IT BS thread

I've run almost exclusively AMD based server farms (RH Linux) for years. They have typically been faster than their Intel equivalents. The performance comes more from the memory architecture and its ability to keep the CPU instruction caches full. No point in having the fastest processor if you can't keep it busy.

As far as buying the fastest processors go, it's almost never cost effective to buy the latest and greatest. You'll pay a hefty premium for it and the ROI sucks when you compare it to something just a bit slower.

I work in the semiconductor industry and the farms I work with are used primarily for design and simulation and run a variety of EDA tools using LSF for batch submission and cluster control (a very small percentage of the farm is available for interactive use.). We use very few Windows machines (most tools don't run on Windows). The desktop environment is pretty much off the shelf Dell hardware running Windows with the MS Office suite of tools. To that, we add Hummingbird to interact with the UNIX environment. Almost all of our machines follow a very standard configuration and are imaged before deployment. Individual configuration is done using DHCP. If one fails, it can be replaced and running within an hour (assuming we have spares). If your job requires a Linux desktop, you'll be given a virtual machine.

 

Yes. There are 4 options that pop up (which you won't be able to see of course), but it should default to Extend. So hit Windows+P and hit Enter. If you hold down Windows and keep pressing P, it cycles through the options: Extend, Projector only, Disconnect Projector, Duplicate. If you can get it to work, Duplicate is the selection you'll want.

 

On the laptop purchase talk...

I'd look into the Dell Outlet. Last year I got a refurbished Inspiron 14R. Core i5, 4GB, 500GB HDD, dedicated graphics card, etc. for about $580 to my door. The 15" were cheaper and I bet you could get a decent i3 setup in your price range.

 

Just ordered this one from Staples, Thanks Evil Monkey

 

x2 on this, they have some great deals. I had a friend in college who found out the schedule when Dell updated the site. Then, he'd buy up all the machines that were on a better-than-normal deal and resell them on ebay for a profit. He was making enough that it was a full time job, but stopped because he was running out of storage space and he was worried the IRS would catch him - he was pulling down $30k/year non-taxed.
It's gotten much harder to do since then. Too many people have caught on. However, if you check at 11:59AM, you probably have a 5 minute window to find a SCREAMING deal and purchase it. Yes, that's 5 minutes from the time you log in to the point when you've completed the purchase, so know EXACTLY what you want!

I'm already betting it's the video card.

 

Ah memories. I figured out the whole stock update thing too LOL

 

Shit I've got a future in this virtual server nonsense... Just modified a vmx file to run the shared Ethernet ports to my windows 7 64bit install!

 

Chances are that the video card isn't even replaceable, a lot of times they're not replaceable on laptops. If the card is replaceable on that particular laptop, it won't be easy to do, you'll likely have to disassemble the whole laptop to get to it. If it isn't replaceable, it will need a new motherboard, which will be just as much work.

 

My ISP is charging me $38 per month for 1Mb/s connection.

I feel like I'm being cheated.




Edit: This test was done on a Macbook Pro running the latest version of Firefox, and NO OTHER DEVICE was on the network during this test, not even my phone. the only thing open on my computer was this test.

 

Grade, f- hahahahahaha I think that sums it up pretty well

 

If the video came up on an external display it's not the video card. Usually if the video works externally, the issue is either the back light or the inverter in the laptops monitor.

 

Is that a WISP connection?

 

Yes. It's through a company called "Vortex Wireless". There is a UHF antenna mounted on the roof of the house that transmits to a tower about a half mile away. (you can see it from the house pretty easily).

 

Did they say what sort of speeds you should be getting when you signed up? I would think you'd get better than what you are.

 

Not exactly sure. I still live with my parents, I split the internet bill with Dad. He signed us up for this a couple of years ago at an even slower speed. Finally talked him into upgrading it but for the additional 20 bucks a months they charge I'm not really seeing any increase in speed.