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User: Witsu

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Comments · 15

  1. Re:M$ FUD, nothing more... on Apple and MS Battle For Desktop Search Supremacy · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    Don't forget about Copernic Desktop Search, its free, and its available today. I think it works well, and unlike the google equivalent its a real win32 interface, not an extension of the google homepage

  2. Re:I always have 2G swap on Is Swap Necessary? · · Score: 1

    I found on my 300Mhz box with 384 ram running XP that having a relatively large (2gb) swap file actually helped performance while playing back Divx encoded movie files. When I used the recommended 1.5x amount of ram for swap the video played out of sync with the audio, but using 2gb of swap it played in sync.

  3. Re:Intel x86 64 and AMD x86 64 are the same on Intel 64-bit Announcements at IDF · · Score: 1

    Intel could have a chance to sneak out ahead here. They could probably significantly enhance their version of AMD64 without hurting compatibility. They will likely have Prescott's SS3 instructions included for sure. Is anything stopping them from greatly increasing the amount of registers available for the 64 bit mode, or using a P4EE style jumbo cache?

  4. Re:Profitable on AMD Back in the Black · · Score: 0, Flamebait

    AMD chips, especially the 64FX and Opterons are no longer much cheaper than Intel. I for one, purchased an AMD chip because it was cheaper than Intel. Given the choice, especially for the same price, consumers are likely to pick the brand that they know, being Intel, over AMD. I think it was a big mistake for AMD to raise prices. They think they are charging for 64 bitness, but most consumers are not using it, and even when Win64 comes out, they still won't buy more than 4 gigs of ram, so 64 bits really means nothing.
    At least Intel's hyperthreading is actually useful to more people. More consumers multitask than use more than 4 gigs of ram

  5. Re:Correct me if I'm wrong... on What If Dark Matter Really Doesn't Exist? · · Score: 1

    From what i've heard, string theory sounds like it is itself ridiculously complex, to the point where no one has been able to work out all the equations. Is that really any simpler than our current model?

  6. Re:Linux x86 assembly? on Learning Computer Science via Assembly Language · · Score: 1

    Assembly language is part of the curriculum for computer science at my university, as is c/c++ and java. As long as you choose the hardware option. They teach using MASM on Windows though, but it is still x86. I'd imagine the basic commands are all the same, probably with just some formatting changes. System calls would probably be very different however. Learning assembly language does seem to help you learn about the computer. To program assembler, you actually need to understand how a CPU does it's work. You see some of what is behind the simple C commands. It can also produce extremely efficient programs. I think it is a great idea to teach assembler to computer science students, as long as they also learn a high level language, as these days high level programming is probably much more in demand.

  7. Re:Thoughts. on Intel Prescott Released · · Score: 2, Insightful

    That may be the official case, but I think AMD is planning on consumers comparing the PR rating to an equivalent P4. Notice the geek oriented 64FX has a model number that looks nothing like Mhz, but all the cheaper A64s do. PR ratings are obviously designed to trick the average consumer, to whom clock speed is everything into thinking they are getting a faster chip. Prescott will just mean AMD's model number system will continue to work longer, unlike with the AthlonXP, which often performed alot lower than it's PR number suggested

  8. Re:architectural differences... on Are 64-bit Binaries Slower than 32-bit Binaries? · · Score: 1

    So does that mean for apps that don't require more than 4Gb of memory, such as current games, they would run slower in 64bit mode on an Opteron if they were simply recompiled?

  9. Re:Why? on Intel to Increase Stages in Prescott · · Score: 1

    Is/Will Intel improve the branch prediction capability in Prescott to try to counterbalance the effect of a longer pipeline?
    Assuming not, how much effect with the 13 new SSE3 instructions have on performance?
    Could Prescott be slower than Northwood at the same clock frequency?
    If so, by the time the Pentium 5 comes around, it will probably be doing negative work per clock cycle

  10. Re:BSOD on Spirit Rover Communications Error · · Score: 5, Informative

    Spirit runs an Operating System called VXWorks, by Wind River.

  11. Re:NASA may well need the Saturn V for heavy lifti on Saturn V Fallen on Hard Times · · Score: 1

    I don't think NASA could or would revive the Saturn V. From what I have read all the blueprints are either gone or unreadable, and any existing Saturn V would be in far to rough shape to fly. The tools required would no longer exist even if they wanted to try.

    NASA could probably just as well buy a Russian Energia rocket. Apparently that was even more powerful than the Saturn V and was built to launch the Russian Space Shuttle Buran.

    Another option would be to assemble the spacecraft in low earth orbit or on the Moon, and launching up the parts using existing rockets such as the Titan IV

  12. Re:Read... on USA To Return To Moon By 2015, Then Mars · · Score: 1

    Mars is not likely to be the only goal for NASA any time soon. NASA still has a commitment to the ISS, and that project is currently in rough shape. Maybe by 2010 Mars could become NASA's only target. In my opinion is a worthwhile stepping stone to Mars. It could have resources such as the possibility of manufacturing fuel and oxygen on the moon, that then doesn't have to be lifted from earth. Unless NASA plans on bulding some type of Saturn V equivalent heavy lift rocket, that could be a very good thing.

  13. Re:Money Better Spent on USA To Return To Moon By 2015, Then Mars · · Score: 1

    Don't forget that the Moon is definately lifeless, while Mars may or may have supported life

  14. Re:Mars on USA To Return To Moon By 2015, Then Mars · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Going to Mars would probably cost far more than that. considering all the new tech than has to be developed, such as the new crew module, the lunar base, and whatever other vehicles it would take to go and land on Mars. From what i've heard it takes 9 months each way to get to Mars, plus they need to stay on the surface for around 2 years to wait for the next launch window to open. That's 3 1/2 years worth of food, water, and air they will need to either haul with them or figure out how to grow.

  15. Re:Most customers don't care about the format on No WMA for HP iPod · · Score: 1

    Exactly right. Any anyone who buys music from another online music store will get their music in WMA format. Last time I checked, iTunes required a US address to buy music, so that leaves Canadians and other international customers out of luck for getting AAC music. They will likely get WMA, like it or not. Customers will get the nasty surprise of having to convert all of their music before they can play it on their HpPods.