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

[anthony baldwin]

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?

-- 
Anthony Baldwin
http://www.School-Library.net
Freedom to Learn!

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