OS Performance (was OT: New low for Microsoft!)
Gabriel M. Beddingfield
bugler at teuton.org
Wed May 5 12:10:09 UTC 2004
> 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 Honestly, I don't see why my 486/DX2 w/8MB is obsolete.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
More information about the fedora-list
mailing list