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NowSMS Support Forums ⬆ NowSMS NextGen Support ⬆ |
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| Author | Message | |||
| Bryce Norwood - NowSMS Support Board Administrator Username: Bryce Post Number: 8390 Registered: 10-2002 |
NowSMS NextGen now supports 5 different hardware/software architectures. There are 3 different Linux version downloads of NowSMS NextGen, which is now supported on 64-bit Intel/AMD (x64/amd64), 64-bit ARM (arm64/aarch64) and 32-bit ARM (armv7l). The macOS version of NowSMS now provides native support for Apple Silicon (M1 processor), in addition to the existing Intel 64-bit environment. NowSMS NextGen Linux Versions For Linux, 3 different architectures are supported. At download time, it is necessary to choose the version that is appropriate for the target environment. (The answer is usually #1.) 1.) 64-bit Intel/AMD architecture (amd64 in Linux terminology, often referred to as x64) - Most computer servers are based on Intel or AMD 64-bit processors, whether it is hosted on customer premises or with a hosting service. NowSMS NextGen has been tested with a wide variety of different versions of Linux in this environment, and is compatible with Debian, Ubuntu, Red Hat, Fedora, CentOS, OpenSUSE and Mint. 2.) 64-bit ARM architecture (arm64/aarch64) - ARM architecture processors are widely used in mobile phones, tablets and various smart devices, which have a reputation for power efficiency. An increasing number of hosting providers are offering ARM based Linux servers for more power efficient data centers. 3.) 32-bit ARM architecture (armv7l)- One of the more intriguing smart device platforms of recent years is the Raspberry Pi, a small computer circuit board that runs a version of Linux called Raspbian. We have released a version of NowSMS NextGen for this device in response to customer interest in pairing a Raspberry Pi with a USB connected GSM modem for gathering and distributing information to/from remote locations via SMS and/or MMS. (Side note: Current generation Raspberry Pi devices are using 64-bit ARM architecture, but the Raspbian OS is still 32-bit, as there is a large community of specialized software developed for it. A 32-bit operating system can run on a 64-bit processor, but 64-bit application cannot run on a 32-bit operating system.) NowSMS NextGen macOS Version For the past 15 years, Apple’s Mac computers have been based upon Intel processors. In late 2020, Apple introduced their first Mac computers based upon Apple Silicon (based on the ARM 64-bit architecture), starting with a processor they are calling M1. Beginning with version 2021.01.29, NowSMS NextGen is, using the terminology of this environment, a “universal app”. What this means is that downloads for the macOS version of NowSMS NextGen contains two different versions, one built for Intel x64 processors, and the other for Apple Silicon processors, bundled into a single download. At run time, macOS will use the version that is appropriate for the hardware. While we are not anticipating a large demand for NowSMS NextGen running on macOS, we are intrigued by the M1 based Mac mini, which may be an option for some customers. | |||
