The Long Road To 64 Bits

The 64/32-bit microprocessor can address the problem of large storage and handle the 32-and 64-bit user programs. Hardware manufacturing industry are taking effective measures to develop 64/32-bit CPUs and make 32-bit binaries compatible with 64/32-bit systems. Software designers need to develop dual mode operating system, compilers, libraries, and modify application source code compatible with 32- and 64-bit environments. Many 64-bit CPU's design are based on existing 32-bit architecture that can support 32-bit binaries by extending 32-bit register to 64 bits in 64-bit mode. A CPU can address some amount of virtual memory by flat addressing, which involves most of bits in an integer register to create a virtual memory address equal or less than actual physical memory. Computing industry is now using new operating system and compilers built on 64-bit hardware and architecture.