run 64bits = 4GB ram

I am running 32bits Ubuntu 7.04 with 3GB ram and thinking install 64bits Ubuntu 7.04 for the heck of it. (I just think it is a waste not use 64bits when the machine have the potential of it.)

Will the extra 1Gb ram gives significant result? will it be stupid of me not getting 4 GB ram in 64bits OS?
Well, my idea is use 64bits for my base OS which is much faster. if i there are softwares that dont support 64bits, i can use virtualbox to run 32bits.
i also have a question on leaving security and safety on using virtualbox all day.

 

Doubtful. If you have to ask if that much RAM will do anything, you're probably not running anything it'd affect 64bit also isn't "much" faster. It's a bit quicker at a few things, and my completely unscientific opinion is that it's a tad snappier, but that's about it. Realize that it'll take a bit more work to get all your media (especially video) working under a 64bit distro. A few benchmarks on servers and some games show it being just slightly faster than 32bit. You also don't have to use virtualbox to run 32bit software... you can run it natively, just install the 32bit libraries and software. I use a 32bit version of flash inside my 64bit browser on Kubuntu here. So you don't really need to worry about the security of virtualbox.

 

I'm pretty sure 32-bit Linux can use all 4gb of ram.

 

but 2^32=4,294,967,296=4GB. doesn't linux also reserve ram space? if so (as i imagine it would), then a 32-bit linux-based OS cant show you 4GB usable (by the user) either.

 

Yes, I'm using that, I can see all 4 GB. I have big memory enabled in the kernel that allows up to 64 GB of RAM on 32 bit Linux.

 

just curious ... what kind of users needs 4GB ram on a notebook? hehe i thought all 64bits users max their ram.

 

In a notebook? Only someone that needs a mobile CAD, heavy graphics or simulation station or something. Consumer-level, there's absolutely no need for 4GB of RAM in a notebook. That said, I am a 64bit user, and I "only" have 2GB of RAM There are benefits other than extra memory to having a 64bit system, such as extra registers available to compilers, etc. Plus the geek factor

 

I don't see an appreciable difference in running 1 GB vs. 2 GB on my machines (desktop and laptop), so, I don't see a reason to need support for any more than that for a while now. Especially since I've had a tendency to lean farther and farther towards using lightweight software. Despite the fact that my hardware is plenty powerful enough to run more resource intensive programs.

 

The same kind of users that need 4 GB of RAM in a desktop - except they want it to be portable.

RAM quantity is like shoe size. You buy what you need. If you need a size 8 but you bought a size 12, you'll look like a doofus. If you need a size 12 but you bought a size 8, you'll be very uncomfortable. Same goes for RAM.

 

Me too... for the most part Except that I play a few games quite often, and they like having lots of RAM, and I also have a terrain rendering program that will take up all my RAM and more if I load up a large data set. Think terrain images over 500MB, geographical data sets in the hundreds of megs that is then exploded into a much larger mesh. It'll make 2GB seem like nothing in an instant