Is reconfigurable computing going to be the new trend?
Is reconfigurable computing going to be the new trend?
Scientists have created an ultra-fast computer chip which is 20 times faster than current desktop computers.
Modern PCs have a processor with two, four or sometimes 16 cores to carry out tasks.
But the central processing unit (CPU) developed by the researchers effectively had 1,000 cores on a single chip.
The developments could usher in a new age of high-speed computing in the next few years for home users frustrated with slow-running systems.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1342100/Scientists-unveil-1-000-core-chip-make-desktop-machines-20-times-faster.html#ixzz19trTI3in
Comments
There's no good reason why today's 3+GHz home computers have to be "slow-running", unless they're gunked up with malware. A friend of mine recently reinstalled Windows on his 700MHz laptop. It now runs circles around his multi-GHz desktop computer that has fancy graphics acceleration. The problem with "slow-running" computers isn't processor speed; it's software management.
-Phil
I agree.
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All the B.S. running in the back round, Kills a computer and bogs it down.
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Open up the task manager and look at the process and applications running.Most of it is Smile ware.
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I think we all know where to get replacement ink-jet cartridges when we run out of ink.An application running in the back round waiting for the ink to run-out is ridiculous.
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CPU speed doesn't really make a computer faster.Front side bus speed does.
So give it a go: http://www.ubuntugamer.com/2010/09/civilization-5-gets-a-gold-rating-in-winedb/
Its not windows loading all of this Smile ware.Its your PC maker.
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Most of the Smile ware is from HP, Lex mart,JC pennys,etc.and the PC maker itself.
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If you build a machine rather than buying one. You don't get all of this Smile ware.
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If you run the recovery disk from a store bought PC, All of the Smile ware gets reinstalled along with windows OS.
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Bill didn't make his money on a goofy OS. Its rock solid.
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You just need to know how to use it and how to clean it up.(remove the Smile ware)
$WMc%,
I just got my kid a new HP with Windows 7 and, after hearing everyone tell me how great Windows 7 is, I'm a bit depressed at seeing the same kinds of Smile popping up - alerts and reminders of all kinds, IE freezing up like the good ole days, etc, right out of the box, too. My kid takes the frustrations better than I do because they teach them at school how to bite on bullets and reboot, etc. "One hand on the mouse, the other on the control-alt-delete keys, dad." (Okay, I just made up that quote, but you get the picture....)
So my question is: have you got any good links that can walk a Windows-hater like me step by step to clean up all the crapware and make Windows perform as magically wonderfully brilliant as everyone assured me it woulda/shoulda/coulda? (Mind you my nagging fear is that by the time I remove all the crapware.... there won't be anything left.)
Issue 1 is the crapware that $WMc% mentions. Most of it can be removed via the control panel. If you want to get more in-depth in tuning your system, download the Microsoft Sysinternals Suite, and use Process Explorer and Autoruns to find out what's running, and to shut stuff off.
Issue 2 is that in all likelyhood, the components in your HP are OEM spec, which is a polite way of saying "not top of the line". I had an HP compact desktop that worked well enough, until the motherboard died. I was a bit surprised at what was in the chassis when I opened it up... basically a fairly low end OEM board.
After doing some price comparisons, I decided to use the reamining good parts from my HP, and build my own upgrade. To this end, Windows 7 has been rock solid. I've been using it since it went RTM, and I don't think I've had a single blue screen. Maybe 1 at best, but I don't think even that.
-Phil
Thanks for the tips, everyone! I plan on dealing with this issue with a vengeance.
I use Malwarebytes from here - http://www.malwarebytes.org/ to clean up crud picked up from the net.
I use CCleaners registry cleaner portion from here - http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner to clean up installs/uninstalls of all the programs you have played with and something else may have played with.
Then I always use Macriumreflect free edition from here - http://www.macrium.com/reflectfree.asp to keep an image of my system drive backed up to another hard drive on a regular basis.
Finally I use Microsft Security Essentials from here - http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/ to always be monitoring my computer for the nasty stuff out there.
Using these methods I never run into the problems I hear everybody complaining about. When I do run into a problem usually one or more of these takes care of it.
@WMc... uh, yeah. I guess i should have said "All of the junk that comes with Windows, but isn't made by them". I meant that Windows as a OS has the majority of bloatware. Windows doesn't necessarily make these programs or even endorse them, but they are still there and Windows gets blamed regardless...Plus, there are a few things that Microsoft includes in a OS that i could do without..
Still, I wonder why M$ has never provided the means to clean its registry. After all it is their OS and their mess. Any they are indeed the purveyors of the bloat that requires such a utility.
I just hope that one day 'Configurable computing' becomes the trend - so far it seem that only Linux offers it in a real form.
I called Microsoft once for paid support and they helped me compact my registry in an effort to fix it but it isn't a product. I think they do have the means.
I currently have Win 7, Win 7 Premium as MCE, XP Home, XP Pro, Small Business Server 2003, Edubuntu 8, Xubuntu 10, Windows 98, and Windows 3.1 running on machines under my roof. The monochrome laptop running Windows 3.1 is a hoot to turn on. It's a memory test for me really! (wow, after typing all that, I think I need to put some PCs on craigslist..........)
