Windows 8: 128-bit Operating System?

Uh, why would you need 128-bit architecture, unless Windows 8 is coming out 15 years from now. 64-bit architecture lets you address 16.7 million terabytes of memory (yes, 16.7 billion gigabytes of ram).

The overhead of using 16 bytes to address memory would be significant. Even using 8 bytes for 64-bit computing today can slow down programs.

And what processors support 128-bit? Using what instruction set?

Thats great, we hope the computer can be much faster than the internet..Amin

@pianom4n:

You’re missing the point here. Making the transition from 64 bits to 128 bits in software obviously helps in being prepared when said transition is going to be made. We only took about 25 years to go form kilobytes to gigabytes, and it’s reasonable to expect the same amount of time for entering the Petabytes-of-RAM era. But it isn’t all about RAM adressing. Jumping right to a 128 bits instruction set allows for many more extensions to be incorporated in the ISA, and also to cram many more parameters within one instruction in a far more elegant way. Think about privilege levels and VM-ID’s. And maybe AMD, ARM or someone else is smart enough to beat Intel to the punch and get a 128bits CPU out of the door, and level the playfield in CPU land to their advantage.

Sure, you will suffer from code bloat due to swollen opcodes and pointers, but that’s only a minor disadvantage cos you only have to do it once. After 128 bits, it’s highly unlikely we’ll see 256 bits within a few millennia.

come on no one will just upgrade to anything that supports that you need to support all systems not just 2000 doller intel systems that dont even patch when released

concentrate on perfection not latest which will need patch

I love 128bit computers back when I was in the military!

Um not its not windows 8 is coming out 2012 and its only supporting 64,86 and 128bit. If you knew anything about computers you would already know this, so dont post until there is a confirmed date which is 2012.

actually a 128-bit OS would allow for much more than 16 billion GBs of RAM, in fact 128 bit OSes won’t become prevalent until 16 Trillion GBs of RAM is not enough. A true 128 bit architecture would allow ~340.3 undecillion bytes, Higher than we have a prefix for. Likely because it is significantly more than all the data currently on the planet earth. I don’t think we’re going to be seeing 128 bit windows for quite a few years. but I’d love to be around when it happens

quantum computing!

"After 128 bits, it's highly unlikely we'll see 256 bits within a few millennia."

I'll be surprised if we still aren't using 256-bit architectures fifty years from now. A few millennia? Get real.

There is no need for 128-bit operating system for at least 40 years from now.

Apparently Apple aleady have a 512-bit chip and it'll be inthe iPhone 5!

lol Megamac don't be a moron. Maybe 512 megs of ram at best. No sane person would even make a 512 bit, Even apple.

Was only a joke Garrett!

although apparently sega are releasing a 1024-bit arcade board next year to run sega rally 4. the graphics will be incredible.

Live news, Windows 8 should be on the market in two years. One of Microsofts subsidiaries leaked the awaited issue date over the last few days. Lets hope it observes the Windows 7 evolution procedure.We do not want to get another Vista debacle

512 RAM u mean? iphone 4 already has that lol.

That's what he said you dope

When people say that we don't need this sort of thing for at least 40 years (or something stupid like that), has about the same mentality as the one who said the world has a need for only a couple of computers…Boy did we show that individual! Just open your minds and start to look at possibilities instead of putting a lid on it before it is even opened.

Exactly! Just because we might not "need" it, doesn't mean we don't "want" it. Tech is growing exponentially.

Guys, it's not just about the addressable memory, it is about memory performance, throughput and how many bytes of information a processor can process per cycle. 128-bit would theoretically allow double FLOP performance per clock cycle.

64-bit operating system (window7) not supported some software.

can 128 bit operating system can support all the software?

I AM THINKING IT WILL NOT SUPPORT……….

idiot! he is not talking of RAM, he's talking about processor!

There needs to be computers (IMHO) that are equipped with 128-bit processors before Microsoft releases a 128-bit OS, Microsoft can release it, but it will not be widely used. Also 128-bit Os and processor opens a door to a plethora of new possibilities. I'm only 14, and honestly i wouldn't be surprised to see 512-bit chips by the time i'm in my 60s-70s