That brings up another potential benefit to rebuilding: defragmentation.
Since OS X tries to make all new files as contiguous as it can, a rebuild
now and then can produce a database that is both compacted and contiguous,
resulting in discernable performance improvements, particularly with very
large databases. This works only if you have LOTS of free space on your
disk, allowing new files to be contiguous or nearly so.
On Panther, however, the OS actually will do some defragmenting of large
files on the fly, all by itself, without being told. So for Panther, this
advantage does not exist.
//Climbing onto Soapbox//
There has been a lot of to and fro about de-fragging. I submit that a seriously fragmented HD or Volume, (YMMV), will probably lead to some data, at some point in time, overwriting other data. This is why owning, and of course using, both DiskWarrior and Norton Utilities is a must if you have data that you do not want to lose. De-fragging won't gain you tremendous amounts of free space, but it will make your programs and data more efficient and stable.
I am not a Panther user yet, but since it too is a Unix-based System SW, the potential for files being overwritten on fragmented bits of data will persist, even if Panther does a better number on this than does Jaguar.
Final words: the guys at TidBits recently did a review (see: <http://db.tidbits.com/getbits.acgi?tbart=07451>) on all of the data recovery programs available for Mac OS 10.x, and their conclusion was that none of the SW out there does everything, some SNAFUs are incurable, thus the mantra (all together now): "Back up your data!", but they concluded that within the limitations of HD maintenance and data recovery, using both DW and NU regularly is a darn good policy. Don't wait until things begin to misbehave; run diagnostics on a timely basis. ("Don't wait for you tooth to hurt before going to the dentist, and brush regularly!") Advice that metaphorically is paramount when using electrons instead of paper, (and even paper burns). Don't be sorry, (and getting even won't even make you feel slightly better); Be prepared!
//Stepping down from Soapbox//
--
Nosce te ipsum: "Know Thyself" Inscribed at the temple of Apollo at Delphi
Erik Justus Paiewonsky Oslo, NORWAY
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