Reply to: Laptops. Are specs going backwards ?

[TheMonkey]

btw machine:

- core 2 duo 2ghz 4mb cache
- 1gb ddr2 667mhz
- ati x1600 128mb
- 160gb 7200rpm seagate sata disk
- 17" widescreen tft
- web cam + microphone
- mouse + keyboard
- wlan + bluetooth
- dvd+/-rw
- 3x usb2
- 1x firewire
- optical digital io
- built in speakers which are quite good
- remote control (!)
- os comparable to xp pro + media centre.
- xcode (eqiv to visual studio)
- 2y warranty on entire system no pissing around rma'ing components)
- takes up as much room as a 18" TFT does
- decent office suite .... £55.

£799 from john lewis - i just walked in and bought it on the way home (no dell 50 quid delivery charge etc).

You can't really get that for the same money in PC land.

[TheMonkey]

Huge chunks of C ?

Who, exactly, has trouble compiling 'huge chunks' of C any more?

Even a modest Intel or AMD processor, with a stingy amount of memory, would absolutelty piss through any amount of ANSI C code using a modern C compiler (from GNU, MS, Borland etc.).

What C compiler are you using that gives you this impression?

Now C++ is a different story, but compiling ANSI C should be as simple as.

gcc 4.0. It's not quite just that. There is a fair amount of parser generation as well, gnu autoconf, test cases and the likes. It was ported away from C++ as it was too slow (templates bodge). Took 26 secs on p4-3.06. Takes 14 seconds on a Core 2 duo @ 2GHz with make -j 4.

[mcquiggd]

I just bought a Core 2 Duo box (2GHz) - well a Mac one. Scares the crap out of me how fast it is (compared to older machine compiling a huge chunk of C!). I reckon each core is around the same speed as a 3.06GHz P4.

Sounds like an E6400... and with the right software that takes advantage of such a chip, it will be quite a performer.

The E6800 is unlocked - but costs about £700.

Just for the chip.

For a couple of hundred more you can build a PC around an E6600 (the chip I use) (£100 for motherboard, £200 for cpu, c£100 for hard drive(s), £150 for graphics card, £100 for case and £150 for memory). Monitors are dirt cheap too - I have a 19" widescreen that cost £119, and is a bargain for the price.

The E6600 is cheapest of the Core Duo's that ups the cache per core from 1 MBto 2MB. Runs at 2.4 Ghz (stock), can easily reach 3Ghz.

I returned a new AMD dual core AM2 setup to go Conroe - and its significantly faster.

[bogeyman]

gcc.

gcc

Errmm, yes, GCC. But compiling what? ANSI C or C++ ?

C++ is a fully object-oriented (and overblown) language whereas C is one step up from assembler!

They share some basic syntax and lexical structure but only in the same sense that chalk and cheese are both solids.

A complex C++ program takes several 'shedloads' more computational power and working storage to compile than complex ANSI C one does.

You can't say 'compiling huge wads of C on this box is much faster than it was on my last box' and expect anybody to take any meaning from it. Can you?

Quantify!

[bogeyman]

I've decided to get a Mac for my next laptop... Let's see how it goes...

Can anyone recommend a Mac retailer, btw?

If you know what you want, just buy direct from the online Apple Store. Otherwise the Apple UK site will direct you to a dealer.

There's not much price variation. Apple control all the reseller prices with an iron fist.

Sieg Heil Jobs

[OrangeHopper]

gcc.

[bogeyman]

I just bought a Core 2 Duo box (2GHz) - well a Mac one. Scares the crap out of me how fast it is (compared to older machine compiling a huge chunk of C!). I reckon each core is around the same speed as a 3.06GHz P4.

Huge chunks of C ?

Who, exactly, has trouble compiling 'huge chunks' of C any more?

Even a modest Intel or AMD processor, with a stingy amount of memory, would absolutelty piss through any amount of ANSI C code using a modern C compiler (from GNU, MS, Borland etc.).

What C compiler are you using that gives you this impression?

Now C++ is a different story, but compiling ANSI C should be as simple as.

[OrangeHopper]

All my stuff has come from MacWarehouse.

[TheMonkey]

I've decided to get a Mac for my next laptop... Let's see how it goes...

Can anyone recommend a Mac retailer, btw?

Go to Apple Store or John Lewis. JL will give you a free 2 year warranty versus the standard Apple 1 year.

[cojak]

I've decided to get a Mac for my next laptop... Let's see how it goes...

Can anyone recommend a Mac retailer, btw?

[TheMonkey]

I just bought a Core 2 Duo box (2GHz) - well a Mac one. Scares the crap out of me how fast it is (compared to older machine compiling a huge chunk of C!). I reckon each core is around the same speed as a 3.06GHz P4.

[s2budd]

I see. Cheers.

[cojak]

Do let us know how you put the fire out without ruining the suit of the chap next to you...

Dell Fire Safety tips

[Fleetwood]

I have just bought a Dell for 700 euros. Sorted

[mcquiggd]

Processor architectures have changed.

I have a Pentium 4 running at 3.6 Ghz, and it is considerably outperformed by an Intel Core Duo even if I underclock the later to 1.6Ghz.