[R-SIG-Mac] How to make Mac 64-bit version feature complete?

[Charlie Sharpsteen]

On Wednesday, December 14, 2011 12:42:32 PM UTC-8, Adam Strzelecki wrote:
>
> I guess this discussion is going nowhere. Since I am always wrong I give 
> up.
>
> I say having both R.app, R64.app is doubtful (talking about apps from 
> users perspective), you justify that with dumps of some GCC directories 
> from Xcode developer tools (talking about developer tools directories from 
> developer perspective). Can you find me single other app for Mac that comes 
> as two .app packages for each architecture from one install?
>
> I say installing R in 64-bit Linux and launching R GUI app launches 64-bit 
> version (talking how Linux hides its internals), you say I am wrong because 
> you can launch 32-bit app using --arch param. Yes you can, does it prove it 
> is wrong what I said? Typing "R" in OSX command line also launches R in 
> 64-bit, why not 32-bit then?
>
> I say 64-bit code is faster (haven't used "always", but intentionally used 
> word "code" not "program" or "libraries", because these can be badly ported 
> to 64-bit due old compiler or 32-bit only hand optimized assembly code not 
> working for 64-bits, I refer to the machine code that has more wider 
> registers than in 32-bit mode), you say it is not; because it can be slower 
> of faster depending on task, huh :/
>
> You say 64-bit code always use more memory, then you've probably read 
> that: 
> http://software.intel.com/en-us/blogs/2010/07/01/the-reasons-why-64-bit-programs-require-more-stack-memory/
>
> Altogether I am just plain wrong :)
>
> Thank you,
> -- 
> Adam Strzelecki
>

I think what Simon was trying to point out is that the GUI is split into 
R.app and R64.app because otherwise there is no easy way to specify if the 
R interpreter embedded in the GUI should start in 32-bit mode or 64-bit 
mode similar to the `--arch` switch provided by command line R.

So, the separation is intentional and serves the function of allowing users 
who strongly prefer the GUI to choose in which mode they want to run R. As 
stated previously in this thread, there are several valid reasons for 
running R in 32-bit mode even though the OS is x86_64 native.

-Charlie
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