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c#apiplatform

Win32 and x64 Platform naming

I have an application that offers an API users can call to get the application platform description. Here is my enum: 

/// <summary>
/// Target platforms
/// </summary>
public enum Platform
{
    /// <summary>
    /// 32-bit platform
    /// </summary>
    Win32,
    /// <summary>
    /// 64-bit platform
    /// </summary>
    X64
}

Someone suggested to rename X64 enum value to Win64. In one hand, it makes sense to rename it to Win64 to be symmetric with Win32 value. On the other hand, the platform name x64 is widely used in Visual Studio and other applications to describe a Windows 64 platform.

Is my enum right? Or should it have Win64 instead of x64?

Solution

  • Besides PC grade x64 (AMD64, x86-64) (each costs tens to hundreds of USD), there is also Intel IA64 (Itanium) architecture for high-end servers (each costs thousands of USD).

    Normally, most of our software only runs on x86 and x86-64 but not Itanium.

    There is also Itanium version of Windows.

    Therefore, x64 is a better name.