“”AMD plans to extend the x86 instruction set to include a
64-bit mode, delivering a simple yet powerful solution that enables
all of the performance benefits associated with 64-bit computing,
while maintaining compatability and a leading-edge performance
roadmap for the existing installed base of x86 32-bit software
applications and operating systems,” said Weber. “No other 64-bit
solution has full native x86 32- and 64-bit compatibility.”
“AMD has disclosed specifications to the major OS vendors and
Microsoft so that they may ensure that their operating systems and
tools will be AMD x86 64-bit aware,” added Weber…”
“By extending the x86 instruction set to 64-bits, AMD’s
x86-64 technology should give us very fast compiler retargetting
and the easiest kernel port so far,” said Alan Cox, Linux Kernel
Developer.“