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From: rhyde@ucrmath.ucr.edu (randy hyde)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.apple2
Subject: Re: speed of computers
Message-ID: <12890@ucrmath.ucr.edu>
Date: 19 Mar 91 16:07:20 GMT
Article-I.D.: ucrmath.12890
References: <388.apple.a2.net@pro-nbs>
Organization: University of California, Riverside
Lines: 30

>>>>>>
        When you say that the IBM 33mhz is about 40 times faster than the
IIgs, you think straight clock speed. But you have to realize that it might
have to do more in that time, thus requiring the faster processor.
<<<<<<

Ain't that the truth!

This, btw, is why people bash the Apple II series these days.  Sure, an
Apple II gs with a TWGS runs Appleworks as fast as a Mac or PC running EXCEL.
But the Mac and the PC (386) are doing *so much more*.  If someone is happy
with Appleworks, the GS is fine.  Most people prefer the cute GUI over
text.  Most people like the added functionality (DDLs, WYSIWYG, graphics,etc.)
That's why people buy Macs and PCs rather than Apple IIgs machines to run
their business software.

Unquestionably the 680x0 and 80x86 processors (today) are faster than the
65c816.  Its the computer itself faster? Perhaps not.  It just does more.
Several years ago when quizzed about the powerful CPU in the Lisa yet the
incredible slowness of the machine, Apple replied that they were going to
use CPU power to improve the user interface and make the software more
powerful.  They weren't simply going to speed up existing applications.
That has been the trend.  Better CPUs have allowed programmers to write in
HLLs (a trend I do not agree with, as a user). Better CPUs have allowed
the use of high density bit-mapped graphics (I'm not talking about a
9" Mac screen here [which is actually smaller, memory-size-wise, than a GS]).
The only hardware I've seen that truly increases speed is the addition of
more memory.  This is under the control of the user, not necessarily the
manufacturer.  Systems with more memory are generally faster and much more
capable than systems with little memory.