The Dell XPS M1330 comes with a Intel Core 2 Duo Processor. That means that I can install Ubuntu 64-bit on it. Question is: should I?
For the past one week I have been using Ubuntu 64-bit. Though 64-bit is supposed to perform better when it comes to compiling / encoding I don’t find that much of use for it. I don’t compile/encode that often and waiting a few minutes extra then is not a big deal. On the other hand almost all 32-bit applications are supported by 64-bit Ubuntu. So should I stick with it?
Ubuntu does not detect the internal microphone properly by default and a patch has been released. Unfortunately, not for 64-bit. I have tried to compile from source instead which didn’t help me a lot. Other than this I find no other particular issue. Applications that only run with 32-bit can easily be used on Ubuntu 64-bit using getlibs (That’s how I got Skype to work. My guess is that it will work for other 32-bit Applications). Another observation: most solutions in forums are for 32-bit Ubuntu. So if you try the workaround/fix and don’t get similar results chances are that you need to explicitly ask for more detailed help (Don’t worry – the forums are helpful enough to answer to most queries).
As for me, I am going to install Ubuntu 32-bit, unless a microphone solution with proper instructions pops up anytime soon. Let’s see how that goes and then we will see. Who knows in the future I might shift back to 64-bit?
Tip: If you are planning on reinstalling Ubuntu multiple times, keep your home partition on a separate partition.
Edit :
After having installed the 32-bit Version, I realized that it doesn’t have some of the issues that 64-bit Ubuntu has:
- The Live CD starts up in the normal mode. 64-bit Ubuntu had to be started in Safe Mode
- The Ubuntu Loading splash appears after installing. 64-bit Ubuntu didn’t show that splash. I had to manually fix it.
“I have tried to compile from source instead which didn’t help me a lot.” How is that different from installing from the CD?
p.s. yeah dude. move to anything that supports a microphone. and we can do that thing that we want to do, with that other guy joining in also.
@Baph
LOL, yeah.
Well compiling from source mean you get just the source code and you compile it natively on your System. That means if it compiles successfully you generate binaries specifically meant for your architecture – in my case 64-bit.
As for what you get from the CD or download of the net (*.deb) are pre compiled files. Just binaries. They just get placed in the right directories and additional script execute AFAIK.
Which other guy?
@Presti..
Psst ..it’s you
@Bap, Presti and Swen
“we can do that thing that we want to do, with that other guy joining in also.”
Something really fishy here.
LOL. Hope you all had a nice threesome.
/home shud b seperate at anytime …
@Johnny
/home ..did that now
@Ruhi
Oh my god. What gave you that idea?
I use 64bit ubuntu on my laptop and it gets very frustrating at times. Most of the browser plugins (including flash) haven’t released a version for 64bit platforms.
@Bugtracker
yes it gets frustrating
If it’s not broken don’t fix it.
@Drew
It is broken in some places, as I mentioned in the Edit
Mine is AMD 64bit dual core. I run 32bit just because of the simple reason that there aren’t enough 64apps (and support for them) yet.
Well, you could have asked me before proceeding, you know.
@Bips
AFAIK, almost all the apps run on 64 bit ? what main stream apps are you missing for 64 bit ?
Nobody yet mentioned the memory footprint: much much larger in 64bit version! I know it is not that much of an issue now when prices are not so high, but I really hate wasting so much space for empty bits of data.
@Swen:
It’s not just about mainstream apps. I want everything that I see to run on m system.
I am not sure about the current time, but there were a number of packages in Oct-Dec. 2006 which either had a buggy port, or didn’t have proper support (mailing lists, forums etc.).
@jablan
I didn’t even think of this
@bips
you are right about lack of support. most queries/solutions focus on 32 bit.
i know that most of the 64 bit version of apps are not tested ..
bad state …
@Swen:
Why not keep a small partition of a 64bit OS for testing purpose?
That’d be great way to contribute, you know