I just got an 8GB kit for my laptop from:
http://www.compsource.com/ttechnote.asp?part_no=KVR667D2S5K28G&vid=229&src=F
and it works GREAT. I've got a Thinkpad t61p (Santa Rosa) running Vista Ultimate x64, and it sees all 8GB. Additionally (and most importantly), VMWare Workstation also sees all of the memory and allows me to allocate it to a virtual machine.
Thursday, June 26, 2008
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
You can get an 8-core Mac Pro with 16GB RAM and 2.57TB Disk for $3600
I was just looking for a computer to run some large VMs and came up with a good deal on a Mac Pro, as long as you get your upgrades from somewhere other than Apple. I found a refurbished Mac Pro with dual quad-core 2.8GHz Xeons and 320GB drive for $2399 (a brand new one starts about $400 more). I then looked at www.a1acomputing.com (it was one of the first in my Google results), I found that they have a 16GB kit for 800MHz FB-DIMMs at $631.56 and 750GB drives for $174.89 each. If you add all that up (counting 3 of the drives), you get $3555.23 (if you started with a new one, the total would still be under $4000 at $3955.23). To get an idea of how great a deal that is, if you started with the same new Mac Pro and added the options at the price they're charging, the total would be ... $7199 (!!) - TWICE as much! And the savings are even more amazing if you were to go with 32GB of RAM. The smart route would total $5635.19 (or $6035.19 using a new Mac Pro), while the all-Apple route would total $12799.
There are lots of people out there who have no use for this much RAM, and I can appreciate that fact. So this post isn't for those people. I currently have two laptops (Macbook Pro and Thinkpad T61) each with 4GB of RAM, and my latest need is maxing both of them out, running just one VM each (each VM REQUIRES 3.2GB of RAM, as in the install of the software FAILS with anything less than this). Some of the software that I deal with just needs LOTS of RAM, and a system like the above would be worth the money for ME. But I'm just going to wait to see if I continue to need this much RAM before I actually pull the trigger.
There are lots of people out there who have no use for this much RAM, and I can appreciate that fact. So this post isn't for those people. I currently have two laptops (Macbook Pro and Thinkpad T61) each with 4GB of RAM, and my latest need is maxing both of them out, running just one VM each (each VM REQUIRES 3.2GB of RAM, as in the install of the software FAILS with anything less than this). Some of the software that I deal with just needs LOTS of RAM, and a system like the above would be worth the money for ME. But I'm just going to wait to see if I continue to need this much RAM before I actually pull the trigger.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
RANT
That's right, I'm patriotic - no matter who it upsets. I was reading about OLPC, a great initiative - but don't developing areas need things like stable power grids, clean water, sewers and no fear from civil war? It reminds me of Ferris Beuller, "I asked for a car and got a computer". I asked for a clean drink of water and got a computer.
I'm of the opinion that as Americans, we have the responsibility to take care of the United States first and then we can go out and help others. How can you tell others what to do when your own house isn't in order?
Technology is great, I've made a career out of it. However the only way I made it this far is because I had a good education. Why should living in a different county in a state make a difference on the quality of education. My 2 cents is that here in the United States, we need to look in the mirror and see what is wrong with our country and stop being politically correct about it.
Nobody is guaranteed anything other than life, liberty and the persuit of happiness. Pursuit of happiness doesn't mean you are happy - wealthy and wise...
Black, white, Hispanic, whatever other races you can think of - look first to yourself for help, leave the government out of it. The government will make sure the country is safe and can trade, you need to make sure you get a job and take responsibility for your actions.
I'm of the opinion that as Americans, we have the responsibility to take care of the United States first and then we can go out and help others. How can you tell others what to do when your own house isn't in order?
Technology is great, I've made a career out of it. However the only way I made it this far is because I had a good education. Why should living in a different county in a state make a difference on the quality of education. My 2 cents is that here in the United States, we need to look in the mirror and see what is wrong with our country and stop being politically correct about it.
Nobody is guaranteed anything other than life, liberty and the persuit of happiness. Pursuit of happiness doesn't mean you are happy - wealthy and wise...
Black, white, Hispanic, whatever other races you can think of - look first to yourself for help, leave the government out of it. The government will make sure the country is safe and can trade, you need to make sure you get a job and take responsibility for your actions.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The OS is not important anymore.
I mean it. Mac, Linux, Windows all need to take a lesson. The OS needs to slim down and offer base services like Plug and Play HW support, accept user input and provide a simple GUI. What we don't need are fancy animations on the screen or icons that rotate.
More and more functionality is provided by hosted web applications, like Google - Microsoft - Yahoo and many others are providing online application. When the browser is open, do I care about fade in/out of my start menu? NO!!! Why then should I waste CPU and memory on this crap?
