Because 64-bit driver support was ordinary, there aren't many day to day apps that are actually 64-bit (to this day 99% of games are not 64-bit - Steam DRM does not support 64-bit games to this day), the MS provided development environment is a second class citizen in comparison to the 32-bit (I use it every working day and have for years now). In order to use it efficiently, I temporarily change my solutions to run as 32-bit so I can debug effectively and efficiently. Otherwise you waste hours a day doing the same testing running it as 64-bit.
M$ is working on letting its new dog, Windows 8, out. I suggest you make the best of whatever situation in which you find yourself. They are what they are, and I'm notoriously a bad listener, even worse when I'm being complained at.
What's your point? The i7 would run faster on 32-bit than 64-bit.
My point is this; based on your estimates of performance lost, (with PAE), or performance gained by running a 32 bit OS, it's just nonsense to consider either factor, when you're talking about a system of today.
The P-4 era CPU, only has 5% of the data processing capability of the 17-9xx anyway, and it addresses 1TB directly. Losses or gains, it's pretty moot.
I also expect that the new hex core CPUs in socket 2011, have pushed the throughput stat well past 20 times that of anything from the P-4 / PAE past......(wait for it).... while still addressing 1TB of RAM, natively.
Quite frankly, it doesn't matter for the argument as my point was I could run 32-bit with PAE and address more than 4GB of memory and I had done it myself to see what the limitations were. I just wanted to use my 3rd party sound card so it was not suitable for me.
"I used it because I could", and now I expect to be catered to by having it provided, is lame right out of the gate. I've gotten the feeling you perceive me as not being aware that PAE existed until you posted about it, not true. I've known about it for years
HD4000 is not capable of serious 3D. My HTPC is also a very capable games rig.
Well, they haven't left the PCI-e of the new Intel boards. None of my PCs are very capable at gaming. The gaming issue serves to illustrate the reason for my abundant apathy, and your histrionics .
And yes I can tell the difference with onboard vs 3rd party sound. Indeed I do have very good speakers and a very good receiver. Onboard for me is rubbish in comparison. To each their own. You rate onboard? Good for you. Stick to it.
You haven't heard a word I've said. I don't use either! I mainline the SPDIF from the TV, directly into the AV receiver. Then, I load media from discreet, stand alone, DVD & Blu-Ray players.
I don't go out and spend 80 bucks for a Blu-Ray drive, another 80 bucks for Blu-Ray software, 20 more for a long HDMI cable, then run around complaining about how M$ and the 64 bit OS scam are are conspiracy directed at me personally. I'm way too "untogether" for that.
With that said, analog transfer from a CD player, to a home receiver sounds more pleasant to my old ears than optical anyway. Besides, SPDIF cant even find the breaks between songs correctly. It's garbage. Music isn't recorded for anything more than stereo in the first place. And, it sounds like crap when you ask an AV receiver to "fake a 5 channel orgasm", so to speak. If you insist on multi channel sound for music, better to dial up the delay settings, and slap a few Bach organ fugues on the turntable. (again, "turntable" a figure of speech). Still in all, practically a religious experience, and using "old, obsolete technology", at that.
Been waiting for at least 2 generations of Visual Studio now. It keeps getting deferred. Pretty poor in my opinion and I am far from the only person with this problem. Microsoft Connect has the issue registered since VS2008. For applications that use > 2GB of memory (which our workplace produces), 64-bit development and support is sub par. I deal with problems from this every day.
It's a cruel world, mon ami.
I have a new one. It isn't as good. Build quality of the new range is poor imho.
If I got to a point where I had this big a fixation with 30 dollar a piece of equipment, I'd rush out, hire a therapist, and write my own drivers. Although, the way you're going on about it, would make a good case for asking your family doctor for some kind of anti anxiety agent in addition to talk therapy
As for the Epson, no cats here. I agree about the ink consumption but have had little trouble with them compared to the old HPs we used to have. So I'll stick with them for the moment.
I have 2 words for you, "Ca-Non". (Mine has a closed access control panel, cat proof). Besides, they're aiming at the photo market more and more with long life inks and paper. Epson likes to run their corporate mouth about "200 year prints", but released some inks a few years ago that turned orange almost immediately. Whoops.
Now, based on the subtext and demeanor I'm getting from your position and complaints, the rest of the computer industry, is failing miserably to live up to your desires or expectations. Can't help you with that, sorry.