My new keyboard arrived today. I had been using another keyboard that incorporated Cherry MX Blue keys but because of the feel and the usage of inferior components, I did not really like that keyboard. It was backlit, which was nice... but it did not satisfy. I replaced it with a Matias Quiet Pro mini keyboard which I liked, but I took it into work to use there.
This keyboard is very nice.
This keyboard is a little wider than my other two, having only lopped off the keypad section of the keyboard. In my cramped workspace this does not leave much room for my mouse, but it leaves enough. I am tempted to switch my mouse to my left hand, except it is designed for right-handed people, with thumb buttons. I still may do that.
I will start by saying about the only thing this keyboard could benefit from is backlighting. But that is a feature some people like, others do not. Adding backlighting also increases the potential for some sort of failure. So I understand the simplicity of this keyboard in that regard. The key caps themselves are nicely shaped and your fingers magically find their way into them as you type.
Pressing the keys is akin to slicing into a delicious piece of chocolate cake. Or firm butter with a warm knife...
Either way, key presses provide enough resistance and feedback (halfway through their is a soft "bump" to let you know you are activating the key) that allows a typist to feel comfortable to type without bottoming out all of the time. With this particular keyboard, being made of some heavy materials, the bottoming out sound is not harsh and rather deep. Both aural and tactile feedback is a wonderful experience. Really, I cannot explain how nice this keyboard feels. I would heartily recommend it.
My previous keyboards in order:
Matias Tactile Pro 2
Happy Hacker Keyboard Pro 2
Matias mini pro quiet
And now this, KUL ES-87 (Cherry MX Brown keys)
The HHKB was probably the nicest, and most expensive keyboard I've owned. The Topre switches are very nice. But I would say this rivals the HHKB and, according to the manufacturer, this is much more solidly constructed (which I believe as my HHKB connector broke in just over a year).
The KUL is close to 1/3 the price of the HHKB and the actuation, while perhaps a little more harsh when bottoming out, are very similar in feel to the topre switches (in regards to force and bump).
Anyway, I recommend this keyboard.
Wednesday, September 17, 2014
Tuesday, August 19, 2014
Monsoon!
The monsoon season started out pretty slowly but over the past several weeks it has kicked it up a notch. We've been blessed with some decent rains and today there was enough to cause New River to flood, as well as many washes in the area.
I have not heard of any deaths caused by the flooding, so that is good. I took back roads home today (left work early) because I-17 was closed due to flooding!
We live in a desert, the rains are GOOD. God taking care of the plants, animals and shaping the landscape.
Work has still been a bit of a struggle for me. I've been making some headway, getting more of my work done in a reasonable amount of time (for the most part) and hopefully improving my techniques. I still have not adjusted to the drive, the environment and the personalities.
Watched "Pacific Rim" with Isaac today, it was a good movie, don't know why we waited so long to watch it. Also found out that season 4 of Haven is up on Netflix. Yay!
I have not heard of any deaths caused by the flooding, so that is good. I took back roads home today (left work early) because I-17 was closed due to flooding!
We live in a desert, the rains are GOOD. God taking care of the plants, animals and shaping the landscape.
Work has still been a bit of a struggle for me. I've been making some headway, getting more of my work done in a reasonable amount of time (for the most part) and hopefully improving my techniques. I still have not adjusted to the drive, the environment and the personalities.
Watched "Pacific Rim" with Isaac today, it was a good movie, don't know why we waited so long to watch it. Also found out that season 4 of Haven is up on Netflix. Yay!
Saturday, July 19, 2014
Testimony
Whoa! I just realized I had not shared what happened...
So, you saw that I had lost my job and a recruiter had contacted me... without solicitation on my part.
I interviewed with the recruiter, took a test, etc. Then they got me an interview with the company I am now working for. Well, as far as I am concerned the interview did not go well. In fact when I left the interview I immediately called the recruiter and told them it was a bust, but to please provide me with the feedback I need to improve. They said "we'll call you back in a bit." I got home, my phone rang and it was the recruiter who said "are you ready to start?"
I was pretty shocked. I was certain they would not even consider me based on the interview. But they did and they hired me.
So here are the events:
Wed. Lost Job.
Thu. Email from recruiter
Fri. Contact from recruiter
Mon. Supposed to meet recruiter, we missed each other
Tue. Met recruiter
Thu. Interview / Initial Job Offer
I had been praying for change for quite awhile now and God was listening. Sometimes what you pray for isn't exactly what you expect as an answer, but His answer was effective and did what I asked for. Then, after shaking me up and changing my life he provided a job for me to make sure (another, constant prayer of mine) I am able to house, feed, cloth my family.
I know most people would just consider this chance... I don't. Prayer answered, lose job, job provided without me lifting a finger and despite my own failures and misgivings. God chose this job for a reason, I don't know what it is but here I am so perhaps I can be an instrument in this place. I guess only time will tell, but I am grateful for His love and for how he works in my life, and for where I am right now.
So, you saw that I had lost my job and a recruiter had contacted me... without solicitation on my part.
I interviewed with the recruiter, took a test, etc. Then they got me an interview with the company I am now working for. Well, as far as I am concerned the interview did not go well. In fact when I left the interview I immediately called the recruiter and told them it was a bust, but to please provide me with the feedback I need to improve. They said "we'll call you back in a bit." I got home, my phone rang and it was the recruiter who said "are you ready to start?"
I was pretty shocked. I was certain they would not even consider me based on the interview. But they did and they hired me.
So here are the events:
Wed. Lost Job.
Thu. Email from recruiter
Fri. Contact from recruiter
Mon. Supposed to meet recruiter, we missed each other
Tue. Met recruiter
Thu. Interview / Initial Job Offer
I had been praying for change for quite awhile now and God was listening. Sometimes what you pray for isn't exactly what you expect as an answer, but His answer was effective and did what I asked for. Then, after shaking me up and changing my life he provided a job for me to make sure (another, constant prayer of mine) I am able to house, feed, cloth my family.
I know most people would just consider this chance... I don't. Prayer answered, lose job, job provided without me lifting a finger and despite my own failures and misgivings. God chose this job for a reason, I don't know what it is but here I am so perhaps I can be an instrument in this place. I guess only time will tell, but I am grateful for His love and for how he works in my life, and for where I am right now.
It's been awhile...
Life has changed a lot. Not necessarily for the worse, but ... changed.
My new job is an hour away, and it is all new to me. Huge learning curve, but I am trying to figure it all out, with God's help. By that I mean, different working environment, different personalities, and of course a new development platform for me. I was hired as a Senior Java Developer but the work is in Groovy/Grails. Also, an all-new product (to me) so... it is a bit overwhelming, I just hope I do not disappoint my co-workers and new boss.
Other than that things are going well.
I will write more and about something soon, just haven't had the extra energy needed to do so.
My new job is an hour away, and it is all new to me. Huge learning curve, but I am trying to figure it all out, with God's help. By that I mean, different working environment, different personalities, and of course a new development platform for me. I was hired as a Senior Java Developer but the work is in Groovy/Grails. Also, an all-new product (to me) so... it is a bit overwhelming, I just hope I do not disappoint my co-workers and new boss.
Other than that things are going well.
I will write more and about something soon, just haven't had the extra energy needed to do so.
