Dear CCP4 Users,
CCP4 Core Group would like to estimate the demand for 32-bit Windows
distribution of CCP4 Release 6.5.
Therefore, could you please help it by replying to this e-mail without
changing the subject _/*if and only if*/__/*you have to use CCP4 on a
32-bit Windows PC*/__/.
/_
Please do not put any message in as only the total number of replies
will be counted, and please do not "reply to all" so that your e-mail
does not increase traffic on CCP4 BB.
*/HOW TO IDENTIFY WHETHER YOUR WINDOWS IS 32 OR 64-BIT/*
- open Control Panel
- go to "System and Security"
- click "System"
- read "System type". It should say something like "XX-bit Operating
System, YYY processor"
/*WHY WE ASK YOU TO GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK*/
Although it does not scale linearly with the number of supported OSes,
each OS requires separate manual effort to make a release and support it
through updates. Two years ago we ran a similar query regarding 32-bit
Mac OSX, and only a handful of users reported the use of 32-bit Mac
hardware. We took the decision not to provide 32-bit Mac OSX binaries
then because that was clearly uneconomical. At that point we were
already 5 years behind Apple's own decision not to produce and support
32-bit hardware and OSes any longer.
Today, we observe a similar situation for Linux and MS Windows.
According to CCP4 download stats, only 10% of CCP4 Linux users have
32-bit machines. Up to this point, we did not release 32-bit 6.5 package
for MS Windows, and only a few users have asked for it.
In difference of Mac OSX, 32-bit versions of MS Windows and Linuxes are
still provided by the respective vendors. Therefore, we will not drop
32-bit CCP4 packages for these systems if actual demand proves to be
significant.
/*PLEASE NOTE:*//*
*/
1. Using 32-bit CCP4 packages becomes increasingly disadvantageous,
because some programs may require 64-bit memory space, depending on data
and structure size.
2. It is highly unlikely that a 5-year old and newer computer hardware
is not a 64-bit one. The installed OS may be, however, both 32 and
64-bit. Please see the previous note if you are choosing between the
systems.
Many thanks for your help,
Eugene Krissinel.
