more -- ix86 packages on x86_64 system

[Jason Knight]

Gene Czarcinski wrote:

>The only idea that occurs to me involves up2date/yum/system-config-packages.  
>Could one/all of these packages be enhanced to properly handle the addition 
>(new installation) of an ix86 package on an existing x86_64 system ... to 
>install the package but then fix things so that if a x86_64 package was 
>already installed it would be re-installed (or things otherwise fixed up) so 
>that the result was the proper set of x86_64 files plus the ix86 libraries.
>
>The problem with spending any resources to solve this problem is that it 
>appears to me to be only needed for the amd64 (and whatever Intel is calling 
>their version) platform.  Other platforms which support simultaneous 32-bit 
>and 64-bit applications do not appear to have the problem since they seem to 
>be mostly 32-bit with a few 64-bit applications.  So the question is:  How 
>important is it to support arbitrary 32-bit applications running on a x86_64 
>system?  Is it important enough to spend time developing the capability.
>
>Comments?  Suggestions?
>
>Gene
>  
>
I think one of the things that needs to be remembered is that the 
software (and hardware) community is slowly migrating towards the 64 bit 
architechture whereas 32 bit will become the old compatibility feature. 
Therefore sites such as newrpms and fedora.us will have their 
repositories eventually having x86_64 packages as opposed to the current 
32 bit only status. This will mean that installations will be a breeze 
with x86_64 packages being installed from x86_64 repos will work 
flawlessly for the x86_64 based systems.

So in effect: I think our main goal should be to start pushing 
developers (and repo maintainers) to start coding/building for 64 bit 
and to begin the migration as it has to start sooner or later.

-- 
Jason Knight
Fedora Core 2 Test 2 *x86_64*