Friday, June 13, 2014
Day 3
Still having up and down waves of emotion. I imagine this will continue for some time. My brother likened it to a death, being with people for so long then suddenly cut off.
Today wasn't a bad day tho'. My manager had some more kind words for me today and asked me to not "check out" for the remainder of my time there because he needed me. I wouldn't do that of course.
I was also contacted by and spoke with a recruiter today and they would like to meet me in person on Monday. I think it might be too soon for that and I also am not sure I am right for the job, but I really do need to get "out there" and meet with people, have interviews and get back into the world of job hunting. So we are meeting and I am actually looking forward to it. I don't think they will want me (am I being too negative, too pessimistic?) but I am grateful they want to speak with me just the same!
On not being ready... the potential position requires a leadership mindset. I have not been a "leader" for the past nine years. I forget what it feels like. There was a time when I led but when I moved here, I was literally told that my role would be more or less subservient to leadership roles, and that is where I've been. So now I need to be prepared to change gears and show that I have the "oomph" and drive to BE a leader, but at the moment I am feeling (sorry for sharing feelings) sort of vulnerable and less certain of myself than I normally would. I think this too will change with time, but again I wonder, "am I ready?"
Well, we shall find out! :)
Today wasn't a bad day tho'. My manager had some more kind words for me today and asked me to not "check out" for the remainder of my time there because he needed me. I wouldn't do that of course.
I was also contacted by and spoke with a recruiter today and they would like to meet me in person on Monday. I think it might be too soon for that and I also am not sure I am right for the job, but I really do need to get "out there" and meet with people, have interviews and get back into the world of job hunting. So we are meeting and I am actually looking forward to it. I don't think they will want me (am I being too negative, too pessimistic?) but I am grateful they want to speak with me just the same!
On not being ready... the potential position requires a leadership mindset. I have not been a "leader" for the past nine years. I forget what it feels like. There was a time when I led but when I moved here, I was literally told that my role would be more or less subservient to leadership roles, and that is where I've been. So now I need to be prepared to change gears and show that I have the "oomph" and drive to BE a leader, but at the moment I am feeling (sorry for sharing feelings) sort of vulnerable and less certain of myself than I normally would. I think this too will change with time, but again I wonder, "am I ready?"
Well, we shall find out! :)
Why I am conservative
In reality I am probably not a perfect conservative and because of my libertarian leanings I might even be considered liberal in some ways. But there are reasons why I identify as conservative.
There is the idea "out there" that liberals are better at wanting to take care of the "little guy" that they care more about people in need than do conservatives. In reality liberalism (and I am sure you have heard this point of view before) distances people from those in need. Liberalism asserts that higher taxes that implement a plethora of programs to provide specific services to people in need is the right thing to do; they redistribute wealth among the masses. The government becomes the (again, I am sure you have heard this before) "nanny," taking care of people who lack work, health insurance, etc.
But how does this help the individual who backs this point of view? Basically what is happening is the person paying taxes is shirking his or her duty to their fellow man, by isolating themselves from being responsible for directly caring for them. In other words, "here, take my money and do with it as you see fit and I will go on with my current life."
Conservatism does not take that route. If you are conservative, you don't WANT the government taking care of these things and SHOULD understand that it is up to the individual to offer food, money, clothing, etc. to the people who need it. It demands that the conservative individual be aware of and involved in the state of people who are less fortunate than they are.
I do understand that it does not always work that way, but that is the theory behind it. Conservatives don't believe it is "every man for himself" and "raise yourself on the backs of others"... they believe in being fiscally responsible so they are not a burden to anyone else and where possible to share their OWN assets, whether that be time or money or goods, to assist those in need.
One person at a time may not make a huge difference, but many people can. Churches, activist groups, etc. who believe this can help many people, and the more that follow this ideal conservative mindset and act upon it increase this potential. This is personal. It's up close and personal. It allows for peoples lives to be touched, both the giver and the receiver.
This is one of the reasons conservatives are also often Christian, as our example was Jesus who healed, fed and simply interacted with people who were downtrodden, poor, hungry, ill, etc. There were times when Jesus made a special effort to physically touch people who were "unclean" (any respectable rabbi would have nothing to do with them) because, well, they needed to be touched, to know human contact and compassion.
Following the "take from the rich, give to the poor" model, unless it is specifically by a small band of merry men from the forest, does not offer this physical, emotional or personal contact. If I have to make an effort to save and then give my earnings to someone in need, if I volunteer to work at a soup kitchen or hand out water, I am personally involved. My heart has to be touched. If I just go about my business and don't even consider the fact that money is taken from me before I even see it, I have no stake in the state of the people it may or may not go to help. And the people who receive it get what? Money? No validation of their humanity, just money.
Anyway, I ramble a little, I apologize. This is why I am conservative.
There is the idea "out there" that liberals are better at wanting to take care of the "little guy" that they care more about people in need than do conservatives. In reality liberalism (and I am sure you have heard this point of view before) distances people from those in need. Liberalism asserts that higher taxes that implement a plethora of programs to provide specific services to people in need is the right thing to do; they redistribute wealth among the masses. The government becomes the (again, I am sure you have heard this before) "nanny," taking care of people who lack work, health insurance, etc.
But how does this help the individual who backs this point of view? Basically what is happening is the person paying taxes is shirking his or her duty to their fellow man, by isolating themselves from being responsible for directly caring for them. In other words, "here, take my money and do with it as you see fit and I will go on with my current life."
Conservatism does not take that route. If you are conservative, you don't WANT the government taking care of these things and SHOULD understand that it is up to the individual to offer food, money, clothing, etc. to the people who need it. It demands that the conservative individual be aware of and involved in the state of people who are less fortunate than they are.
I do understand that it does not always work that way, but that is the theory behind it. Conservatives don't believe it is "every man for himself" and "raise yourself on the backs of others"... they believe in being fiscally responsible so they are not a burden to anyone else and where possible to share their OWN assets, whether that be time or money or goods, to assist those in need.
One person at a time may not make a huge difference, but many people can. Churches, activist groups, etc. who believe this can help many people, and the more that follow this ideal conservative mindset and act upon it increase this potential. This is personal. It's up close and personal. It allows for peoples lives to be touched, both the giver and the receiver.
This is one of the reasons conservatives are also often Christian, as our example was Jesus who healed, fed and simply interacted with people who were downtrodden, poor, hungry, ill, etc. There were times when Jesus made a special effort to physically touch people who were "unclean" (any respectable rabbi would have nothing to do with them) because, well, they needed to be touched, to know human contact and compassion.
Following the "take from the rich, give to the poor" model, unless it is specifically by a small band of merry men from the forest, does not offer this physical, emotional or personal contact. If I have to make an effort to save and then give my earnings to someone in need, if I volunteer to work at a soup kitchen or hand out water, I am personally involved. My heart has to be touched. If I just go about my business and don't even consider the fact that money is taken from me before I even see it, I have no stake in the state of the people it may or may not go to help. And the people who receive it get what? Money? No validation of their humanity, just money.
Anyway, I ramble a little, I apologize. This is why I am conservative.
Thursday, June 12, 2014
Day 2
Day 2 has started with co-workers beginning to drop me short messages wondering if what they heard was true. I was told to wait a day to inform people so today, after people started asking me, I sent out a LinkedIn message to the people at work I am connected with asking them to endorse me and or be willing to be a contact as a recommendation.
