I'm about to install the JDK, but I'm not sure which version I'm supposed to get Windowsx86 or Windowsx64. I'm running Windows OS but I don't know what the x86 and x64 means. Here is a link to the download:
http://www.oracle.com/technetwork/java/javase/downloads/jdk-7-netbeans-download-432126.html
For 99% of use-cases, the x86 version is the right choice. install and use the x64 version only if you need the usage of a 64-bit browser or a stack that allow you to allocate more then 2 GB or ram per process.
The latter is actually a common and important need, for example with Eclipse and huge code bases. I strongly recommend the 64 bit Java SE SDK, without the browser plugin.For 99% of use-cases, the x86 version is the right choice. install and use the x64 version only if you need the usage of a 64-bit browser or a stack that allow you to allocate more then 2 GB or ram per process.
Also, you can install both. You can also point Eclipse to which JDK you want to use. In fact, this is a common annoying bug with Eclipse where you *HAVE* to point Eclipse to the JDK you want to use, as for some stupid reason, it uses your JRE instead.
