[ python-Bugs-1616109 ] IA64/AMD64/x64 confusion

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Bugs item #1616109, was opened at 2006-12-15 00:51
Message generated for change (Comment added) made by loewis
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Category: Windows
Group: None
>Status: Closed
>Resolution: Wont Fix
Priority: 5
Private: No
Submitted By: Sidnei da Silva (dreamcatcher)
Assigned to: Nobody/Anonymous (nobody)
Summary: IA64/AMD64/x64 confusion

Initial Comment:
I've recently got a Intel EM64T-enabled machine, which until recently I didn't realise was actually 64-bit.

Now I'm running Windows XP 64 Professional, and thought about downloading the 64-bit installer.

Coming to the Python 2.5 download page, there are two options, 'IA64' and 'AMD64'. 

You would have thought that, since this is an Intel box, the 'IA64' seems like the obvious choice, but that installer does not work. After starting it, a dialog pops up with the message:

  """
  This installation package is not supported by this processor type. Please contact your vendor.
  """

So I went and downloaded the AMD64 installer. And to my surprise, it does work!

To make it worse, Intel seems to have renamed 'EM64T' to 'Intel 64 Architecture'. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EM64T

I believe that an explanation should be added to the download page clarifying that EM64T is actually Intel's implementation of AMD64, and that it's not compatible with the 'IA64' installer.
 

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>Comment By: Martin v. Löwis (loewis)
Date: 2006-12-16 09:52

Message:
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I don't see a need to change the page. It says clearly that the ia64
binary is for "Itanium". If you thought that you had an Itanium processor,
there is not much we could do for you. I refuse to call the architecture or
the binary "EM64T", "x64", or "x86-64". AMD has invented the architecture,
so they get to name it. They originally called it x86-64, but later
requested that people call it AMD64, so that's what we do.

Notice that Microsoft calls the operating system you are running "XP x64
Edition", not "XP 64". They also offer  "XP 64-bit Itanium Edition". So
Windows users just have to learn that "64-bit Windows" is not a precise
architecture specification.

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