Sandi and I have begun the discussion of what in our budget will stay, what will go, or be trimmed. I spoke with my son again to reassure him that things will be alright, one way or another, and that if he had any questions or just wants to talk to me to please do so at any time.
In the meantime, I still am employed there (officially) and have some cleaning up to do, knowledge to transfer, etc.
Sandi and I have begun the discussion of what in our budget will stay, what will go, or be trimmed. I spoke with my son again to reassure him that things will be alright, one way or another, and that if he had any questions or just wants to talk to me to please do so at any time.
In the meantime, I still am employed there (officially) and have some cleaning up to do, knowledge to transfer, etc.
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Today was a first for me!
Not necessarily a GOOD first, but a first nonetheless. I was informed at work that my position was going away and that I would be offered a package deal and my last day was in a couple of weeks.
I've never lost a job before... I've only left them for another job. This is an all-new sensation. Since it just happened I am in a sort of swirly state, almost a free-falling sensation.
My immediate thoughts were that I am letting my wife and children down... but I know it was nothing I DID specifically, that my job was lost because I was at it so long and made a good amount of money doing it. I was reassured that my performance was exceptional over my 14+ years but that the budget was tight and cuts had to be made.
My second thought was "alright, better start looking for another job, right now!" But that too I am reigning in because I am in no state of mind to do that, besides I should wait for the job services my package will provide.
I immediately started praying and sent out a message to church deacons and elders and asked them to pray for me (and for another long-term employee also being let go). They also began offering condolences and some offered sound advice to step back and take a deep breath. Church family is good.
At this moment in time I am feeling a lot of things, including helpless, old... but in all of that I am also trying to focus on God and be sure that I stop and think and look at what is important and what is cruft in my life. Soon enough I will be diving into the job search... for now I think I will do what people are recommending, that is take a step back, relax (well, TRY to relax) and give my worries over to God. That is not as easy as one might expect... as a man I want to fix things, I want to fix them myself. Giving my worries to God feels a little like handing over my own duties to someone else, almost lazy. I know that is far from the truth, but it is an illustration of the struggle I will have with such a simple, Christian tenant!
I shall update again soon.
I've never lost a job before... I've only left them for another job. This is an all-new sensation. Since it just happened I am in a sort of swirly state, almost a free-falling sensation.
My immediate thoughts were that I am letting my wife and children down... but I know it was nothing I DID specifically, that my job was lost because I was at it so long and made a good amount of money doing it. I was reassured that my performance was exceptional over my 14+ years but that the budget was tight and cuts had to be made.
My second thought was "alright, better start looking for another job, right now!" But that too I am reigning in because I am in no state of mind to do that, besides I should wait for the job services my package will provide.
I immediately started praying and sent out a message to church deacons and elders and asked them to pray for me (and for another long-term employee also being let go). They also began offering condolences and some offered sound advice to step back and take a deep breath. Church family is good.
At this moment in time I am feeling a lot of things, including helpless, old... but in all of that I am also trying to focus on God and be sure that I stop and think and look at what is important and what is cruft in my life. Soon enough I will be diving into the job search... for now I think I will do what people are recommending, that is take a step back, relax (well, TRY to relax) and give my worries over to God. That is not as easy as one might expect... as a man I want to fix things, I want to fix them myself. Giving my worries to God feels a little like handing over my own duties to someone else, almost lazy. I know that is far from the truth, but it is an illustration of the struggle I will have with such a simple, Christian tenant!
I shall update again soon.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
On Godzilla and Drivers
Saw the Godzilla movie and it was worth seeing, as I mentioned in a previous post. I think I will invest in the DVD when it is available and sit and watch it on the privacy of my computer... so I can stop and analyze each scene. :) I do want to go back and be able to compare elements of the movie with previous movies, especially the original which this really does hearken back to.
Onto drivers.
Not the automobile kind of drivers, but the computer type, more specifically graphics drivers. Most specifically the latest AMD video driver, 14.6.
I have been gleefully installing their drivers as they come out to take full advantage of my R9 270x graphic cards and/or my A10-7850K. This time I had problems from the start.
I performed the recommended uninstall of previous drivers followed by the install of the new driver[s]. The installation did not go smoothly, computer even crashed once. Started over again and the second time it went through.
I noticed weird things after that... including not being able to reboot or sleep my computer and have it waken properly. On reboot (not hard shutdown) my desktop would never come back, tho' the mouse was clearly visible. Similar issues befell sleep, tho' I have forgotten what they were (other issues blur the memory) as I have had graphical freezes, video driver stop/restarts, the black screen on reboot, etc.
I finally gave up and rolled back to 14.4 and all is once again sailing along smoothly.
So, it might have just been me, but be wary of the 14.6 AMD video driver. I think I will wait for the next version before attempting to upgrade again.
Onto drivers.
Not the automobile kind of drivers, but the computer type, more specifically graphics drivers. Most specifically the latest AMD video driver, 14.6.
I have been gleefully installing their drivers as they come out to take full advantage of my R9 270x graphic cards and/or my A10-7850K. This time I had problems from the start.
I performed the recommended uninstall of previous drivers followed by the install of the new driver[s]. The installation did not go smoothly, computer even crashed once. Started over again and the second time it went through.
I noticed weird things after that... including not being able to reboot or sleep my computer and have it waken properly. On reboot (not hard shutdown) my desktop would never come back, tho' the mouse was clearly visible. Similar issues befell sleep, tho' I have forgotten what they were (other issues blur the memory) as I have had graphical freezes, video driver stop/restarts, the black screen on reboot, etc.
I finally gave up and rolled back to 14.4 and all is once again sailing along smoothly.
So, it might have just been me, but be wary of the 14.6 AMD video driver. I think I will wait for the next version before attempting to upgrade again.
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
Start8 and ModernMix
I've used Stardock applications since the mid-90's when I ran OS/2. They are useful applications and I still use them. But I have to say that Start8 and ModernMix are something of a mixed bag. While their functionality is much appreciated (in fact, the next major Windows 8 update will be providing similar functionality and Windows 9 will improve upon those) both Start8 and ModernMix have caused visual glitches and irregularities and have performed inconsistently while they were installed.
You can guess by my wording that I have uninstalled them and reverted to standard Windows 8.1 functionality, but I DO miss them and am now looking forward to the Windows 8.1 SP, or whatever it will be called, that restores the start menu and enables ModernUI applications to run in windows on the desktop.
The glitches I noticed where that sometimes the Windows Key mapping was lost and the standard Windows start screen would activate, instead of Start8. Other issues were weird flickers and (very quick) window resizing in regards to ModernUI applications running in windowed mode.
Without these two apps installed everything is once again smooth and silky. No visual glitches, hesitations and of course since there is no start screen interception, it works as expected.
I do still use other Stardock/Object Desktop applications. I like Launch8 (which places a Mac OS X - like dock in the Windows start screen), Decor8, which allows me to customize the start screen background and a couple other minor applications having to do with eye candy.
Zookeeper out.
You can guess by my wording that I have uninstalled them and reverted to standard Windows 8.1 functionality, but I DO miss them and am now looking forward to the Windows 8.1 SP, or whatever it will be called, that restores the start menu and enables ModernUI applications to run in windows on the desktop.
