Your second post is somewhat more helpful than your first, and somewhat easier for a non-techie to understand. However, it's worth noting that if you are on a 32-bit OS, you are still limited to 4GB, minus your video card,...
With the PAE, you have your full 4 GB... material like video card use the upper part of the 48 bits memory range... the physical limit of 4 Gb was only keep by windows XP... using Windows server 2000 allow already the use of more memory with PAE... And remember, the PAE is working from the Pentium pro... so people without processor EM64T can use more memory if they chooose the right OS... Windows XP and Vista are low end operating system, who don't use all the capabilities of your system... Server version, same used on a usual desktop computer, allow your to use more "power"... for the last Microsoft OS, windows server 2008... normal 32 bit version support 4gb... but the enterprise or datacenter edition ( 32 bit ) support 64 Gb !!!
Now, can someone explain me why server 2008 enterprise 32 bit support 64 gb ram and vista 32 bit support only 4 gb since both use the NT 6.0 SP1 kernel... very simple... all is about money... because vista is cheaper that server 2008, the NT 6.0 kernel have some function dissable... and it is not because a microsoft OS is called server that it run only on server...
and whatever your primary application (presumably you have some purpose in mind by setting the flag for 3GB) is going to be consuming the vast majority of that 3GB, if not all of it (read: late game immense GCII games, etc), which doesn't leave much for anything else. Taking into account the above subtraction for video card VRAM, it becomes obvious that 4GB is simply insufficient.
True with Microsoft... but a linux kernel with PAE allow to use 64 gb... and allow the application to use 64 gb too ( almost, remove material and kernel space from these 64 gb )... why do you think that i use Linux for Sins... With Windows XP pro x64, i have only know problem of stability when the game use over of 5 gb ram ( don't ask me why, i have not yet find why )... but with Linux, it run perfectly, using the memory it is needed...
Of course, for usual user, Linux is not a option... PAE kernel is not installed by default... only beta driver of Nvidia work good in PAE mode, mean that you need source of kernel for compile a module... wine register need to be edited manually...
Solution exist for windows with 32 bit processor...
- Pentium pro or newer but not EM64T , with 4 GB : XP 32 bit with PAE and 3G allow your to use your full 4 gb for system/application and 3 gb for application in place of 2 GB
- Pentium pro or newer but not EMT64T, with more of 4 GB : windows server 2000 advanced allow to use 8 gb, extended allow to use 32 gb, server 2003 enterprise allow to use 32 gb, with SP1... 64 gb, server 2008 enterprise allow to use 64 gb...
Now, is there somebody here with more that 64 gb Ram ( Devs of sins are excluded because it is possible that they have top of the top computer ) ? Windows 32 bit OS can use more that 4 gb when you choose the right version... people with a old P3 can go over the 4 gb limit if they have the right windows OS but they will never be able to use a EM64T software...
To be honest, the 64 bits memory address range is not yet ready for easy use... for devs, we have a new set of intruction for it... but instruction are not always the same for EM64T and AMD64... common instruction don't allow to win a lot of speed... only good solution is to make two source code... one for EM64T and one for AMD64... double work for same income... game are sell around 50$, this don't allow a lot of money for devellopment ( sins and stardock are maybe the only one exception, so much work for free upgrade version... work where they ear no money... but they earn my respect... )...
Sins can run from the very old computer to the top one... of course, for the old computer, you need to lower the quality, you cannot use huge map with several star... but sins have reach a huge number of user in very short time... making the new stardock game 64 bits can be good for us, people who have a confortable life and some money... money for buy modern system of pay server version of Microsoft OS... but what about the million of poor people who have buy sins because it run ( same in limited way ) on their old limited hardware... in my linux world, sins is the top one game in his genre... it can run on a old P3 from a guy who is from poor African country, using the free to ship ubuntu OS because the guy have no internet connection or/and no money...
And it is not very different in my country... the modern Belgium... for hobby, i set up old computer for people who know nothing about it... my material come from recycle place... old P4 at 1.2 Mgh, AMD at 1.8 from the generation of 8 year ago... and for these people, i am able to put a demo of sins... of course, after some time, they are limited in the game because of the resource hardware... but the few who like sins are ready to buy a more modern computer for enjoy the sins at his full power ( and it allow me to earn more money since i build and configure the new system )...
