Questions on 64 bit versions of Python

[Roel Schroeven]

Tim Roberts schreef:
> python at bdurham.com wrote:
>> For Win64-Itanium users: python-2.5.2.ia64.msi
>> For Win64-AMD64 users: python-2.5.2.amd64.msi
>>
>> 1. It looks like the 64 bit versions of Python for Windows are CPU
>> vendor specific, eg. it doesn't look like there's a single, universal
>> executable for Windows 64 bit platforms. Is this true?
> 
> It's true for ALL operating systems, not just Windows.  The ia64 (Itanium)
> and the amd64 are completely separate processors with VERY different
> instruction sets.

Maybe I'm wrong, but I have the impression that Malcolm is a bit 
confused about the different 64-bit processors from Intel and AMD. So, 
to clear things up a bit:

- The Itanium (ia64) is a 64-bit processor made by Intel, mostly for use 
in high-end systems (servers etc.) IIRC. It's instruction set is indeed 
completely different from the i386 instruction set (though I think 
there's an emulation mode)

- AMD64 (or x86-64 or x64 or EMT64 or Intel64) is a 64-bit instruction 
set from AMD which is an extension to the i386 instruction set, and runs 
32-bit (and 16-bit) i386-code natively. But, and this is important, 
despite the name the instruction set is also used by Intel (though they 
call it EMT64 and made a few minor changes).

If you have or buy a 64-bit computer, it almost certainly uses the AMD64 
instruction set, even if it has an Intel CPU (if you have an Itanium or 
other 64-bit CPU, I suppose you would know; it would not be something 
you buy from the shelf in a regular computer store). So you almost 
certainly need the AMD64 version of Python.

-- 
The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge
faster than society gathers wisdom.
   -- Isaac Asimov

Roel Schroeven