The glitches I noticed where that sometimes the Windows Key mapping was lost and the standard Windows start screen would activate, instead of Start8. Other issues were weird flickers and (very quick) window resizing in regards to ModernUI applications running in windowed mode.
Without these two apps installed everything is once again smooth and silky. No visual glitches, hesitations and of course since there is no start screen interception, it works as expected.
I do still use other Stardock/Object Desktop applications. I like Launch8 (which places a Mac OS X - like dock in the Windows start screen), Decor8, which allows me to customize the start screen background and a couple other minor applications having to do with eye candy.
Zookeeper out.
Thursday, May 15, 2014
Godzilla!
Well, I went to the 7:00 PM show tonight. Took my son and we had a good time. Never new there were other Godzilla "nerds" out there... groups of people hanging out and talking about this movie and comparing it to other Godzilla movies throughout the past 60 years. It was kind of cool. I also discovered I am not the only person in North Phoenix that owns a Godzilla T-Shirt. :)
The movie was a good movie. That sounds odd, I know, but what I mean is it is a MOVIE... not a MONSTER MOVIE. Does that make more sense? It is quite the suspenseful drama and I imagine you could have almost replaced the monsters with aliens or natural disasters or something like that. That being said the monsters were cool as well. It was sort of two movies in one... and it hearkens back to the original Godzilla movie from 1954 in that the monster is a necessary part of the story but the monster is not necessarily the primary focus of the movie.
It's a movie that anyone can see I think, even people who hate sci-fi or monster movies. There was little or no foul language (I didn't catch any, but I imagine someone had to swear at some point), no sex or nudity (not that you would expect that in a Godzilla movie). In a way it was really a near tragedy sort of movie with a ton of action (even tho' not a ton of monster action), several sad scenes, confusion, hysteria...
Critics have been comparing it to different types of movies as this really cannot be compared to the Godzilla movies from the past 30 or so years, it is very different, and not at all like the last American Godzilla movie. At the end of the movie I wasn't sure how I felt about it... but I sat awhile and thought about the entire movie... sort of rewound it and played it back and felt both satisfied and dissatisfied because I had different sets of criteria in my head and it didn't fully match any of them.
I will very likely see the movie again.
But to reiterate... this is not your "typical" Godzilla movie. It is much more like the original in many ways, which in turn was also not like any of the movies that followed after it. It had very serious overtones, focused a fair amount on people and the misery going on around them, and the monsters themselves were almost oblivious to humans, except in a few instances.
One thing that DID bug me in the movie were the soldiers carrying sidearms and rifles. Seriously. The monsters can take direct hit from missiles and not even know they were hit... they can walk through sky scrapers as if they were cobwebs... pistols? :) Why carry anything at all...
The movie was a good movie. That sounds odd, I know, but what I mean is it is a MOVIE... not a MONSTER MOVIE. Does that make more sense? It is quite the suspenseful drama and I imagine you could have almost replaced the monsters with aliens or natural disasters or something like that. That being said the monsters were cool as well. It was sort of two movies in one... and it hearkens back to the original Godzilla movie from 1954 in that the monster is a necessary part of the story but the monster is not necessarily the primary focus of the movie.
It's a movie that anyone can see I think, even people who hate sci-fi or monster movies. There was little or no foul language (I didn't catch any, but I imagine someone had to swear at some point), no sex or nudity (not that you would expect that in a Godzilla movie). In a way it was really a near tragedy sort of movie with a ton of action (even tho' not a ton of monster action), several sad scenes, confusion, hysteria...
Critics have been comparing it to different types of movies as this really cannot be compared to the Godzilla movies from the past 30 or so years, it is very different, and not at all like the last American Godzilla movie. At the end of the movie I wasn't sure how I felt about it... but I sat awhile and thought about the entire movie... sort of rewound it and played it back and felt both satisfied and dissatisfied because I had different sets of criteria in my head and it didn't fully match any of them.
I will very likely see the movie again.
But to reiterate... this is not your "typical" Godzilla movie. It is much more like the original in many ways, which in turn was also not like any of the movies that followed after it. It had very serious overtones, focused a fair amount on people and the misery going on around them, and the monsters themselves were almost oblivious to humans, except in a few instances.
One thing that DID bug me in the movie were the soldiers carrying sidearms and rifles. Seriously. The monsters can take direct hit from missiles and not even know they were hit... they can walk through sky scrapers as if they were cobwebs... pistols? :) Why carry anything at all...
Tuesday, April 29, 2014
A little of this, a little of that...
I just finished removing, cleaning and resetting the CPU cooler for my Kaveri system. It had been running hot, upper 40's, near 50 degrees and I had already removed, cleaned and reapplied paste but... to no avail. I was frustrated so I tried again and carefully (not that I hadn't before) applied a thin, even coat to the CPU and the cooler block, reattached to the CPU and rebooted... average temps have dropped at least 12 degrees! So right now, running, overclocked to 4.3, my CPU temp is 37, while watching a youtube video. At complete idle I am seeing 32, 33 degrees. OH! I also used a different paste... I had been using Antec 5, I used Antec 7 this time, different base materials.
I am content with those numbers. It will be interesting to see how gaming is affected since I have had some crashes here and there due to what I believe is overheating. My particular motherboard (I think I mentioned this before) has an issue with overheating VRM as well but... well we shall see. I am hoping for a little more stability. Some instabilities are caused by running in Crossfire mode but I will just have to live with that.
What else is going on... starting to warm up here in Phoenix... it has been, what seems to me, a cooler than usual Spring. But I am certain that any day now it will jump into the high 90's and won't go lower until next Fall.
What other news... we are about to turn our leased vehicle in. This time we will (unless the dealership offers us some kind of crazy deal) be strong and not purchase another vehicle. We plan on saving our money and buying a used car next year. Trying to be fiscally responsible, especially now that the kids are reaching Junior High School age.
Not much else to report spontaneously... I'll post again soon.
Sunday, February 9, 2014
Overclocking
The motherboard I purchased, the Asrock A88X Extreme6+, has a plethora of overclocking features, better still it works with Asrock's overclocking software so you can do it from the comfort of your desktop, in Windows.
So I fired up the tuning tool, allowed it to run its own tests and determine the best overclocking values for the CPU... it now has my system running at 4300 MHz (4.3 GHz) up from the base clock of (I believe it is) 3.7 GHz. I have also optimized the fans and the average temperature for my system (when not gaming or doing something else heavy) is 45C. Warmer than I want, but not horrible. Fans DO ramp up a good bit when doing anything CPU intensive.
I had been running the system at 4.0 GHz... I thought I was pretty bold at that point (given that these 28nm CPUs from AMD are not baked into performance silicon, since this size is all new for AMD and it has helped them cram everything, GPU-wise, onto the chip with the CPUs). But if Asrock thinks it can get away with another 300 MHz, then who am I to argue?!
The system has been pretty stable and I played a couple of games to see if it would cause a BSOD, but it worked fine! The added 300 MHz DOES help with single CPU performance and multi-CPU performance so I am pleased with it, so far.
One thing I am noticing, all of a sudden, is a high pitched, fluctuating whine. But I have NO idea where it is coming from. A fan? A graphics card (fan)? Or is it my APU cooler? I just cannot tell. It doesn't bother me if I am wearing my headphones, but without it I can definitely hear it, even tho' it is very faint.
