[RJARRRPCGP]

kartel, on Sep 26 2006, 11:24 PM, said:

Well, no sensation happened. Another one of VIA's attempt's to create a chipset outperforming NVIDIA nForce2 didn't succeed. Due to NVIDIA's intellectual DASP unit, nForce2 Ultra 400 remains the fastest Socket A chipset today.



http://www.xbitlabs.com/articles/chipsets/...a-kt880_10.html

Actually, with the Via KT880, with some benchmarks, it loses and with some, it wins or at least roughly the same! It may lose in 3D Mark 2001 SE, but heard that it's fine with real world performance.

It's not like the Via KT400, where unfortunately seemed to always be behind, even with the DDR SDRAM latencies at 2.0-2-2-6.

I doubt that it performs majorly worse than the nForce2, unless there isn't a high enough PCI and AGP divider.

Also, I heard that the FSB is limited to 227 mhz with the Asus A7V880. (this appears to be Asus' fault)
Heard that the Asus A7V880 stock BIOS won't let you select any higher than 227 mhz for the FSB.

Heard that a BIOS mod can solve that problem.

Also, the nForce2 likely is going to be slower than the Via KT880 under Windows 98 and Windows ME.
It seems that you're required to use a NT-based Windows with nForce2s for performance advantages.

This post has been edited by RJARRRPCGP: 01 October 2006 - 07:14 PM

[os2fan2]

Windows 9x has three possible features that could keep it going.

• Embedded or Rescue System
  
• "Dusty Decks" = old hardware
  
• Global Warming

The first has serious competition from BartPE, which relies on code that is updated. Unlike say, IBM with OS/2, Microsoft has not really made Win9x or WinNT really embeddable, and this greatly shortens the usefulness of these OS's after the mainstream usage is over.

The second, "Dusty Decks", refers to old hardware and software.

The third is rather interesting idea. One might suppose that as global warming starts to leak into our minds more, things like operating systems would tend to look for power-efficient operations, rather than consuming more power. This in turn will mean that interfaces might revert back to something less power-consuming, eg 16-colour or something.

[JayScore]

Most things subject to Copyright laws; books, plays, etc., are subject to time limits, after which they become Public Domain, unless, of course, they affect National Security. It seems to me that Microsoft's stunning - in terms of speed - production of "New" Operating Systems - and their versions, plus the fact they have now ceased support for 98, is an indication of "corporate release by declaration" - my term. If a product is deemed to be obsolete by its manufacturers, indicated by no further support, then they should be required, under modified software copyright laws, to hand it over to those who wish to use it. Any bolshy WIN98 enthusiast lawyers out there want to have a go?

Course, they could defend their hoarding using the National Security approach, and they may have a point. You wouldn't want the defence of your country in the hands of WIN98, would you. Mind you, if the world's hawks were allowed to use/modify it to control their missile systems we'd all be a lot safer. "War's cancelled, got to reinstall WIN98PE in all the silos, keeps booting into DOS, sorry."

[oscardog]

os2fan2, on Oct 2 2006, 07:47 AM, said:

Windows 9x has three possible features that could keep it going.

• Embedded or Rescue System
  
• "Dusty Decks" = old hardware
  
• Global Warming

The first has serious competition from BartPE, which relies on code that is updated. Unlike say, IBM with OS/2, Microsoft has not really made Win9x or WinNT really embeddable, and this greatly shortens the usefulness of these OS's after the mainstream usage is over.

The second, "Dusty Decks", refers to old hardware and software.

The third is rather interesting idea. One might suppose that as global warming starts to leak into our minds more, things like operating systems would tend to look for power-efficient operations, rather than consuming more power. This in turn will mean that interfaces might revert back to something less power-consuming, eg 16-colour or something.

Just noticed this post, regarding point 1 I think win9x is an awesome embedded/rescue os, I have built countless embedded systems with a footprint a fraction of BartsPE. In fact I have a rescue system I carry around based on the 98 os which fits onto 2 floppies, 3 with network support for retrieving customers files from problem pc`s. I have been messing around to try to get it to fit onto 1 floppy disc but so far I have been beaten(work in progress).
Have a look at litepcs EOS web pages, with an edited bios, win9x os they create tiny embedded kiosks etc plus 98 has a huge software back catalogue which can be ran on these devices.
Completely agree with regards to your point 3