Anyone that is a MSDN subscriber can download the 64 bit XP OS beta. The RC2 of that beta build 1433 just went gold — please see this for more information:
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http://tinyurl.com/3hdfn>
Longhorn will be a separate OS from 64 bit Windows XP — it’s first beta should be released in Q2 of this year. We may not see a "sold to the public" version till 2006.
64 bit Windows XP "sold to the public" release is another mater — we should see that fairly soon Q2 or Q3 of this year.
I’m using the RC2 1433 release of 64 bit Windows XP and it’s stability seems very good — probably better then Win98.
It’s because of the 64 bit XP release, the announcement of the availability of consumer orientated Intel 64 bit processors and the task of having been asked to build a dozen identical PS intensive machines in the next couple of months that has caused me to wonder which way I should plan to go — I want to field machines that will be top tier & upgradeable.