The system is about a year old now... so all the fans and disks are "older" components, and it could be those and not the new components. OR... it could be a new component that is being stressed by the overclock. So difficult to know.
Anyway, going to run her at this speed for awhile to see how she holds up!
[edit]
Just should note that the overclock has improved, for example, JBOSS startup times by up to 2 to 3 seconds. Not bad. On par, if not better, than my FX-8350 and my old i7.
So I fired up the tuning tool, allowed it to run its own tests and determine the best overclocking values for the CPU... it now has my system running at 4300 MHz (4.3 GHz) up from the base clock of (I believe it is) 3.7 GHz. I have also optimized the fans and the average temperature for my system (when not gaming or doing something else heavy) is 45C. Warmer than I want, but not horrible. Fans DO ramp up a good bit when doing anything CPU intensive.
I had been running the system at 4.0 GHz... I thought I was pretty bold at that point (given that these 28nm CPUs from AMD are not baked into performance silicon, since this size is all new for AMD and it has helped them cram everything, GPU-wise, onto the chip with the CPUs). But if Asrock thinks it can get away with another 300 MHz, then who am I to argue?!
The system has been pretty stable and I played a couple of games to see if it would cause a BSOD, but it worked fine! The added 300 MHz DOES help with single CPU performance and multi-CPU performance so I am pleased with it, so far.
One thing I am noticing, all of a sudden, is a high pitched, fluctuating whine. But I have NO idea where it is coming from. A fan? A graphics card (fan)? Or is it my APU cooler? I just cannot tell. It doesn't bother me if I am wearing my headphones, but without it I can definitely hear it, even tho' it is very faint.
The system is about a year old now... so all the fans and disks are "older" components, and it could be those and not the new components. OR... it could be a new component that is being stressed by the overclock. So difficult to know.
Anyway, going to run her at this speed for awhile to see how she holds up!
[edit]
Just should note that the overclock has improved, for example, JBOSS startup times by up to 2 to 3 seconds. Not bad. On par, if not better, than my FX-8350 and my old i7.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
AMD Catalyst 14.1
The new (beta) driver is out. I have not yet tried using it with BF4, but it has been stable for daily use. I've played Skyrim and Civilization V with it and it seems to run smoothly. It is probably a placebo effect, but Skyrim seems to suffer fewer stutters. Could be frame pacing?
Overall, my system has been quite stable for about a week now. There have been several minor application crashes (Windows Logon User Interface Host and the Search Indexer) that have not affected anything else.
The dust seems to have settled... BIOS update, driver updates and new RAM seem to have done the trick!
[edit]
Including the overclocking, and new RAM...
Old Windows assessment score[s]:
CPUScore : 7.6
D3DScore : 8.5
DiskScore : 7.4
GraphicsScore : 8.5
MemoryScore : 7.6
New Windows assessment scores[s]:
CPUScore : 7.7
D3DScore : 8.5
DiskScore : 7.4
GraphicsScore : 8.5
MemoryScore : 7.7
Overall, my system has been quite stable for about a week now. There have been several minor application crashes (Windows Logon User Interface Host and the Search Indexer) that have not affected anything else.
The dust seems to have settled... BIOS update, driver updates and new RAM seem to have done the trick!
[edit]
Including the overclocking, and new RAM...
Old Windows assessment score[s]:
CPUScore : 7.6
D3DScore : 8.5
DiskScore : 7.4
GraphicsScore : 8.5
MemoryScore : 7.6
New Windows assessment scores[s]:
CPUScore : 7.7
D3DScore : 8.5
DiskScore : 7.4
GraphicsScore : 8.5
MemoryScore : 7.7
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
RAM Arrived
I believe I mentioned that I had trouble with the G.Skill 2133 RAM I had ordered to go with my Kaveri build, and ended up putting my old G.Skill RAM in temporarily. Well, I decided to spend a little extra for the "name", and bought 16 GB of Kingston 1866 Predator RAM.
Shut down, replaced the RAM modules, booted and she came up and recognized the most optimized settings for the sticks and away we go! System has been stable for several days now, even running a bit overclocked. I did not like the price tag on the Kingston RAM, and despite the fact that I know the actual memory is sourced and other brands use it as well, you still seem to get what you pay for at times. The sticks are solidly built with a dissipator that feels like a block of steel. The are a little tall, but no problem with my liquid CPU cooler.
So, as I said, system has been stable (no crashes whatsoever) for the past couple of days now and I will report about performance and such off and on...
Shut down, replaced the RAM modules, booted and she came up and recognized the most optimized settings for the sticks and away we go! System has been stable for several days now, even running a bit overclocked. I did not like the price tag on the Kingston RAM, and despite the fact that I know the actual memory is sourced and other brands use it as well, you still seem to get what you pay for at times. The sticks are solidly built with a dissipator that feels like a block of steel. The are a little tall, but no problem with my liquid CPU cooler.
So, as I said, system has been stable (no crashes whatsoever) for the past couple of days now and I will report about performance and such off and on...
Sunday, January 26, 2014
Kaveri Update
Been a week! I am running a lightly overclocked A10-7850K setup. I have had crashing issues so updated drivers and BIOS, still had issues... looks like my RAM could possibly be going (old RAM, I had to send the original set I ordered back because it did not work) so I ordered a new set yesterday. We shall see if this is some sort of MB or CPU issue.
Oddly, since I placed the order for the new RAM my system hasn't had a single hiccup. I am running her at 4.0 GHZ and she has been running smooth as butter.
I DID download and install the latest version of A-Tuning and through it, modified the FAN algorithms. I have the fans running a little more aggressively.
Tonight I should try running CIV V again because it seems to be able to crash my system easily and frequently.
As far as performance goes... I can play my games with little or no noticeable difference to my old setup, despite having fewer cores running at a slower speed than my FX-8350 (again, this is running at a light overclock of +400 MHZ). Compilation of large Java programs runs barely 1/2 second to 3/4 second behind, and the startup process of a large, JBoss website has similar results.
I am pleased with the performance of this chip. I really think future revisions will only get better, and perhaps faster clock speeds will be released as the production processes improve.
Still the reason for going with this chip is the PROMISE of excellent performance using the proper development APIs / techniques. I am hoping developers, even just a few, will embrace this direction and show off the strong points of this APU.
I still go back and forth in my head as to whether I made the right decision to go with the FM2+ APU instead of simply sticking with the AM3+ platform and simply purchasing a revved up Piledriver CPU. I think I did. While in many respects the A10 series are somewhat limited, they do contain a much improved core in regards to execution, and the built in memory and data sharing with the processor cores and the graphic cores is a welcomed advancement. I am not entirely thrilled with the motherboard I chose but I think I can live with it and I believe any of its shortcomings are BIOS related, not construction related, as many of the components are obviously very good.
Perhaps the build decision that I might come to either love the most or regret the most was the purchase of 2 discrete graphics cards running in Crossfire, vs. a single, more powerful card. The crossfire decision limited the amount of VRAM I could have, and that could affect performance in a negative way in many games. On the other hand, the processing power of the two cards is immense, surpassing the highest end graphics cards. Time will tell.
