There are linux distributions that automatically select 64-bit when the H/W supports this, otherwise 32-bit. This is the way Windows should work too, the user shall not need to decide regarding this. The architecture should support use of both 64-bit and 32-bit drivers. Please release Windows 7 without different versions regarding 64-bit or 32-bit!

There are linux distributions that automatically select 64-bit when the H/W supports this, otherwise 32-bit. This is the way Windows should work too, the user shall not need to decide regarding this. The architecture should support use of both 64-bit and 32-bit drivers. Please release Windows 7 without different versions regarding 64-bit or 32-bit! Hi HansThis would not be a good idea at the present time.Many users still have hardware that is not supported with 64-Bit drivers. There are also many software programs that do not work well on a 64-Bit installation.The 64-Bit architecture is still emerging and sometime in the future it will be the standard, but not right now.Hope this helps.Thank You for testing Windows 7 Ronnie Vernon MVP

The 64-bit version will not be the standard unless Microsoft MAKES it the standard and consequently MAKES it work on old hardware and with old software. From a user perspective, the decision regarding 64-bit or 32-bit is very confusing. Its a big disappointment if this issue is not solved with Windows 7!

The 64-bit version will not be the standard unless Microsoft MAKES it the standard and consequently MAKES it work on old hardware and with old software. From a user perspective, the decision regarding 64-bit or 32-bit is very confusing. Its a big disappointment if this issue is not solved with Windows 7! There is no way to make a 64bit OS work on old hardware that doesn't support it. So you see there is nothing to solve.

The 64-bit version will not be the standard unless Microsoft MAKES it the standard and consequently MAKES it work on old hardware and with old software. From a user perspective, the decision regarding 64-bit or 32-bit is very confusing. Its a big disappointment if this issue is not solved with Windows 7! There is no way to make a 64bit OS work on old hardware that doesn't support it. So you see there is nothing to solve. Yes there is. Windows shall be distributed in a package that will default to using the 64-bit version if the basic hardware supports (32-bit otherwise) it and revert to 32-bit drivers when required. If the user has problems with the 64-bit version, a manual selection to use the 32-bit version shall be offered during installation. This method means the Microsoft has decided that 64-bit is the default version and that the normal user that buys a new computer with Windows will use the 64-bit version, only old computers will have to use the 32-bit version.

Windows should ship as 32 bit or 64 for the user to decide untill more programs are written in 64bit and when 64 bit hardware is the only available.64 bitwill be the standard but the transition will take some time.If it isn't Mr. Seven it's not.

Mr Seven - Er.. That's pretty much how they're going to do it. Both 32 bit and 64 bit DVDs will be included in the top 3 editions.

That's better than a few years ago when it took a special order to getXP 64. Microsoft deemed it for computer enthusiasts at that time since it was new, but the trend is an increasing availabity of 64 bit and without a doubt Hans, it will continue to be more available as time goes by.If it isn't Mr. Seven it's not.