Microsoft Office will have a 64-bit edition for version 2010. This is a big deal because that’s Microsoft flagship product. More on that in a moment.

At this point in the desktop computing world, we’ve easily reached the limits of what 32-bit processing can do. No matter what OS you’re running, there really isn’t any more we can squeeze out of it. In the past it was CPU clock speeds that people wanted. We have that now. Then it was how many cores we can stuff into a CPU. We’ve got that too (and more are coming). The only bottleneck left is the 4GB RAM limitation of the 32-bit architecture. And the only way to rid that is to go 64-bit.

Why is the industry hanging on to 32-bit? Why do large PC makers continue to promote and sell 32-bit systems when 64-bit is just as affordable?

It’s because of the lack of native 64-bit applications.

Being that Microsoft will have a native 64-bit edition of MS Office, this now gives people a reason to go 64-bit – but it’s not like others haven’t tried. A good example is the game Half-Life 2 from Valve. That’s had a 64-bit edition since 2005(!), but even that couldn’t sway gamers over to 64-bit, and those people are some of the most diehard bleeding-edge PC hardware geeks you’ll find.

Will Microsoft lead the charge into the 64-bit world? They might. It may be the killer app that finally puts 32-bit to rest, both in enterprise and in the home.

However, there are two factors in play here that may keep 32-bit around for a while yet.

Future OSes will be smaller and faster

OS-makers have realized that there’s too much bloat. This counts for Windows and Linux.

Windows 7 will be decidedly slimmer compared to Vista. Vista in its present state isn’t just fat. It’s obese.

A good portion of the Linux community is screaming to tone down the sizes of the distros, citing that any distro over a CD’s size (roughly 700MB) is a waste of material. And they’re right. You may notice that DVD-sized distros don’t command nearly as much attention as the CD-sized and smaller ones do.

Smaller, faster OSes mean there isn’t a legitimate need for 64-bit. Instead, 32-bit will work fine if the OS is "tuned" properly to suit so it doesn’t require gobs and gobs of RAM.

The internet is the killer app

The internet itself is probably the "app" you use most.

Ask yourself: What app do you use more than your web browser?

The internet if treated as an app does not require any advantage 64-bit would bring. Whether you have 2GB of RAM now with a 32-bit system or 8GB with a 64-bit setup, the internet still runs the same.

What’s your say?

Will the fact MS Office will have 64-bit finally start to phase out 32-bit systems?

Is 64-bit even needed when the internet is what we use most?

Should the question be rephrased, Does 64-bit have a future?

Let us know in the comments.

Going "niche" market means to be specialized to one particular product. And if the product you sell has enough of a following, it sells itself just by brand alone.

Selling a new PC is tough because you simply cannot compete with Dell. They will always be able to sell for less than you can. And if not Dell, some other big name PC maker will always have better prices than yours.

A vintage computer on the other hand is a collectible item, and selling collectibles eliminates having to fight with big PC maker corporations because that’s not their business.

Concerning yesteryear computers, there’s an ever-growing following for older computers, and in particular, 8-bit and early 32-bit systems. And its not just for the old folks either. People in their teens and twenties are seeking old computer gear because "retro" is "cool".

The best place to find what’s selling and for how much is to see the Apple and Vintage Computing Categories on eBay. To get there, go to Computers & Networking, and choose either Vintage Apple from Apple Computers & Components or the Vintage Computing category.

Check out what’s listed and see how much it’s going for. You’ll be surprised to find that some old clunkers command $500, and in some cases over $1,000. Take note of the ones that command higher prices.

Where do you find vintage systems on the cheap that you can resell for higher prices later?

The two best places are computer recycling centers and the tried-and-true good ol’ flea market.

Computer recycling centers will usually only sell what they can get rid of quickly and normally don’t deal with vintage stuff whatsoever. For whatever they receive that’s over 5 years old, that usually goes straight to destruction so it can be stripped of all its precious metals for reselling later. You will almost never see a recycling center post eBay listings for vintage computer gear.

You have to call the recycling center and ask specifically if they have any ancient computers. Most of the time they’ll say yes and will be more than happy to sell them to you just to get it off the floor, because they will make more off that compared to the metals. From there you just drive on over, walk the warehouse and see what’s there. Bring a truck or van, you’ll most likely need it. If what they have looks like something you could sell, take it.

And if you’re wondering where the computer recycling centers are, they’re in the phone book. Or just search on Google Maps for one local to you. They’re not difficult to find.

You will, without fail, always find vintage computers at flea markets. And some are in darn fine condition or can be restored easily. You will never find these vintage units at vendors specifically selling computers, but rather the guy or girl that is selling potpourri-style. You may find that sought-after VIC-20 in the box. What’s worth more, the computer or the box? The box, of course. This is back in the day when computers came in full-color print laminate boxes (see here for a photo of the one the VIC-20 came in).

Sometimes specific components are worth just as much, if not more

The best example I can give of where the component is worth more than the computer is the Commodore 1581 floppy disk drive. Sure, Commodore 64 computers are a dime a dozen. It was the best selling computer of all time (still to this day). But the 1581 drive is tough to locate. In mint condition they sell for around $200. If you see one at a flea market with its power supply for $15, grab that sucker.

Chances are you’ll make more cash with collectibles

With the right acquisition of vintage computer gear you know that sells (via eBay research), all you need to do is acquire the goods, clean them up, make sure they work and then sell them. Whether it’s entire systems or specific components, there’s a market for it. And you’ll probably make more from vintage computing than you ever would with building new units.

From DesktopLinux.com: "gOS Cloud can boot in seconds, into a barebones browser-based environment not unlike the locked-down "kiosk" set-ups at libraries and cafes everywhere. Yet, here, the browser has taken on OS-like features, such as the familiar Mac OS X-like application dock shown in the screenshot below."

You’ve used several locked-down forced environment (i.e. "kiosk") systems and probably didn’t even realize it.

A few examples:

• Automated Teller Machines (a.k.a. the "ATM")
• Video game consoles
• Cell phones
• The menu system for DirecTV, Dish Network, Verizon, etc.

All that stuff is kiosk-style.

The good

With a proprietary OS environment, operation and apps are all supposed to work optimally.

Any kiosk-style system is designed with speed first, "fluff" second (this is good).

It’s a Linux distro so you can get into the "guts" of the OS easily.

The bad

There is a such a thing as "too much cloud". If it ever gets to the point where the OS simply will not function without internet, that’s not good.

The reality

gOS states on their web site:

Cloud allows users to switch to the main operating system with a single click, or just power off.

If you’re already using Windows or Linux, what’s the point of even using it then other than boot-up speed?

I think it’s a safe bet to say most people (including beginners) would prefer a "full" OS like Windows or Linux instead of a forced environment.

Incidentally, this is why many people jailbreak iPhones. When you force users into a controlled environment, that’s not the true spirit of computing – and people will find ways to break the chains every time.