Oddly, since I placed the order for the new RAM my system hasn't had a single hiccup. I am running her at 4.0 GHZ and she has been running smooth as butter.
I DID download and install the latest version of A-Tuning and through it, modified the FAN algorithms. I have the fans running a little more aggressively.
Tonight I should try running CIV V again because it seems to be able to crash my system easily and frequently.
As far as performance goes... I can play my games with little or no noticeable difference to my old setup, despite having fewer cores running at a slower speed than my FX-8350 (again, this is running at a light overclock of +400 MHZ). Compilation of large Java programs runs barely 1/2 second to 3/4 second behind, and the startup process of a large, JBoss website has similar results.
I am pleased with the performance of this chip. I really think future revisions will only get better, and perhaps faster clock speeds will be released as the production processes improve.
Still the reason for going with this chip is the PROMISE of excellent performance using the proper development APIs / techniques. I am hoping developers, even just a few, will embrace this direction and show off the strong points of this APU.
I still go back and forth in my head as to whether I made the right decision to go with the FM2+ APU instead of simply sticking with the AM3+ platform and simply purchasing a revved up Piledriver CPU. I think I did. While in many respects the A10 series are somewhat limited, they do contain a much improved core in regards to execution, and the built in memory and data sharing with the processor cores and the graphic cores is a welcomed advancement. I am not entirely thrilled with the motherboard I chose but I think I can live with it and I believe any of its shortcomings are BIOS related, not construction related, as many of the components are obviously very good.
Perhaps the build decision that I might come to either love the most or regret the most was the purchase of 2 discrete graphics cards running in Crossfire, vs. a single, more powerful card. The crossfire decision limited the amount of VRAM I could have, and that could affect performance in a negative way in many games. On the other hand, the processing power of the two cards is immense, surpassing the highest end graphics cards. Time will tell.
Tuesday, January 21, 2014
A10-7850K Build Review
Summary
I received my components from Newegg on Monday and spent a few hours putting it all together. I basically gutted my current build, removing the motherboard and CPU, RAM and graphics card and replaced them with my new components.
1 ASRock FM2A88X Extreme6+
2 SAPPHIRE R9 270X 2GB Toxic
1 AMD A10-7850K Kaveri
G.SKILL Sniper Gaming Series 16GB (4 x 4GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 2133 (PC3 17000)
Trouble
Believe it or not it worked as easily as I had hoped (or so it seemed). I slapped it all together, turned her on and she booted up! I immediately applied the BIOS patch to bring the UEFI BIOS up to version 2.40 which is designed to make optimal use of Kaveri. Rebooted and viola! Windows installed a few additional components (AMD / ATI drivers for the graphics cards) and I was up and running.
Soon thereafter I noticed that my RAM was running at 1600 speeds! I booted into BIOS and selected one of the available XMP pre-configurations for this RAM and restarted. Nothing. ERROR 50. (That's a RAM error from the motherboard). I double checked the Asrock website and this RAM is supported. I tried a gain. ERROR 50... reseated the RAM, same thing. I tried MANUALLY entering the timings, same thing.
I spent a lot of time trying to reconfigure the RAM and having to continually resetting the CMOS by using a pit that was wedged between the two graphics cards. NOTE to Asrock, move the pin! Every time I had to remove one graphics card, then replace it.
Finally I simply gave up. I pulled the 1866 RAM from my old build and used that. Booted, and that RAM came up running exactly as it should. So I entered an RMA for the new RAM, which Newegg immediately accepted. I've never had a problem with G.Skill before so this was a surprise. Also, I requested a refund instead of a replacement. I will do some more research first. But I should note that the XMP timings and the timings listed on the packaging did not match what CPU-Z was telling me that the RAM was capable of. So I am not sure what was going on there.
Gaming
My comments on performance will be somewhat anecdotal since all kinds of data is already available out there. My old system was an FX-8350 build on ASUS motherboard. (By the way, I do prefer Asus over Asrock and to some degree regret not going with another Asus motherboard).
First I ran Skyrim. I could really tell no difference between running it on my old build (which was a FX-8350 build) and this one. I did, however, encounter a crash after playing for a mere 5 or 10 minutes. My game is loaded with high resolution textures and these new cards have only 2 GB of VRAM as opposed to my old beast that had 4 GB. I think that really makes a difference and I might have to back out some of the textures. OR it could be that the CrossfireX cards caused the issue. I don't really know. I will try some more tonight and maybe back out some of the textures to see what happens.
Next I ran Civilization V. Again, no problems, ran fine for quite awhile. And again, I could not see any difference in the gaming experience.
I will try Torchlight 2 tonight.
I do want to note that these Toxic R9 270X cards are QUIET. I have to admit, having owned AMD graphics cards in the past, that I was surprised! They've done an amazing job.
Everyday Use
This will take some time to assess, but I can tell you right now that the APU is generally slower. Applications start a little bit more slowly, web pages load just a bit slower. Nothing is painfully slow, mind you... and I expect things to get better as drivers, bios, application and windows updates come along that make better use of the new architecture.
I have noticed that with my H60 the APU has not yet climbed above 42 C. I ran folding at home all night and that was what it peaked out at. So far this build is silent and gaming capable. I would like to do some more tests that I have done in the past (software builds and such) but I am unable to at the moment due to networking issues (nothing to do with the new build). Below are some images regarding the new build:
Update On Performance
Performance is not as bad as I expected. I did several startup runs of our work website (development mode) and it starts in about 13.8 seconds. That is VERY similar to the FX-8350 I was running (maybe off by .5 to .9 second), and about 2 to 2.5 seconds slower than an older model quad core i7. There is some minor variance depending on network traffic and background applications.
Compilation seems to be slower but not by much. Similar to the previous test, compilation was only off by a few seconds. 1:16 for the A10 versus 1:12 for the FX. My i7 2600K used to finish in just under 1 minute.
More gaming updates... Skyrim suffered frequent crashes. After turning off some special effects mods for lighting I was able to play through 2 levels. It does seem to suffer from jitters a little more than my previous build but I am inclined to believe that has more to do with the fact I am running in crossfire. I also have not figured out how to properly limit FPS with the catalyst control center (I thought I figured it out but using it caused even more crashes in Skyrim) so I need to use MSI Afterburner. Torchlight II played just fine... no noticeable difference from my previous build.
I just downloaded my free copy of Battlefield 4. Time to take it for a spin. It doesn't play at all... all sorts of bad things happen. Not sure why just yet.
Civilization V has caused me some headaches. My CPU is running on average between 10 C. and 12 C. for temperatures. Under somewhat heavy load it might pop up to around 27 C. The H60 seems to be doing its job. But when I play a large (LARGE or bigger) map with more civilizations and city states, I've walked away from the game somewhere around the 1800's and come back to a frozen computer... which, when restarted (and this is after full power down and restart) yields a CPU temp of 47 C. Now why that is surprising is because a DIFFERENT program used to record temps indicates on average that my CPU is running around 38 C. That makes more sense to me. Now add 35 to that... you end up with a whopping 72 C!! So, no wonder it is seizing up.
-------------------
After updating from BIOS version 2.40 to 2.70 it might be my imagination (as I have not done any more tests since I just did the update tonight, 1/24) but I swear the entire system is snappier and smoother in general. Odd.
Friday, January 17, 2014
Apologies...