You know, all you guys are, like, experts with computers and such. But what about common slobs like me? (and even I happen to know maybe a little more than the average joes). So how are common slobs supposed to know how to juggle all this background preening and primping that's required to keep a computer from drowning in its own fat and software feces? How come these things are practically designed to malfunction over time? You'd think the OS gods would have learned something by now. Aren't computers being sold to the average consumer nowadays? Or is this, like, still the '60's, man?
The additional items that are tricky are very difficult to keep up with clean up registry, orphaned shortcuts/files, hidden background processes, etc. This is why I just reload from my restore CD and bring my laptop back up to date. It's about a 6 hour hassle, but the results are never less than satisfying. I have used a few registry cleaners before, but still haven't found one that got my picky seal of approval.
I have three computers in my little world. And old XP machine with 512K of DRAM. a Vista machine with Quad processors and 4Gbyte of DRAM, and a little Toshiba Netbook with 2Gbyte of DRAM. Since I found that I can't just use Linux, all are dual boot.
The results are that all of them seem to run just as fast, or faster in Ubuntu Linux. And my pay out in hard earned cash is almost nil for Linux as I don't need add on security software (which is a huge industry). Simply put, Linux is far less prone to get viruses, offers greater clarity with security, doesn't need a registry that verifies valid paid licenses, and doesn't need de-fragmentation of the hard disks.
So it seems that we are all trained to manage our systems in the 'Commercial way' - you get paranoid and pay annual fees for support that is unneeded, run long distracting maintenance updates, backups, and defragmentaton; and most importantly, still live in fear of a major failure.
Backup software, such as Norton Ghost is absolutely necessary on commercial OSes as reloading all the licensed software you have is a rather long and tedious chore. But in Linux, there is no actual need to replicate an exact image of the hard disks - user data resides in separate directions (ideally separate partitions as well) and can be backed up independent of OS software. If the system crashes, one just reloads the OS on its own directories without affecting current user data.
Is this so hard for the 'average user' or have we bought into paying out a lot of money and getting less? I dunno. I certainly am spending less time keeping Linux running and paying out next to nothing in cash. Besides, I have been able to learn more about computers if and when I want to know.
If only MS would see the light and make a USB stick version of Windows 7 or 8 that would not mess with your LInux installation. Then we could have a good stable computer for real office work and a personality changing USBstick for when you want to go computer slumming in Windows for games and other indulgences.
Ubuntu Linux is lovely for getting something done on a computer without odd periods of waiting or distracting popups.
I also agree! I repair systems and see this all the time.
I will be glad when MS finally dumps the registry! Was a bad idea and has gotten worse over the years... The five data files, Yes its five file that make it up can case a lot of problems and uninstallers don't really clean up after themselves. Its like the rest of underline windows code. Its a patchwork of baddy program code and concepts that need to be dropped Catch is they cant! its too late.
Mac OS and Linux do not use this very bad concept. One program I like for uninstalling and can down load the free version is revouninstalle. And I gen my own slipstream Windows install disk with nLite. Can create a install disk minus the junk that is installed even with a OEM of Windows. Can even include special required driver and the latest Service Packs. Etc.
Love the Prop and running a R Pi as a net radio station with full LAMP etc. Feel that Microsoft went the wrong direction with W8.
+1 on the software management comment Phil made.
I'm stunned at how much performance is lost to shovel / malware. Another impact is anti-ware!
The Smile is painful to remove each time, but worth it. Once it's done, an image of the machine means never doing it again. HP is pretty ugly, Lenovo somewhat better. I generally leave the Lenovo stuff, as they provide common sense options to turn it off. No worries. Sometimes the removal isn't obvious. By design, of course. They want user metrics they can sell and use in various ways.
But the anti-ware is the real story, IMHO.
I tend to run some big stuff, multiple virtual machines to simulate environments, CAD and CAE software that can eat all you give it and still need more.
Of the anti-ware programs I've used, MSE is one of the better ones, but they are all a very serious drain on the machine and they don't always work, by nature being a bit behind, or if too preventative, causing trouble that wouldn't be there otherwise.
If you take a given machine and put Linux on it and Win 7, core performance on most basic computing tasks is comparable. There are some differences, but they aren't as stark as they used to be. Unixes tend to be really lean on task switching and new process create, where Windows tends to be thicker on those, but quick on threads. Unixes also don't have the file locking dependencies Windows systems do. Identify that by running a program then deleting it. A Unix will do that, Windows won't, "file in use...." kind of thing.
Windows tends to have a lot more meta-data too, file resource forks, lots of file system writes to update this and that... Linux can have those things, but they aren't the norm, which helps with speed.
But the big story is they aren't significantly different in my experience. Not enough to warrant the often expensive application / data dependency costs associated with switching. Building up new? By all means, give a nice Linux or a Mac frankly, a go. Building that skill is never, ever not worth it. Go and grab the pile of open software and get good at it. Pays off, even when you just use a USB boot version from time to time.
So there is a dilemma. Either run your Windows system naked, or suffer the slow downs needed to enforce basic security measures for general purpose use "in the wild"
I do both.
