I was wondering how many people here (if any) use the 32 bit Windows
builds of FreeDV. Given that Microsoft seems to be trying to get away
from supporting 32 bit machines for the most recent versions of Windows
10 and 11, it would help the project decide how much longer it should be
supported (if we do continue to support it at all).
Microsoft giving up support on one piece/aspect of their software has
nothing to do with who is still using it, how, why, or something similar.
For example, if Carl's Junior decided to put only 19 pieces of ice in a
medium drink cup, instead of 20, would it matter to the rest of the
universe? Sure, ice is a silly analogy, but no different than one
company, getting away from doing one thing, with some stuff, relative to
the rest of the universe. I don't think MS gives you billions of
dollars (or anything else of value) in kickbacks each year expecting you
to comply under penalty of death at every breath, so they don't matter
to your decisions at all.
Based on my use and observation of computers since the 70's, I'd say as
long as people are still using 32 bit OS's, so, maybe 50-100 years.
Every 32 bit system ever built, is potentially still in use.
As for your own aspect of the 32 bit project, make it the best it can
be, with the least (almost nobody ever has the same system, software, or
setup as a developer, never make software that isn't fully reliant upon
itself) 32 bit requirements beyond on/off/run to do the job, then let it
sit, as it's perfect, and once perfect, doesn't need further work, or
"support", ever.
Random computer thoughts follow...
Personally, I'd like to see 8 and 16 bit DV, but aside from finding very
old software from back then, as what was made then, still works now, and
downloading 30 year old software today, is just as relevant and
perfectly functional as downloading it in 1994, it's not likely someone
would make those new. There seems to be an odd mentality in the
computer world that just because one person, or company moves on, the
rest of the world must follow. If that were the case in reality, nobody
on the planet would do anything less than the most recent thought of
someone else, every 8.1 billionth of a second.
Speaking of older systems, anyone notice that Apple II's operated faster
than the speed of thought, and programs reacted by the time someone
removed their finger from a key? Imagine if all the multi-GHz
processors, TB of memory, and 6-8+ cores could do that now. Eusta-be we
programmed for speed and efficiency, not appearance and bloat. My
current computer is nearly four billion times faster than an Apple II,
and takes up to minutes, not µS to do stuff, even stripped down. Garbage.
Kurt
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