At one time Linux was able to be installed on virtually any hardware in less than 500mb. This is still possible, but not straight forward because I have to pick my desktop environment - browser - plugins - extra services. If I pick a basic workstation install of Centos or Suse, I end up with about 2gb of space used.
On a Mac, a default install throws in 2gb of printer drivers I will never use. I know they are trying to make things idiot proof - but it's my hard drive. Then there are stacks and icons that preview a document, all using resources and all of them get hidden when I open NeoOffice or Firefox.
Vista, 13-16gb for the OS. I don't think so.
Slim down, look how much functionality is on the iPhone, Blackberry and Treo without a huge OS overhead. It can be done, XP has been hacked many times to remove "non - critical" components - I've seen XP installs down to 248mb, fully functional XP that I can run games on or surf or run Office and supports plug and play.
Keep it Simple Stupid...
More and more functionality is provided by hosted web applications, like Google - Microsoft - Yahoo and many others are providing online application. When the browser is open, do I care about fade in/out of my start menu? NO!!! Why then should I waste CPU and memory on this crap?
At one time Linux was able to be installed on virtually any hardware in less than 500mb. This is still possible, but not straight forward because I have to pick my desktop environment - browser - plugins - extra services. If I pick a basic workstation install of Centos or Suse, I end up with about 2gb of space used.
On a Mac, a default install throws in 2gb of printer drivers I will never use. I know they are trying to make things idiot proof - but it's my hard drive. Then there are stacks and icons that preview a document, all using resources and all of them get hidden when I open NeoOffice or Firefox.
Vista, 13-16gb for the OS. I don't think so.
Slim down, look how much functionality is on the iPhone, Blackberry and Treo without a huge OS overhead. It can be done, XP has been hacked many times to remove "non - critical" components - I've seen XP installs down to 248mb, fully functional XP that I can run games on or surf or run Office and supports plug and play.
Keep it Simple Stupid...
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
I'm almost ashamed to say it, but Vista x64 is the winner on my Thinkpad
Granted, the only Linux variant I tried was Ubuntu, but since it's supposed to be one of the most consumer-oriented out there, I figure that's fair.
In all, I tried x32 and x64 Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04, x32 MS XP, x32 Vista, and X64 Vista. My new t61p has an Nvidia Quadro FX570M, which MAY be the source of the problems with power management under Linux, but I don't really care - I'm not trying to be any sort of apologist. I tried all of the listed OS's, using all of the latest available drivers, and x64 Vista with SP1 (it's a fresh install available from MSDN) comes out the winner by far. Additionally, I find it VERY close to the performance of OS X!
The main functions I care about in a LAPTOP (the type of computer I use 95% of the time) are:
VMWare performance
Fast suspend/resume
As much RAM as possible
VNC client
High resolution display
Practically portable (17-inch is a little too large)
For all of the above, x64 Vista seems to match OS X's performance. Virtual machines resume amazingly quickly, and they suspend almost immediately. And right now I have the following applications open:
MS Outlook
Firefox (with quite a few extensions) - 12 tabs open
IE (seems silly, but some sites I have to use only support IE)
VMWare Workstation with 2 MS Server 2003 VMs running (one with 1.5GB RAM, the other with 1GB RAM); I'm running the ITM 6.2 server in one and WebSphere 6.1 in the other.
iTunes
And I'm having absolutely no problems.
From Task Manager, my Memory usage is at 3.75GB, and CPU is averaging 20-25%.
x32 Vista w/SP1 was also working really nicely, but I wanted to see all of my available 4GB of RAM.
Based on these results, I plan to install x32 Vista on my t60p (only has 32-bit Core Duo chip), replacing Ubuntu because I can't get suspend/resume to work correctly on it.
While I was PISSED at Vista when it first came out (that's what forced me over to OS X), it truly feels like it has gotten better with SP1.
Related topic: I installed (just put it in the adapter and slid it in the Ultrabay) my second hard drive, so I've now got a total of 520GB of on-board storage. I definitely like Thinkpads :)
In all, I tried x32 and x64 Ubuntu 7.10 and 8.04, x32 MS XP, x32 Vista, and X64 Vista. My new t61p has an Nvidia Quadro FX570M, which MAY be the source of the problems with power management under Linux, but I don't really care - I'm not trying to be any sort of apologist. I tried all of the listed OS's, using all of the latest available drivers, and x64 Vista with SP1 (it's a fresh install available from MSDN) comes out the winner by far. Additionally, I find it VERY close to the performance of OS X!
