17th May 2004, 11:27 PM
Not sure if that last part was sarcasm, but if it is, it's certainly valid! :D
Yeah, RAM is also a major issue. I happen to have about a gig of the stuff, so that's not a problem there...
Here's a thing I take issues with, and MS is to blame. I haven't really taken the time to test how XP handles it, but the 9X systems don't even bother using up ALL the RAM before using the virtual memory to handle stuff. There is the obvious solution of turning virtual memory off, forcing it to use physical memory for everything, but that's really not the optimal solution. The optimal solution is for the OS to actually make sure that it HAS to use VM before actually resorting to it. 9X doesn't do that, which means that there is a lot of slow down when there shouldn't be.
Oh yes, I am with you in that I am often surprised an OS ever actually works at all. When you have a console, the OS is either totally absent or it's all just a small system to check for everything it needs off a game disk or cart. The game itself handles everything so everything will always be fully optimal, so long as the game was programmed well. With an OS, well, yeah, it's basically a large program for running other programs and it has to operate in such a way as to allow all sorts of programs to do all sorts of different things, and a multitasking one (like all the big name ones are these days) has to manage everything in a way that's seamless to the user, even though processors can't ACTUALLY run multiple instructions at once (our brain can, and it's amazing how well orchastrated it is without a conductor, we're heading that way with computers, but it's still far off).
Eh, anyway that last part is basically just restating what you just said in my own words... I'll just suffice it to say that learning about how an OS works over the years gives me respect for MS, but more so for the guys that can get a system that truly works flawlessly. I really need to try lynux one day to actually test it myself. I finally figured out what on earth an ISO file is (yes, I have a LOT to learn :D), so I'll be finding a program that can burn those onto disks so I can finally test out some flavor of Lynux. I'm leaning towards red hat, but maybe you can recommend your personal favorite.
Yeah, RAM is also a major issue. I happen to have about a gig of the stuff, so that's not a problem there...
Here's a thing I take issues with, and MS is to blame. I haven't really taken the time to test how XP handles it, but the 9X systems don't even bother using up ALL the RAM before using the virtual memory to handle stuff. There is the obvious solution of turning virtual memory off, forcing it to use physical memory for everything, but that's really not the optimal solution. The optimal solution is for the OS to actually make sure that it HAS to use VM before actually resorting to it. 9X doesn't do that, which means that there is a lot of slow down when there shouldn't be.
Oh yes, I am with you in that I am often surprised an OS ever actually works at all. When you have a console, the OS is either totally absent or it's all just a small system to check for everything it needs off a game disk or cart. The game itself handles everything so everything will always be fully optimal, so long as the game was programmed well. With an OS, well, yeah, it's basically a large program for running other programs and it has to operate in such a way as to allow all sorts of programs to do all sorts of different things, and a multitasking one (like all the big name ones are these days) has to manage everything in a way that's seamless to the user, even though processors can't ACTUALLY run multiple instructions at once (our brain can, and it's amazing how well orchastrated it is without a conductor, we're heading that way with computers, but it's still far off).
Eh, anyway that last part is basically just restating what you just said in my own words... I'll just suffice it to say that learning about how an OS works over the years gives me respect for MS, but more so for the guys that can get a system that truly works flawlessly. I really need to try lynux one day to actually test it myself. I finally figured out what on earth an ISO file is (yes, I have a LOT to learn :D), so I'll be finding a program that can burn those onto disks so I can finally test out some flavor of Lynux. I'm leaning towards red hat, but maybe you can recommend your personal favorite.
"On two occasions, I have been asked [by members of Parliament], 'Pray, Mr. Babbage, if you put into the machine wrong figures, will the right answers come out?' I am not able to rightly apprehend the kind of confusion of ideas that could provoke such a question." ~ Charles Babbage (1791-1871)