<<Have you tried going about your daily work with system monitor activated?>> Yes. It has a lot of parameters and I don't know how to evaluate all the info but the % kernel usage rarely hits 100%. I have to explore this data more to evaluate it.
<<I don't have any knowledge of trading software. It sounds like it strains even the most robust systems. You mentioned high
volumes of data: If this stuff finds its way to your disk, then disk performance considerations could outweigh CPU speed.
Likewise, if the data comes through a wire, network stuff needs thought too. And don't forget RAM, as even the fastest
system will bog down if data isn't readily available when needed: In RAM memory, or better yet, cache.>>
Good reminder about RAM. 256k is probably enough, more is likely better. The trading software is quite a load both for the computer and the net. Multiple realtime operations are normally in effect including downloading of immense amounts of data all day. What I am projecting is that for this kind of usage, demands on computers (and nets) is going to become much heavier going forward. Thus I am not just designing for the moment but for what I see a year down the road: far heavier data streams, larger and more complex program operations, more complex and demanding video displays. We are barely keeping up with this in the trading arena. It is a challenge.
<<The P4 is new. I don't have a clue about P4s, but as a general observation, it has taken from months to years for software
to catch up to, then take full advantage of, each new advance in chip technology. In a few cases, the newest chips have
performed slower than the previous ones because, in order for the improvements to be realized, software needed to be
re-compiled and linked with libraries optimized for the new chips. This takes time.>>
Agreed. I want to read a lot about P4 1.4 and 1.5 ghz performance before I buy one.
Good points as always, PW.
On another topic, the thread discussion on browser war has got me tinkering with IE5.5 a bit more. I have always used Netscape, partly because of anti-softie prejudice <g> but the IE5.5 seems fine. My Netscape browser is 4.72, however, not 6.0, and 4.72 has always seemed okay to me.
best,
Rick |
