It's at times like these, that I am greatly relieved I'm not a Windows user:
http://www.genesis-x.nildram.co.uk/news/article00005.html
This brings up a question I have about Fedora. I recently installed FC1 on an 800 MHz Celeron with 128MB RAM. I'm a Linux newbie. The system is dual-booted with Windows ME. Yes, I know that I'm running below recommended specs.
Before going on, I am a convert to the Open Source ideology. I would like to see Linux (and open source software) succeed and dominate the market. After passing newbie status, I look forward to rolling up my sleeves and pitching in on coding.
The first thing I notice in Linux (running GNOME) is that it *seems* more sluggish than Windows. Menus take longer to pop up. Standard dialogs take longer to pop up. All sorts of things. When I click to start Mozilla, I have to check to see if my HD light is on -- otherwise I don't know if the OS registered my click! (In all fairness, Explorer isn't much better in this regard.)
A good example is switching windows. Everything is loaded in RAM -- no caching to the HD. When I change the focus to another open window, it's like I get a flicker-flicker-there. It takes around 500ms to make the change. In Windows, this is not so.
So here's the question: Is this normal for Fedora and/or Linux? Do I maybe have a bad video setting?
Otherwise, is it possible that Linux developers are prone to pushing the hardware, too? Honestly, I don't see why my 486/DX2 w/8MB is obsolete. What are we doing now that requires so much more horsepower? Are word processors now solving partial differential equations before they print?
Peace, Gabriel
