__/ [ Tarquin Mills ] on Friday 23 June 2006 14:33 \__
> To celebrate this years Anti-Wintel Day I would like to point out how
> slow, overpriced and energy inefficient Intel x86 processors are,
> compared to ARM CPUs running RISC OS or Linux.
>
> Pentiums use 100+ watts, while a BTX 9" CPU fan and "motor bike" sized BTX
> heatsink to cool the CPU are ridiculous, and so heavy that the motherboard
> has to be supported with metal underneath. Some fans run at over
> 4,500rpm, and some cases are designed for air flow, and with a PSU that
> has multiple fans which continue running after the computer is turn off
> to cool itself. Some PCs now use more energy than a PDP-8 minicomputer
> did in the 1970s, a model Bill Gates used at school.
>
> In 2004 Intel's profit margin was over 20 times higher than HP, IBM PCD
> (now Lenovo), Fujitsu and Acer's profit margin for their PC sales. Intel
> has not produced a 4GHz (or above) CPU and the 3.8GHz CPU is not that
> popular, it costs 375UKP compared to 281.95UKP for a VIA Technologies CPU
> based portable (both prices include VAT). AMD produced the first 64bit x86
> processor.
Windows Vista is said to /still/ have poor support for 64-bit processors.
,----[ Quote ]
| Vista x64 is the turning point for operating systems as they transition
| to 64-bit. Currently, however, the majority of users will be very
| disappointed by installing Vista x64. The lack of 64-bit drivers for
| most current hardware will be very disappointing and frustrating to
| most users. Why push for 64-bit now anyway? The performance gains promised
| by 64-bit will not be seen for years until 64-bit compiled versions
| of software is the norm.
`----
http://www.tech-recipes.com/microsoft_vista_tips1426.html
This means that Windows continues to (indirectly) resist the emergence of
64-bit applications for 64-bit processor. That said, Intel have some large
investments in Linux, through their research labs.
> Intel can only get way with this thanks to their and Microsoft's
> anti-competive practices.
>
> Also today, the Office of Fair Trading (London) had said they would supply
> me with some information about Microsoft under the Freedom of Information
> Act, the doormat below my letter box only has a bank statement on it.
Could this entire blindness to anticompetitive practices explain why AMD are
shattering Intel, who are prepared for massive layoffs? Intel are set to
sack many employees fairly soon. Prices are falling down considerable, too.
This demonstrates the importance of competition.
Among my reasons for this attitude towards Intel:
http://news.com.com/PCs+plagued+by+bad+capacitors/2100-1041_3-5942647.html?tag=nefd.lede
,----[ Quote ]
| At issue are faulty capacitors on motherboards that store power and
| regulate voltage. Defective capacitors found in the Dell Optiplex
| workstations, some Apple iMac G5s, HP xw-series workstations made in
| 2004 and PCs with the Intel D865GBF motherboard have been found to
| bulge, pop, leak and crust over, causing video failure and periodic
| system shutdowns.
`----
Dell had ignored AMD and Linux completely, until recently.
http://www.digitmag.co.uk/news/index.cfm?NewsID=4915
,----[ Quote ]
| It will get worse before it gets better, according to your point of
| view, because Intel continues behind the scenes to push hard on the
| trusted computing modules and Microsoft?s future OS is expected to
| implement these features in full.
`----
>From another source:
,----[ Quote ]
| Though Pentium 4s can sell for up to $637, Intel's average cost for
| making a chip comes to $40, according to a report from analysts In-Stat.
`----
Some of the mockery directed at the AMD/Linux OLPC by Intel executives and
Bill Gates adds insult to injury.
Best wishes,
Roy
--
Roy S. Schestowitz | "All your archives are (sic) belong to Google"
http://Schestowitz.com | Free as in Free Beer ¦ PGP-Key: 0x74572E8E
Cpu(s): 20.4% user, 3.7% system, 18.8% nice, 57.1% idle
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