why did two photoshop programs download onto my computer?
i downloaded it from the website as a free trial. two programs were installed, one is called "adobe photoshop cs3" and the other "adobe photoshop cs3 (64 bit)" can i delete/uninstall one of these? i opened both separately and they appear to be no different. if i can delete one, which one should i delete?
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One is a 32 bit version, the other is a 64 bit version. The 64 bit version is the better one since it can utilize more RAM. Something to consider however is whether or not you have any plugins for it. I have some plugins that ONLY work for the 32 bit version. I use the 64 bit most of the time but when I need to use the plugins, I have to open the 32 bit version so I keep both.
It’s probably not necessary to delete either of them, as we’re talking about a negligible hit to your bottom line as far as disk space is concerned. The x86 version is for 32bit systems and the X64 version is for 64bit systems. However, both will run on Windows 64bit. The main difference between the two is the amount of RAM that can be allocated to the program. With 64 bit, the program has access to more than 4GB of RAM (assuming your computer has more than 4GB) up to 128GB in theory. With 32bit the program will have access to less than 4GB of RAM no matter what (closer to 3.2GB). It’s common for programs (especially Adobe’s creative suites) to install both versions on 64bit systems. If you’re doing some highly involved editing with large images, 64bit might outperform 32bit. In theory, everything 64bit is faster, as it performs twice the amount of calculations per clock, but this doesn’t always seem to be the case in practice. Try both of them. They may both serve a purpose for you. If you’re still adamant about deleting one, I would go with the 32bit version. Technically it’s the more limited of the two.