Re: looking at the survey (hardware)

[EAMorical@aol.com]

In a message dated 10/21/98 2:01:08 PM EST, arma@mit.edu writes:

>Rating scale:
 
>Crucial: This issue is one of the most important things I consider in
> evaluating a computer system
>very important: This issue is very important to me in evaluating a computer
> system
>important: This issue is important, but I am willing to compromise for more
> important issues
>relevant: I consider this issue when I evaluate a computer system, when all
> else appears equal
>unimportant: This issue is not relevant for/to me
 
>Hardware:
 
>  - Plug-and-Play (PnP) support in hardware 
 
>unimportant

relevant I really don't know. At best we'll probably run dual boot systems
and the 486s don't have any PnP as far as I know.
 
>  - Support for USB 
 
>unimportant

crucial allows digital sound to be sent to USB speakers for conversion to
audio outside of the computer giving high quality sound.
 
>  - Support for FireWire 
 
>unimportant, i guess. never heard of it.

crucial FireWire is P1394, one of the serial SCSI specifications for high
speed data transfer. For example being used to transfer data from digital
video cameras to the computer for non-linear video editing. Just yesterday
I read an article about the lack of USB and P1394 in Linux as being a big
holdback in its acceptance.
 
>  - Multi-processor support (the computer can use multiple CPUs at once) 
 
>important.
>Wait a minute -- how did this question end up in a hardware section? The
>original intent of it was "how important is it for Linux to support SMP?"
>Now it's asking about motherboard firmware/bios smp support? This isn't
>asking what I originally wanted.

unimportant at this point I'm not in the multiprocessor market but maybe
someday.
 
>  - Speed of graphics rendering 
 
>important. it should be fast, but it's not like i play quake or anything.

critical since I'm going to be looking into high speed graphics.
 
>  - Overall speed of machine 
 
>crucial. i spend way too much time with my machines to accept anything
>less...:)

very important however I'm not going to pay premium price for it.

Bob