Windows XP 64-Bit Edition tips up in beta form

SOMEWHAT SPOOKILY, out there in hard-to-reach San Francisco, Microsoft is about to let slip a beta of its 64-bit version of Windows XP, designed, it says, to support "64-Bit Extended Systems, including platforms based on AMD64 technology from AMD".

Microsoft said it made the announcement at AMD's launch of the AMD Athlon 64 processor in the lumpy city. Though we suspect it meant to say that it is about to do so. We guess the Vole doesn't sign its own NDAs.

Microsoft says a "key benefit" of the OS is the Microsoft Windows on Windows 64 (WOW64) technology, which will "enable customers who currently have Windows XP-compatible 32-bit applications to run those applications on the 64-bit operating system." WOW64, says the Vole, "takes advantage of the AMD64 architecture to enable compatibility with 32-bit applications without a loss of performance in nearly all cases". Coo!

The Vole's press release said that a Microsoft Veep, Chris Jones, said that the software monopolist had, "heard from our customers" that, "the inability to efficiently run 32-bit applications on 64-bit systems has been a major barrier to investing in 64-bit technologies." He's probably actually just about to say that - or something similar - barring a natural catastrophe, or Pentium 4 Extreme Edition causing a rumble down the San Andreas Fault.

On high-performance PC platforms, "new customers will be able to extend beyond the 4-gigabyte physical memory limit of 32-bit computing," says Microsoft. This heralds "an exciting future of cinematic computing PC experiences, especially in the areas of advanced gaming, digital content creation and video editing." Double Coo! "Gamers will enjoy a new level of realism, while digital media enthusiasts will be able to create content of a quality normally achievable only by professionals." Gamers, Huh?

AMD veep Dirk Meyer, will say, has said, or had written for him for the purposes of this press release, the following:
"Windows XP and AMD64 hold the promise of bringing 64-bit computing to a whole new set of computer users, delivering immersive, cinema-quality user experiences for gaming and working with digital media. AMD and Microsoft have worked together to help ensure customers will be able to run both 32-bit and 64-bit applications on a single platform. They are able to invest in the future now."

The Vole says the beta version of Windows XP 64-Bit Edition for 64-Bit Extended Systems is available now to MSDN subscribers*, and a final release is expected to be available in the first half of 2004. A beta of Windows Server 2003 for 64-Bit Extended Systems also is available with final release expected in the first half of 2004. µ

*How's it looking Jon?