My hobby machines are windows mostly, though I do have a Mac and Linux setup I run from time to time, like when I tested out SD card partitioning recently. That windows machine runs anti-ware and I've kept it mostly "stock, out of the box" and the speed is great --totally great enough for doing what we do here. No worries.
For professional work, I split it. Sometimes I don't need the speed and I leave the anti-ware on. When it matters though, I turn it off and then operate on a very restricted model for Internet use, often using the net in a virtual machine to avoid issues.
When dealing with big data or larger programs, the scanning times and or configuration to not scan times are huge!! I've an SSD in my pro machine right now, and it's fast. Insane fast for VM / CAD work. Unreal, until I turn the anti-ware on. Most of that boost goes away as the profiling and scanning time just drains all the snap out of the thing. Hate it.
Normal 7200 RPM large cache hard disk = 1-2 minutes load to ready time on the CAD system, and let's call VM performance one unit.
Add anti-ware, and the load time for CAD increases by about 30 seconds and the VM can actually reach 2 - 3 units of lost performance. This is huge!
SSD = 15 seconds load to ready time on CAD. (nuts fast) and VM drops to a quarter, sometimes half unit time. Also nuts fast.
Add in the anti-ware, and the metrics return to normal fast hard disk levels. It's amazing how ugly anti-ware has gotten to be, and it doesn't always work.
I've not yet booted a Linux on that SSD, but I suspect a lean X window environment is going to flat out scream!
Short story: Do the work to configure your anti-ware so that it's not scanning anything it doesn't have to, then disable real-time protection and modify your computing habits for peak performance on a Windows system. 7 is actually quite good and capable, given those things.
I have ! a fellow grad and I put together a Mean PC to run any thing on ... 4 core AMD 3.? GHz . 8 GB ram and a the fastest SSD Frys had .
OK from power Button to debian Login screen was 3.5 seconds ! I was just besides my self !
In the GNOME UI It was also very responsive . I mean a Dream to use !...... its like a Lotis is to a honda civic . * $800 was spent* not really that much for a good system..
My laptop is the only box I have that has a native windows O.S , and I only use it for games ;x I only go to steam, I don't visit any other websites on it, that's what my lpad is for.
Laptop has no slowdown issues what soever been running strong + 9 months...
People use to ask me what type of virus software do i recommend, My honest recommendation is none, Just quit going to naughty websites....
Steam has linux games.... Might wana check there, you might be impressed...
by linux games I mean current brand titles that run on linux, Not Hodge Podge indi games that are full of game breaking bugs and terrible fluf...
For windows, I use XP, and do a clean install, and just install the minimum antivirus to kill the nag screen.
Using firefox with No Script and Adblock takes care of most of the rest.
Once Steam for Linux is out of Beta, and I can play counterstrike etc, I will have no further reason to use windows of any kind. The rest of the house has already moved to tablets and phones, so I won't even need to provide tech support for M$ trash.
Installing ubuntu on a modern hardware was no effort.
My guess is free + faster + no effort will be a winning combination.
Do you visit, say fark.com? That was the last malware entry vector on one of my virtual machines. If a person really, really does restrict their Internet use to a few sites without banner ads (which is how the darn thing got launched) running no AV makes sense. Any use case beyond that means infection is just a matter of time and luck.
A great alternative BTW is to script turning the AV on and off. I had this for a while on one machine, where the launch browser icon kicked on the AV detection and on browser exit, turned it off. I liked that actually.
Another great alternative is to simply use a virtual machine for most Internet surfing. Build it, take a snapshot of it, then go surf with it. When it gets borked up, refresh the snapshot. When it makes sense to update, like say for plugins or OS updates, return to snapshot, do that, make new snapshot, continue. That's what I do most of the time now on my production / work machine, which has tasks on it that are demanding enough to warrant no AV software a lot of the time.
Ill second this !
with any decent computer VMs are just too easy ! ... for all the reasons above and more !
As mentioned by others, OEMs tend to dump BS software into the install. For a Windows computer system, you need two basic elements:
- The operating system and,
- the hardware drivers.
If you can ensure that your initial install contains only those two items, your computer should go pretty fast.Of course, if you want to eliminate all the OEM BS, you will have to buy a seperate OS disk that is not OEM. As for the drivers, I believe you could copy all your existing hardware drivers using software, such as this: http://my-drivers.en.softonic.com/ Once all the existing drivers have been copied to a removable drive, you can then format the hard drive and start a fresh install with the new OS disk. Once the new OS has been installed, then install all of the copied hardware drivers. This will put the system to basically a minimum, but fast computer. Additional software is then added as required by your specific needs, such as an internet browser and perhaps anti-virus software.
If you want a really fast computer, bypass the anti-virus software completely, but keep both the copied drivers and OS disk handy, because an occasional virus will creep in. Oh and save important files to removable disc.
Bruce
I found the recommendations on anandtech to be reliable in the past. free anti virus is the only thing premenently installed to run at boot. occaisional malware removal tools, but I don't need to use them often
Firefox with adblock plus and noscript (which were recommended on anandtech) instead Internet Exploder solves most of the other problems.