Re: [OS:N:] Why Free SW should remain as light as possible

[Johnnie Peters <johnnie123 sbcglobal net>]

On Wed, 2004-03-10 at 02:28, anthony baldwin wrote:
> M. Fioretti wrote:
> > Hello,
> > 
> > One of the reasons usually mentioned to not care about sw efficiency
> > (here and, sadly, on practically all Linux lists) is the "Moore's Law
> > treadmill": HW would keep getting faster and cheaper so quickly that
> > bothering about efficiency makes much less sense than just buying a
> > new PC every other year.
> > 
> > In general, this is a bogus thesis just doesn't make sense in the real
> > world: a world mostly made of people who still have to work months,
> > when they can, to buy any new Pc, and of people who may have the
> > money, but rightly prefer to spend it in a thousand more meaningful
> > ways.
> > 
> > There is another reason, and now nobody less than the United Nation
> > University confirms it, recommending to refuse the Moore's law and
> > consumism: on the contrary, the useful lifespan of PCs should be
> > extended as much as possible. Obviously this can happen only if Free
> > SW like Linux distributions are made/kept as modular and light on HW
> > resources as possible (ie quite lighter than today):
> > 
> > "Short-Lived PCs Have Hidden Costs"
> > 
> > http://www.wired.com/news/technology/0,1282,62562,00.html?tw=wn_tophead_6
> > 
> > Ciao,
> > 	Marco Fioretti
> > 
> > PS: at this point I'm also forced to point out that the non profit,
> > volunteer project in my signature was started two years ago just to
> > provide Free Software that would make following today's UNU advice
> > easier. Any support is welcome: right now, what we need more is ONE
> > TIME help by PHP/MySQL experts to rebuild the website. Please spread
> > the word!
> > 
> 
> ...And, anyways, treating everything as dollar-store disposables 
> contributes to green house gases, over exploitation of resources and an 
> overabundance of trash.  Buying a new PC every year is just a poor 
> prospect, environmentally.  What happened to the days when things were 
> built to last?

Pre Wallmart mentality.  You and I are just out of date.  My second
Linux box is a 450 Mhz K6-2.  Not terribly old but not new either.

Johnnie