Difference between revisions of "32 bit"
m (add a return link) |
(more details) |
||
| Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
| − | A ''32-bit'' processor is one that generally supports a word size of 2**32, where the constant "[[maxint]]" | + | A ''32-bit'' processor is one that generally supports a word size of 2**32, where the constant "[[maxint]]" has the value 4,294,967,296. It also means that programs and data spaces can be much larger than on the older 16-bit machines. |
Examples of 32-bit processors include | Examples of 32-bit processors include | ||
| Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
*IBM 360/370 Mainframe series (now known as Z-series) | *IBM 360/370 Mainframe series (now known as Z-series) | ||
*Motorola 68000 series (Macintosh) | *Motorola 68000 series (Macintosh) | ||
| + | |||
| + | The 32-bit processor type on the X86 (80386, 80486, Pentium) added additional features including enhanced multiprocessing, which is why you can have several programs running simultaneously, and task-protection, which (supposedly) means that if one program crashes it doesn't take the whole system down with it. This behavior works more consistently on Linux than on Windows. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Some 32-bit processors (X86) are enhancements of 16-bit processors, and generally can run 16-bit applications. The reverse, however, is not true; 32-bit code cannot run on a machine smaller than 32 bits. | ||
| + | |||
==See Also== | ==See Also== | ||
* [[Writing portable code regarding the processor architecture]] | * [[Writing portable code regarding the processor architecture]] | ||
| + | * [[64 bit]] | ||
Revision as of 07:34, 13 February 2010
A 32-bit processor is one that generally supports a word size of 2**32, where the constant "maxint" has the value 4,294,967,296. It also means that programs and data spaces can be much larger than on the older 16-bit machines.
Examples of 32-bit processors include
- X86 microcomputer (WINTEL architecture)
- Digital VAX mainframe
- IBM 360/370 Mainframe series (now known as Z-series)
- Motorola 68000 series (Macintosh)
The 32-bit processor type on the X86 (80386, 80486, Pentium) added additional features including enhanced multiprocessing, which is why you can have several programs running simultaneously, and task-protection, which (supposedly) means that if one program crashes it doesn't take the whole system down with it. This behavior works more consistently on Linux than on Windows.
Some 32-bit processors (X86) are enhancements of 16-bit processors, and generally can run 16-bit applications. The reverse, however, is not true; 32-bit code cannot run on a machine smaller than 32 bits.
