OS Performance (was OT: New low for Microsoft!)

[Wolfgang]

On Wed, 2004-05-05 at 22:10, Gabriel M. Beddingfield wrote:
> > It's at times like these, that I am greatly relieved I'm not a Windows
> > user:
> > 
> > http://www.genesis-x.nildram.co.uk/news/article00005.html
> 
> This brings up a question I have about Fedora.  I recently installed FC1 
> on an 800 MHz Celeron with 128MB RAM.  I'm a Linux newbie.  The system 
> is dual-booted with Windows ME.  Yes, I know that I'm running below 
> recommended specs.
> 
> Before going on, I am a convert to the Open Source ideology.  I would 
> like to see Linux (and open source software) succeed and dominate the 
> market.  After passing newbie status, I look forward to rolling up my 
> sleeves and pitching in on coding.
> 
> The first thing I notice in Linux (running GNOME) is that it *seems* 
> more sluggish than Windows.  Menus take longer to pop up.  Standard 
> dialogs take longer to pop up.  All sorts of things.  When I click to 
> start Mozilla, I have to check to see if my HD light is on -- otherwise 
> I don't know if the OS registered my click!  (In all fairness, Explorer 
> isn't much better in this regard.)
> 
> A good example is switching windows.  Everything is loaded in RAM -- no 
> caching to the HD.  When I change the focus to another open window, it's 
> like I get a flicker-flicker-there.  It takes around 500ms to make the 
> change.  In Windows, this is not so.
> 
> So here's the question:  Is this normal for Fedora and/or Linux?  Do I 
> maybe have a bad video setting?
> 
> Otherwise, is it possible that Linux developers are prone to pushing the 
> hardware, too?  Honestly, I don't see why my 486/DX2 w/8MB is obsolete. 
>
>   What are we doing now that requires so much more horsepower?  Are word 
> processors now solving partial differential equations before they print?
> 
> Peace,
> Gabriel
> 

I beleive it's called Multi-Tasking and/or threading .. Your system is
running much more than the applications you asked it to run. It could be
running several applications at once. Unlike say.. Win95 which would
stop the current application, then run the one you requested. And run
the previous one when you exited the application you were running or
switched active windows.

But I still aggree that alot of software is way to large and uses way to
much CPU and memory.

Wolf