You, however, were claiming, that rpi3 does run in 64-bit mode, just not with linux:
> The raspberry pi 3 runs in 32 and 64 mode. There is no >>LINUX<< 64-bit kernel for it currently...
To my knowledge, rpi3 has 64-bit CPU, but all operating systems and bootloaders available run only in 32-bit mode, no exceptions. That means that rpi3 in future theoretically can run in 64-bit mode, but certainly does not today.
You are claiming that you know >>all<< operating systems and bootloaders and that >>all<< run only in 32-bit mode - with no exceptions... a big claim about your knowledge...
So you know even all non-public bootloaders and OS-es...
My understanding was that the limited memory meant that it wouldn't be very useful, and they wanted to make sure that software for the earlier Pis would still be 100% compatible, and vice versa.
The author is looking for something that can replace a conventional x86 based desktop. You can't plug SATA disks directly into a Pi (or boot from them), you can't directly mount it in an ATX case, you can't plug more RAM into it, and you certainly can't attach an Nvidia GPU either.
The Pi 3 is strictly inferior to the ODROID-C2 and Pine64 in the areas he cares about - less RAM, slower I/O, proprietary bootloader that can't even boot 64-bit kernels, etc. Plus it still doesn't use a standard PC form factor. It's not even cheaper either.
I finally saw a retail package in an actual store right next to the drones. Quite a selection of packages (e.g. bare, complete, etc.) too. It is one of those, "I know what those are" purchases since there was no support material (signs, books, software) around them.
[1]: https://www.linux.com/news/raspberry-pi-3-still-essentially-...