Tell me more ×
Unix & Linux Stack Exchange is a question and answer site for users of Linux, FreeBSD and other Un*x-like operating systems.. It's 100% free, no registration required.
up vote 3 down vote favorite

not sure if this is a silly question...apples and oranges maybe..but...

For Windows I used to download either 32 bit binaries from ASF site or 64 bit binaries from Apache lounge site (for no particular reason). So - that was the way I new what version I have.

I've switched to ubuntu (for educational purposes) and got used to compiling from source...well...you know...make..make install etc.

mmmm

1) So - when I compile apache server from source - what binaries do i get? 32? 64?

2) Are there any benefits from having 64 bit Apache binaries? any cons?

Thnaks guys:)

share|improve this question

1 Answer

up vote 3 down vote accepted

Compiling is the process of building binaries from source. The configure script and makefile will select what's appropriate for your system. (64-bit executable for a 64-bit system, 32-bit for 32-bit.)

And if you have a 64-bit system, there is probably some potential for improved performance in using 64-bit binaries. For some things it could be a huge boost; I'm guessing that for Apache it's not quite so big a deal, but I'm no expert there. It certainly won't hurt, though, to build the appropriate binaries, and I don't see why you'd ever bother to mess with the build process to get 32-bit binaries if you have a 64-bit system.

share|improve this answer
3  
A 64-bit binary will typically use more memory (both because the code is bigger, and because some kinds of data are twice as big (while others are the same size)). How much more is wildly dependent on the application, I don't know in what ballpark Apache is. But as you say, typically you'd install a whole 32-bit system or a whole 64-bit system. – Gilles Nov 17 '10 at 0:21

Your Answer

 
discard

By posting your answer, you agree to the privacy policy and terms of service.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.