Baslinux mailing list

[baslinux AT lists.ibiblio.org]

> > I tried piping to pico
>
> You can't pipe to pico or e3.  Text editors normally
> accept a filename, not a stream of text.  Perhaps a
> more comprehensive text editor (like vi) can handle
> piping?

I don't need to pipe to a text editor, was just experimenting.


> > What is the operating speed ratio of 33MHz 486 to 133Mhz pentium?
> > I figured 1/4 x 1/2 = 1/8.
>
> bogoMIPs on a 486 DX-33   =  6
> bogoMIPs on a Pentium 133 = 53

2392 on my fast pentium 1200.  So if a program takes 1 second to load on 
this computer, 400 seconds (over 6 min) on the 33MHz 486 if only bogoMIPS 
mattered. (What does a BbgoMIP measure?)  Opera 7 is taking 7 seconds 
loading the first time.  Opera 6 loaded on my Pentium-overdrive 60MHz 486 
in real time. There must be some overhead time that is not all that 
different between computers.

The thing that slowed down my 3MB RAM 386 laptop was the speed of the LCD 
monitor.

> However, I'm not sure uncompression times are solely
> proportional to speed.  Subjectively, it takes longer
> than that on slower machines.  Perhaps RAM is a factor
> too?  Older computers typically have less RAM and
> sometimes that RAM (and/or RAM cache) is significantly
> slower than on more up-to-date systems.

I can compare loading times for Opera on a 100MHz laptop and this 1200MHz 
with the same amounts of RAM (24MB or less specified with mem=24M).  Then 
see if upx slows it down on the 100MHz.


> > Is there a way to clear programs from buffer?
>
> Reboot the computer.

I did that.  Did not notice any different in speed between upxed and non 
upxed opera.  (It loads fine from the opera wrapper, not the binary, but 
9.23 won't let you load it that way for 'user', only 'root'.  8.52 
complains about preferences for user.  I have 7.23 working for user, 
probably by copying over the contents of .opera from /root and changing 
permissions.)

> > upx could be useful in the 20MB loop, on a pentium.
>
> As I've said before, I will not be using UPX for BL3.

Users can get Samir's upx, if we want to run large programs on a fast 
computer in a small loop.  Or maybe include more on a floppy disk, 
assuming Samir fixes the segfaults.  No need to include upx or upx the 
files in BL download file.

> Cheers,
> Steven