On Monday 14 March 2005 21:31, John R Pierce wrote:
> [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> > Hi guys,
> >
> > Is there a consensus as to what version runs best on Pentium M?  My
> > recent benchmarks with 23.8 and 24.6 are roughly the same, with 24.6
> > being slightly faster with some FFT sizes and 23.8 being slightly
> > faster with other sizes.

Sounds like it doesn't matter ... 1-2% variation is quite normal even if you 
re-benchmark the same machine!
> >
> > Related question: supposedly the Pentium M is much cooler than
> > previous Intel CPUs even when running under load.  Is the difference
> > significant enough that I can run Prime95 full-time when my machine is
> > in the docking station?  I had originally planned only on running it
> > for experimental purposes, but if the hardware can handle it, I will
> > let it go full time since my machine spends most of it's time in the
> > dock.  FWIW, this is a HP nc6000 1.7GHz machine.
>
> IMHO, any computer that can't run at full speed 24/7 is badly engineered. 
> that would be like a car that couldn't sustain freeway speeds without
> overheating...

Umm, in my experience overheating is much more of a problem in congested 
traffic - at freeway/motorway speeds airflow does a good job of removing the 
much greater amount of heat which is produced. For instance note that Formula 
1 racing cars will overheat terminally in less than one minute even if idling 
without airflow through the radiators.

Anyway not everyone needs a car which will run all day at 70mph. Lots of 
people use their cars only for kiddies "taxi service", nipping to local shops 
etc. and never even get the oil warm. Similarly lots of notebook computer 
users simply don't care if their system won't sustain full speed for more 
than the few seconds they're prepared to wait on the odd occasions when they 
actually need to do some computing.
>
> that said, many laptops have cooling problems brought upon by their compact
> size.

Yes. Not a problem if most of the computer is almost always in standby. The 
alternative is to make the system heavier, with extensive use of metal case 
components etc, also increasing the price. Most suckers, sorry consumers, 
will happily vote for crippled systems with their wallets, if both case and 
price tag are smaller and lighter.
>
> If this one seems to work, let it rip.  its got a warranty, doesn't it?  no
> software should violate any such warranty (I just can see a computer
> manufacturer trying to claim their computers weren't designed to actually
> compute, heh).

Basically in my experience the problem is that a notebook system running 
Prime95/mprime 24x7 is very likely to age much faster than it's supposed to 
do. Especially items like batteries - probably excluded from the warranty as 
a "wear and tear" item - which are likely to die in 1-2 years if not charge 
cycled at room temperature at regular intervals, but will probably be running 
at well over 40C in a system left running Prime95 24x7. If you have the smart 
idea of removing the battery pack whilst running from utility mains supply, 
don't forget the internal standby battery which isn't designed to be removed 
or easily replaced.

> no
> software should violate any such warranty (I just can see a computer
> manufacturer trying to claim their computers weren't designed to actually
> compute, heh).

I can see your point, but car warranties specifically exclude racing, 
endurance testing etc. - if you don't believe me, buy a new car, drive it 
flat out round a race track (except for oil changes etc. as specified) until 
it breaks - probably within 2 weeks / 20,000 miles - then try to claim on the 
warranty. In normal use very few drivers will run the engine above 75% of the 
red lined max RPM and/or at max throttle for more than a few seconds at a 
time; anyone who keeps the throttle floored for extended periods on public 
roads is going to attract unwanted attention to themselves, quite apart from 
stressing the mechanics.

I do think that computer manufacturers should point out to their customers 
that some of their products (mostly notebook/laptop systems, but desktop 
systems are not immune) are designed for light intermittent use only.

Running Prime95/mprime on a notebook/laptop computer which is already 
knackered is probably a Good Way of extracting the last dregs of usefulness 
from it before consigning it to the Great Recycling Centre in the Sky (or, 
more likely, the local landfill).

Regards
Brian Beesley
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