News:

Due to heavy spamming attempts on this forum, automatic registration has been disabled. We will approve registration requests as quickly as possible (unless you're a spammer of course :) )

Main Menu

32 or 64 bit version of Windows/AnyRail

Started by David, February 21, 2018, 01:28:01 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

Which version of Windows do you use?

I run 32 bits Windows, and have no plans to upgrade my computer any time soon
I run 64 bits Windows, or I'm about to upgrade, so no worries

David

AnyRail is a currently a 32 bits program. This runs fine on both 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows, but we're wondering how many people still have a 32 bit version of Windows running.

In time, it may be worth it to change to a 64 bit version of the program, but we'd rather not have two versions, one for 32 and one for 64 bit systems.

It seems that PCs sold after 2008 are all 64 bits, but some of you might be using older computers without a 64 bit processor.

Please let us know, so we can better plan for the future!

David.
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.

RCMan

I run 64 bit computers.

What advantages would 64 bit have over 32 bit in future features and performance?
Dennis
Bonham Texas

David

One thing is that with the test version of a new 3D viewer we're working on, being able to use more memory will speed up the process for large layouts.
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.


Tom Springer

#4
Desktop with 35in screen runs Win7 32bit and AnyRail, as well as some special hardware; will eventually be converted to 64bit when drivers are updated..

64bit AnyRail won't be an issue here.
Tom Springer

(Unintentional Pyromaniac)

TrainzLuvr

Is this some kind of a "hip" thing you need to do because everyone is doing it lately, or is there a valid reason to go 64-bit only for a killer feature that no other MRR planning software has, and it desperately needs 64-bit functionality?

Does AR need more than 4GB (3.5GB) of memory to warrant switching to 64-bit only?

Your 3D viewer should rely more on the graphics chip memory and advanced functionality there (if computation is needed such as CUDA, OpenCL...or OpenGL/DX/Vulkan) than CPU memory. Even the Intel IG is nowadays fast enough that one should never let the CPU do any graphics tasks.

Screen resolution is irrelevant to application's bit-ness and is driven by the underlining OS. Matter a fact AR should be resolution independent in every aspect.

I'm telling you this because if you keep being stuck in the Windows land, you will remain there. The world will move to more sleeker and leaner ARM architectures running on tablets with 10-16" screens, or even a pair of glasses, having about the same power as an i5 or i7 CPU today.

If anything, I would focus on liberating AR from the Windows shackles and making it as much OS agnostic as possible.

Just my 2c.
Website: Trains Luvr
YouTube channel: Trainz Luvr

David

Thanks, great feedback.

The AnyRail core is just plain C++, only the user interface is Windows. So no worries there.

We've been doing some tests with tablet/touch and AnyRail design, but I feel a mouse is absolutely necessary to do anything useful. Positioning things with your fingers is just very clumsy, but when time comes, we can make the transition.

While there may not be very many convincing reasons to move to 64 bits yet, we just prefer to stay up to date with technology, and rather use the hardware that's available to create the best experience possible. However, at the same time, many of our users have a somewhat older laptop or desktop, and of course, it should work on those machines as well.

So we should balance all those aspects. Much like when we dropped XP support, making our development process a lot simpler once we could, we're now looking at this step to drop 32 bit support. We might be too early though, so that's why we're just trying to gather some information from you all.
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.

RCMan

Some software comes in both 32 and 64 bit.

Can Anyrail also be that way?

Is it difficult to maintain two copies?
Dennis
Bonham Texas

vistisen

#8
Quote from: TrainzLuvr on February 24, 2018, 01:21:29 AM
Is this some kind of a "hip" thing you need to do because everyone is doing it lately, or is there a valid reason to go 64-bit only for a killer feature that no other MRR planning software has, and it desperately needs 64-bit functionality?

Does AR need more than 4GB (3.5GB) of memory to warrant switching to 64-bit only?

Your 3D viewer should rely more on the graphics chip memory and advanced functionality there (if computation is needed such as CUDA, OpenCL...or OpenGL/DX/Vulkan) than CPU memory. Even the Intel IG is nowadays fast enough that one should never let the CPU do any graphics tasks.

Screen resolution is irrelevant to application's bit-ness and is driven by the underlining OS. Matter a fact AR should be resolution independent in every aspect.

I'm telling you this because if you keep being stuck in the Windows land, you will remain there. The world will move to more sleeker and leaner ARM architectures running on tablets with 10-16" screens, or even a pair of glasses, having about the same power as an i5 or i7 CPU today.

If anything, I would focus on liberating AR from the Windows shackles and making it as much OS agnostic as possible.

Just my 2c.
Actually a 32 bit windows allows for no single application to use more than 2Gb Ram.
Mu opinion is that fine positioning of track with my fingers on a tablet is a no go! For me there is nothing wrong with staying on the Desktop OS that still has an 88.78% market share. The death of the Windows PC has been predicted for over a decade. In actual fact the number of downloads of mobil apps dropped 20% between may 2015 and 2016! Source: https://www.recode.net/2016/6/8/11883518/app-boom-over-snapchat-uber. I would like to see a 64 bit version of AnyRail as it would open up for possibilities for higher dpi output which when printing full size tracks plans would be useful. I should imagine that it would help with 3D performance as well. Not to mention give more space for other modules like Wiring and Baseboards.

Tom Springer

#9
+1

If 64bit would allow better images, 3D improvements and larger layouts with finer zoom, and eventually modules that can be linked together, then that would get up-leveled to +100 ..
Tom Springer

(Unintentional Pyromaniac)

PeJe

I see no problems if say, from e.g. version 6.15 onwards Anyrail is 64 bit.
when you have a 32 bit system, use 6.14 or earlier (but it will not be kept up to date of course).
In my opinion you cannot keep on supporting "stone age" equipment indefinitely  8)

BritBloke

Go to 64bit and move on.

Archive the final 32bit version for the occasional retro-person 😎 who may need it. No development, no support, as is.


David

Although not too many people voted in the poll, it seems that no one still uses a 32 bit computer.

Soon, we'll present a 64 bit version to our test group, so we can make sure there are no underlying problems.

Thanks for all the feedback so far!
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.

Michel van den Hof

Hi David/all,

I have an Acer 8930G 18.4" Blue-Ray laptop, running on Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit, and still happy with it.
Most used software on it is Anyrail.

Regards,
Michel

David

@Michel, is that the only Windows computer you have? It's a shame that they did not put Vista 64 bits on it back then, as it is perfectly capable of running that, even when it's 9 years old.

By the way, Microsoft stopped Vista support in April 2017, so you might consider upgrading anyway.
David Hoogvorst. Founder and Owner of DRail Software. Creator of AnyRail.