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You are right, no one is interested in your opinions on computers or your
perception of your expertise I that arena. But after having to endure your
introduction of this subject, listen to Sean and learn something.
Richard Estes
-----Original Message-----
From: DanMartinz@xxxxxxx <DanMartinz@xxxxxxx>
To: manasco@xxxxxxxxxxxx <manasco@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: lissen@xxxxxxxxxx <lissen@xxxxxxxxxx>; sesmith@xxxxxxxxx
<sesmith@xxxxxxxxx>; metastock-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<metastock-list@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Date: Wednesday, November 26, 1997 8:28 AM
Subject: Re: Intel News (price cuts)
>John,
>as Laurence Sterne once said, "Nothing is so perfectly amusing as a total
>change of ideas." I have used computers for 20 years and I can say the
>350/100 speed, when it is available, will be sufficient for most computing
>for many years to come. You mentioned the 6/2 hour processing time
required
>for your apps. In order for these figures to have any meaning, I would
have
>to know what processor, drive architecture, and operating system you are
>using. Chances are you have a processor slower than a Pentium 133 or your
>system is configured incorrectly.
>
>I do have some constructive, but not naive, advice for you. This applies
if
>you use Windows 95 v4.00.950a, have an EIDE hard drive (and most users do),
>and want to run long hard drive intensive tasks in the background. You can
>use the multitasking features of the IDE interface by downloading and
>installing the Intel Busmastering driver. The driver and all instructions
>can be found at:
>http://www.tomshardware.com/hdd.html
>under the title "The Bus Master DMA Feature of the Triton"
>
>The driver allows the "HDD to communicate directly with the main memory
>without using much CPU resources." A warning though, you must make a
backup
>of the Registry (SYSTEM.DAT & USER.DAT), SYSTEM.INI, AND WIN.INI files
before
>making any changes to your system. This is because some users lose control
>of their CD-ROM drive and must edit the Registry to change the second IDE
>channel driver back to the default driver. You should already have your
>CD-ROM drive on a different (second) channel than your HDD. Otherwise,
your
>HDD performance will be slower.
>
>Installing the driver doesn't change your system, it simply adds the driver
>to your Windows 95, probably c:\Windows\System\IOSUBSYS, directory and
>changes your Control Panel settings. When you run those Explorations with
>the new driver, you should notice you can run other apps much faster.
>
>I have downloaded the driver but have not changed my system yet. I want to
>backup the Registry or my entire system using a tape backup first. Since I
>do not run large explorations or any HDD intensive tasks in the background
>yet, I may wait before making these changes.
>
>If you have Windows v950b, you can enable this feature in the HDD
properties
>screen of the System Manager. It is called DMA mode.
>
>
>In a message dated 97-11-23 23:57:28 EST, manasco@xxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
><< I must say that after 20 years in the computer business I find your
> comments amusing albeit naive. The fact that some on this listserv still
> use a 486 probably proves they don't know how to use their computer or
> Metastock well enough to justify having a computer. If you want to be an
> average user performing ordinary tasks then a 486 will do just fine.
>
> Each night I run explorations that take almost 6 hours to complete.
> After they are over I switch to my options program for another 2 hours
> of database work. The new explorations I am starting to work with employ
> a lot of statistical analysis and will take even more time. Anything
> that reduces the time my computer is occupied and increases the time I
> can interact with it will certainly be worth the price. >>
>
>
>
>John,
>there will always be faster processors coming out. Whether the average end
>users needs them or not, after the 350/100 MHz, will be debatable. As I
>wrote before, my statements apply to the average user and even to MetaStock
>users. Using databases involves heavy HDD usage. Only an Ultra-Wide
>SCSI-III should be used. Anything else is a waste of time and indicates
>ignorance on the part of the user. Notice how I haven't even mentioned a
>CPU.
>
>MetaStock v6.5 doesn't work in Windows v3.1.
>
>Your predictions are way too optimistic. Do you have ANY how complex
>parallel processing is? Having 2 or 4 processors is possible using NT
right
>now. However, you must be running at least 1 app for each processor for
any
>benefit. This is not parallel processing. On the average PC platform, I
>doubt parallel processing will exist for at least 10 years. Besides, in 10
>years processors will be so fast will we even need more than one?
>
>Daniel L. Martinez
>
>
>In a message dated 97-11-22 08:58:53 EST, you write:
><< Regarding your prognostications proclaiming no one will need a new
> computer in 5 years you remind me on the senator in the 1840's ( I think
> ) who voted against creating the patent office because he felt
> everything had already been invented so there was no need for one.
>
> 300 Mz is already too slow for people doing serious database work now.
> And the programs and operating systems in 5 years will choke a 300 just
> the way Windows95 and Metastock 6.5 will choke a 486 using Win3.1.
>
> Personally I think in 5 years a lot of users will have parallel
> processors or two computers to do their work. >>
>
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