The Parhelia is NOT worth the price they are asking for

[leech]

Originally posted by magog
Ok, I got my Parhelia Retail yesterday!

I still think I paid to much for this card (469,- EUR)!

I haven't installed it yet, because I have to upgrade my not very often used MS Gaming OS from Win98SE to WinXP Prof.!
I still hope they deliver the Win98 driver.

Then I hope Matrox DevRel will finally send the specs of the Parhelia to SciTech Software, so that I get OS/2 (and eCS = eComStation) support, because I hate unaccelerated graphic drivers (GENGRADD) and I want Multi Head support.

This isn't a flame or anything, I'm just curious, but what do you use OS/2 for? (of course I have no room to talk, I play around with WinUAE and dink around with the AmigaOS just for kicks.) Too bad OS/2 didn't take off, maybe then we wouldn't all be stuck running Windows crap.

Leech

[magog]

Originally posted by leech


This isn't a flame or anything, I'm just curious, but what do you use OS/2 for? (of course I have no room to talk, I play around with WinUAE and dink around with the AmigaOS just for kicks.) Too bad OS/2 didn't take off, maybe then we wouldn't all be stuck running Windows crap.

Leech

I use OS/2 (to be more correct I use the OS/2 from Serenity Systems called eComStation or short eCS - http://www.ecomstation.com) for my daily work (Office stuff, eMail, Internet, Software Development, photo editing with GIMP - Xfree/86 needed),
and I laugh my ass of every time a new virus hits a windows system.
I moved completely to OS/2in 1996.
Before that I used plain MS-DOS (most time) and OS/2.
OS/2 is very stable, and only NT, 2000 and XP come close to it.
Why I don't use Linux? Easy to answer, OS/2 is a lot easier to use and maintain than Linux, even with with the newer Linux distributions.

The only thing I have to boot Windows are games.

By the way I installed my Parhelia yesterday. Very nice, but I would still call it to expensive.

I didn't have to install another display driver for OS/2. The SciTech Display Doctor does change to the GENGRADD driver automatically, when the chip is unknown at startup.
But I hate unaccelerated drivers....

I've sent two mails to Matrox, maybe it helps!

[clickwir]

I'm already starting to put asside $10-20 per paycheck till I save up to get a Parhelia. Hopefully by the time I get enough they will have the 256mb version out and it'll be about $400USD so that I can actually afford it. It is quite expensive, but for me it'll last a good while. My G550 is running strong and will just be put in another machine that has some ati crap. Ugh, ati, just go away already.

[Technoid]

My problem is that I can't get my hands on one in Sweden!

[albatorsk]

Technoid: check out www.styggapojken.com

[Technoid]

From a retailer.....
I work in a computer shop selling and building computers....
It would be fun to be able to offer the P

[funky-d-munky]

One thing that I do not think has been put into perspective when comparing the P with a GeForce4 is that the P has directX9 support. Although this may seem minor in the current state of things its not in the long run.
Eg. I have a friend who has a geforce GT, and another with a geforce 3. Unreal tournament looks about the same on both, yes a little faster on the geforce 3. Now the guy with the geforce GT bought "Spiderman the movie" game. It plays like a slide show even @ 640x480! We bring it over and try it on other friends Geforce 3, It plays amazing! Why such a difference between two cards that play UT almost identical? The new "Spiderman game uses direct x 8.
The moral of this story is in a year your Geforce 4 will be choking on dirt when direct x9 games come out. While the P will be going strong esp. with an additional year of driver work :-)

[leech]

Originally posted by magog


I use OS/2 (to be more correct I use the OS/2 from Serenity Systems called eComStation or short eCS - http://www.ecomstation.com) for my daily work (Office stuff, eMail, Internet, Software Development, photo editing with GIMP - Xfree/86 needed),
and I laugh my ass of every time a new virus hits a windows system.
I moved completely to OS/2in 1996.
Before that I used plain MS-DOS (most time) and OS/2.
OS/2 is very stable, and only NT, 2000 and XP come close to it.
Why I don't use Linux? Easy to answer, OS/2 is a lot easier to use and maintain than Linux, even with with the newer Linux distributions.

Do you use Gimp professionally? (In another thread people were bashing it saying "It's not Photoshop" I just said of course, Gimp=Free, Photoshop=600-700 bucks!

I love linux, wish Matrox would hurry up and release the driver. I'm going through withdrawls of using a real OS. Besides playing with Gnome 2 is just fun :-) I always laugh when I read all the security updates that come out for WindowsXP. They're just as funny as the virus warnings.

Leech

[leech]

Ok, I just checked out the eCS. Looks pretty sweet. Now my only question is, why the hell can't Microsoft make a good looking OS? eCS has it, Amiga OS has it, Linux has it... just to name a few.... I want to be able to put bitmaps onto the windows and dialog boxes. Yes, I know you can get window blinds, but it doesn't work with every app, and slows WindowsXP down way too much. GTK2 has some pretty awesome themes, and they run FAST. even the standard WinXP theme is slower than if you just put it on the Windows Classic theme. Plus WinXP's default theme looks like Fisher Price made it.

