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The real reason for 2 & 4 cores....

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  • The real reason for 2 & 4 cores....

    The Bloatware Co-Processor
    Once upon a time PCs were terrible gaming platforms. *gasp* Why, you ask? Well, beside the obvious lack of horsepower or gaming-centric graphics accelerators, the CPUs were simply not capable of processing in hardware the necessary floating-point math required for today’s games.

    Starting with the 80386, consumer desktop PCs were the first to benefit from a symbiotic, pseudo dual-core technology that included a second processor for handling these math-intensive calculations. While this processor could not stand on its own or even allow the system to perform multi-threaded instructions, it did intercept floating point instructions and could decode them in hardware.

    And boy-oh-boy did video games get a boost. Eventually the x87 floating point co-processor went the way of the dodo when its function was integrated in the 486 processor, although stripped down versions of the CPU did not include the FP unit. Anyone who owned an Intel processor with the SX designation knows it was the Celeron of the day.

    Now it’s all about the multi-threaded, multi-core architecture. Both Intel and AMD have made tremendous efforts in delivering unheard of performance on the desktop by incorporating multiple CPUs into a single processor package at a very affordable price point.

    This really opens up the possibilities to software designers both in and out of the gaming realm to expand physics calculations, artificial intelligence, and keep games running smoothly without hitches or lag. Of course, you need to make sure your system is running lean and mean with no extra software chugging your system down and wasting the time of the second processor.

    But let me tell you why the multinational Tier 1s benefit from dual-core processing technology more than their customers.

    It’s quite simple. They load down their systems with extraneous software that you do not need and only chew up clock cycles. Microsoft has dubbed this bloatware “craplets,” and they’re worried it’s going to ruin Vista’s reception by the public. These craplets of course are revenue streams for the Tier 1s. In fact, with the razor thin margins in this industry, the kickbacks they get may mean the only margin they get! So who’s the real customer at this point? Back to my point…

    Bloatware and craplets bog down system performance and make your system less responsive. Dual core technology makes this less obtrusive to the end user as a second processing core can be occupied with the all the pop-ups, advertisements, and “free” offers while you are able to get your work done on the other. And the faster PCs get, the more bloatware they can install.

    You didn’t buy a bloatware co-processor, you bought a dual-core processor that is supposed to speed up video encoding, digital imaging, and make for a smoother gaming experience. Right?

    Not according to those other guys.

    Who do you think loads the most “bloatware” on their PCs? I would love to hear about it.

    Chris Morley is the Director of Product Development for Velocity Micro
    Dr. Mordrid
    ----------------------------
    An elephant is a mouse built to government specifications.

    I carry a gun because I can't throw a rock 1,250 fps

  • #2
    That's a really interesting take on the issue of craplets.
    P.S. You've been Spanked!

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    • #3
      Possibly the biggest load of crap I have ever read. Whats he suggesting? Lets stop making quicker processors because if we do Microsoft will just make more Ghz hungry software. Well correct me if I'm wrong but I dont see a whole bunch of companies sat there with a product with the functionality/compatibility of windows xp/vista running on a 486. Yes Microsoft make huge sums of money, yes they work damned hard on marketing their products but when I plug my next great gadget into xp 99.9% of the time it works straight off.

      Are you really trying to tell me a new dual core PC is no more capable than a 10 year old PC? This story and its author needs to be put in the same bin as 'The USA Government faked september 11th'.
      is a flower best picked in it's prime or greater withered away by time?
      Talk about a dream, try to make it real.

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      • #4
        It's not Microsoft that's being blamed, it's the "craplet" software installed on new PCs by OEMs like Dell.
        P.S. You've been Spanked!

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        • #5
          @borat: The author is trying to make a point that OEMs, like Dell, HP, Gateway, Medion, Toshiba, etc. load so much crap ad software, i.e. craplets, on their systems that they are basically destroying all the performance benefits that dual and quad core processors are bringing. And that if the trend isn't stopped, i.e. if someone doesn't stand up to the OEMs and get them to reduce the number of craplets, it won't matter how many cores are on your CPU because the craplets will suck up your CPU power anyway.

          The author is actually a proponent of multi-core processors from the way I read the article, and wants more of it. Just not the crap. One more reason to be your own system builder. The first thing I do when I or a friend/family get a laptop is format the HDD and install the OS from scratch.
          “Inside every sane person there’s a madman struggling to get out”
          –The Light Fantastic, Terry Pratchett

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          • #6
            Lets not forget all that basic software that you install that keeps popping up asking you to upgrade to their premium versions
            Yeah, well I'm gonna build my own lunar space lander! With blackjack aaaaannd Hookers! Actually, forget the space lander, and the blackjack. Ahhhh forget the whole thing!

