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What is the difference between 16 bit OS and 32 bit OS
Name: lavin Date: November 1, 2000 at 06:13:16 Pacific
Comment:
What is the actual difference between 16 bit OS and 32 bit OS. Can anybody help me?
Name: Lightspeed Date: November 1, 2000 at 06:54:44 Pacific
Reply:
Basically, the difference lies in the way the program process information : 2 bytes at a time for 16 bits, 4 for 32 bits. This falls in line with processor capacity, older system usually use a 16 bits processor (often with a 32 bits "virtual" capacity), while newer system all use 32 bits processors that can input 4 bytes of information per clock beat for processing. The buzz word is speed!
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Response Number 2
Name: Preston Date: November 1, 2000 at 07:04:13 Pacific
Reply:
During a single cycle of the CPU processor, a 16-bit program can send 16 bits of instructions to the CPU.
A 32-bit program can send twice as many (32 bits) of instructions during a single cycle.
Therefore, 32-bit programs are often able to run faster than 16-bit programs but because the speed of a program is effected by so many other factors, a 32-bit program is unlikely to be twice as fast as a 16-bit program.
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Response Number 3
Name: james Date: November 1, 2000 at 14:57:01 Pacific
Reply:
just for nostalgic purposes......the old atari 2600/vcs video game system, was a 2-bit system; the atari 400/600/800 computers, were 4-bit; and the original nintendo, was 8-bit.
just wanted to add my "2-bits" worth :)
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Response Number 4
Name: Jon Fox Date: November 1, 2000 at 15:18:33 Pacific
Reply:
Of course when someone says a "32 bit OS" what they really mean is one that uses the processor in protected mode. When someone talks about a "16 bit OS" what they mean is one that runs with the processor in real mode. Then the differences become a bit more complex then just the number of bits the data bus can handle. And I honestly can't be bothered to explain that right now...
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Response Number 5
Name: Tundra Date: December 23, 2000 at 23:12:10 Pacific
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