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Ok, the Athlon64 processor is out, and it comes in a number of varieties. The latest support dual-channel DDR memory on the processor (less latency and more bandwidth compared to intel implemtentions).
Intel has a x86-64 processor too, but its 64-bit implemention stinks. The other 64 bit chip it has, which uses an IS-64 implemention, absolutely stinks on 32-bit stuff (totally different archictectures). In any case, the later is doomed to die a slow death (and is already doing so).
The Athlon64 processor, is fully backwards compatible with current code, and runs it faster than the Athlon processors. It uses a different chip size though, and you need a new motherboard with it (and in any case, an Athlon 500 is waaay out of date, I am not surprised someone is having slow play times on Civ III with that rig--and ram!). It can run 64 bit x86-64 code (formerly called AMD-64), but you need to have a 64-bit OS for it. Currently the only such OS's that are configured for x86-64 are Linux ones. Windows64 still hasn't come out (they are taking forever!). You'd need that before you could even think of running a 64 bit version of cIV.
That said, once you had the OS, then it wouldn't take too many changes to adjust the program, you'd just need to recompile the code into 64-bit programs (data files wouldn't change). Most of the memory access stuff and other such intricacies are handled by the compiler, so you'd get most of your performance boost just from the recompile. It wouldn't be too hard to store both sets of files on the CD (they aren't what takes up most of the space). Right now though, it doesn't make sense to bother, considering the only people using it would be people using WineX *and* cIV *and* an AMD64 chip. In other words, hardly anyone. No point in buying the compiler for that.
-Drachasor
Intel has a x86-64 processor too, but its 64-bit implemention stinks. The other 64 bit chip it has, which uses an IS-64 implemention, absolutely stinks on 32-bit stuff (totally different archictectures). In any case, the later is doomed to die a slow death (and is already doing so).
The Athlon64 processor, is fully backwards compatible with current code, and runs it faster than the Athlon processors. It uses a different chip size though, and you need a new motherboard with it (and in any case, an Athlon 500 is waaay out of date, I am not surprised someone is having slow play times on Civ III with that rig--and ram!). It can run 64 bit x86-64 code (formerly called AMD-64), but you need to have a 64-bit OS for it. Currently the only such OS's that are configured for x86-64 are Linux ones. Windows64 still hasn't come out (they are taking forever!). You'd need that before you could even think of running a 64 bit version of cIV.
That said, once you had the OS, then it wouldn't take too many changes to adjust the program, you'd just need to recompile the code into 64-bit programs (data files wouldn't change). Most of the memory access stuff and other such intricacies are handled by the compiler, so you'd get most of your performance boost just from the recompile. It wouldn't be too hard to store both sets of files on the CD (they aren't what takes up most of the space). Right now though, it doesn't make sense to bother, considering the only people using it would be people using WineX *and* cIV *and* an AMD64 chip. In other words, hardly anyone. No point in buying the compiler for that.
-Drachasor
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