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            • #7
              Let the market fix it then, if the majority of PC makers are putting bloatware on their PC's and people actually care about it then any PC maker who does a bare windows installation will mop up. I actaully think most people dont mind OEM's putting extra software on regardless of what it does - if they did they would act with their wallets and buy elsewhere.
              is a flower best picked in it's prime or greater withered away by time?
              Talk about a dream, try to make it real.

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              • #8
                Originally posted by borat View Post
                Lets stop making quicker processors because if we do Microsoft will just make more Ghz hungry software.

                And isn't that exactly what they are doing?
                If there's artificial intelligence, there's bound to be some artificial stupidity.

                Jeremy Clarkson "806 brake horsepower..and that on that limp wrist faerie liquid the Americans call petrol, if you run it on the more explosive jungle juice we have in Europe you'd be getting 850 brake horsepower..."

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                • #9
                  Which is why any new computer I get for home, I format and even some at work. The rest at work I run through Add/Remove programs. How is this news??

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                  • #10
                    It isn't, besides if you run a game or complex program do you really think its taking that big a hit because of some adware? I'd like to see proof. I understand what he's getting at now, that you do get a lot of junk pre installed when you buy a PC, but he's gone about saying it in a bad way. Like I said if it bothered people that much they'd buy elsewhere.
                    is a flower best picked in it's prime or greater withered away by time?
                    Talk about a dream, try to make it real.

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                    • #11
                      The problem is that realistically on a consumer level there is nowhere else to buy from. All the major vendors load any number of extraneous applications (most of which overflow the system tray) that many users just assume are necessary or are hesitant to go removing anything that was preloaded. There are of course the users that know enough (as well as power users) that they will sift through the glut, but the others will never realize that their "super fast" PC is bogged down because of those applications.

                      Granted, most of the applications don't necessarily affect processor performance as much as they do memory, but there are enough that do to make it an issue.
                      Last edited by Jessterw; 13 February 2007, 10:17.
                      “And, remember: there's no 'I' in 'irony'” ~ Merlin Mann

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                      • #12
                        It seems to be worst with laptops, pickup any new HP, Toshiba, Sony, IBM/Leonvo, Dell, etc. laptop and it will have a ton of useless crap on it. Plus of course the obligatory free Norton or McAfee antivirus/firewall trial.
                        When you own your own business you only have to work half a day. You can do anything you want with the other twelve hours.

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                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Jessterw View Post
                          The problem is that realistically on a consumer level there is nowhere else to buy from. All the major vendors load any number of extraneous applications (most of which overflow the system tray) that many users just assume are necessary or are hesitant to go removing anything that was preloaded. There are of course the users that know enough (as well as power users) that they will sift through the glut, but the others will never realize that their "super fast" PC is bogged down because of those applications.

                          Granted, most of the applications don't necessarily affect processor performance as much as they do memory, but there are enough that do to make it an issue.
                          Yup, that's why I try to keep my startup programs list as basic as possible. I don't install toolbars (google, yahoo..), don't install additional adware software that comes packed with most programs today, disable every form of autoupdate (except for antivirus and anti-spyware); basically everything not essential for the OS and apps functionality gets the boot.

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                          • #14
                            Originally posted by borat View Post
                            It isn't, besides if you run a game or complex program do you really think its taking that big a hit because of some adware? I'd like to see proof. I understand what he's getting at now, that you do get a lot of junk pre installed when you buy a PC, but he's gone about saying it in a bad way. Like I said if it bothered people that much they'd buy elsewhere.
                            Some people I know, which are most probably the average Joe or less because some don't even speak or read English properly, buy a computer for internet and games. As simple and basic as that - browse the web, ICQ/MSN and Quake or the like. Now think well about it for a moment and try to explain to me why is their total memory footprint >300Mb when they start their PC?
                            There is absolutely no reason (tons of excuses though), why Windows, Anti Virus software, drivers and their preferred IM should take so much space. Oh, wait.. It's Windows XP home, guess a home user needs so many things that the system will hog over 100MB more than Windows 98/NT4.0.. And the AntiVirus - it's a Symantec, I suppose just typing Symantec eats 20MB.. And all those other craplets they'll never use, those are essential as well ha?
                            And no, average Joe buys at the big vendors like all average Joes everywhere does. They feel they can trust the 'big' players. Give me a break..
                            "For every action, there is an equal and opposite criticism."

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