Update on turning off 64-bit Windows builds

[Benjamin Smedberg]

After I announced my decision to disable 64-bit Windows nightlies, there
was significant negative feedback. After reviewing that feedback, and
consulting with Release Engineering, I believe that we can keep a set of
users happy by making a modification to the original plan.

Most importantly, it seems that there are users who regularly run into
the 4GB memory limits of 32-bit builds. These users often have hundreds
or even thousands of tabs. These users are using the 64-bit nightlies
not primarily to be part of our testing community, but because those
builds are the best product available.

At this point, the Mozilla project does not have the resources to
actively support this use case. Making these builds, however, is not a
significant burden on our Release Engineering group. Therefore I have
modified my original plan in the following way:

* Migrate all existing users of win64 nightly channel builds to the
win32 nightly channel builds via automatic update.
* Continue to build win64 Nightly builds and updates on the nightly
channel. Users who need the 64-bit builds will have to download it after
the migration point (date TBD).
** Change the default first-run and update page for win64 builds to
explain to users that they are not supported.
** Disable the crash reporter for win64 builds
** Enable click-to-play plugins by default in the win64 builds.
* Discontinue the win64 tests and on-checkin builds to reduce release
engineering load. By default, do not generate win64 builds on try.
* win64 builds will be considered a �tier 3� build configuration. [1]

We will continue to test the win32 builds and make sure that they work
well on both 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows. Specifically, all of
our testing on Windows 8 is planned to be done on the 64-bit version of
Windows 8.

I do hope that the projects and developers who are interested in win64
will work together to maintain this build configuration. I am interested
in hearing from volunteers who want to become the 64-bit build
maintainer. I will also set up a discussion list specifically for win64
issues, if that would be valuable.

--BDS

Please post followups to to mozilla.dev.apps.firefox

[1] https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Supported_build_configurations

[Gavin Sharp]

This discussion and proposal is really not about changing our development
focus (though a lot of people have tried to make it about that). This is
now very specifically about making our Nightly test audience focus on the
existing development focus (32 bit Windows builds), because testing builds
that aren't being worked on has proven to be a poor use of those resources.

Graphics and modelling software have different memory use constraints than
web browsing software in the common case, so it's not unexpected that they
would make different decisions about where to focus their development
efforts. The prevalence of 64bit hardware is just one factor, and its
really not a significant one given its compatibility with 32bit software.
https://groups.google.com/d/msg/mozilla.dev.planning/aeTXSZ_WFAs/BZITJLjhrAEJgoes
into more detail about the various factors that we've evaluated.

This decision does not mean that we're "sticking with 32bit" or "abandoning
64bit builds" long term; those characterizations represent an overly
simplistic view of a more complicated issue. Communicating these nuances
broadly is challenging, and so unfortunately (but perhaps not
unexpectedly), confusion and misunderstandings have pervaded this thread.

Gavin


On Wed, Dec 26, 2012 at 8:16 AM, <kylet...@gmail.com> wrote:

> On Monday, December 24, 2012 4:14:36 AM UTC+1, chris.m...@bigpond.comwrote:
> > I don't think that you have taken a rational approach to the decision of
> dropping Firefox64 at all. I will outline my reasons for this below....
> >
> >
> >
> > 1) 64 bit code is the future of computing - Mozilla should be dropping
> support for the 32 bit version as it is 'dead code', has the least
> longevity and is a drain on resources - 32 bit code is on its last legs and
> will be gone in the next few years. Why is Mozilla wasting time and
> resources on this? It is a more 'viable' option to put those resources into
> the development of Firefox64.
> >
> > 2) Security - 64 bit code brings better security. Running 32 bit code in
> a 64 bit OS causes a gaping security hole while it is running in
> compatibility mode - not even Microsoft recommend this approach because
> 'native code is far more secure'. In this case that means 64 bit code
> should be used not 32 bit.
> >
> > 3) Mozilla is further wasting resources with FirefoxOS - even if a
> miracle was to occur and it reached 0.1% it would still be a wasted effort
> - seriously what do you think FirefoxOS will achieve in the long run? I
> will tell you - NOTHING!
> >
> > 4) Those that think 64 bit is 'only for memory usage' or that '32 bit is
> good enough' have the wrong attitude for I.T and should be shown the door
> as they are only dragging you down. Mozilla needs to continue moving
> forward not embracing the past.
> >
> > 5) There is simply no valid reason given by Mozilla to drop support for
> the 64 bit version - all the reasons given (that I have read) would only
> make sense if they applied to dropping the 32 bit version.
> >
> >
> >
> > I use Firefox64 simply because it is 64 bit, has better security,
> renders pages faster and crashes less often (for me the crashes are less).
> I have no issues with 64 bit plug-ins not being available as all the
> plug-ins I use are 64 bit already and have been for a few years now. Even
> game makes are porting their engines to 64 bit as they too can see the end
> in sight for 32 bit code.
>
> I have to agree with Chris M, most major software makers, especially
> graphics and modelling, are starting to drop support for 32bit software. I
> don't even think they are many 32bit hardware systems even being built any
> more. Most new systems and operating systems are 64bit.
>
> It's seems like a strange decision to stick with 32bit in light with
> current prevailing practices.
>
> Just my two cents worth..
> _______________________________________________
> dev-apps-firefox mailing list
> dev-apps...@lists.mozilla.org
> https://lists.mozilla.org/listinfo/dev-apps-firefox
>

[Armen Zambrano G.]

Since last Friday, we're only running win64 builds per check-in on [1]:
* mozilla-central
* try [2]

We generate nightly win64 updates on mozilla-central.

All win64 jobs are running hidden:
https://tbpl.mozilla.org/?jobname=WINNT%206.1%20x86-64&showall=1

Our win32 builds are now not seeing delays to be processed.

best regards,
Armen

[1] https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=814009
[2] trychooser has been updated and this is the syntax:
"try: -b o -p win64 -u none -t none"

On 2013-03-27 1:19 PM, Armen Zambrano G. wrote:
> Hi,
> We're currently suffering lack of capacity on the win64 builders.
> I noticed that we still run win64 dependent builds for Thunderbird &
> Firefox. I would like to disable those since they cost approximately 1/3
> of our load (win32 opt/debug & win64 opt).
>
...
> best regards,
> Armen