My blogs are really just for me. What I mean is, I write them for myself but I don't mind if other people see and / or comment on them. I'm mentioning this because I just went back and reviewed all the comments people have ever made on my web log and discovered a few I never saw... and just now answered.
So, if you [reader] ever comment on my blog and I don't respond for a year or two, please don't take offense, I never even bother to check to see if I have any comments!
Meanwhile, my Kaveri build components are on their way. Could possible be here tomorrow, if not, then on Monday.
So, if you [reader] ever comment on my blog and I don't respond for a year or two, please don't take offense, I never even bother to check to see if I have any comments!
Meanwhile, my Kaveri build components are on their way. Could possible be here tomorrow, if not, then on Monday.
Thursday, January 16, 2014
Evolution of my computer...
When I built my current machine I did so safe in the knowledge that there would be an upgrade path; I counted on that when I made my choices. It seems that my upgrade path has fallen by the wayside and won't be happening within the next two years - if at all.
So I made a decision, one that also might nip me in the behind in a year or two but we shall see. I wanted to stay with AMD and since the AM3+ platform has fallen by the wayside, my only option was to pursue the FM2+ platform if I wanted to delve into Steamroller (3rd gen AMD CPU core architecture). So this is what I am doing.
There are a lot of debates as to whether or not FM2+ will continue past next year as well, but AMD has said it would and that Excavator (the next generation CPU architecture... or should I say the FINAL version of the current series of architectural changes to AMDs CPU lineup) WOULD support FM2+... so that means FM2+ should be around another 3 years, minimum. At that point it will be getting VERY old and lacking in features. Also, AMD has said something in the past then changed direction and recanted (prime example being the situation I am in right now).
So, pursuant to my previous statement, I placed an order for the components I would need to build this FM2+ / Kaveri machine out. I have a fine case and power supply, and I don't need to worry about my disk drives, all fairly new components. But to make this work I would need the CPU (of course), a new motherboard, memory to go with that motherboard (2133 as opposed to the 1866 I currently have) and while I was at it I decided to go with a new graphics card setup. My current build components can be handed down to my children.
Ahhhh! Why a discrete graphic card? Isn't Kaveri supposed to excel without? It does, but not enough for the kind of gaming I tend to do. So, while my GTX 770 is a wonderful card, I decided to go with something new and exciting (at least to me): I purchased TWO R9 270X (Sapphire Toxic) cards and will run them together. Theoretically they put out more performance than almost any other SINGLE high-end graphics card available... epic performance in some cases... and cheaper too!
Based on everything I've seen I can absolutely expect (at least at first) to see some performance hits in day to day activities where software is unable to take advantage of the Kaveri architecture for OpenCL and HSA... mostly because my current CPU has 8 cores and the extra level 3 cache was designed for desktop use. Even so, I don't expect the perceived slow downs to be drastic and most often probably not noticeable. Where software DOES take advantage of the AMD architecture, I suspect the speed ups WILL be noticeable.
Well, I know I am in for a bumpy ride getting set up. The motherboard will post with the new CPU but will require a BIOS update immediately to really make use of the CPU and its features. I am hoping I won't have to reinstall Windows... by uninstalling my current graphic drivers and having my Windows 8 disk on hand, I HOPE Windows will start to boot and complain and ask for a "repair disk" or the installation disk. If it does I will be golden. If it doesn't... well... oh well I have to reinstall a bunch of applications.
Anyway, I will post a new blog once I get set up.
So I made a decision, one that also might nip me in the behind in a year or two but we shall see. I wanted to stay with AMD and since the AM3+ platform has fallen by the wayside, my only option was to pursue the FM2+ platform if I wanted to delve into Steamroller (3rd gen AMD CPU core architecture). So this is what I am doing.
There are a lot of debates as to whether or not FM2+ will continue past next year as well, but AMD has said it would and that Excavator (the next generation CPU architecture... or should I say the FINAL version of the current series of architectural changes to AMDs CPU lineup) WOULD support FM2+... so that means FM2+ should be around another 3 years, minimum. At that point it will be getting VERY old and lacking in features. Also, AMD has said something in the past then changed direction and recanted (prime example being the situation I am in right now).
So, pursuant to my previous statement, I placed an order for the components I would need to build this FM2+ / Kaveri machine out. I have a fine case and power supply, and I don't need to worry about my disk drives, all fairly new components. But to make this work I would need the CPU (of course), a new motherboard, memory to go with that motherboard (2133 as opposed to the 1866 I currently have) and while I was at it I decided to go with a new graphics card setup. My current build components can be handed down to my children.
Ahhhh! Why a discrete graphic card? Isn't Kaveri supposed to excel without? It does, but not enough for the kind of gaming I tend to do. So, while my GTX 770 is a wonderful card, I decided to go with something new and exciting (at least to me): I purchased TWO R9 270X (Sapphire Toxic) cards and will run them together. Theoretically they put out more performance than almost any other SINGLE high-end graphics card available... epic performance in some cases... and cheaper too!
Based on everything I've seen I can absolutely expect (at least at first) to see some performance hits in day to day activities where software is unable to take advantage of the Kaveri architecture for OpenCL and HSA... mostly because my current CPU has 8 cores and the extra level 3 cache was designed for desktop use. Even so, I don't expect the perceived slow downs to be drastic and most often probably not noticeable. Where software DOES take advantage of the AMD architecture, I suspect the speed ups WILL be noticeable.
Well, I know I am in for a bumpy ride getting set up. The motherboard will post with the new CPU but will require a BIOS update immediately to really make use of the CPU and its features. I am hoping I won't have to reinstall Windows... by uninstalling my current graphic drivers and having my Windows 8 disk on hand, I HOPE Windows will start to boot and complain and ask for a "repair disk" or the installation disk. If it does I will be golden. If it doesn't... well... oh well I have to reinstall a bunch of applications.
Anyway, I will post a new blog once I get set up.
Monday, January 13, 2014
Kaveri A10-7850K - Why I like AMD CPUs
I'm a person who has had all kind of hardware over the years running a wide variety of operating systems. I like to think every hardware type, every operating system has something that makes it unique or worth using. That may or may not always be true, but that is my mindset.
I think that many hardware and gaming enthusiasts are very down on AMD because of the products they have released over the past 2 or 3 years. They feel "let down" because of performance issues that have plagued the new (young) architecture that AMD is pursuing.
I had been (primarily) an Intel CPU enthusiast for many years and despite a foray into AMD with a Phenom, I remained convinced that Intel had it right and they were going to continue to dominate and eradicate all other CPU designers / manufacturers. A little extreme, I know. But when AMD began talking about "Bulldozer" and the new architecture I became intrigued. Still, it was NEW and had not been tested so I held off and stayed with Intel. I was, in fact, glad that I did because the performance levels of Bulldozer were a step backward as far as practical applications go. Despite that I held onto the idea of the direction CPUs were heading in regards to distributing processing over more threads and when Piledriver arrived I took the plunge.
But I did so KNOWING that Piledriver would give way to Steamroller, and then to Excavator. But it hasn't. Instead AMD ran into manufacturing issues (moving from 32nm to 28nm die) and partway through decided to restructure and refocus. My AM3+ platform suddenly became obsolete. I wasn't very happy about THAT but I STILL held out hope... and I am glad that I did.
