64 bit browser - double the data ?

[praveesh]

This time, I switched to 64 bit KUbuntu . Will a 64 bit browser download twice the amount of data a 32bit browser would use to see a webpage ?
If yes, Iam thinking of installing a 32bit browser .

[NightwishFan]

No, the bits pertains to the browsers code. Generally it means the application can allocate more ram faster, and processor intensive operations will be faster. It has nothing to do with what you download.

You might notice javascript performance enhancements. 64-bit has few of what I would call disadvantages on any semi-modern computer, if any.

[lostinxlation]

A data is represented by thirty two bits in 32bit mode, and the same data is represented by sixty four bits in 64bit mode. Basically, 64bit doesn't mean two 32bit data.. so answer is no it doesn't double the bit rate.
However, the different binary could make a slight difference in performance, either better or worse. In that sense, it could affect a bit in performance, but I'd say it's negligible.

[praveesh]

No, the bits pertains to the browsers code. Generally it means the application can allocate more ram faster, and processor intensive operations will be faster. It has nothing to do with what you download.

You might notice javascript performance enhancements. 64-bit has few of what I would call disadvantages on any semi-modern computer, if any.

Thanks . What are the disadvantages you might say .

[3rdalbum]

Thanks . What are the disadvantages you might say .

64-bit uses a bit more RAM than 32-bit because memory addresses are double the size; you should probably have more than 1 GiB of RAM to use 64-bit.

Also it's not as easy to use programs that have only been compiled for 32-bit, but it usually can be done, and most of the programs you come across on Linux are native 64-bit.

[McRat]

Not sure if things have changed, but originally most 64-bit versions of software took a performance hit on smaller files and memory moves.

ie - you can lose performance on some apps running 64-bit instructions.

[3rdalbum]

This thread reminds me of the Bash quote about trying to convince his father that having two monitors plugged into this computer doesn't use more Internet :-)