OS to choose for my T61P

I am about to get a T61P, but I still didn't decide the OS to get. I thinking to get Vista Business 64bit, just one question need to verify. So the 64bit and 32 bit is only differentiate by the drivers. All application can be install in 32 bit will be able to install in 64 bits version, is it correct? Thank you.

 

There are several significant differences between 32-bit and 64-bit Vista. Try googling "32-bit vs 64-bit". You should fine lots of information.

 

Sorry, but incorrect.

Some older 32-bit programs do not even complete their installation if you try to install them on a 64-bit Vista/XP/Windows Server 2003/Windows Server 2008. Some programs do not even start the installation procedure at all. And worst of all, there are some 32-bit programs that can be installed on 64 OS, but they can behave very tricky (like crashes, slow performance etc)

Go for the 32-bit if you need your program/driver compatibility.

 

Vista 32bit going to Vista 64 bit increases not only 20-30% in performance, but allows for the use of 4 full gigs of ram. I'll take those benefits, I'm a multi-tasker.

Microsoft One Note, Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Outlook, both i.e., and firefox, warcraft3 in the background, aim, yahoo messenger, itunes, anti-virus software,
nero burning rom or player, reciept manager and libronix digital book/media software.

My current desktop with 2GB ram gets chewed up unless i run at most two or three at a time.

 

There are very very few programs what won't run on vista 64 bit. Drivers are moreso the problem.

The main reason to get Vista 64bit is if you are going to have 4GB of ram. IF your not stick with 32 bit for now.

 

Very very few?? How about Auto Cad/Auto Desk, Pro Engineer, Mathcad, LabView, Oracle 8/9, Derive XM, Axapta 3.x/4.x, Navision etc etc... These are SOME examples wich do not support 64-bit OS:es that I can think of right now. I can not even imagine how many more programs out there do not support 64-bit OS.

Kebs, can you tell me where/how you get 20-30% more performance in Vista 64-bit? We have tried different games, benchmarkers and applications, but we have never ever seen so much difference. Right now, I have access to 2 T61 machines with exactly identical hardware. Both have dual boot; one of the machines have 32-bit Vista and Fedora core 7 64-bit and the other machine has 64-bit Vista and Fedora core 7 64-bit. Tell me what to benchmark to see the huge difference and I will try it on the both machines simultaneously.

 

There's quite a few applications and programs licensed by the Boards used in schools that won't run on Vista (yet).