[MacDV] Re: how and why to benchmark

[James Asherman]

On Wednesday, January 7, 2004, at 07:06  PM, Peter van der Linden wrote:

> Richard,
>
> The comments I have made follow the rules of discourse and logic that 
> are accepted among educated people everywhere.  They have been shaped 
> and evolved and worked since the time of the ancient Greeks.  They 
> form the basis of the scientific method worldwide.
>
> If you or anyone wishes to make a claim, you have to produce evidence 
> in support to those who challenge it.  If you would like some other 
> process, then fine, but you cannot pretend that you have "won" the 
> discussion, or that you have demonstrated anything at all, or that 
> your other process shows anything except a lack of understanding about 
> how factual matters are resolved objectively.
>
> When I get around to writing the benchmarks, I shall do my utmost to 
> evaluate the proposition carefully to reach an accurate answer.  [I 
> know this is not the normal industry meaning of "benchmark"].  Why 
> would I bother investing a minute of my time in anything less?  I am 
> not interested in "winning" a debate (I have already done that because 
> people have been unable to show the data on which they base their 
> illogical beliefs).  I am interested in showing what the factors are, 
> and allowing others to look at the evidence and make their own minds 
> up.  And there is a very small, but non-zero, chance that I am wrong 
> because of some factor that I have overlooked.  The benchmark will 
> endeavor to find that.
>
> Part of this involves making public the source code and benchmark 
> process.  That will allow anyone to comment on it, to suggest 
> improvements, and to reproduce it for themselves.  How amusing that 
> you should think there is any point in doing otherwise.
>
>      Peter
>
>

Let me say I have already performed my own biased tests.
I use Norton speed disk.
Takes 5 seconds to defrag and OTIMIZE the video storage disk because it 
is empty.
  It gets done w/ the Media setting.
When I do my boot disk it take somewhat longer (haha) .
One time Idid it for media and git an over all Xbench score of like 108
When I redid it with the OSX/9 setting my scores shot up to 114-119.
This is just for regular stuff no video.


Now you are saying alot about the OS but that conflicts with your 
earlier opinion that the disc controller is "in control". I accept this 
notion.
I would have to believe (and do) that the disc controller and Speed 
disc are in fact in collusion to provide me with control I can 
understand.
  I believe when Speed disk shows the main OS on one end of the virtual 
disk space and the updates on the other and little holes where small 
pieces of OS used to be but are now deleted that this is a factual if 
not accurate representation .(the same goes for Apps and other files) I 
believe that when I defrag and Optimize, those holes are in fact 
filled, reducing the number of possible bad or wrong choices that the 
disc controller might make in the future. I also believe that when it 
shows me and tells me the numbers  of fragmented files and shows the 
contiguous space available that, that too, may not be actual but the 
fact that the space is being reported to speed disc as contiguous means 
that the disc controller is treating it as such.
I know even though one could run for years without doing it, my 
business dictates that in addition to constant updates and downloads 
and my personal fun, that it is prudent to do this procedure on my boot 
disc in order to have the greatest flexibility and capacity I can.
  I have consulted with some learned people on this subject. They agree.
I am sorry but  with your brand new computer < OS and tiny little 
files, You probably are never going to reproduce our experiences 
without seriously abusing your machine first.
Anyway Have fun!
Jim