Promoting i386 version over x86_64?

[Roberto Ragusa]

Kevin Kofler wrote:
> Ikem Krueger wrote:
>> "You're pc could be run faster, if you upgrade this operating system
>> to the 64bit version of it. You can download them here if you like:
>> [Link]"
> 
> That gives very little incentive to fetch the correct version. Making the 
> optimistic assumption and saying "I'm sorry, but this version won't work" in 
> the failure case will definitely get everybody to use the optimal version 
> for their machine. And I think that by now the vast majority of our userbase 
> uses 64-bit-capable machines.

And, "upgrading to 64bit" actually means "reinstall everything from scratch"
as a 32->64 upgrade is still impossible, right?

The only reasonable approach is a download panel like:


64bit version, for hardware with 64 bit support such as: (general guidelines)
  - desktops newer than 2005
  - laptops newer than 2006
  - netbooks newer than 2008
[maybe with more accurate dates or rules]

32bit version, for hardware without 64 bit support such as: (general guidelines)
  - old machines
  - small netbooks

Unsure about this choice?
  - the machine you are using now {is 64 bit / is not 64 bit} (so we preselected this choice for you)
  - to check another machine, download this tool and run it

This is supposing the hardware capability (not simply the 64bitness of the
current O.S.) is detectable in a browser; if not the tool has to be used.
The tool can be a small windows exec / small linux script; in alternative,
it could be a small ISO image fedora-detect-arch.iso which just prints
"this machine is 64 bit capable" or "this machine is not 64 bit capable".


I would also suggest to avoid framing the difference as
  32 bit / 64 bit
but use a more aggressive
  64 bit capable, 64 bit uncapable
if we want to promote x86_64.

Finally, saying:
- 32 bit (it will run everywhere)
- 64 bit (maybe it will not run)
is definitely the worst way. :-)

Best regards.
-- 
   Roberto Ragusa    mail at robertoragusa.it