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Windows Accelerators - Do They Really Work?

danila asks: "Today I came across an intriguing review of Windows tweakers on a Russian technology news site. Among the plethora of traditional registry tweakers, the review mentioned Hare 1.5.1. The developers promised nothing less than up to 300% speed increase, 10% FPS increase in 3D games, automatic RAM preservation and even a wizard that automatically cleans and optimizes Windows. It also had AntiCrash 3.6.1 a program to prevent up to 95.8% of Windows crashes. Understandably, I was both intrigued and suspicious since it sounded too good to be true." Has anyone tried this piece of software with any degree of success? How successful are other "windows accelerators" at improving Windows performance? "After a little research I found that download.com didn't have it and there are precious few reviews of this revolutionary software online, but that it was endorsed by McAfee and that developers touted conformance with Microsoft's interface guidelines as an important feature.

Still suspicious, I gathered all my courage and installed both programs (silently preparing for something like Bonsi Buddy or XXX Toolbar) on my Win2k Pro machine (P4 1.6/512Mb). Truth be told, after several minutes I was blown away. Obviously I can't tell how well every promised features works, but disk caching (and pre-fetching) that Hare does is outstanding and display performance improved enough to scare me - windows were opening, minimizing and redrawing without the delay I was accustomed to.

The question is -- is it real or was I fooled by some clever placebo tricks? And if it is real, why isn't the Web full of success stories involving Hare and AntiCrash? Why isn't everyone installing them on every Windows machine in the world? And a rhetorical question -- why doesn't Microsoft incorporate some of the features into its operating systems."

6 of 777 comments (clear)

  1. Re:There is a simple reason by arose · · Score: 0, Troll

    I'm sorry, but there is nothing to drool about in Windows.

    --
    Analogies don't equal equalities, they are merely somewhat analogous.
  2. Re:Gravity by nmk · · Score: 0, Troll

    Actually, Windows (the OS) can't be accelerated by gravity since it doesn't have any mass.

  3. My guess is by tcd004 · · Score: 0, Troll

    danila works for this company and is promoting the software.

  4. It's REALLY a 400% increase, but... by ZoomieDood · · Score: 0, Troll

    You REALLY get a 400% increase in speed/performance/memory and disk space! But they take 100% off the top for themselves to use for a porn server.

    You win, they win, porn viewers win. Everybody's a winner! Profit!

  5. Amen to that! by r_j_prahad · · Score: 0, Troll

    The best accelerator I've ever stumbled across was called LILO.

    Same basic idea, though - run something else.

  6. Re:Doom 3 pirated--news that Slashdot won't report by Azghoul · · Score: 0, Troll

    Wow, more evidence. How many years before you're even allowed to vote, young man?

    You'll be crying in your beer when he wins.

    I'm curious why you'd think someone who pays for their software or uses Free software would be a Bush voter? I didn't vote for him then and I won't again this time, but that doesn't matter in your simple, childish world-view, does it?

    It hurts to be dressed down by someone, doesn't it?