32-bit vs 64-bit | Converting Information
In order to know which programs to run in 32-bit, your OS has to open each program into a “Process”. This process can be either 32-bit or 64-bit, but not both. So, once again, we see strict separation between the two.
What’s more, plugins are not standalone programs… they “plug in” to a program, and that program is then responsible for that particular plugin. This means the plugin is opened in the exact same process as the program that called it—so, a 32-bit process can only open a 32-bit plugin because it cannot run 64-bit code, and vice-versa.
I sense another question coming here, something like, “If my 32-bit plugins won’t ever be converted to 64-bit, what’s the point of moving to 64-bit at all?”
We already know 64-bit allows larger memory addresses, which means more access to RAM. For photographers, this means you can hold larger images or files with lots of layers without forcing the program to come to a grinding halt. I won’t promise it’ll be super-fast, but it won’t randomly stop responding. Anyone who has ever tried working on huge images in 32-bit PaintShop Pro will know exactly what I’m talking about.
And in some very few and rare cases, because the processor can hold more information, it can perform some calculations faster and with fewer cycles than 32-bit can. Though, often, you probably won’t notice it.
So, combining the two, 64-bit makes it possible to work effectively on larger images without the program stalling out and you might see one or two optimized filters finish faster.
“Well that hardly seems worth it!” I hear you cry. Sadly, photo-editing and is just one type of program that benefits from a move to 64-bit systems. Not to mention they’re quickly becoming the only systems sold, with 32-bit going the way of the dodo… like the old 16-bit systems before them.
Eventually 64-bit is all there will be… until, of course, the industry makes the jump to 128-bit. So it’s an unfortunate reality that, at some point, our favorite 32-bit plugins won’t work at all — if you’re the type to keep up with the latest advances in technology. Corel provides both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of PaintShop Pro, to help accommodate for those plugins that have not yet been recompiled or rebuilt by their creators or no longer receiving support.
If you’ve made it to the end of this longer technical answer, I commend you and hope I’ve helped to shed some light on the differences between 32- and 64-bit and why we can’t just run our old 32-bit plugins in 64-bit PaintShop Pro.
Thanks again for reading and stay tuned for my next post here on Points of View!
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