Are PCs having TOO MUCH computing power?
in [Hardware]
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From: Allen on 2 Mar 2010 09:59 On 3/2/2010 4:30 AM, VanguardLH wrote: > Man-wai Chang to The Door (33600bps) wrote: > >> Esp when most PCs are not being used to play DirectX games.... :) > > Um, other than games, just what software pushes the envelope to prod users > to buy more powerful hardware? You think you need that 3GHz dual- or > quad-core processor with 4GB, or more, of system memory to run a word > processor (when then used to run back in DOS in under 640K on old P1 > processors running at 100MHz)? You think PC sales having bleeding edge > maxed out hardware is driven by users of AutoCAD or video editing programs? > Games push for more powerful hardware and games are what draw consumers to > pay for that more powerful hardware. For a start, there are photo and video editing programs. Allen
From: Don Phillipson on 2 Mar 2010 13:14 "VanguardLH" <V(a)nguard.LH> wrote in message news:hmipbg$jj2$1(a)news.albasani.net... > Um, other than games, just what software pushes the envelope to prod users > to buy more powerful hardware? You think you need that 3GHz dual- or > quad-core processor with 4GB, or more, of system memory to run a word > processor (when then used to run back in DOS in under 640K on old P1 > processors running at 100MHz)? You think PC sales having bleeding edge > maxed out hardware is driven by users of AutoCAD or video editing programs? > Games push for more powerful hardware and games are what draw consumers to > pay for that more powerful hardware. Sprint (emacs) and WordStar ran perfectly well in CP/M with 64 kb RAM and CPUs at 2.5 MHz. (Being speed freaks, most Kaypro users bought the newer chip for 5 MHz.) The market tells us: 1. Most hardware and nearly all office software is bought by businesses, thus by people either equipped with capital cost depreciation accounting or personally ignorant of hardware development (usually both.) 2. Most non-business software is bought by private people accustomed at work to ample RAM and fast CPUs. The paradox remains that much hardware is now designed for games but used as noted for email, surfing the web et. -- Don Phillipson Carlsbad Springs (Ottawa, Canada)
From: geoff on 2 Mar 2010 14:34 Yes, in the sense that companies want you to buy 800 watt power supplies, quad-core cpu's, etc. because it is more money for them but the fact is, the vast majority does not need that. On the road, some have Corvettes or sports Mercedes but most of that hp/speed capacity goes unused. --g
From: VanguardLH on 2 Mar 2010 15:09 Allen wrote: > On 3/2/2010 4:30 AM, VanguardLH wrote: >> Man-wai Chang to The Door (33600bps) wrote: >> >>> Esp when most PCs are not being used to play DirectX games.... :) >> >> Um, other than games, just what software pushes the envelope to prod users >> to buy more powerful hardware? You think you need that 3GHz dual- or >> quad-core processor with 4GB, or more, of system memory to run a word >> processor (when then used to run back in DOS in under 640K on old P1 >> processors running at 100MHz)? You think PC sales having bleeding edge >> maxed out hardware is driven by users of AutoCAD or video editing programs? >> Games push for more powerful hardware and games are what draw consumers to >> pay for that more powerful hardware. > For a start, there are photo and video editing programs. > Allen Photo editing can be done on decade or older hosts. Video editing requires horsepower to complete in a shorter time but then I already mentioned that. You thought the vast majority of PC users are doing video editing?
From: VanguardLH on 2 Mar 2010 15:15
Don Phillipson wrote: > The paradox remains that much hardware is now designed > for games but used as noted for email, surfing the web et. Like having fun driving a Bugatti Veyron on the racetrack but the vast majority of the time you're putzing around in city traffic. |