J
Jeff Liebermann
- Jan 1, 1970
- 0
I actually time how long it takes to boot. I have a customer with a
Thinkpad A31 that takes about 9 minutes to boot XP. That's until the
hard disk stops thrashing around and the machine is ready to use. I've
never seen on take 15 minutes, but I believe it's possible.
On the other end of the scale, I recently bought a Dell Optiplex 755
(2.6GHz Intel Core2Duo, 1333Mhz FSB, 2GB DDR-2, SATA II drive) that
takes only 70 seconds to boot. That's with the usual assortment of
virus and spyware scanners, plus all the programs that check for
updates on startup. I want one.
I haven't bothered to benchmark Vista. I would be seriously depressed
if I did, and might do something drastic, like try to switch my
customers to Linux.
Well, Gordon Moore was one of the founders of Intel. However, it's
not a hardware problem. The problem is that for every advance in
performance in hardware, there is an equal and opposite reduction in
performance in software. The net result are very tiny improvements in
overall performance at best. At worst (i.e. Vista), it's a giant step
backwards in overall performance.
If you were to measure actual productivity (i.e. write and print a
letter, read/write email, or create a simple spreadsheet), I suspect
the overall productivity of the latest greatest would be fairly
dismal. Sure, you can do more with today's computers, but the basic
functions for which businesses pay people to perform, have
deteriorated in productivity. For example, I suspect I spend as much
time installing updates, patches, and security fixes, as I do actually
using the computah.
The automobile analogy sorta works. You can do more with a latest
greatest in accessories, such as GPS maps, hi-fi, hands free cellular,
multiple safety features, and such. However, if your basic purpose is
to drive from home to work, and the vehicle hickups, stalls, and
crashes on the way, all these extra "features" are not worth much.
Same with a computer, where the vendors seem to have forgotten why
people use computers.
Back in 1983, I had the illusion that buying a word processor with a
spelling chequer, would improve my writing and spelling. That hasn't
happened. Somewhat later, I had similar illusions about electronic
drawing, electronic drafting, music composition, balancing my
chequebook, doing my bookkeeping, and doing my taxes. None of these
have improved in any way. The garbage I feed it, is the same garbage
I get out. It's somewhat easier to produce this garbage, but I still
can't write, spell, draw, compose, count, or lie effectively on my
taxes.
