----------------------------Original message----------------------------
> Debbie Lords
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wrote:
 
>      When it comes to the workhorse needs, like data i/o, the machine runs at
> a whopping 33 mhz.  Great.  And we all know that what we are interested it is
> using DATA, some of it intensely slow for slower machines.
>
>      A 50 mhz machine runs at 50 for everything.
 
Not true.
 
I just had to comment.  If you want speed, you need to consider the speed of
the bus.  The processor may run at 66 mmhz, but your bus (motherboard) is
pushing the data around at a maudlin' 10 mhz depending on the motherboard's
architecture (ISA, EISA, microchannel).  This why local bus options are
so popular.  IMHO, a local bus option for the disk drive is important if
you are doing a lot of disk read/writes, this is true if you are using the
the disk caching.
 
Also, the amount of memory you have will affect speed of processing.
Do not settle for a machine with less than 16 megs of ram.  Memory is
expensive in comparison to last year's prices!!  However, harddisks
are going for a dollar a meg in most places, so a local bus option for
the disk drive would be a good tradeoff for physical memory (RAM).
 
Just my .02 .
 
sonny parafina <[log in to unmask]>