Microsoft released a beta version of their 64-bit Windows XP operating system designed for AMD's Opteron- and Athlon64-based systems, and although it isn't ready for mission critical applications, it does offer a glimpse into the future of the Windows XP platform.

For now, the official name is Windows XP 64-Bit Edition for 64-Bit Extended Systems, and as of this writing, the latest build is version 3790.srv03_spbeta.030509-1850 (Service Pack1, v.1069). The OS is available for free as part of Microsoft's Customer Preview Program, which requires filling out an online registration form to order an installation CD, or to download the OS from Microsoft's website .

After you register for the download, Microsoft sends a Product Key and download instructions via email. Once you've downloaded the file (approximately 450 MB), you'll have to burn the ISO file to a CD in order to install the OS, which expires after a 360-day trial period. Prior to this release, the beta was only available to members of Microsoft's Developer Network.

This preview of Windows XP 64-Bit for AMD comes nearly a year after Microsoft's introduction of Windows XP 64-Bit Edition Version 2003 for Intel Itanium-based systems, which began shipping with select HP workstations in 2003. Although the AMD version is still under development, this is good news for software developers, early adopters of Opteron and Athlon64 based workstations, and of course, AMD, as 64-bit Windows applications are sure to follow.

We should start seeing beta versions of 64-bit apps in the near future, according to Margaret Lewis, Software Strategy Manager for AMD. "Now that the OS is beta, what we're seeing is some vendors are ready to start coming to the table to release beta software for people to test with it," said Lewis. "While it isn't there today, I would say within the next month or six weeks you're going see a lot of movement that way. There will be more software that you can download and test."

In a document titled "Building the AMD Ecosystem," released in January, AMD revealed a roadmap for 64-bit software applications in development that are designed to run on the Windows AMD64 platform. The document lists over a dozen planned and beta versions of development tools such as Fortran and Visual C compilers from Microsoft and Absoft, debuggers such as SoftICE System Debugger from Compuware and Microsoft's Native AMD64 Debugging Tools for Windows, as well as device driver and application toolkits from Multigen-Paradigm (Vega Prime 3D), The Portland Group (PGI Workstation 5.1), and Microsoft (Visual Studio "Whidby). In the IT Infrastructure category, anti-virus programs from Computer Associates (eTrust Antivirus) and Network Associates (McAfee Virus Scan) are in the planning stage, and Microsoft's Outlook is the sole listing in the Desktop Productivity section.

Future vertical applications include a 3D modeling engine from Spatial (3D ACIS Modeler), which is in beta, a 3D rendering engine from mental images (mental ray), and a CAD/CAM/CAE application from UGS Solutions (Unigraphics NX). Video software from Canopus (Imaginate, Procoder and Xplode) and DivX Networks (Dr. DivX for AMD64) are in the works, as is Aechelon Technology's Image Generation System (pC-NOVA). For the home user, Home Media Networks is planning to release a version of its ShowShifter Home Media Center for systems running Windows AMD64.

It's important to note that these companies have made public statements regarding their plans to port their applications to 64-bit, but Lewis claims there are many other applications in development that are under NDA restrictions. Since Opteron and Athlon64 chips run 32-bit applications in their native mode, not every 32-bit application needs to port to 64-bit. "You only need to port to 64-bit when the app needs the benefits of 64-bit," said Lewis. "You'll find there are some vendors who might not decide to port to 64-bit. A good example is some of the management apps. When you're doing systems management, this isn't a 64-bit job."