To go back on topic. Once Matrox releases their certified OpenGL driver and hopefully the linux driver will also have Certified OpenGL, then it'll DEFINITELY be worth it to buy a Parhelia. Hmmmm, linux in dual head.... Though I still wish it were possible to have three independant heads.

Leech

[clickwir]

Originally posted by leech

I always laugh when I read all the security updates that come out for WindowsXP. They're just as funny as the virus warnings.

I know this is going to sound like a Windows Advocate, but to be fair... linux has it's own share of randomly released security holes too. Yes, virus's are a big problem for windows that linux definatly has the advantage on that area. But linux still has it's occasional "bufferoverflow root attacks" here and there. It's just more dramatic when it happens to windows because microsoft (not m$, not microshaft, not micro$oft, it has a proper spelling ) has a much higher market share. Plus it has more "stupid users" (see also: AOL) that just have no idea what the term Security means and therefore is much easier to exploit. On a side note, windows is a real OS. It makes real money, people really use it. It even really boots when the computer is turned on. Granted some don't like it, it's still real. Personally, I hate MAC.

Personally I really like KDE, I've been playing with it a lot and the 3.0.3 is really nice. It has it's bits here and there that need work, everything does. I would love to see the Parhellia with linux drivers and check it out on my own machine. Personally, I'm waiting for the 256mb version. I think matrox is really going in the right direction with this one. It's a pretty serious card in the 3d game and I will definalty be getting one, I have to save up first. I never spent so much on a card. The G550's were only ~$130 each. The G450's I have I got for ~$100. I use Matrox exclusivly (cept for that builtin onboard ATI crap in the one machine *shudder* but I have a G200pci that I'll put in there)

I have not had the chance to see Parhellia in person, yet. But I've read lots of reviews and seen lots of demo's. I'm sure I'll be pleased.

[Colin Morey]

I'm planning on buying a parhelia,.. atm, it will be for my currrent desktop, but if the linux support isn't there in 2 months time, then i'll put it off until i buy an opteron based machine.
I feel it's worth noting that although there are a lot of security alerts re: linux the actual ratio of vulnrabilities to exploitation is a lot lower than in the windows world.

[leech]

Originally posted by clickwir

I know this is going to sound like a Windows Advocate, but to be fair... linux has it's own share of randomly released security holes too. Yes, virus's are a big problem for windows that linux definatly has the advantage on that area. But linux still has it's occasional "bufferoverflow root attacks" here and there. It's just more dramatic when it happens to windows because microsoft (not m$, not microshaft, not micro$oft, it has a proper spelling ) has a much higher market share. Plus it has more "stupid users" (see also: AOL) that just have no idea what the term Security means and therefore is much easier to exploit. On a side note, windows is a real OS. It makes real money, people really use it. It even really boots when the computer is turned on. Granted some don't like it, it's still real. Personally, I hate MAC.

It's not neccessarily the fact that they have security updates that are so funny, it's the way they word them.

"This update eliminates all previously addressed security vulnerabilities,
<i>as well as any newly discovered vulnerabilities</i> affecting Internet
Explorer 6 on Windows XP. Download now to protect your computer from
these vulnerabilities."

Microsoft has psychics :-)

Leech

[Genom]

<rant on>Yeah, and everybody and their mother has a different opinion on why Windows sucks. Yet most people use it, most people work with it and most people make money with it. If someone is a braindead user that cant be bothered to find out how his own gear works, then that person deserves any trouble they have. The problem with Microsoft is that 90% of it's users are like that, hence all the moaning one see's. I was originally a Amiga user many years ago, but due to the fact that I need to use a computer to make money, I went with a PC. I run Linux on a little machine at home for fun, but if I actually needed to work on it it would not be possible.

And dont get me started on Macs. I dont like then, even though I probably know more about them than again, 90% of the users.

I hate people that rant about Microsoft Windows when they are mostly users as well and are just babbling crap they read on slashdot. Every OS has bugs for gods sake. Live with it and do something more productive with your mind than copy so many other poeple. The internet has gotten so much easier to use in the past 15 years, that sadly, the predominant component are morons. We dont need to hear the same level of futile arguments from people that are suposedly DO have a clue.


Sheesh.

<rant off>


With that said, I do want to get a Parhelia, even if it wont be the fastest gaming card, but I too am waiting for a 256MB card that will hopefully apear in the next 2 months at 399. Right Matrox? *wink wink*

[clickwir]

Originally posted by Genom
...hopefully apear in the next 2 months at 399. Right Matrox? *wink wink*

< sarcasim > Yea, and the Matrox CEO said he would send me 5 free ones just cause he likes the way I say Matrox < /sarcasim >

I sure hope they are affordable, I just bought a new(used) car and have very little money.

[magog]

Originally posted by leech


Do you use Gimp professionally?

Leech

No, I use it sometimes, but I'm a software developer, so I don't need Gimp to often.