When Will It End?

[Stubby]

My first computer was a Gateway P-200 and, at the time, it was the fastest thing around. Now we're approaching the 3 Ghtz threshold and who knows how fast these machines will be by the end of 2003? Why the need for all the speed? Just how fast will we end up going and why do we need to go that fast? Is it just human vanity to see how far we can push the envelope? Don't misunderstand me, I'm all for the speedy processing, the great graphics, and all the other things that go along with a fast machine, but I'm just curious as to when will it end? Or will it? Surely though, the speed of these machines cannot be infinite, or can it? I know that no one here can answer that question, but I was just sitting here thinking about it so I thought I'd just post my thoughts here!! Actually, I'm running an XP-1600+ and want to upgrade to a 2100+ and that's what got me thinking about this subject that, I feel, doesn't really have an answer, just speculation!!

[Demosthenes]

I do not think it is vanity nor contempt for whatever might be controlling us. It is the invisible hand moving the market. A faster processor is created because it can be sold.

I predict it will end in about 5 billion years, when the sun explodes.

Respectfully,

Demosthenes

[lil Jimmie]

I hope it never ends at least not in my lifetime, I love jacking around with software and hardware. My moto is "Faster is better and smoother is sweeter".

[TimPoet]

The faster the processors and memory and buses go, the better they serve us, the lords of the earth, and thus the richer we become, and the more democratic (that's small 'd') information will be and the freer and more independent the common man will become. There will be fewer third world nations, lesser misery and better conditions for all, as long as America keeps to and returns more to her principles of freedom and responsibilty which will buoys our free market and those of the world and the infection that started in 1776 will continue to revolutionize the world....
Cpu speeds and ever more effective information communication are just a reflection of our incredible wealth generating free market.

Oh, and in 2005, we'll have widespread availability to 20 GHz CPU's....

[ylen13]

why would we need 20 ghz cpu?

[Streams]

Why would we need more than 640k of RAM?

[DilLy]

personally even when stuff was the fastest in the past, I always sensed it could be better. Delays after clicking the mouse before the process would finish, waiting for an expensive machine to catch up with my desires to get things done with it.

Face it, if you are going to use a computer to do things, you want it to be efficient. I can't wait for 3 gig, or 10 gig, and beyond. I will want to be around to see what can be done with them too.

Push the limits. There is no such thing as "fastest" for there will always be faster. Such is the nature of technology.

If I wanted to add two plus two, I would use a calculator. Admittedly, art doesn't need a digital medium to exist, but the digital medium opens the dorrs to a new realm of art.

Admit it yourself though, things are getting more interesting, as they get faster. It may be expensive, but, really what else is new?

[Dyne]

If you ask me, computers can never be too fast, I can never have enough bandwidth, and progress should never stop. There will be new programs to strain even 20ghz CPUs in the future; think of all the possibilities! Who knows what tasks a computer will be capable of? Think of what will be possible over the internet if we get wide-spread high speed internet market penetration! The future is bright indeed, and I can't wait to see it.

[Demosthenes]

You wanna know why computers need to be faster? MS Windows. You need a fast computer to be able to run that resource wasting program. And, you will run out and buy a faster computer when they create Longhorn or whatever it shall be dubbed.

We will see no net progress, really. A 20GHz computer running Windows2005 will be as slow as a 2.5GHz computer running MS WindowsXP, which is as slow as a 500MHz computer running MS Windows95. The footprint of programs will overshadow the gross progress.

Respectfully,

Demosthenes

[DilLy]

that's just a theoretical view.

I mean, I have a computer in the other room: P3 500, 128 mbRAM, Windows98se.

The one I am on now is a P4 1700, 512mb RDram, WindowsXPhome. This computer is many, many times faster than that other thing.

Notice the technology of the first one contained components that were all relatively new at the time, it was bought in 1998. THis one also has the same upward scale, all realtively new components, bought about 9 months ago. Reguardless, the first machine is much slower. I have also noticed that 98se/ME uses about the same resources as XP, as long as both are configured properly. Admittedly the new (optional) look of XP can slightly (and I mean slightly ) add a bit of slugishness to the UI, but it is negligible on a fast computer.

Not that you care my opinion, but I don't think Windows is the driving factor in furthering technology, it is a part of the whole picture though.

[TimPoet]

Demosthenes, Demosthenes, you are ever so dour....

[Nuclear Krusader]

We will always be greedy. We will always want more, and more and more. Bigger, better, faster, more. (Like dat 4 non blondes album). That is why this trend will never end. Because that is the nature of man.

