From: david+usenet@zx.net.nz   
      
   In article <10aq2se$21gcf$2@dont-email.me>, arne@vajhoej.dk says...   
   >   
   > On 9/21/2025 7:22 PM, Lawrence D?Oliveiro wrote:   
   > > On Sun, 21 Sep 2025 19:20:20 -0400, Arne Vajhøj wrote:   
   > >> For databases the argument was that 64 bit allowed for larger address   
   > >> space and more memory and more caching would increase performance.   
   > >>   
   > >> I don't know if that applies to Exchange as well.   
   > >   
   > > Even if it did, it would have been moot. Windows NT remained resolutely   
   > > 32-bit, even on 64-bit machines like Alpha, right into the ?00s.   
   >   
   > Relevant point.   
      
   Windows 2000 was to introduce new VLM APIs that allow 32bit applications   
   on Alpha to access very large amounts of memory.   
      
   > But a 64 bit version was supposed to happen. People were   
   > expecting it. MS dragged their feet and eventually   
   > pulled the plug on Alpha.   
      
   Nah, that was 100% Compaqs doing.   
      
   Windows 2000 RC2 came out on Alpha, and the 64bit port was well underway   
   when Compaq announced in mid-1999 that they were not going to support   
   Windows on Alpha anymore and that they were going to lay off all of the   
   people working on Alpha platform support with Microsoft once NT 4.0 SP6   
   was out the door.   
      
   As future Alphas weren't going to support Windows, there was little   
   point in Microsoft continuing to release new versions of Windows for old   
   and increasingly obsolete models by themselves so Win2k RC2 was the   
   final release for Alpha.   
      
   Microsoft was still committed to doing 64bit Windows for Itanium though,   
   and Itanium hardware wasn't ready yet. As they still had plenty of   
   Alphas lying around, they continued working on the 64bit Alpha port   
   internally until Itanium hardware was ready in sufficient quantities.   
      
   And the 64bit port for Alpha did get a reasonable way though. It boots,   
   it runs, has networking and internet explorer. The build I have is   
   certainly not ready for release, but it feels like they could have had   
   it out the door in 2001 if it wasn't for Compaq. I was able to do a   
   64bit build of Kermit 95 for Alpha and take this screenshot on my trusty   
   AlphaServer 800:   
   https://davidrg.github.io/ckwin/images/win2k64-alpha.png   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)