[extropy-chat] more moore

[Zero Powers]

On Wed, 01 Sep 2004 09:53:50 +0200, Max M <maxm at mail.tele.dk> wrote:
> 
> I don't think video will ever be a popular method of comunicating,
> compared to eg. email. It is far to expensive to produce video in any
> kind of meaningfull quality.
> 
> But then again, technology usually blindside us, so video eqiuped
> cellular phones might make it relevant. But then again, my current
> computer can easily handle the video quality that the phones can spew
> out for the next several years.
> 
> I cannot easily see a major technology that demands much faster
> processors. But hopefully it will something like a domestic robot. Im
> tired of cleaning the house and garden.

Those who think we don't need faster CPU's must be using a
non-Micro$oft OS.  Have you read what Redmond has planned for the next
version of Windows?  A completely new file system, all-graphics all
the time, active security and God-knows-what-all constantly churning
up CPU cycles in the background, and that doesn't even take into
account the resource hogging changes they probably have planned for
the next Office suite.

But, for now, you're right.  I have a 2.53 ghz P4 with a gig of RAM
that can handle voice recognition, email, web surfing, word
processing, PIM and time and billing software all cranking away
simultaneously with no problem.  But has anyone else noticed it seems
like Moore's law is starting to slow down.  Wasn't it supposed to
double processing power every 18 months or so?  I bought my 2.53 ghz
box from Dell about 2 years ago.  Where are the 5 ghz chips??  Last I
checked they had barely cracked 3.5 ghz.  My rule of thumb is I can't
by a new PC until they're selling CPU's that run at twice the clock
speed of my current machine.  Yeah, my computer does what I need but I
admit it, I'm a speed freak.  Maybe next time I'll get a dual monitor
and see just how many things I can *really* do at the same time...

P.S.  Thanks again to Emlyn for my brand new gmail account!