Faster Computers - more bloated and slow Software

[Technoid]

Do anyone else have the feeling that no matter how fast computer you get, their will instantly pop up a new OS from MS that makes it feel as slow as your previous computer?

[Dilitante1]

Welcome to the Future!
Where all your technology is declared obsolete, and you are instructed not to think of what you spent on it, but what you need to spend to get up to date again! Then that will be declared obsolete and start the vicious cycle ALL OVER AGAIN!


-Dil
who is still running a G200 and DooDoo2 12meg combo.... 8D




[This message has been edited by Dilitante1 (edited 25 June 2001).]

[Topha]

it seems a little like it, but when i have to use and older computer (at school for example) i remember how it sucked to use win 95 on a 166mhz compared to win me (yes i like it, after some tweaking) on my athlon 750.
i also notice a difference between my computer and a 400 mhz k6-3 running either me or 98.
the problem is that you get used to the new speed so fast you almost fail to notice it, and when you get back to a slow computer its like suddenly noticing something because its gone, and it was there all the time before, if you know what i mean

[joelau]

The lesson learnt is "Never upgrade your software unless absolutely necessary".

Regards.

[fds]

Eh.. Wait until you try Windows XP. Now that's really an experience better left unexperienced.

I'm usually the first to protect Microsoft but in the past I didn't actually try Win XP on my own and it looked promising on paper.

It's especially sad considering what a nice piece of software Windows 2000, Office XP or Internet Explorer are.

[Topha]

its not just the microsoft software, i used a pc with linux once, and nothing seemed faster than it did in win98.

you also have to consider that the software is way more complex than it used to be, you might wanna compare word2000 (or xp, i dont know it though) with word95, 2000 has a lot more functions and tools, and not all of them are useless.

the hardware itself is getting more difficult for the os to manage, i can imagine, running a video card with 32megs of ram and all kinds of 3d features has to be more difficult than running a mere 2d card with no onboard ram.

all these are just my thoughts, and im no expert, but its like cars: they get a little stronger and faster all the time, but the main innovations are the security, comfort and handling advantages (i.e. a 20 year old bmw compared to a new one, the old one is slower and not as strong, but the main difference is things like airbag, esp, nav system, airconditioning, good stereo-equipment and who knows whatnot)

but now im rambling

[Johnny Ray]

Yep.....I'm running Win3.11 on a PIII750 with a Matrox G200 at work due to legacy hardware constraints. Talk about a smokin system!

And I agree also about Linux...with KDE2.0 or Genome, etc. and recent kernel, painfully slow with a PIII500, Matrox G400MAX, Atlas 10K, etc. I thought Linux would fly with this rig, but I'm not impressed with the performance.

John

[The PIT]

I've got Mandrake 8 on a PII 350 at work and it isn't that bad to be honest. It seems quicker than version 7.

[Technoid]

I think that I should be more precise in the future.

Ofcourse new blaoted software on the same hardware will be slower;
and New hardvare on old software will be faster.

BUT

Software programmers seem to think that its their purpose in life to write newer versions of their software in such ways as it uses more resourses and takes more time to do it while ocupying more space on your hdd without giving something in exchainge!

Win95 on a p166 with 32MB ram is much faster while fliping through a HDD than W98 on a K6-350 with 64MB!

Please take notice that above example is recent comparision on freshly fdisked and formated "used" computers at work!

And about being "used" by my newest computer:
Those computer that we use at work when we are "working" is about half as fast as my computer, and those we "operate" while repairing is super slow in comparision.

[The PIT]

I think theres two probs here. One thats theres preasure put on programmers by there bosses to get the product out of the door before competitor X gets theres out first. They then don't have time to shrink the code down.
Thens theres microshaft who dominate everything and don't care how big there programs are. They're the standard and you've got to buy it.

[Greebe]

And I remember M$ coders making fun of IBM for their bloated OS2 code. HAHAHAHA what a laugh now!

[Electric Amish]

The problem is partly the lack of proper coding education in college. With the development of the RAD (Rapid Application Development) tools, people aren't learning the proper way to code. I have a friend that is a university prof and every class he teaches that has ANYTHING to do with programming he has to spend 2-3 weeks teaching the basic fundamentals of OOP. These are in freakin' 3000 & 4000 level classes!!

Say hello to the future coders of the world...

amish

[Technoid]

Well...
I thought as much myself...

BTW:
That newer Windows or Word needs more cpu power than older arent that much of a problem.

That the same thing in games are accelerating of the chart is more of a problem.

The most common question i get is:

"If I buy this Computer will it be able to run the uppcoming games for at least 5 years?"

The most honest answer to that question i usualy use is either "NO" or "well...If you uppgrade it in 2 years it might" and in my mind i think "Motherboard, CPU, memmory, vidcard,Harddrive, cd-rom" and tries to keep a strite face!

I'm so happy that I am not any loonger in sales department....

[Indiana]

Technoid, I can fully understand you.
That's why I still use my old Amiga when it's not about gaming or video-capturing. And guess what? There's an AmigaAMP that works well on a 68060/50, and there's a lame-port that manages encoding MP3's in more than realtime (roughly 1.4x) on a PPC604e/200 in quite decent quality, and there's a Web-browser that fits on ONE 1760KB (you know that strange Amiga format) floppy disk and is fast as hell on a 060, beating IE and Netscape and imho even Opera hands down in subjective speed - OK, this is without java and javascript .

Fact is, there's no need to further optimize something on the PC when it runs acceptable on a PIII-500, so simply noone will do.

P.S.: If it makes you feel better, the 68060/PPC CPU card for the Amiga was much more expensive than a TBird 1400 costs now, so the PC market is not all bad...


[This message has been edited by Indiana (edited 26 June 2001).]

[Topha]

yep, considering that a 1 gig athlon cost >1000$ when it was brandnew, and the 1,4 gig atholn, which doesnt even cost 300$ and just came out a couple of days back, i think i can live with the software hogging a few more resources than necessary

PS: its a bugger to keep upgrading mobo and memory everytime you get a new cpu though