The main functions I care about in a LAPTOP (the type of computer I use 95% of the time) are:
VMWare performance
Fast suspend/resume
As much RAM as possible
VNC client
High resolution display
Practically portable (17-inch is a little too large)
For all of the above, x64 Vista seems to match OS X's performance. Virtual machines resume amazingly quickly, and they suspend almost immediately. And right now I have the following applications open:
MS Outlook
Firefox (with quite a few extensions) - 12 tabs open
IE (seems silly, but some sites I have to use only support IE)
VMWare Workstation with 2 MS Server 2003 VMs running (one with 1.5GB RAM, the other with 1GB RAM); I'm running the ITM 6.2 server in one and WebSphere 6.1 in the other.
iTunes
And I'm having absolutely no problems.
From Task Manager, my Memory usage is at 3.75GB, and CPU is averaging 20-25%.
x32 Vista w/SP1 was also working really nicely, but I wanted to see all of my available 4GB of RAM.
Based on these results, I plan to install x32 Vista on my t60p (only has 32-bit Core Duo chip), replacing Ubuntu because I can't get suspend/resume to work correctly on it.
While I was PISSED at Vista when it first came out (that's what forced me over to OS X), it truly feels like it has gotten better with SP1.
Related topic: I installed (just put it in the adapter and slid it in the Ultrabay) my second hard drive, so I've now got a total of 520GB of on-board storage. I definitely like Thinkpads :)
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Thinkpad arrived, 64-bit Linux is a pipe dream
My t61p arrived, and I have discovered that 64-bit Linux isn't ready for primetime in my book. Specifically, on Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon) amd64, I could NOT get suspend to work at all. Actually, I could get it to suspend, but it refused to resume. I tried 8.04 (Bardy Heron) amd64 Beta as a live CD, and it appeared to have the same problems as Gutsy, so I didn't bother installing it. I've settled on Hardy Heron 32-bit, and things work MUCH better. Also, with 64-bit Gutsy, I had some strange problems, such as:
- the machine started to slow down for some unknown reason within the first hour of running.
- I could reliably lock up the system by trying to connect to a specific wireless network (!)
So it only sees about 3.1GB of RAM, which I'm going to convince myself is just fine. The display completely ROCKS at 1920x1200, and it's smokin fast. Plus, suspend and resume work just great.
- the machine started to slow down for some unknown reason within the first hour of running.
- I could reliably lock up the system by trying to connect to a specific wireless network (!)
So it only sees about 3.1GB of RAM, which I'm going to convince myself is just fine. The display completely ROCKS at 1920x1200, and it's smokin fast. Plus, suspend and resume work just great.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Maybe I'm the only person who likes a Thinkpad more than a Macbook
So I got my Macbook Pro in August and have been using it (pretty happily) as my primary laptop ever since. But then this week I've been using my older Thinkpad with Ubuntu and it has shown me some things that I really don't like about the Macbook Pro independently, and some things that I like better about the Thinkpad.
Specifically, the things I simply don't like about the Macbook Pro:
1. It runs HOT. Not quite surface of the sun hot, but too hot for your lap. And the vent is on the bottom (?), so the longer it's on your lap, the hotter it gets.
2. That only-slightly-different, but completely freaky feeling Mac keyboard. There are no single-button pgup, pgdown, home, end, or delete keys. Maybe I use those keys more than most people, but having to use both hands to delete (Ctrl-Backspace) doesn't seem right.
3. That single mouse button just doesn't do enough for me. Granted, I often run a Windows VM and need to use Ctrl-RightClick in it. And I do have the trackpad configured to send a right-click when I have 2 fingers on the pad and click.
4. The wrist-rest area isn't very comfy at all. Maybe this is just in comparison to the Thinkpad, but the hard edge of the front are just uncomfortable at times (whereas the Thinkpad edges are angled down and really comfy).
The things I don't like about the Macbook Pro as compared to the Thinkpad:
1. The keyboard and keys don't feel as sturdy as the Thinkpad. The TP really has what I think is the best keyboard out there.
2. The whole computer feels less sturdy than the Thinkpad. For example, the top/screen flexes/rocks a couple of millimeters when it's closed.
3. No option for a second hard drive. I rarely use a CD/DVD drive, so an external one works just great for me. The Thinkpad has the kinda neat UltraBay Slim, which (with an adapter) supports a second hard drive or battery. So with Samsung's new 500GB 9.5mm 2.5 inch drive arriving in a couple of weeks, I'll have 700GB of on-board storage, which should last me quite a while.
4. Bunch of ports that are of no use to me. All of my peripherals are USB 2.0, and I often have to give presentations on projectors that only support a VGA connector. So I don't get any benefit from the faster/newer firewire and DVI ports. It actually forces me to carry around the DVI to VGA adapter along with the laptop.
The things I don't like about OS X:
1. OS X has some strange features that my brain can't deal with easily. Other than the strange key combinations needed, the main thing I can point to is the fact that you can't create a new file in Finder.
