Warp <war### [at] tagpovrayorg> wrote:
> Kenneth <kdw### [at] earthlinknet> wrote:
> > And, I might add, it shouldn't be necessary for us POV users to
> > have to become computer scientists or programming/architecture experts just
> > in order to understand why 64-bit POV on a 64-bit machine is faster (or
> > slower) than the 32-bit one.
>
>   If someone doesn't understand the difference between a 32-bit and a
> 64-bit processor and has the misconception that the latter will be
> twice (or at least considerably) faster than the former and makes a
> buying decision based on that misconception, he is up to a disappointment.
>   I don't think it's a bad thing to know the real difference.
>
> --
>                                                           - Warp

Yes, but how much arcane knowledge are any of us, as individuals, expected
to know? Echoing the sentiments expressed earlier, we all have to pick and
choose what we devote our time to learning.  My refrigerator keeps my food
cold, but do I really need to know how the refrigeration cycle works in
order to use it (or buy one?) It's a bit unfair to assume that all of us
out here *should* know all about the inner workings of 64-bit processors,
and to bludgeon us if we don't. Processor architecture may be one of your
own prime interests, I don't know; but there are many of us (judging from
these posts) that *just don't need to know* such stuff. (Hey, I'm still
trying to learn POV-Ray!)

HOWEVER, that said, I do fall into the situation you've described, having
bought a 64-bit machine--an emachines T6412-- in the (seemingly mistaken!)
belief that it WOULD run POV-Ray "twice as fast" as as equivalent 32-bit
machine.  A belief based on all of the non-technical ideas expressed here
so far-- basically that 64-bit sounds like it is "twice" 32-bit. A dumb
belief? No. I think it comes from a lot of different ingredients (not the
least of which is computer manufacturer's hype.) It is indeed unfortunate
that computers, more so than just about any other technical gadget, seem to
require so VAST a store of knowledge in order to to understand (and to
purchase wisely.) Impossibly vast, IMHO. But am I disppointed with my
purchase?  Not at all! The only machine I can compare it to is my old
32-bit Pentium II 400MHZ. And it runs (32-bit) POV-Ray 6X faster. That's
all I really need to know!

SO...will it run 64-bit POV-Ray faster still? I haven't yet installed that
version, but I'm inclined to think not, judging from all that has been
discussed so far. That's disappointing.

Ken W.

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