Please switch to 64 bit

[cbogus]

Yes, this over and over and over and there's even a Github issue[github.com] for it, but pretty please: switch to 64 bit already. Fedora has plans to drop 32 bit[fedoraproject.org] at one point and Ubuntu is trying to do the same[canonical.com] (but couldn't, of course), please make this happen. If only because of this:

$ dnf install steam

Install  178 Packages
Total download size: 139 M
Installed size: 543 M

....all 32 bit crap that was already in place as 64 bit, but had to be installed again as its 32 bit version :-\

[lsdninja]

Originally posted by Satoru:

Why Linux users are somehow trying to speed run "Apple has the best software model" is just amusing to no end.

Given how much those Linux users hate Apple, it has "tech bros inventing the city bus" energy.

[aiusepsi]

Originally posted by Satoru:

There's no actual benefit to making it 64-bit. Nothing on the steam client needs this addtional RAM. And 32 bit is needed to support existing 32-bit games. So there's no pressing need to do this. Especially when there's a pretty well known performance detriment to doing so.

Benchmarks of 32-bit vs 64-bit Linux: https://www.phoronix.com/review/ubuntu-1710-x8664

64-bit is actually faster across the board; there's one benchmark where 32-bit is a tiny bit ahead, but it's so small it's basically a draw. The most striking example of 64-bit being faster is the OpenSSL benchmark, which is especially noteworthy because one of the most CPU-intensive things Steam does is decryption, which Steam uses OpenSSL for.

And that steam still needs those 32 bit libraries to, again, support all the 32-bit games that are on Linux

Yeah, and you can install those 32 bit libraries if and when you want to play a 32-bit game.

I'm yet to hear of WHY this is necessary otehr than "I have an irrational fear of 32 bit libraries"

If a distro goes 64-bit only and stops distributing 32-bit binaries, as it currently stands Steam can't run at all on those distros, even if you never actually intend to play a 32-bit game. Given that that approximately 0 people use Steam on 32-bit only OSes, having Steam be a 32-bit only app is nonsensical.

[davidb11]

Originally posted by Crashed:

Originally posted by davidb11:

That error has nothing to do with what I wrote.
LOL wut.

Steam is a 64 Bit app. Period.
Which means it uses 64 Bit memory limits.
THere are plenty of programs around that use 32 bit, but Steam is and has been for many many years been a 64 bit program.

It would appear the Steam program is still 32-bit on Windows and Linux. And as I may have mentioned already this is likely by design to ensure compatibility with 32-bit games using Steamworks, Steam DRM Wrapper, or legacy Steam DRM.

OH. okay!
My mistake then.
Sorry, everyone.

[Crashed]

Originally posted by davidb11:

Originally posted by Crashed:

It would appear the Steam program is still 32-bit on Windows and Linux. And as I may have mentioned already this is likely by design to ensure compatibility with 32-bit games using Steamworks, Steam DRM Wrapper, or legacy Steam DRM.

OH. okay!
My mistake then.
Sorry, everyone.

It's easy to be mistaken when the Steam WebHelper is now the visible GUI which is 64-bit.

[Satoru]

Originally posted by aiusepsi:

If a distro goes 64-bit only and stops distributing 32-bit binaries, as it currently stands Steam can't run at all on those distros, even if you never actually intend to play a 32-bit game. Given that that approximately 0 people use Steam on 32-bit only OSes, having Steam be a 32-bit only app is nonsensical.

Why are Linux users suddenly looking at Apple and going "yeah that is totally the way we want to go".

[Yujah]

"A Linux user" is not "Linux users". I.e., I'm a Linux user and I couldn't give a flying <bleep> that the Steam client is 32-bit.

Well; other than in the sense that you pointed out for me before, i.e., it using 64-bit CEF, and as such the structure between "client as such" and CEF being likely more IPC-like than direct; slower, clumsier, less direct control, ...

[Pet Rock]

I would like this too. It seems redundant redownloading libraries on linux and fedora planning to drop support for 32 bit means that those users will not be able to use steam anymore. This has been mentioned in the forums since 2013, so there should have been developments here...

[Nanami]

This thread was quite old before the recent post, so we're locking it to prevent confusion.