2. While based on BSD Unix, it's still a proprietary OS, with a smaller support community than, say, Ubuntu. Also, there's no free version of VMWare that runs on OS X. I'm all for paying for software (I have so far paid for VMWare Fusion and VMWare Workstation for both Windows and Linux), but it would be nice to have a free version, like there are available for both Windows and Linux.
3. Everyone I've talked to or read about could not successfully upgrade from Tiger to Leopard. All of those people eventually just started from scratch and then were happy.
4. Google's Picasa isn't supported on OS X. iPhoto is great and all, but I really like Picasa.
The things I don't like about the Thinkpad:
1. The OS, and I'm gonna fix that by installing Ubuntu 64-bit (whether I install 7.10 [Gutsy Gibbon] or 8.04 [Hardy Heron] will depend on when the laptop arrives and when 8.04 is actually shipped).
That's it. For my uses, I like EVERYTHING physically about the Thinkpad. It's comfortable, sturday, has the best keyboard out there, has all of the ports I need, actually has a better resolution (1900x1200) than the 15 inch Macbook Pro, lets me get close to 1TB of disk in it, and runs VERY cool. The Macbook Pro is a nice looking machine, and I'm certain that it's great for a lot of people (I'm actually going to keep mine as a backup machine). But for me, none of the Macbook's physical design is a benefit. And while the OS is better than Windows, I find that it's not as good as Ubuntu. So I'll post again once the new Thinkpad arrives and I get switched over to it.
Specifically, the things I simply don't like about the Macbook Pro:
1. It runs HOT. Not quite surface of the sun hot, but too hot for your lap. And the vent is on the bottom (?), so the longer it's on your lap, the hotter it gets.
2. That only-slightly-different, but completely freaky feeling Mac keyboard. There are no single-button pgup, pgdown, home, end, or delete keys. Maybe I use those keys more than most people, but having to use both hands to delete (Ctrl-Backspace) doesn't seem right.
3. That single mouse button just doesn't do enough for me. Granted, I often run a Windows VM and need to use Ctrl-RightClick in it. And I do have the trackpad configured to send a right-click when I have 2 fingers on the pad and click.
4. The wrist-rest area isn't very comfy at all. Maybe this is just in comparison to the Thinkpad, but the hard edge of the front are just uncomfortable at times (whereas the Thinkpad edges are angled down and really comfy).
The things I don't like about the Macbook Pro as compared to the Thinkpad:
1. The keyboard and keys don't feel as sturdy as the Thinkpad. The TP really has what I think is the best keyboard out there.
2. The whole computer feels less sturdy than the Thinkpad. For example, the top/screen flexes/rocks a couple of millimeters when it's closed.
3. No option for a second hard drive. I rarely use a CD/DVD drive, so an external one works just great for me. The Thinkpad has the kinda neat UltraBay Slim, which (with an adapter) supports a second hard drive or battery. So with Samsung's new 500GB 9.5mm 2.5 inch drive arriving in a couple of weeks, I'll have 700GB of on-board storage, which should last me quite a while.
4. Bunch of ports that are of no use to me. All of my peripherals are USB 2.0, and I often have to give presentations on projectors that only support a VGA connector. So I don't get any benefit from the faster/newer firewire and DVI ports. It actually forces me to carry around the DVI to VGA adapter along with the laptop.
The things I don't like about OS X:
1. OS X has some strange features that my brain can't deal with easily. Other than the strange key combinations needed, the main thing I can point to is the fact that you can't create a new file in Finder.
2. While based on BSD Unix, it's still a proprietary OS, with a smaller support community than, say, Ubuntu. Also, there's no free version of VMWare that runs on OS X. I'm all for paying for software (I have so far paid for VMWare Fusion and VMWare Workstation for both Windows and Linux), but it would be nice to have a free version, like there are available for both Windows and Linux.
3. Everyone I've talked to or read about could not successfully upgrade from Tiger to Leopard. All of those people eventually just started from scratch and then were happy.
4. Google's Picasa isn't supported on OS X. iPhoto is great and all, but I really like Picasa.
The things I don't like about the Thinkpad:
1. The OS, and I'm gonna fix that by installing Ubuntu 64-bit (whether I install 7.10 [Gutsy Gibbon] or 8.04 [Hardy Heron] will depend on when the laptop arrives and when 8.04 is actually shipped).
That's it. For my uses, I like EVERYTHING physically about the Thinkpad. It's comfortable, sturday, has the best keyboard out there, has all of the ports I need, actually has a better resolution (1900x1200) than the 15 inch Macbook Pro, lets me get close to 1TB of disk in it, and runs VERY cool. The Macbook Pro is a nice looking machine, and I'm certain that it's great for a lot of people (I'm actually going to keep mine as a backup machine). But for me, none of the Macbook's physical design is a benefit. And while the OS is better than Windows, I find that it's not as good as Ubuntu. So I'll post again once the new Thinkpad arrives and I get switched over to it.
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