Blade Server: Trinity - Transcript

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Frank: Hi, I am in the market for a new computer and I visited various websites such as Gateway, Dell, and Apple. And when I get to the part where it says how much RAM do you want, I have choices that are sort of confusing. For example there was one where you can get one module with 512 megs then there is an another one that says you can get two modules with 256 in each one, etc.

David Lawrence: Right.

Frank: Can you tell me obviously there must be a difference between the two I mean the megs adds up identically but there must be a difference.

David Lawrence: Sure the difference between the two is that computers have banks and in some cases people already have RAM that they may want to put into a computer. And so one bank is empty or both banks are filled with 256 or maybe they have got a larger one in one and a smaller one in the other. So the best thing we would do if you are confused about it is to check to see how many banks of memories the computer has usually there is two and you need to put at least one ship in each bank. But you can call any of the manufacturers and say okay I am confused about this you have got one each at 256 or one at 512 is that leave me an open bank to put my own RAM in. Is it there for you to upgrade it? The fact of the matter is that if it ends up with the number being the same that*s how much RAM you will have. At the end of the day there is no difference between getting one that has two 256 modules versus one 512 K module or 512 meg module unless you plan an upgrading. And then what you want to do is get the least amount of RAM in one of the modules as you can so that when you get rid of that one essentially you have this extra piece of RAM that you can do much with RAM is so inexpensive now it really doesn*t matter.

Frank: That*s what I was looking at because I thought that little bit extra that they ask you for you know 50, 75 bucks, it*s nothing. But my other question then would be of as a follow up my needs are really simple just browsing E-mail word processing. So as far as I am concerned I mean It wouldn*t even matter 256 two modules.

David Lawrence: Oh no, no it would matter to you in fact I think 512 is the absolute minimum that one should order any Windows machine with these days. Windows XP is a huge memory hog. You said word processing which I am assuming would be Office or Word?

Frank: Yes.

David Lawrence: Okay that*s a huge memory hog. Office 2004 is incredibly insane. The footprint on the hard drive is large but the amount of RAM it takes up when it*s operating is much larger than it ever was before. My rule of thumb when buying a new computer and this is for everybody not just you Frank. But my rule of thumb when buying a new computer number 1 rule get the most RAM your machine will take if you can afford it. And in this case if they can take a GIGA RAM. And it*s only another 50 bucks another 75 bucks or 100 bucks to fill it up do it. Because in the long run when you are running a browser and Word and a mp3 player, you don*t know what you have coming down the pipe in the future, an E-mail client like Outlook Express what ever is all those things are running at the same time and memory. And because all of them have larger footprints than they ever have in history RAM become essential and with its so inexpensive I would much rather you see you get more RAM than a faster computer.

Frank: You have explained that very well and I appreciate it.

[Transcriptions provided by Datalyst]

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