[TimPoet]

And the needs of mankind as well....

[Fastfly]

I didnt read anyof the posts so if mine is out of line...dont tell me lol.


Why we need to go faster. Because Programs rendering......Scientific data extensive stuff runs slow at 3.ghz Finding cures for cancer and that stuff .

[Fastfly]

Originally posted by Demosthenes I predict it will end in about 5 billion years, when the sun explodes. Respectfully, Demosthenes

Ya think so With the advancements in science... you think in 5 billion years we will need the sun to live? I think not

[reboot]

Until hard drive technology has disappeared, and we are using Ramdrives or somesuch for permanent storage (due to the speed), there's not much point in having a processor over 1 ghz.
The biggest bottleneck in any system has always been HD speed (or lack of it).

[DilLy]

that is, except for programs like Photoshop, where images are stored in RAM while being worked on. The more/better RAM you have will enable you to have larger images with more layers and such. A faster processor will let you get things done faster on it.

The harddrive doesn't come in until the image is saved or loaded.

But still, you are correct in your statement.

[Force Flow]

Originally posted by ylen13 why would we need 20 ghz cpu?

For teleporters and holographs.

[Demosthenes]

Ya think so With the advancements in science... you think in 5 billion years we will need the sun to live? I think not

Ironic you should say such a thing. I believe we will kill ourselves with our technology long before we see 5 billion years.

As per DilLy's comment. If you run the same programs on a 1700MHz, and a 300MHz, of course it will be faster. My comparison is only between relative versions of software and hardware. Software is so lagging behind now, however.

Respectfully,

Demosthenes

[DilLy]

Did anyone read about the computer a bunch of scientists put together? It used many many processors linked together somehow, and they were able to do the first teleportation ever with it. I think they were only able to teleport a lazer from pointA to pointB. They say StarTrek type teleportation won't become possible for a looooooong time.

Oh well. They're working on it at least.

[piasabird]

They still do not make a computer powerful enough to weather models or models for Nuclear Weapons development. Then there is the terra-server thing that just never runs fast enough. Genome project needs a really good computer. We dont have a fast enough wireless networking model. We still havent found a way to effectively block virus attacks. Of course there is always the chance we can predict the next election before it starts or see into the future.

Apple and NEC at a lab in New Jersey, claimed to have shot some light thru a gas at 300 times the speed of Light. Is that like a black hole in your pocket or what????? If you go faster than the speed of light can you do time travel???

Then there is the size thing..... Why are computers so large???

[Nuclear Krusader]

Originally posted by DilLy Did anyone read about the computer a bunch of scientists put together? It used many many processors linked together somehow, and they were able to do the first teleportation ever with it. I think they were only able to teleport a lazer from pointA to pointB. They say StarTrek type teleportation won't become possible for a looooooong time. Oh well. They're working on it at least.

Yep, that experiment was what inspired the computer game Half-Life.

[Force Flow]

They also succeeded in teleporting a pocket of photons.

You know, I've been puzzling over this for a while: when people will be able to be teleported, will it be the same person who goes in come back out, or will a copy of that person come back out?

[DilLy]

Originally posted by Nuclear Krusader Yep, that experiment was what inspired the computer game Half-Life.

But Nuc, the story I am referring to was just released a few months ago.


Force_flow:
I think they are aiming for the exact person to come through. What they are doing is disassembling the molecular structure to make it transportable. The problem they have now, is exactly what you are stating: can't put it back together properly for the end result at PointB to be the same person they were. Hehe, very experimental. And they aren't risking it on live things yet until they get much further, which like I said should be a long time, probably well after you and I are dead.

[Dyne]

Hah, teleporting sounds kind of like encapsulation in the OSI model. Go from the data stream, get packaged, etc. etc., until the info is in transportable bits. Human networking

[Nuclear Krusader]

Well, DilLy, I remember seeing a web site about teleportations experiments. I ended up in that site when I clicked over a link in one of the Half-Life web pages.

[Alaron]

I think something needs to be completely reengineered. I think the only way to move forward in computer speed and technology, is to go backward a bit. This would be extremely difficult though, in that it would be hard to get away from the present standard. Going back to a mainboard with add-on cards would be hard to break away from. We need a completely new process, not just shrinking down to smaller and smaller microns. Intels new .09 micron is great but at some point, its going to have to change.

Did anyone see in MaximumPC that a college guy found that the fibers in chicken feathers conduct twice as fast as silicon? Seems like a cool proposition to me. Im reserving my AMD Foul-bred today!