Ubuntu System Selection: 32-bit or 64-bit

If you've just bought or built a new computer, chances are that it's powered by one of those fancy, new-fangled 64-bit processors. So naturally, you'll be tempted to install a new, 64-bit operating system. After all, when it comes to Linux, the price is the same, right?

Well, that might be okay if you're setting up a server. A server can benefit from running a 64-bit OS. But, if you're setting up a desktop system, and you want to take full advantage of Ubuntu's multimedia capabilities, you'll want to stick with the 32-bit version of Ubuntu.

The codecs and plugins that you need to make multimedia work are still written in 32-bit code, and they just flat-out won't work if you install them on the 64-bit version of Ubuntu. You can still use your 64-bit processor; just install a 32-bit OS and that will work just fine.