Chinh Nguyen ([email protected]) commented that we intend to produce
a 64-bit version of Stata for OS X running on the G5 when appropriate
developer tools are available:
> We've received many inquiries as to if and when we will provide support for
> the G5 and/or offer a 64-bit version of Stata. The simple answer is when the
> tools are available for us to do so.
> ...
> A 64-bit version will be forthcoming as soon as our developer tools allow us
> to produce one.
This prompted Tim Sass ([email protected]) to write
> In addition to speeding up processing a bit, wouldn't a 64-bit version
> double the maximum allowed RAM from 4GB to 8GB? If so, this could be quite
> important for researchers working with very large data sets.
>
> Any thoughts on the outlook for a Windows-based 64-bit version of Stata? I
> heard recently that AMD is rolling at a 64-bit chip.
I will start with a quick summary of current and future 64-bit
versions of Stata:
64-bit versions of Stata Availability
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Stata for Sun Solaris now
Stata for SGI IRIX now
Stata for 64-bit Linux on AMD chips very soon
Stata for 64-bit OS X on G5 hopefully soon--as soon
as developer tools permit
Stata for 64-bit Windows down the road a bit,
once OS and developer
tools are out of beta
stage
A 64-bit version of Stata is indeed able to allocate more than 4GB of
RAM. In fact, in theory it would be able to allocate up to 4GB * 4GB
of RAM--that is, roughly 16 BILLION GB. In practice, of course, no
computers have that much RAM.
The 4GB limit for 32-bit computers also happens to be in theory. In
practice, given how the most popular 32-bit operating systems have
been written, the maximum memory allocation a single process can
achieve is really 2GB or less.
AMD's 64-bit chip is already shipping in three flavors: Opteron,
Athlon 64 FX, and Athlon 64. We have already performed an initial
port of Stata for Unix to 64-bit Linux running on an Opteron. We
are doing the final work on that right now, and it should be available
for purchase by those with 64-bit Linux running on 64-bit AMD chips
within a month.
We are excited about this version of Stata and the 64-bit chips from
AMD, because our initial tests have shown that the price/performance
ratio is excellent on these chips. For users with large datasets,
being able to allocate 4GB, 8GB, or more RAM is especially important.
We also plan to create a 64-bit version of Stata for Windows. This
will not be available so quickly though, as it is a much more involved
project, and only beta versions of 64-bit Windows and 64-bit Windows
development tools exist right now.
Users buying currently-shipping 64-bit AMD-based computers should
watch out for a few things. You can buy computers running Windows
right now that have the Athlon 64 or Athlon 64 FX chips in them.
These computers are 64-bit, but the operating system IS NOT! What
this means is that the fact that the computers are based on 64-bit
chips may offer some speed advantages to applications running on
them, but the applications and operating system will still be 32-bit
and can not access more memory than the 32-bit operating system would
allow on a 32-bit computer. For Windows, this is something a bit
under 2 GB.
In addition, if you buy one of these computers now thinking that you
will put 64-bit Windows on it later (or 64-bit Linux on it now) and
add more memory to it, pay attention to the motherboard specifications.
Several of the motherboards currently shipping for AMD's 64-bit chips
only support up to 2 or 4 GB of RAM even though the chip could
theoretically address more memory than that. There is nothing wrong
with this if that is all you need, but if you are a user who could
take advantage of more than that amount of memory in the future,
buy a computer with a motherboard that will support more RAM.
--Alan
([email protected])
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