Tomorrow the FM2+ based A10-7850K APU (more on that later) will be released for sale and I plan on continuing with AMD. When AMD started releasing figures for the new CPU people became excited with some of the numbers being bandied about. Then CES arrived, no new data, but several companies that had the APUs in hand ran some test and posted the results and ... ffffzzzzzzzzzzzzttttttttttttt. The results were terrible. At first glance the new APUs seemed slower than the previous models they were replacing. People began ranting and raving and complaining and swearing and... well you get the picture. The internet was awash with nay-sayers. That has changed today, as other groups have run (and leaked) more extensive and impressive tests indicating that yes, Kaveri is better. Some of the figures appear identical to "Richland" (the APU predecessor) but Kaveri is underclocked... that is, it runs at around 400Mhz slower than Richland. Even running slower, the vast majority of tests have proven out that it is indeed faster than its predecessor and in some cases blows it away. Even compared to an Intel i3 with a discrete graphics card, it wins.
That leads me to what an "APU" is. It stands for "Accelerated Processing Unit". What it is, is a combination of CPU cores and "next generation" GPU cores that are linked by special memory and other architectural mechanics allowing processing to be off-loaded (in some cases) to the GPU when it is not being used. Effectively, instead of having 4 CPU cores and 8 GPU cores you have a combination of 12 cores capable of sharing on-die memory and instructions. AMD has also produced APIs and drivers that will take advantage of their HSA compliant CPU/GPU sharing. This allows the APU to provide exceptional graphics performance (without a discrete graphics card) and also to perform a wide variety of computational algorithms that take advantage of the combination of processing units. If that wasn't enough, they've added sound preprocessing... it provides very good 3D sound to the user (sort of like surround sound, but not really... it manages the sound to produce a very realistic surge and fade depending on how the sound would effectively move around the user).
AMD has taken what started as a very promising (if not implemented well the first time around) idea and forged into something that could very well drive the industry in new directions.
For my part, I plan on building out an FM2+ system, which is risky since FM2+ is already becoming an old architecture and while AMD claims Excavator will be backward compatible, I have to think it very well might NOT be since Intel is quickly advancing the motherboard chipsets to be able to handle the ever increasing bandwidth and speed of PCI, SATA, USB and other bus technologies, especially memory bus technology. So AMD will HAVE to address a new bus architecture and soon if it wants to continue to compete and enjoy any amount of success (and I do believe they will as this APU, while well hyped, seems to be the "real deal" offering very good performance at a decent price).
Going back to my own hardware preferences over the years (as opposed to operating systems) I did have one that thrilled me and that was the Amiga PC. Amiga understood YEARS ago that off-loading functions from the CPU allowed them to split processing and allow chips that specialized to do a far better job than the CPU alone could have done. In a way that is where CPU/GPU/APUs are headed now... but instead of divvying up the processing they are recombining various types of processing units into a single die, all of them able to quickly and efficiently communicate with one another, off-loading math, sound and graphic processing to improve speed and efficiency.
It's an idea that worked well for Amiga, implemented in a far more efficient and powerful way.
To me these are exciting times.
I think that many hardware and gaming enthusiasts are very down on AMD because of the products they have released over the past 2 or 3 years. They feel "let down" because of performance issues that have plagued the new (young) architecture that AMD is pursuing.
I had been (primarily) an Intel CPU enthusiast for many years and despite a foray into AMD with a Phenom, I remained convinced that Intel had it right and they were going to continue to dominate and eradicate all other CPU designers / manufacturers. A little extreme, I know. But when AMD began talking about "Bulldozer" and the new architecture I became intrigued. Still, it was NEW and had not been tested so I held off and stayed with Intel. I was, in fact, glad that I did because the performance levels of Bulldozer were a step backward as far as practical applications go. Despite that I held onto the idea of the direction CPUs were heading in regards to distributing processing over more threads and when Piledriver arrived I took the plunge.
But I did so KNOWING that Piledriver would give way to Steamroller, and then to Excavator. But it hasn't. Instead AMD ran into manufacturing issues (moving from 32nm to 28nm die) and partway through decided to restructure and refocus. My AM3+ platform suddenly became obsolete. I wasn't very happy about THAT but I STILL held out hope... and I am glad that I did.
Tomorrow the FM2+ based A10-7850K APU (more on that later) will be released for sale and I plan on continuing with AMD. When AMD started releasing figures for the new CPU people became excited with some of the numbers being bandied about. Then CES arrived, no new data, but several companies that had the APUs in hand ran some test and posted the results and ... ffffzzzzzzzzzzzzttttttttttttt. The results were terrible. At first glance the new APUs seemed slower than the previous models they were replacing. People began ranting and raving and complaining and swearing and... well you get the picture. The internet was awash with nay-sayers. That has changed today, as other groups have run (and leaked) more extensive and impressive tests indicating that yes, Kaveri is better. Some of the figures appear identical to "Richland" (the APU predecessor) but Kaveri is underclocked... that is, it runs at around 400Mhz slower than Richland. Even running slower, the vast majority of tests have proven out that it is indeed faster than its predecessor and in some cases blows it away. Even compared to an Intel i3 with a discrete graphics card, it wins.
That leads me to what an "APU" is. It stands for "Accelerated Processing Unit". What it is, is a combination of CPU cores and "next generation" GPU cores that are linked by special memory and other architectural mechanics allowing processing to be off-loaded (in some cases) to the GPU when it is not being used. Effectively, instead of having 4 CPU cores and 8 GPU cores you have a combination of 12 cores capable of sharing on-die memory and instructions. AMD has also produced APIs and drivers that will take advantage of their HSA compliant CPU/GPU sharing. This allows the APU to provide exceptional graphics performance (without a discrete graphics card) and also to perform a wide variety of computational algorithms that take advantage of the combination of processing units. If that wasn't enough, they've added sound preprocessing... it provides very good 3D sound to the user (sort of like surround sound, but not really... it manages the sound to produce a very realistic surge and fade depending on how the sound would effectively move around the user).
AMD has taken what started as a very promising (if not implemented well the first time around) idea and forged into something that could very well drive the industry in new directions.
For my part, I plan on building out an FM2+ system, which is risky since FM2+ is already becoming an old architecture and while AMD claims Excavator will be backward compatible, I have to think it very well might NOT be since Intel is quickly advancing the motherboard chipsets to be able to handle the ever increasing bandwidth and speed of PCI, SATA, USB and other bus technologies, especially memory bus technology. So AMD will HAVE to address a new bus architecture and soon if it wants to continue to compete and enjoy any amount of success (and I do believe they will as this APU, while well hyped, seems to be the "real deal" offering very good performance at a decent price).
Going back to my own hardware preferences over the years (as opposed to operating systems) I did have one that thrilled me and that was the Amiga PC. Amiga understood YEARS ago that off-loading functions from the CPU allowed them to split processing and allow chips that specialized to do a far better job than the CPU alone could have done. In a way that is where CPU/GPU/APUs are headed now... but instead of divvying up the processing they are recombining various types of processing units into a single die, all of them able to quickly and efficiently communicate with one another, off-loading math, sound and graphic processing to improve speed and efficiency.
It's an idea that worked well for Amiga, implemented in a far more efficient and powerful way.
To me these are exciting times.
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