Microsoft has always had trouble naming things. Sticking letters in front of variable names to hint their memory format was a mixed blessing. Sure, it helped you avoid mistakes (when it was right) but it also made the code very hard to read. Well, Microsoft has just stepped up bad naming a whole new notch with their release of the 64-bit version of Windows. Here's the noise:

• Program Files - where 64-bit applications live
• Program Files (x86) - where 32-bit applications live
• Windows\system32 - where 64-bit DLL's live
• Windows\SysWOW64 - where 32-bit DLL's live
• x86 - The compiler platform for 32-bit code generation
• x64 - The compiler platform for 64-bit code generation

So we have 32-bit stuff in 64-bit named folders, 32-bit apps in x86 named folders, 64-bit code built on an imaginary platform called x64. Wow. Let's make sure we're being clear on what things are in our operating system so no body gets confused - eh Microsoft? I have an alternative for them:

• Program Files - where 64-bit applications live
• Program Files - where 32-bit applications live
• Windows\system32 - where 32-bit DLL's live
• Windows\system64 - where 64-bit DLL's live
• x86 32-bit - The compiler platform for 32-bit code generation
• x86 64-bit - The compiler platform fo4 64-bit code generation