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

bugler at teuton.org bugler at teuton.org
Wed May 5 14:20:32 UTC 2004


> > 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, 
> 
> Yes, it is normal on ALL OSes on systems that are underpowered.  Yours 
> has inadequate ram and is likely using a lot of swap so performance 
> takes a major hit.  Spring the $40 or so and get an additional 256mb ram 
> and see the huge difference.

I don't think that this is the case, and here is why:  When running the system 
monitor for this test there is about 111 MB of 128 MB physical RAM being used.  
On the hard drive there is a 256 MB swap allocated, and about 56 MB being used.

When I switch focus from one window to another (e.g. say from Mozilla to 
Mozilla Mail) there is about a 400-500 ms lag.  The RAM is _NOT_ caching to the 
hard drive for info -- the HD light never flickers.

So, with all due respect, I have a hard time believing that swapping is the 
problem in this instance.  If I were switching between Calc and Mozilla --- 
listening to the HD crank away --- then yes it is clearly a RAM issue.  But in 
this case, I'm not so sure.

Is it possible that there's some hardware acceleration (on my box) that Windows 
is utilizing and Linux is not.  I'm using an Intel 810 graphics card.

Peace,
Gabriel





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