Like say before, stardock game are great, sins is great since it work on any hardware... memory can be a problem but it is not the main problem... multicore use is a main problem... processor have a lower work frequency but have a lot of core... sins is not able to use them in a perfect way ( same the 2.6 linux kernel don't rsolve all problem, around 30% of power are lose in waiting time )... of course, a multicore engine will be more difficult that a x-64 software... a multicore engine need to review all the code, a x-64 version need only a new compilation of the source code ( and some other minor change )...
Native 64 bit software doesn't require a "native" processor. The CPU just needs to support 64 bit, it doesn't need to drop older modes.
Arrrrgggggggggghhhhhhhhhhhh.....
From a devs point of view, this sentence make me crazy... EM64T and AMD64 are 32 bits with 64 bits memory access.... AI-64 ( Itanium ) is native 64 bit ( add ultrasparc and some other processor to the list )... the first 64 bits processor was created before i was born ( and i am more of 40 year old !!! ) but usual people are not ready for it... EMt64T and AMD64 are hydrid system... a 32 bit system where a little section work with 64 bits... like PAE is a 32 bits system with 48 part... a EM64T or AMD64 CANNOT excecute 64 bits code but can use 64 bit memory range...
At least, for Sole Soul... about my own Xeon processor... yes, they are not real 64 bit processor... they are 32 bits with Em64T expension.... like any modern P4... but there is some other difference... memory access is serial, quad interleace... with ECC 8 bits ( in my case )... memory raid possibility... etc.... P4 are low end Xeon where several function are dissabled... ok, i will not go further... but the Xeon is a full processor and the P4 is a processor where the "balls" was cut... they are similar but one have full power and the last is a eunuch... the difference is similar to windows server 2008 and vista !!!!
At least, for Kryo... MS will never change something... sorry, correct me, MS have already change something... but like anything, you need to pay the price... from 2000, MS support 32 gb ram but only for professional operating system, where you pay a lot of money... usual people will always have eunuch system... where NORMAL function are cut... until you pay the big money...and it is not only about OS... BIOS are very important too... in my own bios, i have a function who allow almost 50% more fast result for 3D graphic... but with windows XP pro x-64 and Vista, the result is a blue screen... Unix and Linux are good with it but the manual configuration is a hell.... Yep; like you say, OS are the problem.... on one side, the easy windows but very limited... on the other side Unix/Linux who are the top but a pain in the A$$...
But for one thing, you are wrong.... MS and OEM cannot change it... Game is the mainstream... YOU can change it... In the case of sins, the 4x game, you are at the top in any operating system... you have more influence that you think... i am a open source guy... but for me, you are heroes... you are the perfect example that closed source is compatible with freedom... yep, real linux geek understand that FREE is not about "gratis" thing but about "freedom"... i have top end hardware but i am happy for my "brother" who are able to run your software on low end system... i am happy that i can use sins without need to insert the original CD each 5 minutes ( if it was the case, a crack will exist from long time ago )... your first bad move was the impulse engine ( who don't work with linux )... i need to wait the european realease of the next few upgrade... sure that i will download "pirate" version since i don't like to wait but later, i will buy the boxed version ( these are with garanty )...
Kill me if you wish but my first version of sins was a pirate version... but once the european version was in store ( FNAC ), i have buy it.... because the game is great and because you are open minded... a little like NWN ( Never Winter Night )... i have buy the original and expension pack... but NWN2 was a no go... they fuçk us, it was not more compatible... for now, peoples of Starock, you are the best one for us... i know, Linux people are only 16% of the user now... but we are growing... and rach month, i convert some windows people... your Sins is a reference for us... You cannot imagine how much people like you game... and how much it is easy for us to run it on a linux 32 bits on old system ( font and sound problem resolved, a few tuning of wine register )...
It is not possible for the actual version, too much work for very little income... yep, the devs need to eat too... but if one day, sins 2.0 come out, please, try the open open GL way... it wil make it more easy for us... Return to Castle Wolfenstien have make it, quake have make it, unreal have make it.... you can make it because you are the best... not now... but tomorrow...
PS : Don't worry about my rant... i am happy with you now.... i simply fear the future... but for now, you concurrent on Linux is Vega Strike... and you are several light year before them... For me, only one is better that you ( but it is my own opinion )... Dannan from the 7DS project... it is a shame that he work for free ( gratis )... this guy is a genius ( with the help of his team )...