there are many benefits of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, these 10 are at the top of the list.
Premier performance
Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition is a robust platform that offers premier
performance that is unparalleled in the mainstream 32-bit desktop
environment. Sixty-four-bit native applications can deliver more data
more quickly, so memory-intensive applications can run more quickly and
efficiently. Data in memory is accessed thousands of times faster than
it is on a disk drive. Applications can preload substantially more data
into virtual memory, allowing rapid access by the 64-bit processor.
Vast memory support
The
key difference between 32-bit and 64-bit computing with Windows XP is
that the 64-bit version can use more system memory. Windows XP
Professional x64 Edition supports up to 128 gigabytes (GB) of RAM and
16 terabytes of virtual memory, so applications can run faster when
working with large data sets. Physical memory support will grow in the
future as hardware capabilities expand.
|
Virtual memory | 16 terabytes | 4 GB |
Paging file | 512 terabytes | 16 terabytes |
Paged pool | 128 GB | 470 MB |
Non-paged pool | 128 GB | 256 MB |
System cache | 1 terabyte | 1 GB |
Optimized platform and improved collaboration
With
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, you can standardize your
mainstream desktop computers with your high-end workstations,
increasing performance, improving manageability, and freeing up IT
resources. You can also improve information sharing and collaboration
by using Microsoft productivity tools across your organization. Add
Windows XP Professional x64 Edition systems to existing Windows-based
networks and manage them alongside 32-bit systems with the same
administrative tools that you already use, making life easier for your
IT department.
Increased reliability and security for your most important data
Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition is built on the Windows Server 2003 Service
Pack 1 (SP1) code-base, and provides optimum security and reliability
for business-critical desktop computing. Now you can experience the
stability and security of a server product on your PC. Windows XP
Professional x64 Edition can help protect you from many types of
viruses that try to exploit data. Its improved memory support helps
protect your system against malicious attacks, such as memory buffer
overruns.
Opportunity for innovation
Most
64-bit computers can manage exponentially more data than 32-bit systems
can. With Windows XP Professional x64 Edition you can design, develop,
and interact with new applications, games, and tools that weren’t
possible with older technologies. Windows XP Professional x64 Edition
provides solutions for current and future use. It delivers more memory
combined with the ease of use of the established Windows platform.
Greater flexibility
Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition gives you a robust platform for the
integration of 64-bit and 32-bit applications using the Windows on
Windows 64 (WOW64) x86 emulation layer. You can move to 64-bit
computing while still maintaining your existing investment in 32-bit
software and Windows expertise.
Multiprocessing and multicore processor support
Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition is designed to support up to two single or
multicore x64 processors for maximum performance and scalability.
Advantages for specialized, technical applications
The
performance of 64-bit computing offers advantages in fields such as
automobile and airplane design by allowing engineers to create larger,
more complex models. Engineers can use simulation software to analyze
the effects of airflow, stress, and heat on the materials of a car or
airplane, and then study the results to improve overall product design.
Likewise, 64-bit computing benefits digital content creators, including
three-dimensional (3-D) animators, digital artists, and game
developers, who can significantly reduce the time they spend digitally
rendering 3-D models. In the areas of scientific and high-performance
computing, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition can aid in oil and gas
exploration, seismic analysis, computational fluid dynamics, and
scientific visualization, among other applications.
Single desktop for technical and business applications
Windows
XP Professional x64 Edition provides a single PC for technical and
business applications, so you don’t need to maintain one PC for
business applications and a separate workstation for high-end technical
applications. Most Windows-compatible 32-bit applications run "as is"
in a subsystem of Windows XP Professional x64 Edition, with performance
comparable to 32-bit Windows. You can take advantage of rich
integration capabilities and productivity tools on the Windows
platform. Designers can build a model and easily share it with others
in your company, copying it into a Microsoft Office Word document for
the finance group or adding it to a Microsoft Office PowerPoint slide
deck for the marketing team.
Note: If you use only 32-bit
applications and work with data sets that are no larger than 2 GB, you
will find that 32-bit Windows XP Professional offers sufficient power
for your applications.
Familiar programming model
Developers
with 32-bit computing skills will be comfortable and productive in the
64-bit Windows environment, finding the development environments
virtually identical. The 64-bit Windows development environment
supports the same feature set as 32-bit Windows, including user
interface and programming models, networking, security, graphics,
multimedia, directory service, Plug and Play, and tools features. Many
of the functions have been modified to reflect the computational
precision of the platform on which an application is run. The result is
programming simplicity and a short learning curve for the
developer—writing code for 64-bit Windows is just like writing code for
32-bit Windows.
I think there is very little benefit for the home user. You can use more memory but most apps don't make use of that much memory anyway.
