[MacDV] Re: how and why to benchmark Last one!

[James Asherman]

On Wednesday, January 7, 2004, at 08:08  PM, Dmytro Koval'ov wrote:

>
>>>>>> On Wed, 7 Jan 2004, "James" == James Asherman wrote:
>
>
>   James> Let me say I have already performed my own biased tests.  I 
> use
>   James> Norton speed disk.  Takes 5 seconds to defrag and OTIMIZE the
>   James> video storage disk because it is empty.  It gets done w/ the
>   James> Media setting.  When I do my boot disk it take somewhat longer
>
> What you've written here is completely wrong. Time used for disk
> optimizing has nothing to do with access time or I/O. For sure
> any defragmenter will finish ''defragmenting'' empty disk faster that 
> disk
> with files on it. But because it's EMPTY, not because it's
> defragmented.

Uh  that's what I said dude.

>
>   James> virtual disk space and the updates on the other and little
>   James> holes where small pieces of OS used to be but are now deleted
>   James> that this is a factual if not accurate representation .(the
>   James> same goes for Apps and other files) I believe that when I
>   James> defrag and Optimize, those holes are in fact filled, reducing
>
> James, I think you still didn't get the idea of what Peter is talking
> about.
>
> Because of all that reasons that Peter mentioned, you (or Speed disk -
> which is actually a DOS product ported to Mac -- completely different 
> OS
> and completely different disk access methods) can not tell for sure 
> that
> two consecutive rectangles in the Speed Disk window, represent sectors
> that are actually located in the consecutive (or even adjacent) areas 
> on
> disk. And it is quite probable that while filling those gaps Speed Disk
> is actually making things worse because it is moving pieces of the same
> file into different areas of disk, thus making access time longer.
> Especially with Panther, which on itself optimizes disk access. And be
> sure that Panther knows better HOW to optimize that Norton.

A: I do not own Panther(which would be clean) I have dirty old 10.2.8
B: You are wrong. Speed Disk does not split up files, it puts them back 
together and groups like things.
The rest of Norton I disable. (sometimes do a virus scan)
>
>   James> the number of possible bad or wrong choices that the disc
>   James> controller might make in the future. I also believe that when
>   James> it shows me and tells me the numbers of fragmented files and
>   James> shows the contiguous space available that, that too, may not 
> be
>   James> actual but the fact that the space is being reported to speed
>
> Controller DOES NOT report to speed disk whether space contiguous or
> not. Speed disk decides this and draws the picture of what it THINKS is
> representing the drive.
It must get that information somewhere. It must be relevant. Are you 
really saying the whole excersize is meaningless?

>
>   James> I know even though one could run for years without
>   James> doing it, my business dictates that in addition to constant
>   James> updates and downloads and my personal fun, that it is prudent
>   James> to do this procedure on my boot disc in order to have the
>   James> greatest flexibility and capacity I can.
>
> Existence of the empty sectors on disk or fragmentation/
> de-fragmentation has nothing to do with capacity and/or flexibility.
>

And you are on the DV list? I'm sorry . Video still likes big hunks of 
space all in a row
or reported as such. I keep some extra because stuff walks in the door.
Now I go back  to the wedding with the defective panasonic tape.

> --Dmytro
>

Jim