Which comes first Driver or OS?

Over the last few years, there has been a slow impetus to move to 64-Bit Operating Systems and applications. Nowhere near the speed that people moved from 16 to 32 bit, but what does this mean? Are people happy with 32-Bit? Are the benefits to 64-Bit still only there for software developers, and those with many memory hungrey applications?
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So, the question is have you moved, and if so where did you move? Server, Desktop or laptop or are you a techno-hugger and done all three?

Personally, I left it at server. I wanted my last laptop to use Vista 64 Bit, but the manufacturers advice was well you can have it, but most of the features of your laptop won't work as we don't have drivers. This was similar to an experience I had with XP on 64Bit, the support for drivers was pretty dire.

Hardware manufacturers are kind of stuck because they don't want to spend development money on drivers used by a small minority of users, while at the same time, users won't move over to a technology until it's fully supported.

I would love to have Vista 64-Bit on my desktop, as I have a really annoying embedded resource problem that just won't go away and I am sure that Vista 64 would resolve it.

So, the wires are no longer chattering about Windows Vista, instead we are being treated to a heap of pre-marketing about Windows 7. There is a beta, and you can play with it and see if it's any good. What I haven't heard is any speak of 32 or 64 bit versions, is there just one version and its 64 Bit? That would definately accelerate the 64 Bit acceptance.

Problem is, the next line is logically 128-Bit and these processors exist in mainframes today, but will they make it to the desktop? Indeed there is talk from the usual chip vendors that this is feasible, but would compatibility be needed with 32 and 64 Bit? I kind of think that the multicore has been far from exhausted yet and it still has much to offer, before stepping up another power of 2.

Discuss?

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BY 64BITZ
Source：ZDNet.co.uk

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