Foil Hat? Or real concern?, but in the last few months along with the Microsoft and Google Desktop Search and this processor, it seems that PC users are setting themselves up for wide open intrusion. I started to install Google Desktop Search and after watching it scan all my hard drives (would have taken 2 hours as per the app) I stop the process and thought that this is rather convenient for someone to see every file on all 4 Hard drives. During the uninstall, the app (Google) asked me why I was uninstalling, one of the choices was Privacy. And Google wanted me to send this information along to them. I guess Google knows what can happen.
Now there is this 945 Chip that can access the system in down mode. I guess I have have nothing to hide I should have no problem.
LOL, just remember, a work computer has no privacy. Any computer that is work related, even if you use it for personal use, the company that owns it has every right to access it whether it's on or off or even if you have a special place in the pc's heart. I could technically have gotten fired for the stuff i keep on my work pc. I have removed them recently to avoid that problem. :)
You asked a legitimate question, and I'll do my best to provide you a legitimate answer.
The reason the application was spending so much time scanning your hard drives, it that an inter-relational database had to be created such that a search could be conducted not only on the 'title' of your filename, but also such that 'keywords' within each file could be seached. Thus, if you searched for files containing the word 'Blackbird', you would turn up files such as "Beatles - Blackbird.mp3' as well as your essay on "Migratory patterns of North American birds.doc" which had the word 'Blackbird' within the text.
That is why the scan was taking so long; I think you understand that a cross-referencing inter-relational database of every file on your PC would be a time consuming, and hard drive space consuming endeavor.
Secondly, I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but no one really cares what is on your hard drive; except for hackers and gov't agencies with a search warrent. If Google got caught (like RealNetworks has .... twice) searching hard drives; this is an invasion of privacy and is a Federal crime. It's like the phone company tapping your phone at random. This data would be sent back upstream via the internet; where other paranoid IP people would be able to packet 'sniff' your data, and would blow the horn. Google stock would plummet, so it would cost Google BILLIONS in stock damage, plus we have the class action suits and the breach of trust. Remember when Microsoft did this as part of the game install and registry back in the 80's? MS got nailed with Federal suits for illegal search, entrapment and violation of privacy; fines were assessed and MS lost lots of money selling games for about the next 10 years.
Thirdly, this database (if it were kept somewhere) would be fantastically huge. It would change every time someone deleted a file on their hard drive, or installed a new file. Think 10 Million+ users.
As to the Intel 945 chip; unless they are talking about adding or removing Dynamic Link Library (.dll) files as part of the sytem upgrades, there is only so much you can do to an OS while it is not running, before you destabilize it. The OS typically 'likes' to be running, and it will test the update for compatibility before adding it permanently to the OS (unless there is a WHQL approval from MS).
Personally, when it comes to Dual Core, I think AMD has the better solution.
Google is Haliburton...
Now there is this 945 Chip that can access the system in down mode. I guess I have have nothing to hide I should have no problem.
For large companies, this is something that's been available for quite some time, although not through the processor, but through the chipset on the systemboard and network adapter. It's known as WOL (Wake On Lan), which allows a specific type of network packet to "wake up" the computer, and have it boot up. This is used by certain network management software, like Microsoft's SMS, Novell's Zenworks, and Symantec's Ghost Corporate Edition, and allows for centralized management of the computers. One really good example of this is in pushing out new software. Imagine you've got to roll out the new version of MS Office to 10,000 computers. That roll-out can be unattended, with no intercession by the system administrators, but can you imagine the slowdown on the network if this were to occur during normal business hours? Using the management software I mentioned before, you can schedule the computers to "wake up" and automagically install the software during the off hours.
Mark
We are going to an exciting and possibly very dangerous place.
The exponential growth of computing power over the past 20 years has been astonishing. Where will we be 20 years from now?
The average PC is far more powerful then mega-million room-sized mainframes of a generation ago. I'm talking about mainframes that were operated by white-jacketed nerds in air-conditioned rooms in which access to normal people was strictly prohibited.
I currently have an iPod strapped to my belt that holds nearly 40GB of data - almost 10,000 songs consisting of my music collection. This is nothing however compared to my home network, which consists of 5 PCs and laptops with a combined storage space of 3.5 terrabytes that could easily hold the text of every book ever written. I have over 45,000 songs and gigabytes worth of other files and media.
Where will we be in 20 years if we progress at the same rate? You could have a device the size of a wristwatch that holds the entire World Wide Web that could calculate Pi to 500 quadrillion digits in microseconds.
Computers have a very good chance of taking over the world and enslaving the human race. It sounds like weird science fiction but I am convinced that this is a possiblity. We are not that far away from thinking machines that can build replicas of themselves and robots that will be designed to overpower and enslave us. We must be very, very careful.
Ping
Good stuff here
The significance of the original article is that dual processors are going to become standard in a year. This is an incredible leap for regular users especially since the 2.8GHz is so inexpensive ($241). If you have ever used a dual machine, you know what I mean. Everything runs *very* smoothly. My old el cheapo dual Celeron 400MHz machine was smoother than my newer P4 2.26GHz machine.
I won't buy anything called "Extreme" or "Xtreme" or "Rad", just on principle.