Here in the ExtremeTech bunker we have to constantly remind ourselves just how awesome computer technology is. The sad fact is, computers and gadgets and digital gi mos of every variety are fast becoming commodities. There was a time when a personal computer or infrared, channel-changing wristwatch inspired awe amongst those who set eyes on them for the first time, and yet today that same reverence is reserved for only the fastest graphics cards, the smallest transistors, and the latest quantum processor.
Still, there’s a lot to be said for commoditi ation: building or buying a computer is no longer a bank-breaking experience, hardware specs are through the roof, and almost every component is delightfully interoperable. No where is this more obvious or life-changing than RAM and hard disks. Need to run more programs? Just spend $50 on a couple of new sticks of RAM. Tired of burning backup DVDs? Just spend $100 on a multi-terabyte hard drive!
Which leads us neatly onto the question in the title: Are you more thankful for cheap RAM or cheap hard drives? If you had the choice of installing a few more gigs or a few more terabytes (can we call them “teras”?) which would you choose?
To take it further, has cheap memory or storage changed how you use computers? Is there something that was impossible, back when RAM and hard drives were a thousand dollars per gigabyte, but which is now possible?
To get the ball rolling, here’s my point of view. I’m a photographer, so cheap RAM means that Photoshop can keep up with the rapid scaling of digital camera megapixel counts — but cheap hard drives mean I no longer have to back anything up to DVD; I can keep all of my photos on hard drives. When I run out of space, I just slot another drive into my NAS. Which one am I more grateful for? Cheap hard drives.
What’re you more thankful for: Cheap RAM or cheap hard drives?
0 comments:
Post a Comment