I did some playing with 64bit since this issue was first raised. Putting aside the usual religious comments about VM vs not VM, it seems to me there may be some interesting uses for 64 bit in LPAR mode, even if the apps are 31 bit.
1) Since Linux caches files heavily, any 31 bit app that is high I/O bound with large data bases could benefit. Using a 31bit app on a 64bit Linux (SuSE 8,SP2), I was able to load 16GB of data into cached memory and greatly improve the reponse and througput times by improving the data access times (no, no numbers available, YMMV). Any DB app with frequently accessed large indices/tables/key spaces/whatever, might be able to benefit. 2) One model that Linux can handle and I don't see explored very much is the interactive user model, where many users log on to a single Linux image (as some do in TSO or CMS). Large 64bit memories would also help this environment. Instead of having a copy of Linux for each user, there would be one copy of linux running with many users. I know this is an "old" model with the internet model now in favor, but there may still be use for it. Regards, Jim Linux S/390-zSeries Support, SEEL, IBM Silicon Valley Labs t/l 543-4021, 408-463-4021, [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** Grace Happens ***
