Microsoft has now introduced Windows® XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003, with support for the Itanium 2 processor, to meet the demands of technical workstation users who require large amounts of memory and floating point performance in areas such as mechanical design and analysis, 3D animation, video editing and composition, and scientific and high-performance computing applications.

Performance Benefits for Specialised, Technical Applications

The performance of 64-bit computing offers advantages in fields such as automobile or airplane design, by allowing engineers to create larger, more complex models. With such systems, engineers can use simulation software to analyze the effects of airflow, stress, and heat on materials of a car or plane, and then study the results to improve product design. Likewise, 64-bit computing is a benefit for digital content creators, including 3D animators, digital artists, and game developers who can significantly reduce the time spent to digitally render three-dimensional models. In the areas of scientific and high performance computing, Windows XP 64-Bit Edition will aid in oil & gas exploration, seismic analysis, computational fluid dynamics and scientific visualization among other applications.

Very Large Memory Support, Familiar Windows Desktop

Windows XP 64-Bit Edition will run on the Intel® Itanium^TM processor as the platform for workstation users who are reaching the memory limits of 32-bit systems. The key difference between 32-bit and 64-bit Windows XP-based computing lies in the 64-bit version’s ability to use much more system memory. Windows XP 64-Bit Edition will initially support up to 16 gigabytes of RAM and up to eight terabytes of virtual memory. Physical memory support will grow in the future as hardware capabilities expand. Data in memory is accessed thousands of times faster than it is on a disk drive, offering a tremendous performance benefit for applications that are developed to use this greater system memory. In addition, Windows XP 64-Bit Edition has been designed to take advantage of the superior floating point capabilities of the Itanium processor.

Single Desktop for Technical and Business Applications

Windows XP 64-Bit Edition will provide a single desktop for technical and business applications, eliminating the need for technical workstation users to maintain a PC for business applications and a separate workstation for high-end technical applications. Most Windows-compatible 32-bit applications will run “as is” in a subsystem of Windows XP 64-Bit Edition. Workstation users can take advantage of rich integration capabilities and productivity tools on the Windows platform. Designers can build a model and easily share it with others in the company, copying it in to a Word document for the finance group or adding it to a PowerPoint slide deck for the marketing team. If you use only 32-bit applications and work with data sets not larger than 2GB, you will find that 32-bit, Windows XP Professional is the best desktop system for your applications.

Windows XP 64-Bit Edition systems can be added to existing Windows-based networks and managed alongside 32-bit systems with the same administrative tools, making life easier for the IT department. Overhead costs for maintaining and administering two systems are reduced.

Best Platform for New Generation of Applications

Developers with 32-bit Windows skills will be comfortable and productive creating the next generation of application for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition. Developers will find the development environment virtually identical to the development environment for 32-bit Windows; the Microsoft Win64™ application programming interface (API) is the same as the Microsoft Win32® API. The existing APIs have been modified where necessary to allow them to reflect the precision of the platform on which they are running. The result is programming simplicity and a short learning curve for the developer—writing code for 64-bit Windows is just like writing code for 32-bit Windows.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/64bit/downloads/upgrade.asp