[comp.os.os2.misc] OS/2 2.0 ! Check it out before judging it...

s142029@fred.ucdavis.edu (05/09/91)

From ucdavis!csus.edu!wuarchive!usc!rpi!yee Wed May  8 15:59:49 PDT 1991
Article: 1281 of comp.os.os2.misc
Path: ucdavis!csus.edu!wuarchive!usc!rpi!yee
From: yee@aix01.aix.rpi.edu (Crimson Avenger)
Newsgroups: comp.os.msdos.misc,comp.windows.ms,comp.os.os2.misc
Subject: Re: OS/2 2.0 is here! (speed of OS/2)
Keywords: OS/2?
Message-ID: <j.8ggna@rpi.edu>
Date: 8 May 91 03:29:14 GMT
References: <1991May3.171742.9966@serval.net.wsu.edu> <1991May6.170411.9423@watson.ibm.com> <1991May6.230021.24665@magnus.acs.ohio-state.edu>
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## I am very surprised that IBM is trying to sell OS/2 based on speed.  WHO 
## really cares if Excel for OS/2 outbeat Windows by 30 SECONDS????????????

    I suppose speed doesn't matter to you.  Then why use faster machines.  
Why use a 386 when the 286 exist ?  Why use computers when you can do it
by hand ?  And if you say a difference of 30 seconds is not important, let's
consider this :  A typical 386 machine executes about 4 millions instructions
per second.  In 30 seconds, that would be 120 MIPS....  And how small is 
120 MIPS...  You better study your algorithm analysis class again ! :).

## Give me a break.  OS/2 with the 32 bit mode probably runs some applications
## faster, given that the applications are re-compiled to 32 bit mode.  It's
## the applications that sell the software.  Say, give a 32 bit Excel vs.
## Windows 16 bit Excel and we probably know who will win the speed test.

     That 's the main point of OS/2, you get true 32-bit processing.  It's
what the 32-bit processors are designed for.

## They (or somebody) better stress the REAL pluses of OS/2 which is memory
## management and TASK switching.  Machines have grown to the point of trying
## to run several applications at once.  This is just baby stuff to try to 
## outbeat Excel by 30 seconds.  I just can't believe. 

      You 've just said it...  The real pluses of OS/2 is better memory
management and TASK switching.  Can Windows beat OS/2 at that...  I didn't
think so...

## To make OS/2 sell:  must be cheaper, upgradable, and stable.  Alot of people
## had problems with OS/2 1.x and not enough printer drivers that gave it a 
## bad reputation.  At least they (IBM) will allow multiple DOS boxes under
## OS/2.  I think 1.x you could run only 1 dos application at once, that IS 
## *NOT* good for multi-tasking.  I am willing to give OS/2 2.0 a chance for
## the right budget, and maybe try out a demo first.  Microsoft did something
## wonderful with Windows, and maybe IBM is following that path.

      Keep your eys open for OS/2 2.0.  I do... 

## What do I use windows for?  Multi-tasking communications, applications, 
## and doing program development.   I would like better application protection.

      Better memory management doesn't provide better application protection ?
Then tell me what protection you are talking about ?

-- 
## -- Robert aka Crimson Avenger      (yee@rpi.edu or crimson_avenger@mts.rpi.edu)
   Once a hacker, always a hacker. (usere3jp@rpitsmts.bitnet)

tholen@uhccux.uhcc.Hawaii.Edu (David Tholen) (05/09/91)

In article <12912@aggie.ucdavis.edu>, s142029@fred.ucdavis.edu writes:

>     I suppose speed doesn't matter to you.  Then why use faster machines.  
> Why use a 386 when the 286 exist ?  Why use computers when you can do it
> by hand ?  And if you say a difference of 30 seconds is not important, let's
> consider this :  A typical 386 machine executes about 4 millions instructions
> per second.  In 30 seconds, that would be 120 MIPS....  And how small is 
> 120 MIPS...  You better study your algorithm analysis class again ! :).

Um, 4 million instructions per second (MIPS) times 30 seconds is 120 million
instructions (MI), not 120 MIPS.  And whether a difference of 30 seconds is
important or not depends on how long the job took.  If it was 31 seconds
under Windows and 1 second under OS/2, that's impressive, but if it was
3000 seconds under Windows and 2970 under OS/2, then the 30 seconds difference
isn't all that important (one percent speedup).  I would have preferred to
see the percentage increase in speed rather than a time difference.