Changing the default 32-bit x86 arch for Fedora 12 (#2)

[James Hubbard]

On Wed, Jun 17, 2009 at 3:17 PM, Jeff Spaleta<jspaleta at gmail.com> wrote:
> Just as an aside, can we do anything to help people identify whether
> their hardware is 64bit capable?

grep lm /proc/cpuinfo

Fedora doesn't even indicate what video card that they're using why
should it provide a way to discover the 64bit capability.

> I'm thinking specifically with people with "Centrino" stickered
> laptops of unclear vintage who may not realize that they have a 64bit
> capable machine even when they do. The Centrino branding doesn't
> exactly make it obvious as Intel pushed 64bit capability into the
> brand at some point (2006 ?).
>
> How many people are running 32bit Fedora on 64bit capable hardware
> without realizing its 64bit capable laptop hardware?

I think that those that care probably know and are running x86_64.  If
they're like me, they stick the x86_64 cd into their wife's computer
and discover that it's got one of older processors when it gives the
error message.

Trying to berate people into using x86_64 as I've seen in this and
other threads has gotten annoying. People that run i386 on x86_64
capable hardware usually have a reason.  On my work laptop, I run i386
simply because it makes my life easier.  I have to work with
proprietary software that is mostly 32bit.  I don't want to deal with
having to make sure that I've got the various 32bit libraries
installed.